Monty Young, the founder of London's Condor Cyles and one of the most influential figures in British cycling, has died aged 88.

An announcement on the Condor Cycles website today stated: "We are extremely sad to announce that Monty Young passed away peacefully today, 20 July 2018, having reached the age of 88 on Sunday. He had suffered with Alzheimer's for a number of years, which sadly worsened in recent months. But in true Monty style, he remained characteristically strong until the very end.

Monty will be remembered as the visionary who started Condor Cycles back in 1948; the man who contributed so much to cycle sport and the industry as a whole; and the man so very famous for his wheel building."

Monty Young  who has died aged 88
Monty Young who has died aged 88

Young founded Condor Cycles in 1948 in a shop at 90 Grays Inn Road, not far from the current Condor Cyles shop. In the cellar beneath the shop, he would build bicycles and wheels, at a time when most racing bikes were bespoke rather than mass produced.

Condor Bikes have been ridden by a large number of famour riders, including Tom Simpson and Bradley Wiggins. Condor bicycles have been ridden to World Championship gold medals and ridden in the Tour de France.

Young was a key supporter of champions including Dave Bonner, Colin Lewis, John Herety, Ed Clancy and Bradley Wiggins, the latter who tweeted this morning: "The great Monty Young. Thank You X".

Monty Young's son, Grant, and grandson, Sebastian, still work for the Condor Cycles business, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year with a series of events. Condor continue to be one of the few cycle manufacturers who build their bike frames in Italy rather than in Taiwan, where the vast majority of frame building has moved to over the past decade.

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