Joe Montgomery, co-founder of Cannondale Bicycles and a pioneer of lightweight aluminum bicycle frames, died on January 2 at the age of 86. The father of five children and grandfather of three had been ailing with heart complications, according to CT Insider.
Together with Murdoch MacGregor and Ron Davis, Montgomery founded Cannondale in 1971 in a rented loft space above a pickle factory near the Cannondale railroad station in Wilton, CT. The trio began producing camping gear and air conditioners before moving into the bike accessory space, which later culminated in ‘The Bugger’ – a bicycle trailer designed to improve on-bike utility. The trailer’s success led Cannondale to focus on bikes, with the first Cannondale bike introduced in 1983
While Cannondale was not the first to make aluminum bicycles, the company played a crucial role in making aluminum bikes appealing to serious cyclists. One of Montgomery’s most significant innovations was introducing aluminum tubing into mainstream bicycle manufacturing, enabling large-diameter, welded aluminum tubes rather than the lugged designs of the time.
Cannondale helped pioneer the use of aluminum and carbon fiber in bikes, with many frame manufacturers at the time focused on steel or titanium.
Cannondale said on its website, “From a Connecticut workshop, we set about revolutionizing cycling for the better, for everyone. We assumed nothing; we iterated and reiterated, and from day one, we have worked on pioneering materials, ergonomics, and technology, and we haven’t looked back since. We heralded aluminum and carbon-fiber manufacturing while everybody else out there stuck with steel, we shook up the suspension establishment with single-sided forks, designing incredible frames and products that reinvented racing, creating award-winning bicycles that helped push people further.”
Cannondale went on to amplify its reputation for innovation through sponsorship of championship racing teams and established a place among avid cyclists as a premium brand. The company changed hands several times and was most recently acquired by Pon Holdings, a Dutch company with an existing line of performance bikes, for $810 million.
Montgomery left Cannondale about 25 years ago and turned his attention to computer software. Montgomery is survived by his wife and five children.
Image courtesy CT Insider
