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Specialized Bicycle Components is a major manufacturer of bicycles and bicycle equipment, based in Morgan Hill, California, USA. Specialized was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, and initially produced the Allez racing and Sequoia touring bicycle bicycles. In 1981, the company introduced the first mass-produced mountain bike, the Stumpjumper. Today, the company produces a variety of gear, including clothing, helmets, and parts, in addition to over 25 lines of bikes. They range from cheaper models such as the Hardrock and the children's Hotrock up to the top of the line S-Works racing series. Creations of the company include the tri-spoke timetrial/triathlon wheel (in conjunction with Dupont), made famous by Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. This wheel is manufactured by HED Cycling and is used in professional bicycle racing as well as by professional triathletes. Specialized also developed the "Brain Shock," which is manufactured in conjunction with FOX Racing Shox. The Brain Shock is a rear shock for a full suspension mountain bike that is automatically locked and released depending on the terrain, thus acting like a hard-tail mountain bike on smooth terrain, and a full suspension bike when the trail gets bumpy. Many riders in recent years have ridden Specialized bicycles in the North American and European UCI ProTour cycling circuit. In 2007, the pro cycling teams Gerolsteiner (GER) and Quickstep-Innergetic (BEL) will ride Specialized's S-Works line of bicycles including the Tarmac and Roubaix models. Riders in the 2007 Specialized Factory Racing mountain bike team include Liam Killeen (GBR), Christoph Sauser (SWI), and Kyle Strait (USA).
History Of Specialized 1974: Mike Sinyard founds Specialized with $1500 from selling his VW. First-year company sales are $64,000. 1975: Specialized doubles sales over its first business year. 1976: Specialized introduces its own tire designs for the touring market. Jim Merz tests tires by riding from Portland to Panama. 1977: Specialized tire line is expanded to eight models. 1978: First foldable clincher tire, The TURBO (with Kevlar™ bead) and the SEQUOIA debut. 1980: First USA-made and FDA-approved water bottles are offered and Specialized introduces the EXPEDITION touring bicycle. 1981: Introduction of the STUMPJUMPER, the first mountain bike available in neighborhood bicycle shops. Specialized introduces the ALLEZ (road racing) and SEQUOIA (touring frames). 1983: Specialized creates the first professional mountain bike racing team, Team Stumpjumper. It is managed by Bill Woodul and features racers Laurence Malone, Dave McLaughlin, Gavin Chilcott and Alan Ott. Bill also creates Specialized neutral support programs at road races. 1985: Specialized moves from the warehouse in San Jose, California to current headquarters in Morgan Hill. The GROUND CONTROL tire is unveiled at the Fat Tire Festival in Crested Butte, Colorado. 1986: Specialized starts the first neutral tech support program to help mountain bike racers and promoters at events across the USA. 1987: Specialized team member Lisa Muhich wins the NORBA National Championships. Ned wins the same year. 1988: Mike Sinyard is in the first class of inductees in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. ALLEZ EPIC carbon fiber bicycle wins U.S. National Criterium Championships. First carbon fiber mountain bike, the STUMPJUMPER EPIC is built in Morgan HIll. 1989: The Specialized COMPOSITE WHEEL is launched in a joint venture with DuPont. Specialized Europe opens for business. 1990: Specialized introduces M2 METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE frame tubing. Specialized Canada opens for business. Ned Overend wins the first-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Durango, Colorado. 1991: Specialized team captain Ned Overend is inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. 1992: Creation of the vaunted S-WORKS division. Introduction of the SUB 6, the lightest ANSI/SNELL certified helmet. 1st year of the Specialized Cactus Cup race. 1993: Specialized introduces the FSR and ARMADILLO tire technology . 1994: Specialized celebrates 20th anniversary. 1995: Introduces line of GROUND CONTROL mountain bikes with full suspension. 1996: CACTUS CUP Series goes global with races in France, Brazil, and Japan. A1 PREMIUM ALUMINUM material, design and manufacturing appears on Rockhopper bikes. Team Specialized becomes the Mountain Dew/Specialized team. 1997: FSRxc introduced with light-weight full suspension. 1998: Ned Overend wins XTERRA WorldChampionships. Peter Reid wins Hawaiian Ironman. Specialized wins St. Wendal World Cup. Christophe Leveque wins NBL and ABA titles and is the BMX World Champion. 1999: R&D facility is built in Morgan Hill. Tara Llanes strikes gold at Winter X-Games. TJ Lavin earns gold again. Ned Overend wins XTERRA Championships again. Christophe Leveque wins NBL and BMX World Championship. Again, M4 MANIPULATED ALLOY frame material unveiled. Medically proven saddle design, the BODY GEOMETRY, introduced. 2000: Specialized is bike and equipment sponsor for Festina. E5 frame material is introduced. Patented BODY GEOMETRY shoe technology is introduced. 2001: Team Specialized finishes 2002: Mario Cipollini wins Milan-San Remo, six stages of the Giro d' Italia and the UCI World Road Championships. EPIC full-suspension mountain bike with BRAIN technology introduced. 