I just received a message that Steve Hed passed away this morning. I don’t have any of the specifics, but I heard that he collapsed last week, outside of work, with no pulse.
I didn’t know Steve very well, but would have liked to more, for sure. We just never really crossed paths, intersected, even though we were in close proximity to each other for years.
He was a visionary in the sport of cycling. He thought outside the box and made the sport that much more attractive. Guys like Steve Hed are why I ride bikes. He will be missed greatly by many. My condolences to Anne and his family.
Steve and his family.
Amen. Thanks for posting this. I feel the same. I always admired Steve’s design philosophies. He knew where to draw the line. Where the gains became incremental and certain things, like when braking becomes worse on a light, aerodynamic wheelset. While other companies trampled through those lines just claim ‘lighter’ or ‘faster’, HED knew better.
One of the real legends of American bicycle design.
PW
Back in the early 80s, Anne McDonnell (now Hed) and I were both part of the Mizuno triathlon team. We all went out to Bass Lake, CA for the U.S. Triathlon Series Nationals; Steve came with as the bike mechanic for the Minnesota contingent. Anne and Steve weren’t together yet; Steve was just their devoted mechanic. I still remember him in the parking lot on a cold September morning in 1983, with his bike stand, prepping bikes before the race. It was so awesome to see both their relationship and company develop. They are two of the nicest people in the world. My heart breaks for Anne and the kids.
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Steve Hed was one of those guys whose impact on cycling was immense, but largely unknown to the public. If he had focused his deep intelligence on something other than cycling, he might have been a famous theoretical physicist. Instead, he created products that advanced our joy and health. Rotating mass theory? That’s only what keeps the universe — and you — from flying apart. Steve, may your atoms rotate forever.
how old was he?
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59 years old. Thanks
Wow, a total stunner. I don’t know another contemporary that had as much impact on the industry as him. I know people will think of this and that but HED was really “Steve Hed”.
Thank you, Steve, for letting us know. It’s heartbreaking to see a guy leave a family behind. Steve Hed was a terrific guy and he had an amazing ability to see where even something as elegant and simple as a bicycle had lots of room for improvement. And he made a ton of those improvements.
It’s good I heard about this sitting down. Wow. The guy was such a total visionary; I raced for him one year and got to know him well during that time. I remember a lot of conversations about his ideas and just walking away shaking my head… A totally cool guy that was sincere about the sport and his ideas impacted it forever. Best wishes to Anne and his family.
Heidi,
I was there that day and without knowing me from Adam Steve fixed up a wheel for me to race on. I guess the measure I would hope to leave behind would be that I helped a few people out along the way, and they remembered me for it. I remember Steve that way, and Anne will be in our prayers.
I feel like I did when I found out Steve Larsen died. Raise a glass to Steve and Steve today, ok?