Cannondale is to close its US headquarters and move to Europe, as part of a restructuring at the American brand by its owners, Pon.Bike, with layoffs expected.
Announced on Wednesday, the news means the historic HQ in Wilton, Connecticut, will close by mid-2027, with a new satellite office opening on the West Coast of the US to handle North American retail and owner support.
In a press release, the brand said: “Over the next six months, Cannondale will adopt a new sales model in North America.” As for the West Coast office: “A dedicated commercial, retailer and rider support team will be based there, providing Cannondale expertise and services to retailers and riders across North America.”
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Cannondale’s global HQ is to move to Woudenberg in the Netherlands, currently its European base, with R&D and engineering in Freiburg, Germany. Pon, which also owns Cervélo and Santa Cruz, is based in Amsterdam.
According to reporting by Escape Collective, as many as 143 people in jobs in Wilton and working remotely could be laid off, with the roles ranging from engineering to vice presidents.
A spokesperson for the brand said: “As part of these broader organisational changes, global functions currently based in Wilton will transition to join existing teams in Europe over a period extending into 2027. Woudenberg will serve as Cannondale’s global headquarters, bringing together global leadership, Brand & Marketing, Product Management, and other central functions.
“We are actively working through what these transition plans mean for individual roles and responsibilities at the Wilton office.”
A source close to the US staff told Cycling Weekly that it was the end of an era for the brand.
“This is an incredibly sad day for all the people impacted by this decision, and this draws a line under the Cannondale that we knew and loved,” they said. “It’ll be a third wheel brand in the sales toolbox of the PON USA sales team from here, as Santa Cruz and Cervelo will no doubt be the main focus.”
Cannondale was founded in 1971 by Joe Montgomery, Murdoch MacGregor and Ron Davis in Connecticut. The brand is known not only for some of the most iconic road and off-road bikes, including the original ST-500, Six13, SuperSix Evo, SystemSix, CAAD, SM-500 and Scalpel mountain bike, Topstone, and SuperX gravel bike, but also for a slew of technical innovations.
Wednesday’s press release said: “For more than five decades, Connecticut has been instrumental in shaping Cannondale into one of cycling’s most influential brands. Cannondale is deeply grateful to the team members whose passion, creativity, and commitment built this incredible foundation. The innovative spirit they fostered remains a core part of Cannondale’s DNA as the brand proudly carries its legacy into this next chapter of growth and rider-focused innovation.”