2003: Mario Cipollini breaks Alfredo Binda’s nearly eternal record of stage victories in the Giro d’Italia. S1 helmet, BODYGEOMETRY shoes and MONDO tires launched. Peter Reid wins his third Ironman World Championship. Functional Advanced Composite Technology (FACT) introduced in the TAR-MAC and ROUBAIX. Blood flow testing confirms the performance advantages of BODY GEOMETRY saddles for men. 2004: Cycling-specific ADAPTALITE optics premiere. Variable-width AVATAR and ALIAS BODY GEOMETRY saddles developed. Full FACT carbon TARMAC first raced; TRANSITION and VITA multi-sport bikes appear with TRIVENT BG shoes. Specialized's 30 year anniversary. 2005: Pressure testing at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine confirms the performance advantages of BODY GEOMETRY saddle technology for women. 2006: 25th Anniversary of the STUMPJUMPER. RUBY women's all FACT carbon bikes, sub 1-kilogram TARMAC SL, Carbon EPIC, STUMPJUMPER, S-WORKS FACT hardtail and TRICROSS freeroad bikes premiere. ROVAL wheels introduced, along with 16-gram ARC optics. 2006: Specialized announces that it will sponsor ProTour professional cycling team Quickstep-Innergetic, home to 2006 world champion Paolo Bettini. 2006/7: Specialized Riders Club launches at the annual Sea OtterClassic in Monterey, California. First-ever Specialized concept store opens in Santa Rosa, California. Updated version of GLOBE transport bicycle re-launched. FUTURE SHOCK forks and shocks including FLOW CONTROL BRAIN are launched. Lightweight, six-inch travel carbon ENDURO introduced. Womens Cycling Specialized designed women-specific bikes, saddles, shoes, apparel, handlebars, gloves based on the following research and other statistical anatomic data (called anthropometrics): Local Advocacy • Morgan Hill Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, Founding Member • Published Morgan Hill Bicycle Master Plan and Morgan Hill Bicycle Route Map • Provided bicycle valet parking at community events • Sponsored a Bike to Work Day • Sponsored “Share the Road,” an educational ride in tandem with the local Morgan Hill Police Department to generate good will between motorists and bicyclists • Sponsored Adopt-a-Kid Program that awarded bicycles and helmets to 30 in-residence kids at Rebekah's Childrens Home • Sponsored the Specialized Commute Club, which rewarded employees a cash stipend for commuting to work by bike • Supported the Specialized Safety Committee, which promotes safe riding on city streets, including the distribution of free bicycle safety ID cards • Partnered with Morgan Stanley Racing Team to purchase 100 bikes for low-income youth in cities of West Oakland, Richmond & Napa • Supported the "Pee Responsible" campaign at the Soquel Demonstration Forest by funding a Porta-Potty facility and assisting in efforts to raise funds for a permanent facility • Applied to the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) for a Bicycle Friendly City designation • Received Morgan Hill’s “Sustainable Quality Award” for 2006 State Advocacy • Hosted fundraiser to benefit both the California Bicycle Coalition and The Paul David Clarke Bicycling Safety Fund at the Tour of California • Launched Roadmate 2006 to celebrate driving and cycling safety awareness • Supported California Bicycle Coalition (CBC), a 3,500-member organization that promotes bicycling to create safe, healthy, and livable communities. CBC sponsors annual California Bike Commute and sponsors the annual California Pedal Power Day in Sacramento to lobby for a bicycle friendly California • Hosted the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) LCI Instructor Trainings and Road 1 Certification Classes at the headquarters in Morgan Hill • Hosted the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) Trail Care Crew Days, which helps in building, restoring, and preserving trails at the local park, Henry Coe State Park • Supported the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, which provides students with a framework to achieve their cross-country mountain bike goals. The NorCal League was organized to provide a racing season for junior racers and to promote the formation of teams at public high schools National Advocacy • 30-year IMBA Above and Beyond corporate member • Worked on additional fundraising promotions and events such as the Drink Up to A Good Cause Water Bottle Promotion, IMBA Trail Days, IMBA Anniversary auction, and the IMBA Bike Summit • Bikes Belong founding member; the Bikes Belong Grants Program has awarded over a million dollars in grant funding that has leveraged over $500 million in federal, state and private funding for bicycle facilities. The result is the creation of over 1,300 miles of bike paths and linking 5,500 miles of trails in 23 states • Supported the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to lobby for a bicycle-friendly America • Organized efforts to launch a sub-chapter of the Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition (OIWC) Global Advocacy • Sponsored the "Specialized Forest" in Japan • Funded the Bicimania Kids cycling club in Italy • Support IMBA’s U.K. office in promoting responsible trail riding Primary competitors in US market | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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