Earlier today, we learned the unfortunate news that Cannondale is closing its Wilton, Connecticut offices as its parent company Pon.Bike consolidates operations. According to a report by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN), Cannondale filed a notice with the Connecticut Department of Labor today, Wednesday, notifying them of the upcoming closure. Cannondale’s Connecticut operations are scheduled to wind down by mid-2027, with the closure and layoffs being permanent and impacting up to 143 employees.
The BRAIN report also included information from a letter to the Connecticut Department of Labor signed by Maggie Lansdale, Global VP of People for Sports Group, Cannondale’s business unit within Pon. It read: “The entire office will be closed and almost all employees there will be impacted. The first separations are expected to occur on December 21, 2026, and separations are expected to continue in phases through December 31, 2027. The closure and separations will be permanent.”
Consolidation
With the closure of Cannondale’s Wilton, Connecticut office, Pon.Bike is aiming to consolidate and streamline both its North American and global operations. According to the media statement (see below), Cannondale’s current European headquarters in Woudenberg, Netherlands, will become its new global headquarters. Cannondale’s Engineering and R+D will remain based in Freiburg, Germany.
In North America, Cannondale will be getting a new home on the West Coast, bringing operations closer to a couple of Pon.Bike’s other brands, Santa Cruz and Cervélo. According to the media statement, this move is intended to strengthen North American operations and retailer support. They state they will also be adopting a new sales model with outside sales representatives covering multiple Pon.Bike brands to make it easier for retailers to work with Cannondale and other brands in the Pon portfolio.
End of an Era
This closure also marks the end of Cannondale’s 55 years calling the state of Connecticut home, a damn good run by any measure. Cannondale was founded by Joe Montgomery in Wilton, CT, in 1971, where it was named after a local train station, and its first product was a bicycle trailer. After many years of growth and some of cycling’s most interesting bikes and innovations, Cannondale ultimately became part of Dorel Sports, which was later acquired for $810 million by Pon.Bike in 2021, creating “a leading bicycle company in the world.”
But as we’ve seen in the past few years, the cycling industry has been going through its fair share of financial struggles. Bike brands and their parent companies have been tightening belts and consolidating in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty. This includes Cannondale, which recently announced that Cannondale Factory Racing (CFR) would not be returning to World Cup racing in 2027. That announcement already made it feel like the end of an era for Cannondale, and today’s announcement reinforces that notion.
More than anything, though, we feel for the 143 employees who are now facing an uncertain future in the face of layoffs and the imminent closure of the brand’s Connecticut offices. We wish nothing but the best to all of the Cannondale employees affected by this decision.
Cannondale North America Media Statement:
Cannondale Announces Next Chapter of North American Operations and Retailer Support
Cannondale today announced plans to strengthen its North American operations and retailer support. The changes include a new home for its North American activities on the West Coast and offering its retailers easier access to other Pon.Bike brands, including Santa Cruz and Cervélo, through a single point of contact.
Over the next six months, Cannondale will adopt a new sales model in North America, with outside sales representatives covering multiple Pon.Bike brands. This builds on two years of closer commercial collaboration between the brands to offer retailers greater choice. For retailers carrying more than one brand, this means a single point of contact and simpler ordering and support services. The aim is to make it easier for retailers to work with Cannondale and access more of the Pon.Bike portfolio. Each brand will retain its own identity, models and relationship with riders.
As part of this next step, Cannondale is creating a new home for its North American business on the West Coast, a region known for its cycling culture. A dedicated commercial, retailer and rider support team will be based there, providing Cannondale expertise and services to retailers and riders across North America.
Alongside these changes, Cannondale is bringing its global teams closer together. Woudenberg (the Netherlands), currently Cannondale’s European headquarters, will become its global headquarters. R&D and Engineering functions, long based in Freiburg (Germany), will continue to engineer and develop the best bikes, building on Cannondale expertise already there.
As part of this transition, operations at the Wilton (Connecticut, USA) office will wind down by mid-2027. 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.
