Bike Bmx Specialized

Specialized Bicycle Components , more commonly known simply as Specialized , is a major American manufacturer of bicycles based in Morgan Hill, California. It was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard.

History

Specialized was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, a cycling enthusiast who had sold his Volkswagen Bus for $1,500 to fund a cycle tour of Europe where he bought handlebars and stems made by Campagnolo and Cinelli to take back to the US. Sinyard started out importing Italian bike components that were difficult to find in the United States, but the company began to produce its own bike parts by 1976, starting with the Specialized Touring Tire. Specialized introduced the first major production mountain bike in the world, the Stumpjumper, in 1981. Specialized continue to produce the Stumpjumper, which, like mountain bikes in general, has evolved significantly since 1981 and now comes in full suspension and hardtail options. An original Stumpjumper is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C..

In the early 1990s, Specialized introduced the Globe line of urban bikes. The line was the subject of a major relaunch in 2009. The relaunch sees Globe become its own brand, distinct from Specialized.

In 1995, Specialized launched the Full Force brand. Full Force was a lower-end mountain bike brand sold through sports stores and discount retailers such as Costco. The move angered some Specialized dealers. In 1996, Specialized withdrew the Full Force line and Mike Sinyard wrote a letter of apology to dealers. By the end of 1996, Specialized had lost 30 per cent of its bike shop sales and, according to Sinyard, "came within a few hundred dollars of declaring bankruptcy".

In 2001 19 per cent of Specialized shares were bought by Merida Bikes of Taiwan for a reported sum of US$30 million. Mike Sinyard remained majority owner and CEO of the company.

Products

The company produces a variety of gear, including clothing, helmets, and parts, in addition to over 25 lines of bikes. Specialized is distinctively known for placing many of their own parts on their bikes as stock, which is not a common practice among mountain bike companies. They range from less expensive models such as the Hardrock, P series, and the children's Hotrock, up to the expensive S-Works models for road and cross-country riding, and the Demo for freeride and downhill mountain biking. Specialized's current line-up of bicycles are as follows:

  • Epic: competitive full-suspension cross country
  • Stumpjumper FSR: full-suspension cross country
  • Era FSR: women's full-suspension cross country
  • Safire FSR: women's full-suspension cross country
  • Myka FSR: women's full-suspension recreational
  • FSRxc: light full-suspension cross country
  • Enduro SL: full-suspension all mountain
  • Pitch: full-suspension all mountain
  • SX Trail: full-suspension freeride
  • Demo: full-suspension downhill
  • BigHit: full-suspension freeride
  • P.Bikes: progressive hardtail
  • Stumpjumper HT: competitive hardtail cross country
  • Era HT: women's hardtail cross country
  • Rockhopper: recreational hardtail cross country
  • Hardrock: all-terrain hardtail
  • HRXC: all-terrain hard tail
  • Hotrock: kids mountain bike
  • Tricross: cyclo-cross
  • Crosstrail: performance all-road
  • Langster: single speed
  • Transition: triathlon racing
  • Tarmac: competitive road
  • Allez: competitive road
  • Roubaix: performance endurance road
  • Amira: women's competive road
  • Ruby: women's performance road
  • Dolce: women's performance road
  • Sequoia: recreational performance road
  • Sirrus: ergonomic fitness and commute
  • Vita: women's recreational fitness
  • Globe: performance urban/utility
  • Globe Centrum: performance urban/utility
  • GlobeCity: performance urban/utility
  • Crossroads: comfort street
  • Expedition: comfort all-terrain
  • Fuse: performance dirt/street/vertical

Use

Many riders in recent years have used Specialized bicycles in the North American and European professional cycling circuits. In 2010, Specialized is the bike supplier to Team Saxo Bank and Team Astana on the UCI ProTour, the latter deal being announced in January 2010 as a result of team leader Alberto Contador's demands. Specialized has previously supplied teams including Quick Step and Team Festina. Until 2008 the disbanded Team Gerolsteiner was using Specialized. Specialized bikes also sponsors the University of Georgia Collegiate Cycling Team. Two time world downhill champion, Sam Hill, rides for Monster Energy Specialized. Richard Hammond raced a Specialized Sirrus Limited bicycle against a Mercedes GL500 car, a motor boat and public transport across London in an episode of the TV series Top Gear, and subsequently won the race.

Teams and athletes sponsored by Specialized Bicycles

Specialized sponsor the following cycle teams:

  •   Team Astana  (KAZ)
  •   Team Saxo Bank  (DEN)
  •   Team Specialized Designs for Women  (SUI)

Specialized sponsor the following riders:

  •   Matt Hunter  (CAN)
  •   Darren Berrecloth  (CAN)
  •   Tom Boonen  (BEL)
  •   Lene Byberg  (NOR)
  •   Fabian Cancellara  (SWI)
  •   Cory Coffey  (USA)
  •   Cadel Evans  (AUS)
  •   Brendan Fairclough  (GBR)
  •   Sam Hill  (AUS)
  •   Dan Hugo  (RSA)
  •   Liam Killeen  (GBR)
  •   Chris McCormack  (AUS)
  •   Gavin Noble  (IRL)
  •   Graeme Obree  (SCO)

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