Richard Burke Hits the Brakes on His Trek

Richard "Dick" Burke, the founder of best-selling bicycle-maker, Trek Bicycle Corp., has died. Burke died Monday night at a Milwaukee hospital from complications from heart surgery, said his son, John Burke, the company's president. He was 73.

Trek is known among cyclists for making the bikes that Lance Armstrong rode in his Tour de France victories. Those models feature carbon fiber frames and can sell for thousands of dollars. The company — known for brands including Trek, Gary Fisher, Klein and Greg LeMond — sells 1.5 million bikes a year and does $700 million (€455 million) in sales.

"He always wanted to build the best bicycle company in the world and he did it," John Burke said.

Burke had already handed the company over to his son, John, whose training wheels have come off. We're sad to see the old steerer go.

[International Herald Tribune]