Cycling World Mourns Cannondale Founder Joe Montgomery After His Death

Cannondale Bicycles has been one of the most influential brands in the history of mountain biking, for better or worse. Known for pushing the limits of suspension and drivetrain innovation, frame construction, and even a brief and failed foray into motocross, Cannondale has quite a diverse legacy. How many brands can say that? From a humble bike trailer to some of the most polarizing and eye-catching mountain bikes ever made, Cannondale is one of the longest-lasting brands in the bike industry, all thanks to Joe.

Joe Montgomery passed away on January 2, 2026.  He will be forever remembered as someone who embraced the new, appreciated the old, and saw how the humble bicycle can change the world. Although Cannondale has changed hands multiple times over the years, the core values have always remained the same: value ideas that serve riders directly. From pioneering alloy bike frame manufacturing to some of the wackiest forks and shocks on the market, Cannondale has stood the test of time in a way that other brands could not. 

Joe Montgomery’s innovations marked the beginning of a new trend in the industry. A trend where innovation took precedence over tradition. In the decades that followed Joe’s first dip into the new era of cycling, Cannondale evolved to embody Joe’s core values of camaraderie, curiosity, and determination, continually producing groundbreaking innovations, questionable and impactful prototypes, and marketing tactics that gained the brand an almost cult-like following and a subsequent mainstream presence.

I have personally owned more Cannondales than any other bike brand over the years. I've worked in many shops that carry Cannondale, and will forever have a soft spot for the brand and what Joe Montgomery created. Here are just a few of the 'Dales I've had over the years, some of which still remain.