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

[Caerus]

I'm hearing a tune in my brain...."Its to late now...."

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPbeNqBlhcE

Fantastic cover , she has an incredible voice, pity that Spez are so blind. Just to add, it's too late

[Capricorn]

Seems to me like this will be a major case of eggs on the face of Spez, with the power of social media, not only has this bike shop got a lot of new customers, he may get the money to fight this.

 

still waiting for someone to say the store ships those jerseys to ZA. kef bit of memorabilia

[kosmonooit]

Maybe he can change it to Cafe Rhubarb?

 

http://thechronicleflask.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/rhubarb.jpg

[SoftTail]

 

 

still waiting for someone to say the store ships those jerseys to ZA. kef bit of memorabilia

 

I have ordered mine. If you want one pm me. I am in the US and can bring one back for you.

[Caerus]

Maybe he can change it to Cafe Rhubarb?

 

http://thechronicleflask.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/rhubarb.jpg

Throughout this whole thread , all I've thought about is rhubarb

[Capricorn]

I have ordered mine. If you want one pm me. I am in the US and can bring one back for you.

 

YES PLS! PMS.... personal message sent

Edited December 8, 2013 by Capricorn

[SoftTail]

SPECIALIZED SUES VOLAGI CYCLES, CLAIMS DISC BRAKE LISCIO RIPS OFF ROUBAIX

3 January 2012

 

Specialized Bicycle Components is suing Volagi Cycles‘ founders, alleging they stole the Liscio’s design while still employed at Specialized.

 

Volagi Cycle’s founders, Robert Choi and Barley Forsman, both used to work at Specialized Bicycles. While they worked in different departments, they became friends and eventually quit Specialized to pursue the American Dream of starting their own company.

 

In a Mercury News story, Choi and Forsman are quoted as saying their bike has no resemblance to the Roubaix and that Specialized is simply trying to use their high paid lawyers to reduce competition.

 

Specialized filed the lawsuit last year depicting Choi and Forsman as using their time at Specialized to steal designs and trade secrets, scheming to design a bike that would sell against their Roubaix model, which is described as one of the company’s “most significant sources of revenue.”

 

The case is set to go to trial by jury within a couple of weeks. Specialized’s requests to have sales of Volagi’s bike halted have not been approved, and now they are seeking monetary damages and ownership of Volagi’s patents.

[dev null]

It seems Spez just wiped out everything they spent on marketing this year to promote their brand. One week's stupid legal decisions has put their brand in the red.

[Capricorn]

It seems Spez just wiped out everything they spent on marketing this year to promote their brand. One week's stupid legal decisions has put their brand in the red.

 

makes the red in their logo very apt.

[Caerus]

makes the red in their logo very apt.

In saying that his logo looked more crimson.

[dev null]

I am sure there won't be much love between the Legal and Marketing teams at Spez in the coming weeks.

[Capricorn]

I am sure there won't be much love between the Legal and Marketing teams at Spez in the coming weeks.

 

lets first see how this plays out. I'm sure Spesh has a saucy little press release conjured up by now for release tomorrow some time. They can't miss crimbo sales.

 

In fact, I'm hoping a competitor,or a few of them, do a Nandos!

[Capricorn]

oh and my bit of memorabilia's on it's way! Thanks Hardtail!

[GoLefty!!]

SPECIALIZED SUES VOLAGI CYCLES, CLAIMS DISC BRAKE LISCIO RIPS OFF ROUBAIX

3 January 2012

 

Specialized Bicycle Components is suing Volagi Cycles‘ founders, alleging they stole the Liscio’s design while still employed at Specialized.

 

Volagi Cycle’s founders, Robert Choi and Barley Forsman, both used to work at Specialized Bicycles. While they worked in different departments, they became friends and eventually quit Specialized to pursue the American Dream of starting their own company.

 

In a Mercury News story, Choi and Forsman are quoted as saying their bike has no resemblance to the Roubaix and that Specialized is simply trying to use their high paid lawyers to reduce competition.

 

Specialized filed the lawsuit last year depicting Choi and Forsman as using their time at Specialized to steal designs and trade secrets, scheming to design a bike that would sell against their Roubaix model, which is described as one of the company’s “most significant sources of revenue.”

 

The case is set to go to trial by jury within a couple of weeks. Specialized’s requests to have sales of Volagi’s bike halted have not been approved, and now they are seeking monetary damages and ownership of Volagi’s patents.

 

I believe Specialised lost their case

[Capricorn]

I believe Specialised lost their case

 

The lawsuit brought by Specialized against Volagi is over, and the tiny startup company is obliged to pay Specialized one dollar in damages for breach of employment contract by Volagi co-founder Robert Choi. Specialized had also claimed in the lawsuit that the two former Specialized employees who had founded Volagi Bicycles, Choi and Barley Forsman, used Specialized trade secrets to create the Volagi Lisciohigh-performance suspension road bike. In a big victory for Volagi, the judge threw out that claim, leaving Choi’s and Forsman’s ownership of the intellectual property undisputed in their disc-brake-equipped carbon road bike with suspension features. In total, eight of Specialized’s nine claims were thrown out, leaving only the breach of contract claim to be decided by the jury, and it found a breach only in the case of Choi, not Forsman.

 

On Wednesday, the defense had called Sean Sullivan, former executive vice president and second in command to Sinyard at Specialized. According to Choi, he said that Sinyard had told him that that loyalty is a one-way street. Sullivan also testified that the Specialized Roubaix bike design came from a Seven Cycles custom bike that a Specialized employee had bought because the company’s product line did not include a relaxed-geometry comfort bike with a tall head tube.

 

 

Velonews

Edited December 8, 2013 by Capricorn

[SoftTail]

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-cafe-roubaix

 

The Cafe Roubaix Legal Fighting Fund

In the last 24 hours its has become obvious to everyone that has taken an interest in Specialized's treatment of the small bike shop called Cafe Roubaix in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, that Specialized's decision to legally threaten Cafe Roubaix is not only unwarranted, but is an affront to cycling fans and to the history and traditions of cycling itself.

Today has seen an extrordinary turn of events whereby Cafe Roubaix now stands to gain so much more from such incredible worldwide exposure than it ever stood to lose, but that isn't the point. The breach of trademark in the use of the name Roubaix strikes to the very heart and soul of cycling. If anyone deserves the unfettered use of this legendary name, it's a small town bicycle retailer with a passion for riding, and not a company who sees their own customers as 1's and 0's.

The shop owner Dan Richter has stated that in order for him to defend himself against the might of the Specialized Corporation, at least $150,000USD will be required. I am sure that with a worldwide Twitter and FB meltdown over this incident, we will be able to raise much needed funds to help Dan keep the Cafe Roubaix sign above his shop door, and help show companies such as Specialized that they cannot threaten the little guy without a contest, they cannot buy our favor, and they most certainly cannot expect to buy our sport. Please help show Specialized that standing over the little guy will never be tolerated.

vive le café roubaix

 

 

Edited December 9, 2013 by Hardtail