![]() | |
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Bicycles |
Founded | 1974 |
Headquarters | , USA |
Key people | Mike Sinyard, Founder |
Products | Bicycle and Related Components |
Revenue | US$500,000,000 (est.) (2011) [1] |
Number of employees | 1300 (2022) [1] |
Website | specialized |
Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., colloquially known as and stylized as SPECIALIZED, is an American company that designs, manufactures and markets bicycles, bicycle components and related products under the brand name "Specialized", as well as the premium and professional oriented "S-works".
The Morgan Hill, California-based company was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard. [2]
The company was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, [3] a cycling enthusiast who sold his Volkswagen Bus for $1,500 to fund a cycle tour of Europe, where he bought handlebars and stems made by Cinelli to take back to the US. [4] [5] [6] Sinyard started importing Italian bike components which were difficult to find in the United States, [3] but the company began to produce its own bike parts by 1976, starting with the Specialized Touring Tire. [5] [7] In 1981, the company introduced its first two bikes: the Sequoia, a sport-touring design, and the Allez, a road bike. [8] Specialized also introduced the first major production mountain bike in the world, the Stumpjumper, in 1981. Like the Sequoia and Allez, the Stumpjumper was designed by Tim Neenan and based on an early Tom Ritchey design. Specialized continues to produce bikes under the Stumpjumper name, including both hardtail and full-suspension models. [9] An original Stumpjumper is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. [5] [10]
Mike Sinyard moved the firm to Morgan Hill, CA in 1984. [11]
In 1989, Specialized introduced the Epic, the world's second mass-production carbon fiber mountain bike. [8]
In the early 1990s, Specialized introduced the Globe range of urban bikes; it had a major relaunch in 2009, [12] which saw Globe become its own distinct brand. [13] After a hiatus in production, the Globe line currently produces cargo e-bikes.
In 1995, Specialized launched the Full Force brand. [14] Full Force was a lower-end mountain bike brand sold through sporting goods stores and discount retailers such as Costco. [5] The move angered some Specialized dealers. In 1996, Specialized withdrew the Full Force line, and Mike Sinyard wrote a letter of apology to dealers. [5] [15] By the end of 1996, Specialized had lost 30% of its bike shop sales and, according to Sinyard, "came within a few hundred dollars of declaring bankruptcy". [5]
In 2001, Merida Bikes of Taiwan bought 49% of Specialized (initially reported as 19%) for a reported US$30 million. Mike Sinyard remained majority owner and CEO of the company. [16] [17] As of 2016 [update] , Specialized is one of the biggest bicycle brands operating in the United States, alongside Trek Bicycle Corporation and Giant Bicycles. [18]
In 2012, Specialized issued a recall for about 12,000 bicycles sold through retailers from 2007 until July 2012 due to a faulty fork. [19] Recalled models include the company's Globe products.
As of 2023, a customized version of the Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike is used by the London Ambulance Service for their Cycle Response Units which operate in congested areas of the city. [20]
In 1990, Specialized tried to sue RockShox Inc, claiming the company's name too closely resembled the bicycle model name Rockhopper [21] The case was ultimately dismissed with prejudice.
In 2006, Specialized sent Mountain Cycle a letter concerning its use of the model name "Stumptown" (nickname for Portland), alleging it resembled the Specialized model name Stumpjumper. [22] Mountain Cycle closed shortly thereafter.
In 2009, Specialized had a trademark dispute with a manufacturer of bicycle bags, Epic Designs, now Revelate Designs.
