IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — Felt Bicycles founder and long-time head of sports marketing Jim Felt will be departing the company he founded in partnership with Bill Duehring, the company announced Friday.

Jim Felt recently had taken part in the sale of the company to Groupe Rossignol this spring.

Felt, who had his start in the motorcycle industry, began welding innovative custom triathlon frames in the late 1980s and soon went to work for Easton Sports developing bikes under the Easton brand. He founded Felt in 1991.

For several years, Answer Products manufactured and distributed Felt frames, but when Answer sold, Felt took back the brand and partnered with Duehring and Michael Müllmann to launch Felt as a complete bicycle brand in 2001.

Today the company has more than 120 models in most categories, including road, triathlon, mountain bike, cyclocross and e-bikes. Müllmann, who owns the German distributor Sport Import and was the president of Felt Europe, planned to step away from the brand after the sale was complete this summer. Duehring stayed on and is now president of Felt Bicycles.

"Jim has been a tremendous part of Felt's history and success these past 25 plus years and has and will continue to be both a colleague and a friend," Duehring said. "I wish him all the best as he prepares for his next professional adventure."

Bruno Cercley, CEO of Groupe Rossignol, said, "At the first minute I met with Jim I knew our companies were built from the same DNA: racing, innovation, passion. I have been impressed by Jim's vision about blending the two ingredients that made this company so successful: outstanding product engineering capabilities together with racing commitment. I have a lot of respect for Jim, the human being and his incredible achievements. After we now take the company to new steps as part of our Group I wish Jim all the best in his new life and am sure we will find ways to stay connected and cooperate in different formats."

Felt said, "My deepest thanks and gratitude to everyone that has believed and supported me all of these years. I started Felt Bicycles because of my love and passion for cycling. That love still lives in me. My relationship with my athletes, suppliers, distributors, dealers, employees, consumers and friends will never change or be forgotten. Thanks for the ride!"