The Empire Strikes Back: Specialized Sues A Bike Shop Over Name

[TriGuru76]

 

 

 

are you illiterate? have you read the articles posted in links within this thread??

Special had no right to register the trademark in Canada either. Fuji had no idea they had done this till this saga broke. Fuji have stated in the article linked to in this thread that they will be having a word with the "special people" about that "registration". It is clearly stated by ASI's CEO that under the terms of the license agreement the registration of the "Roubaix" trademark in Canada is inbreach of the terms and conditions of use of the license.

 

Once again same old tactics from "those" people whose insignia looks like half an SS symbol.

 

Wow, Clearly you seem to be a bit to emotional about this.

I read it all mate. Still doesn't change the fact that Spes registered the trade mark. That will have to be resolved between asi/spes and the authority that granted it.

But the TM is still register.

 

But anyhow. I'm so over hubbers like you. So lame. clearly you were voted the village idiot in your class and made it your life's work to learn to read just you could one day tell someone he is illiterate. This thread has gotten way to much of my attention already.

 

[TALUS]

Early Friday! Yeay

[SoftTail]

 

 

No.

Specialized is owned by Mike Sinyard.

Try and keep up.

 

Fact: Mike Sinyard owns 51% of Specialized and Merida 49%.

Try and keep up!

[SoftTail]

All is well that ends well.

 

ASI are clearly the PR winners and Specialized have a well deserved big black eye!

 

The emperor has no clothes!

 

Here are the facts:

 

http://bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2013/12/09/asi-says-calgary-bike-shop-can-use-roubaix-name#.Uqe9S3-9KSP

 

ASI says Calgary bike shop can use Roubaix name

 

The trademark owner says Specialized's enforcement of the trademark was out of line

 

BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Specialized Bicycle overstepped its bounds when it registered the Roubaix trademark in Canada and then tried to prevent a Calgary retailer from using the name, Advanced Sports International’s CEO told BRAIN on Monday.

 

ASI says it owns the worldwide rights to the Roubaix trademark — it’s had a Fuji Roubaix road bike model in its lineup since 1992 — and has licensed it to Specialized since 2003. ASI’s Pat Cunnane said the company has no problem with retailer Dan Richter using the name on his store, Cafe Roubaix.

 

“We have reached out to Mr. Richter to inform him that he can continue to use the name, and we will need to license his use, which we imagine can be done easily,” Cunnane said.

 

Richter told the Calgary Herald this weekend that lawyers representing Specialized told him he had to rename his store and transfer its website’s URL to Specialized. Besides the store, Richter sells Cafe Roubaix-branded wheels. The general manager of Specialized Canada told the Herald that Specialized had to protect its trademark or risk losing it. Specialized’s U.S. office has not commented on the situation, despite negative press and an outpouring of support for Richter over the weekend on social media.

 

Cunnane said his company left a message for Richter but has not communicated with him yet. Cunnane also said he has reached out to Specialized with no response yet.

 

“We are in the process of notifying Specialized that they did not have the authority, as part of our license agreement, to stop Daniel Richter … from using the Roubaix name,” Cunnane said in an email to BRAIN. “While ASI does have the authority to object to Mr. Richter’s use of the name and while we at ASI understand the importance of protecting our bicycle model names, we believe that Mr. Richter did not intend for consumers to confuse his brick-and-mortar establishment or his wheel line with our Roubaix road bike. And we believe consumers are capable of distinguishing his bike shop and wheel line from our established bikes.”

 

According to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Specialized registered the Roubaix name in 2007 for use on “Bicycles, bicycle frames, and bicycle components, namely bicycle handlebars, bicycle front fork, and bicycle tires.”

 

But Cunnane said that registration was “inappropriate.”

 

“Like many trademark owners, ASI does not register its trademarks in every country and never tried to register the mark in Canada. ASI only recently learned of Specialized’s registration of the Roubaix trademark in Canada and ASI’s position is that Specialized’s registration of the mark in Canada was inappropriate under the terms of their license agreement. ASI has used the mark in Canada for well over 10 years, giving it first-use trademark rights in Canada.”