In 2010, Specialized took NASCAR driver and team owner Robby Gordon to court over the logo used for his Speed Energy drink brand, claiming it was visually similar to their own 'S' logo. Gordon sued Specialized after receiving a cease-and-desist letter in September 2010 and Specialized then counter-sued Gordon. [23] Gordon was ordered by the court to remove the Speed 'S' logo from his cars and later agreed with Specialized he would change the drink's logo. [24]
In 2011, Portland wheel builder Epic Wheel Works was forced to change its name due to potential trademark conflict with Specialized. [25]
In 2012, the company sued two former employees after they started the bicycle brand Volagi Cycles, for theft of trade secrets and breach of employment contract, as well as other charges. Of Specialized's nine claims, eight were thrown out of court, and the jury awarded Specialized one dollar in damages on the remaining count (breach of employment contract) that went to trial. [26] [27] [28] It was estimated by (Volagi's founders) Choi and Forsman's attorney, Tyler Paetkau, that Specialized incurred more than $2 million in legal fees to practice "competition by litigation." [29] In September 2016, Volagi announced that it would close after a founding member was injured in a bicycle crash involving an automobile. [30]
In 2013, Specialized mailed a small bike shop owner in Canada a cease and desist letter over its use of the city name Roubaix in its shop name and wheels, the name of a town in France that rose to prominence as a textile center in the 15th century [31] and has hosted a bicycle race since 1896. [32] [33] This follows on from Specialized's trademarking of the word in Canada. The situation and behavior towards the shop owner caused some reactions from cyclists worldwide after an article was published by the Calgary Herald in early December 2013. [34] [35] On 9 December Fuji Bikes owner, Advanced Sports International said that they are the legal owner of worldwide rights to the Roubaix trademark. Fuji has had a Fuji Roubaix road bike model in its lineup since 1992, and has licensed the name to Specialized since 2003. [36] The dispute between Specialized, ASI and the Canadian shop owner was resolved in December 2013, and Specialized vowed to be more cautious in its pursuit of trademark violators in the future. [37]
In 2014, Specialized forced bicycle builder Neil Pryde to change the name of their Alize bike model. [38]
Many riders in recent years have used Specialized bicycles in the North American and European professional cycling circuits. In 2019, the professional road teams sponsored by Specialized are Soudal-Quick-Step, Bora–Hansgrohe, SD Worx and Team TotalEnergies. [39]
Mountain bike riders sponsored by Specialized include the downhill world champion Loïc Bruni, Finn Iles, [40] Jaroslav Kulhavý, Christoph Sauser, Lea Davison, Martin Soderstrom, Simon Andreassen, Sam Gaze, Ned Overend, Chris Blevins, Hannah Barnes, Annika Langvad, 2:1 Racing, Nicholi Rogatkin, Curtis Robinson, Matt Hunter and Howard Grotts. [41]
Sponsored triathletes include Brent McMahon, Jenson Button, Rubén Ruzafa, Non Stanford, Conrad Stoltz, Melissa Hauschildt, Tim Don, Lisa Norden, Chris McCormack, Francisco Javier Gómez Noya, Gwen Jorgensen and Benjamin Hoffman. [41]
Trek Bicycle Corporation is a bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor under brand names Trek, Electra Bicycle Company, Bontrager, and Diamant Bikes. The company has previously manufactured bikes under the Gary Fisher, LeMond Racing Cycles, Klein, and Villiger Bikes brand names. With its headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin, Trek bicycles are marketed through 1,700 independently owned bicycle shops across North America, subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, South Africa, as well as distributors in 90 countries worldwide. Nearly all Trek bicycles are manufactured outside the United States, in countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Taiwan, and China.
Fuji Bikes is a brand of bicycles and cycling equipment currently owned by Advanced Sports International. The company is a descendant of Nichibei Fuji Cycle Company, Ltd. (日米富士自転車株式会社), a bicycle manufacturer originally established in Japan in 1899. The company took its name and logo from Mount Fuji, a Japanese symbol of strength and endurance.
Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. is a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, recognized as the world's largest bicycle designer and manufacturer. Giant has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, the Netherlands, China,and Hungary. They have future plans for Vietnam to be the fifth location.
Filip Meirhaeghe is a retired Belgian racing cyclist. His primary focus was in mountain bike racing, however, he has also taken part in elite road, cyclo-cross and track cycling. He has won four Mountain Bike World Championships medals, one Olympic medal and a total of eleven mountain bike World Cup events. In the final years of his racing career he raced for the bicycle manufacturer Specialized Bicycle Components on the mountain bike and for the professional team Domina Vacanze-Elitron on the road.
Joe Breeze is an American bicycle framebuilder, designer and advocate from Marin County, California. An early participant in the sport of mountain biking, Breeze, along with other pioneers including Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly, and Tom Ritchey, is known for his central role in developing the mountain bike. Breeze is credited with designing and building the first all-new mountain bikes, which riders colloquially called Breezers. He built the prototype, known as Breezer #1, in 1977 and completed nine more Series I Breezers by early 1978. Breezer #1 is now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.
Halfords Group PLC is a UK retailer of motoring and cycling products and services. Through Halfords Autocentre, they provide vehicle servicing, MOT, maintenance and repairs in the United Kingdom.
