KENT, Wash. (BRAIN) — Tim Rutledge, a longtime industry product manager and legendary cyclocross and road racer, died Monday after a battle with cancer. Friends and family confirmed his passing to BRAIN on Tuesday. He was 65.
Rutledge was a former national champion and national team member in cyclocross and competed in the 1984 Giro d'Italia and Tour of Switzerland with the Gianni Motta team. He also raced mountain bikes and on the track.
In the industry, he was long associated with the Redline brand, first at Seattle Bicycle Supply, where he developed the brand's first 'cross bikes, some of the first production cyclocross frames offered in the U.S. He later worked for Raleigh America and Accell North America as a product manager and performance marketing manager, connected to Redline and other brands including Lapierre. In the 1980s he was a store manager at Seattle's Gregg's Greenlake Cycles for several years.
Over the years he contributed countless hours of volunteer time to Seattle-area cyclocross events and teams and as a coach.
He leaves a wife, Heather, and two daughters. His family said a memorial service will be held at a later date.
Tim was a friend and inspiration to many people across the sport and the industry, including many of us at BRAIN. We will miss him.
