Why do people hate Specialized again?

Some people have an inordinate hate for corporations. A company is a company is a company. Corporations are companies. Somethings are only possible with large capitalization. Thank God for corporations.

Mike Sinyard was a douche even before Spec became big. When he bought a Fisher Ritchey bike and took it to Taiwan and had it copied exactly for the first Stumpjumper, then started protecting his IP like a mad dog, he shall forever be remembered in the annals of MTB as a douche.

You can be a small company and be a douche. Shimano rocks. So does Sram. I really like how SRAM went from a fledgling shifter maker into the second biggest bike company in the world. They're corporations.

 

Ok ok they got soul! I guess their tribe can gather to talk about how Yeti pulled out of the 2014 DH worldcup this year.

http://www.redbull.com/us/en/bike/stories/1331630008779/pros-and-cons-yeti-leave-world-cup-racing

 

Lol. I've just been profiled. Haha. Did Yeti ever bring you a worldcup? I don't think so. Yeti has gone full enduro. Who the heck is Emily Batty? Oh yeah I hate Spesh too but not with flaming passion like some others have. My Epic busted after the first ride that's why I hate them.

 

Who is Emily Batty? Do you not like chicas? She is HOT! Five alarm fire hot.

 

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.hk/2014/04/allez-allez-allez.html?m=1

Pretty funny read!

 

Yeti found and developed some of the very best World Cup riders ever - and they spent most of their marketing money on grass-roots racing and race development - so yes - Yeti brought us all World Cup race wins - including Aaron Gwin, Jared Graves, Sam Blenkinsop, Justin Leov, Nathan Rennie, Rich Houseman, and a little further back some riders named John Tomac, Missy Giove, Tinker Juarez, Myles Rockwell and many more. Specialized, Trek and to some extent even Santa Cruz used to hang back and wait for riders to emerge, then scoop them up. Maybe a better business model for the bottom line, but they should all write a big fat thank-you check to Yeti.

Oh wait - forgot about last year's junior World DH Champion Richie Rude - aboard a Yeti.

I will say that both Trek and Specialized have recently done some good work in racer development (oddly enough both companies chose Rich Houseman to head their U.S. based development squads). And Steve Peat has his own development team now for Santa Cruz. Good for them for putting some money and effort into racer development.


And thank you BtP - for driving us all a little Batty.