Cycling pioneer and Cannondale founder Joe Montgomery passed away on Friday, January 2nd, at 86, as confirmed by Celia Montgomery, his wife. He is survived by Celia, five children, and three grandchildren.
Cannondale was formed in 1971 in the loft of the Cannondale train station in Wilton, Connecticut. The company’s first product – a bicycle trailer known as Bugger – was inspired by Montgomery after watching a struggling cyclist climb a hill with a stuffed backpack. The Bugger became the first of many product innovations that would define Cannondale’s storied history.
Throughout the 1970s, the company grew steadily, manufacturing cycling apparel, bike bags, tents, sleeping bags, and even contracted and manufactured dog beds for the famous L.L. Bean brand. All products were manufactured in a repurposed shoe factory located in Bedford, Pennsylvania.
In the early 1980s, an engineer sent Joe a letter suggesting that bicycles predominantly produced of steel could be improved by adopting oversized aluminum heat-treated and welded. Celia Montgomery recalled,
“Joe had experience from early years of his life where he crewed sailboats with masts made of oversized aluminum, so he understood the benefits of oversized aluminum structures.” Engineer David Graham was immediately hired, development began on the first aluminum bicycle, and Cannondale launched the ST500 for a retail price of $495, a significant premium for a bicycle at the time. The innovation attracted new customers and helped redefine the modern bicycle.
The company continued to expand, forming Cannondale Europe in 1987 and entering the Japanese market in 1991. Both initiatives were founded by Joe’s son Scott, along with key team members including Scott Bell and Michael Jackson. Over time, the company became fully focused on cycling, went public in 1994, and rose in stature through successful professional racing programs such as Volvo-Cannondale and later Saeco-Cannondale. These programs enhanced the brand’s reputation for innovation and performance, and have been followed by other strong racing and development programs that continue to this day.
Montgomery grew up in Coshocton, Ohio, a small town where his father, Ed Montgomery, pioneered the use of latex to replace rubber for the manufacturing of industrial-use gloves. Ed founded EdMont Gloves, passing on a legacy of entrepreneurship and innovation that would profoundly shape his son’s career.
Testimonials:
“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. I remember those days well.” Mike Sinyard, founder & owner, Specialized Bicycles Sinyard famously bought a Bugger and used it to ride from store to store to sell early Specialized component products.
“Joe was one of a kind – an entrepreneur, a visionary, a generous mentor, a pilot, hardworking and fun-loving – whose influence touched countless lives.” – Mike Stimola, CEO, ENVE Composites
“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. He took bold risks on people based on potential, not experience, and led with genuine gratitude and belief. His influence on my life, and on the leader I became, was oversized and enduring.” – Jeff McGuane, President, Revelyst Adventure Sports
“Joe Montgomery was the man behind Cannondale, the bicycle and motorcycle company – that for better or worse – always dared to do things differently. I respected Joe for the gumption and enthusiasm he wore on his sleeve. – Zap Espinoza, Editor & Content, KTM Motorcycles
For the “unofficial History of Cannondale” go to www.zapmedia.com
“As just another of many, many Cannondale dealers, Joe treated me like gold. I’m not one to look up to people as heroes, but Joe Montgomery held that position.” – Tomais Hinchcliff, Genesis Bicycles, Easton, PA
“Joe was a visionary, a strong leader, a trailblazer, and to some, a cowboy. I had the privilege of meeting him when I was 23, just four years after we started Incycle. Joe not only gave Incycle a fighting shop, but he also mentored me and taught me life lessons for which I am forever grateful.” – Mark Smitz, Founder, Incycle, San Dimas, CA
“Truly, Joe was one of a kind, and he was one of the very few I looked up to. I loved your Dad, and this crazy world we’re living in will not be the same without him.” – Jay Wolff, Founder, Helen’s Cycles, Santa Monica, CA
After a challenging foray into the production of motocross motorcycles and ATVs, the company was sold and changed hands several times. Today it is a wholly owned subsidiary of PON Bike, where the brand continues to thrive. Marco Kind, Managing Director, 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. His vision, his energy, and his relentless optimism made Cannondale what it is today. It’s at the core of who we are. It’s in our DNA. That drive to always improve, to always push for better, and to follow your own instincts and trust in your people even when it seems a little crazy, that’s what makes Cannondale, Cannondale. It’s a special place, and I’m proud to be a part of what he created. I stand with all the people Joe’s legacy touched – employees, riders, and fans around the world – to say farewell and thank you to a great man and a visionary entrepreneur. Happy Trails, Joe. We will carry your vision proudly into the next 50 years.”
In 2004, Montgomery formed Systems 4PT, a SaaS company providing practice-management software to physical therapist offices nationwide. He led this company until his retirement in recent years.
Montgomery passed along a love of the outdoors to his children, Scott, Lauren, Michael, Luke, and John, and to his grandchildren, Haley, Clyde, and William. He spent his retirement years with Celia in Vero Beach, Florida.
A private service will be held this weekend in Florida for family members. The family is considering a broader memorial at a later date, with details to be announced.
For more information, contact Mark Jordan, Scott Montgomery and Lauren (Montgomery) Edinger at mark@cranktank.net, scott@cranktank.net, lauren.edinger@gmail.com
For a more detailed account of Joe’s life and legacy, please see Lauren’s memorial below.