 

In a phone call, Cunnane noted that ASI has been able to reach amicable agreements with several other brands over trademarks. For example, ASI owns the U.S. rights to the name Gran Fondo for use on bicycles, while BMC owns the rights in Europe. The two brands have a co-existance agreement to share the name in both markets.

 

Besides Fuji, ASI owns the Breezer, Kestrel and SE Bikes brands.

[Wyatt Earp]

 

 

Fact: Mike Sinyard owns 51% of Specialized and Merida 49%.

Try and keep up!

Let me help you a little .

Specialized sold their what was then a fully owned manufacturing plant to Merida, they opted to keep it at 51% so they could still have the majority share in that.

The company itself has one owner.

Is that difficult to understand or should we draw pictures, it's pretty old news and the old court saga that made Specilaized look like bullies at the time painted a pretty clear picture of all that.

 

Oh and by the way, don't believe all you read on wiki .

You will also notice that the percentage value changes heavily from source to source .

Edited December 11, 2013 by Wyatt Earp

[Wyatt Earp]

 

Besides Fuji, ASI owns the Breezer, Kestrel and SE Bikes brands.

Must rate as the most boring and long winded posts on the hub to date.

And this last sentence, what is the point of that, oh yes, you clicked that link tatt posted earlier , well done.

[Kranswurm]

You okes are so funny

I have given up trying to keep up

[Wyatt Earp]

You okes are so funny

I have given up trying to keep up

 

Me too , I actually wasn't able to figure out why Hardtail was going after this so vehemently and then it dawned on me, Specialized might have turned Decca down when they approached them wanting to make clothing for the brand.

 

[Caerus]

You okes are so funny

I have given up trying to keep up

In short, Spez were in the wrong.

[Agteros]

#moermekaar ...

 

@Matt: We need a tag cloud thingy for #thehubsa. I'd love to see the size of the #moermekaar one at the end of 2014 ....

[NotSoBigBen]

Let me help you a little .

Specialized sold their what was then a fully owned manufacturing plant to Merida, they opted to keep it at 51% so they could still have the majority share in that.

The company itself has one owner.

Is that difficult to understand or should we draw pictures, it's pretty old news and the old court saga that made Specilaized look like bullies at the time painted a pretty clear picture of all that.

 

Oh and by the way, don't believe all you read on wiki .

You will also notice that the percentage value changes heavily from source to source .

 

:w00t: :w00t:

[udxcob]

Yes back off specialized

[SoftTail]

 

Let me help you a little .

Specialized sold their what was then a fully owned manufacturing plant to Merida, they opted to keep it at 51% so they could still have the majority share in that.

The company itself has one owner.

Is that difficult to understand or should we draw pictures, it's pretty old news and the old court saga that made Specilaized look like bullies at the time painted a pretty clear picture of all that.

 

Oh and by the way, don't believe all you read on wiki .

You will also notice that the percentage value changes heavily from source to source .

 

 

 

Merida Gets Ownership In Specialized

By LOU MAZZANTE

Publication: Bicycle Retailer

Date: Sunday, July 1 2001

MORGAN HILL, CA—Merida, the world's second largest bicycle manufacturer, in mid-June acquired a minority share of Specialized Bicycles in an all cash deal.

 

At the same time, Mike Sinyard, Specialized's founder and chief executive officer, increased his investment in the company.

 

Sinyard declined to reveal what percentage of his

company Merida acquired or how much he invested.

 

According to Sinyard, Specialized needed capital to meet the company's

 

long-term goals. He said the financing will be used to expand its sales efforts, increase its service to specialty retailers, bolster its research and development budget and expand in Europe, which accounts for half of Specialized's sales.

 

"These investments will allow our company to grow in the right way by offering better products and better service," Sinyard said, adding that Specialized is in sound financial standing.

