Tag: Specialized

Great things start from simple beginnings. When that idea is applied to the sport of cycling and, specifically, bike building, a company’s founder’s love and passion for bikes, bike building, and gear carries the brand to success. Nowhere is that more true than with the story of Specialized.

A Brief History of Specialized

Sometimes a personal sacrifice is required to take you toward who and what you want to be. For Mike Sinyard, the founder of Specialized Bicycles, he sold his VW van to finance a bike trip through Europe.

While he was there, the opportunity was presented to him to import hard-to-find bicycle parts into the United States. From these simple beginnings, a dream was realized and his company was born in 1974.

First Bikes and Entry into Mountain Bikes

Sinyard wanted his company “…to focus on the Rider’s need for technically advanced products that provide a performance benefit.” Specialized, at first, though, did not make bikes but bike parts, specifically a touring tire. The company wouldn’t start making bikes until the 1980s with steel frames imported from Japan.

While the company had success with road bikes, Sinyard saw an opportunity to explore off-road riding with the development of mountain bikes. In fact, he was responsible for founding the IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association), an organization to protect offroad trails for mountain bikers.

Sinyard’s belief in mountain biking paid off. A Specialized Stumpjumper was ridden to victory at the first MTB Championship in 1990 by Ned Overend. From there, Specialized developed the first full-suspension mountain bike, then focused on mountain bikes and, eventually, road bikes

Specialized Creates S-Works Road Bikes

By 1992, Specialized and Sinyard were back to working on road bikes. The company created its S-Works road bike, supposedly inspired by the “works” from motocross motorcycles.

Once again, this gamble to focus on road bikes turned out to be a good bet for Specialized as it became one of the most winning brands in the pro ranks, especially with its “Tarmac” S-Works frames. The company saw its bikes ridden to victories at Paris Roubaix, Le Tour de France, and other major races.

For Specialized, It’s Not Just About Bikes

With Mike Sinyard’s origins in ordering bike parts, it was a natural desire for Specialized to be a company that not only made great bikes. The company innovated with its own line of products, such as helmets, shoes, saddles, wheels, etc. Specialized, for instance, developed the cut-out saddle in response to research that showed cycling could possibly make a rider impotent.

But Sinyard also has given back to the cycling community. He founded Outride in 2014 because he saw the benefits of cycling for a person’s mental health. And in 2024, it’s Specialized’s profound desire to have one million bikes on the road by 2025.

Last Thoughts

Specialized is another standout brand in the world of cycling. It built its reputation by not only building bikes but also accessory items that cyclists value. Sinyard’s innovations in mountain biking, saddle technology, wheel technology, and in building its own wind tunnel to test its products have made it a successful international brand, a brand that cares about what it puts out into the world. After 50 years, it seems its story is just getting started.