Ibis Bicycles is a mountain bike manufacturer located in northern California, United States. It produces the popular Mojo, Ripmo, and Ripley mountain bike frames among other models. Ibis products are distributed in 33 countries.
Cervélo Cycles is an American manufacturer of racing and track bicycles. Cervélo uses CAD, computational fluid dynamics, and wind tunnel testing at a variety of facilities including the San Diego Air and Space Technology Center, in California, US, to aid its designs. Frame materials include carbon fibre. Cervélo currently makes 5 series of bikes: the C series and R series of road bikes, the latter featuring multi-shaped, "Squoval" frame tubes; the S series of road bikes and P series of triathlon/time trial bikes, both of which feature airfoil shaped down tubes; and the T series of track bikes. In professional competition, cyclists have ridden Cervélo bicycles to victory in all three of road cycling's grand tours: the Tour de France; the Giro d'Italia; and the Vuelta a España.
Iron Horse Bicycles was a manufacturer of bicycles, in Islandia, New York, United States from 1987 to 2009. Its logo was a prancing horse on a mustard-color crest similar to the Ferrari logo. Iron Horse sold racing bikes and mountain bikes, but mainly downhill, freeride, and all mountain.
A bike shop or bicycle shop is a business specializing in bicycle sale, maintenance and parts.
Litespeed is a U.S. bicycle manufacturer founded in 1986 in Ooltewah, Tennessee by David Lynskey. Litespeed makes titanium and carbon fiber frame road racing bicycles and mountain bikes. Titanium bicycle frames are famed for their ride quality. Litespeed, along with triathlon specific bicycle manufacturer Quintana Roo, is a subsidiary of the American Bicycle Group.
Mike Sinyard is the founder and chairman of Specialized Bicycle Components, an American manufacturer of bicycles and cycling components. In 2022, he retired as the CEO of Specialized Bicycle Components, a company he had led for 48 years.
Nishiki is a brand of bicycles designed, specified, marketed and distributed by West Coast Cycle in the United States, initially manufactured by Kawamura Cycle Co. in Kobe, Japan, and subsequently by Giant of Taiwan. The bicycles were first marketed under the American Eagle brand beginning in 1965 and later under the Nishiki brand until 2001.
Clark-Kent was a bicycle frame manufacturer based in Denver, Colorado. The name Clark-Kent was a hybrid of the names of the company owners, Pat Clark and Dean Kent, and had no connection with the alter ego of Superman beyond name recognition. Nor is it related in any way with Kent Bicycles of Parsippany, New Jersey.
Merida Industry Co., Ltd is a Taiwan-based company with R&D headquarters in Germany that designs, manufactures, and markets bicycles globally in over 77 countries. Founded in 1972 by Ike Tseng (1932–2012), the company designs and manufactures over two million bicycles a year at its factories in Taiwan, China, and Germany. After Tseng's death in January 2012, his son Michael Tseng became the company's president.
Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) is a large distributor of bicycle parts and accessories in the bicycle industry, based in the United States, with revenues of $150 million in 2008. In addition to wholesaling bicycles and components from other manufacturers, QBP owns and manufactures several brands of its own. QBP also participates in activities which support its community through cycling advocacy and green building.
Focus Bikes is a bicycle manufacturer that has its administration in Stuttgart, Germany and production facilities based in Cloppenburg, Germany and builds sport bicycles such as e-bikes, racing bicycles and mountain bicycles.
The Specialized Stumpjumper is a mountain bike produced by Specialized Bicycle Components. When it was first produced in 1981, the Stumpjumper was the first mass-production mountain bike. The Stumpjumper is still in production, although its design has changed significantly since it was first sold. Stumpjumpers have been raced professionally by riders including Christoph Sauser and Ned Overend.
BMC Switzerland AG is a Swiss bicycle and cycling product manufacturer based in Grenchen. BMC designs, builds and distributes road bikes, mountain bikes, and commuter bikes primarily for sale to dealers in North America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, East Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
Advanced Sports International (ASI) is an American bicycle company whose flagship brand is Fuji Bikes. It also owns smaller brands including triathlon-focused Kestrel USA, component maker Oval Concepts, Breezer bikes, Tuesday Cycles and BMX maker SE Bikes. ASI is headquartered in Philadelphia and was led by Patrick Cunnane until filing for bankruptcy.
• Brand strategy