Joe Montgomery, the founder of US-based bike company Cannondale, passed away on January 2, 2026, at the age of 86. His wife, Celia Montgomery, confirmed his passing.
Montgomery is survived by Celia, five children, and three grandchildren.
Cannondale was established in 1971 in the loft of the Cannondale train station in Wilton, CT. The company’s first product was a bicycle trailer known as the Bugger, which Montgomery was inspired to create after observing a cyclist struggling to climb a hill with a heavy backpack.
During the 1970s, the company expanded its range to include cycling apparel, bike bags, tents, and sleeping bags. At the time, all products were manufactured in a repurposed shoe factory in Bedford, PA.
In the early 1980s, the company shifted its focus toward bicycle frames after an engineer suggested that steel frames could be improved by using oversized, heat-treated aluminium.
Celia Montgomery said “Joe had experience from early years of his life where he crewed sailboats with masts made of oversized aluminium, so he understood the benefits of oversized aluminium structures.”
The company launched the ST500 for a retail price of US$495, which was a premium price at the time. This innovation helped redefine the modern bicycle.
Cannondale continued its international expansion by forming Cannondale Europe in 1987 and entering the Japanese market in 1991. It went public in 1994 and grew its reputation through professional racing programs such as Volvo–Cannondale and Saeco–Cannondale.
Today, Cannondale is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pon Bike.
Marco Kind, Managing Director at Pon Bike, said “They say we stand on the shoulders of giants. Well, it’s true, and for us, Joe is that giant. He was a legend. A true original. There will never be another like him, that’s for sure. We all owe him an enormous debt of gratitude.”
Mike Sinyard, Founder of Specialized Bicycles, said “Joe was an inspiration to all of us. He was the first one to really be innovative and kind of irreverent, but in a logical way, all based on technology.”
Mike Stimola, CEO at ENVE Composites, said “Joe was one of a kind – an entrepreneur, a visionary, a generous mentor, a pilot, hardworking and fun-loving – whose influence touched countless lives.”
Jeff McGuane, President at Revelyst Adventure Sports, added “Joe Montgomery was the rare leader who saw not only who you were, but who you could become – and in me, what I could not yet see in myself.”
After his time in the cycling industry, Montgomery formed Systems 4PT in 2004, a SaaS company providing practice-management software for physical therapist offices.
A private service will be held this weekend in Florida for family members, with a broader memorial potentially to be announced at a later date.
