Cannondale Bike History

Cannondale is one of the oldest companies in the bike production and manufacturing industry, with a history extending almost 40 years. The company spread itself too thin in the 1990s by trying to diversify into other areas, but has since returned to producing solely bikes. Cannondale bikes are used by casual day or commute riders and high-end racers alike.

Formation

According to Cannondale's website, the company was formed in 1971 by Joe Montgomery. The company is headquartered in Bethel, Connecticut. Originally formed to design and sell bicycle trailers, the company expanded into apparel and biking accessories in its early years, and grew rapidly. The company ran into economic hardship in the late 1990s but was saved from bankruptcy and streamlined to focus solely on bikes. The company is now owned by Dorel Industries, which also owns other bike brands such as Schwinn, GT and Mongoose.

Bicycles

Cannondale's first bike was introduced in 1983. The first model was for touring, followed by road and mountain models the following year. Cannondale's bikes were innovative because they introduced hand-crafted aluminum frames, which were a first in the steel-dominated industry.

History

Since introducing its first bike in 1983, Cannondale has emerged as one of the highest-grossing companies in the high-end bicycle industry. The company sponsors athletes and fields its own professional cycling teams, and its bikes have won numerous championships and prizes. According to Cannondale's website, its teams or riders using its bikes have won: two Olympic medals, national and world championships, and multiple stages of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

Models

Cannondale puts out bikes in many categories, and its high-end models for 2008 include the Supersix (road racer), the Slice (triathlon), the Judge (mountain), the Perp (mountain), and the Rush (marathon). The company also produces street models for lighter use, and the Street 1 model is an everyday bike.

Future

The company announced it was moving production to Taichung, Taiwan, where it began importing carbon frames from in 2007.