 

Sinyard retains full control over the company as the majority shareholder. He said no changes in the company's management or strategic plans will be made. Specialized will continue to use all of its manufacturers, he said.

 

Specialized had been looking for additional investors for some time, but Sinyard wanted to find a partner like Merida that understands the bike industry.

 

"Investment from Merida is preferable to going public or courting the investment banking community. Merida understands our business and shares our passion," Sinyard said in a letter to Specialized employees regarding the Taiwan bike maker's investment.

 

"We have been working with Merida for more than 10 years and there is great trust between us. It's important to understand that Merida has a long-term view of this industry," Sinyard said.

 

"Merida knows the bike business and understands the needs of specialty retailers. I am extremely committed to Specialized and want to ensure our expansion in today's challenging economy," he added.

 

Sinyard declined to say if Merida had the option to invest further in Specialized or if it had first right of refusal to buy Sinyard's share in Specialized if he left the company.

 

Just as important as the cash infusion, Specialized's deal with Merida creates a strong bond between manufacturer and supplier.

 

Sinyard said Specialized's relationship with Merida will continue at the same level as in the past. Even so, many in the industry see Specialized's move as a necessity in today's market.

 

"Controlling your supply chain is vital; companies that don't control it are in great danger," said Scott Montgomery, a Cannondale vice president.

 

"The mountain bike boom is over and the market is made up of lots of little niches. The days of ordering 10,000 red mountain bikes in August and hoping they sell through by July are over. But if you control your own manufacturing you can make them to order," Montgomery added.

 

Sinyard said Specialized will continue to use all of its suppliers but many in the industry wonder how closely Specialized will be tied to Merida.

 

"Specialized will continue to use other manufacturers, but only for niche products out of line with Merida. But I think Merida will do all of Specialized's volume bikes," said industry analyst and former Specialized employee Gary Coffrin.

 

Merida also manufacturers bikes for Bridgestone, Scott, Schwinn/GT and others.

 

Sinyard said he was excited about working with Merida to develop new technologies that will take bicycles to the next level.

 

The company is building more high-end offerings to compete with the volume of bicycle production in Mainland China.

 

"Our investment in Specialized is in line with Merida's vision of investing in best-of-breed businesses that are profitable. We are extremely excited to contribute to the success of Specialized," said Ike Tseng, Merida's chief executive officer.

 

Many who talked to Bicycle Retailer said they believe the success of Giant's U.S. division forced Merida to break into the U.S. market. Giant is the world's largest producer of bicycles.

 

Merida had been named as a possible buyer of Schwinn/GT. While it sells Merida-brand bikes in Europe and Asia, acquiring GT would have given it a stronger brand name worldwide. Specialized now fills that role.

 

Merida made approximately 1.15 million bicycles in 2000, with estimated revenues of $194 million. It operates manufacturing plants in Taiwan and China.

Click here to find out more!

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Old news Quinton , contested a while back too.

[danielecafiso]

I think you should stop , before you embarrass yourself .

You beat me to it. It is his first post on the hub, and he produces a gem like that. .

You guys are right, that was my first and last comment, if the audience is such a nice one such as yourself. Merida owns 49% of Specialized. Merida also makes all of the Specialized bikes overseas (that are manufactured overseas) for them as well. This is not news, this has been the way it is for the past few years. Saying that, I am out of here.

[I am not SomeBloke]

 

Let me help you a little .

Specialized sold their what was then a fully owned manufacturing plant to Merida, they opted to keep it at 51% so they could still have the majority share in that.

The company itself has one owner.

Is that difficult to understand or should we draw pictures, it's pretty old news and the old court saga that made Specilaized look like bullies at the time painted a pretty clear picture of all that.

 

Oh and by the way, don't believe all you read on wiki .

You will also notice that the percentage value changes heavily from source to source .

 

So you're saying Merida does own some part of Specialized then?