In Memoriam: Joseph S. “Joe” Montgomery, 86
Joseph S. Montgomery—maverick entrepreneur, founder of Cannondale, and a pioneer of aluminum and carbon fiber bicycles—passed away Friday at his home in Vero Beach, Florida. He was 86.
Born December 11, 1939, in Coshocton, Ohio, to Francis and Edward Montgomery, Joe grew up on a fruit farm, where curiosity and persistence defined him. At twelve he built a car from junkyard parts, testing its aerodynamics until one day he lost control, crashing it through the hedge and double doors of the town’s church. He later attended Hamilton College, Columbia University, the Manhattan School of Music, and Ohio State University, leaving without a degree after realizing that he found life’s classrooms far more interesting than that of any institution.
A life‑shaping moment came in his mid‑twenties when the racing sailboat he captained sank in the Caribbean; clinging to its aluminum hull, he marveled at the strength‑to‑weight of modern materials and recalled hauling heavy steel bikes across streams as a boy.
“This would be better,” he thought—and filed it away. After stints in finance and the foodservice industry, he abandoned a traditional career path on the certainty that building aluminum bicycles was a big idea.
In 1971, with little capital and less convention, Joe founded Cannondale in a loft above a pickle factory adjacent to Metro-North Railroad’s Cannondale station in Connecticut. Their first product wasn’t a bicycle frame but a simple, human insight: after watching a rider struggle awkwardly up a hill with an overstuffed backpack, Joe conceived a bike‑towed trailer—the Bugger—thereby launching a run of innovative outdoor accessories. Through the 1970s, Cannondale built bike bags, tents, sleeping bags, apparel and even L.L.Bean dog beds, all from a repurposed shoe factory in Bedford, Pennsylvania.
From the start, Joe insisted that innovation be born from practical use. He and his employees rode the bikes, towed the trailers, camped in the tents—effectively collecting real‑world feedback that streamlined designs and accelerated improvements across Cannondale’s lineup. The early 1980s brought the leap that defined the brand. Cannondale introduced its first bicycle, the ST-500. A revolutionary oversized aluminum touring bike with strong TIG-welds and thoughtful details for serious cyclists, the oversized frame was initially scorned for its fat tubes and hefty price tag. Retailing for $495, Cannondale was demanding a bold premium over cycling’s status quo. But Cannondale’s innovative aluminum frames quickly proved themselves faster, stronger, better than their steel forerunners.
“Joe was an inspiration to all of us.” said Mike Sinyard, founder and owner of Specialized Bicycles, “he was the first one to really be innovative and kind of irreverent, but in a logical way, all based on technology.”
Cannondale became a multinational corporation in 1987, expanding first to Europe and later Japan under the leadership of Joe Montgomery’s oldest son, Scott, alongside Scott Bell and Michael Jackson. By 1991 Cannondale was generating $100 million annually. Increasingly dominant with cutting-edge innovations like the Super V and Headshok systems, the 1990’s saw Cannondale further cement its reputation through racing programs like Volvo–Cannondale and Saeco–Cannondale that pushed innovation to new heights.
Joe Montgomery fostered an employee culture at Cannondale that was equal parts grit, ingenuity, and fun; hard work was expected, innovation was celebrated, and because everyone believed so deeply in their collective cause, they were usually having a damn good time doing it. Jeff McGuane, now President of Revelyst Adventure Sports, reflected: “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. He took bold risks on people based on potential, not experience, and led with genuine gratitude and belief. His influence on my life, and on the leader I became, was oversized and enduring. ”Joe insisted on practical creativity: ride what you build, test it, break it, improve it—so real‑world feedback shaped every design.
Equally defining was his unwavering commitment to hand‑made production in Bedford, Pennsylvania. An avid pilot, Joe flew his small corporate jet twice weekly to the Bedford factory, usually with a team from the Connecticut office. Though he could have chased higher margins by moving manufacturing overseas, Joe kept the work at home, believing in the ingenuity of the American worker and in strengthening the American economy through skilled jobs and local supply chains. Joe worked diligently to ensure Cannondale culture wasn’t limited to the factory. Dealer Tomais Hinchcliff remembers, “As just another of many, many Cannondale dealers, Joe treated me like gold… Joe Montgomery held [hero] status.” Mark Smitz of Incycle echoes that praise. “Joe was a visionary, a strong leader, a trailblazer, and to some, a cowboy… he mentored me and taught me life lessons for which I am forever grateful.”
After a challenging foray into motocross motorcycles and ATVs, Joe left the company in 2003. Even those difficult days garner a positive remembrance. “Joe Montgomery was the man behind Cannondale, the bicycle and motorcycle company—that for better or worse—always dared to do things differently,” says Zap Espinoza of KTM Motorcycles.
True to form, Joe built again. In 2004 he founded Systems 4PT, a SaaS platform that helps physical therapy practices manage patient care. He led the firm until recent retirement.
Joe married his wife Celia in 1982. Together they had four children. While his greatest passion was work, he also loved to fish and share the outdoors with his family. He had been ailing with heart troubles in recent years.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Celia; his children, Scott, Lauren, Michael, Lucas, and John; and his grandchildren, Haley, Clyde, and William. He spent his later years with Celia in Vero Beach, passing along the conviction that bold ideas, well made, can change the way we move through the world.
A celebration of Joe’s life will be announced by the family. In lieu of flowers, they ask that you honor Joe by mentoring potential, taking a ride, or choosing the bold idea.
