| Cycling is becoming more and more popular every | | | | ordinary guy in the street. Whether you like to take |
| year as people become more health conscious as well | | | | exercise by riding the streets or are more |
| as more concerned about the environmental | | | | adventurous and like off road cycling then |
| consequences of oil powered transport. One of the | | | | Cannondale have a bike for you. |
| biggest and most successful manufacturers of bikes | | | | The company started in 1971 in Connecticut USA and |
| is Cannondale. Not only is it one of the most | | | | actually was originally a maker of bicycle transporters |
| successful cycle manufacturers it is also one of the | | | | and trailers before it expanded into the bike |
| oldest. | | | | manufacture and more recently into cycling |
| Cannondale has been around for almost 40 years | | | | accessories and clothing. The company has since |
| now. Like most manufacturing based companies it has | | | | been acquired by the super power that is Dorel |
| had its ups and downs with one of the companies | | | | which is the parent company for several successful |
| most troubled times in the early 90's when it tried to | | | | bike manufacturers. |
| take advantage of the economic boom by | | | | THe first full time bike that Cannondale produced |
| diversifying into other product ranges. This almost | | | | was in 1983 and was a touring bike aimed at the |
| crippled the company but now they have got back | | | | outdoor market. This was soon followed up by racing |
| to doing what they do best and building bicycles and | | | | bikes and by their highly successful mountain bike |
| are thriving once again. | | | | range. They were one of the first companies to |
| One of the big reason Cannondale is so successful is | | | | move away from the traditional steel based bikes |
| that they build bikes for professional cyclists who | | | | and build their bikes with aluminum. |
| race in competitive races but also build bikes for the | | | | |