The "I hate Specialized" Bandwagon...... what's the deal?

[Headshot]

O Man - the price of those Spaz fat bikes - Sus fork free - R25k and with a sus fork - R45k. A lot of money to look like a twerp on a bike with fatter tyres than a moto :-)

 

Seriaasly, Spaz shoes are great - have had 2 pairs - both still going. Saddles not bad too. would love an Enduro but frankly the pricing vs performance compared to other brands is not great. 

 

Spaz concept stores are a scary idea - I like variety. The over complex brain technology and expensive services put me off them. See a Strange Rover at the trail head - 9/10 times it has a Spaz on the back - usually an Epic.

 

To those who say we lack the trails to justify a proper MTB like an Enduro or Stumpy, as opposed to an Epic, Spark or Anthem - try harder - there are plenty of epic trails all of which are more fun on a trail bike. Why would you want to ride Jonkers on an Epic or other XC bike. Cannot understand why Giniel De Villiers rides one there either :-)

[georges]

I personally don't see the point of this thread. There is enough hate speech around.

 

I have owned many different manufacturers bikes including the mentioned brand. If you have the opportunity to buy a bike, take a few brands for a test ride and buy what gives you confidence and what you enjoy. So what if its a .....................

 

Stuff what anybody else says and just go out there, enjoy the sport and have some bloody fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    

[Odinson]

Some other fanboys come to mind...

 

You're damn right:

 

Pyga fanboys

Morewood fanboys

Vipa fanboys

Giant fanboys

...

[Blackbeard]

There is also the issue of sponsorship.

 

As far as I am concerned, Specialized make great products, whether its bikes, accessories or apparel. You have Spez bike and baggies....cool. Like their shoes ... great.

 

But too much is funny...

[Mr X]

KOOP ~N Fokk3n SPESIALIZED!!! HET JY MY!!!

 

http://efnode.blob.core.windows.net/test/AUD-20141112-WA0000.m4a

[aka ninja]

They are both excellent bikes different strokes for different fokes

[Guest Omega Man]

O Man - the price of those Spaz fat bikes - Sus fork free - R25k and with a sus fork - R45k. A lot of money to look like a twerp on a bike with fatter tyres than a moto :-)

 

Seriaasly, Spaz shoes are great - have had 2 pairs - both still going. Saddles not bad too. would love an Enduro but frankly the pricing vs performance compared to other brands is not great. 

 

Spaz concept stores are a scary idea - I like variety. The over complex brain technology and expensive services put me off them. See a Strange Rover at the trail head - 9/10 times it has a Spaz on the back - usually an Epic.

 

To those who say we lack the trails to justify a proper MTB like an Enduro or Stumpy, as opposed to an Epic, Spark or Anthem - try harder - there are plenty of epic trails all of which are more fun on a trail bike. Why would you want to ride Jonkers on an Epic or other XC bike. Cannot understand why Giniel De Villiers rides one there either :-)

Yeah personally I don't get fatbikes. But people are sure to buy them. Karl reckons you can actually ride them on the sand dunes at Atlantis and they actually work. Personally I've never had the urge to ride a bicycle at Atlantis. Now a Motocross Bike!

 

As far as concept stores goes the same thing happened in the surf industry a number of years ago. The independents were bought out/forced out by the big brands like Billabong and Quik cos they wanted in on the retail action. The problem is Retail is only really good over Xmas in this country and you need a hands on dedicated shop owner (not employee) to make it work. Consequently a lot of the concept surf stores were a fail. I don't know if SA is a big enough market for a niche brand within a niche sport. But Hey! There's a Ferrari dealership in Cape Town so what do I know?

[Muzzarati]

Those who hate spez are those who have never ridden an S-works spez.  I think spez change more than just making the bikes lighter in the s-works range, cause my word they perform well in my opinion.

 

I have the old 26" S-works enduro and the more I ride it the more I love it, would love it even more if I could get the cruddy shock fixed.

 

Further more as far as I know Specialized were the guys that sponsered the initial growth of trails in Jonkershoek, correct me if I am wrong. Therefore if you live in the Western Cape and enjoy riding Jonkers, just take a moment and think about your hate for Specialized.

[Charl van Wyk]

Well then I must be a tjop of note! my bikes, a Venge, Stumpy 26er shock and horror. Kit, helmet and shoes and take a guess what car I drive... yip BMW. If this makes me a knob then so be it, in a world where simple pleasures are few and far between, I will take them where I can get them.. #iamspecialized

[Mr X]

Well then I must be a tjop of note! my bikes, a Venge, Stumpy 26er shock and horror. Kit, helmet and shoes and take a guess what car I drive... yip BMW. If this makes me a knob then so be it, in a world where simple pleasures are few and far between, I will take them where I can get them.. #iamspecialized

 

But a Giant is more like a simple pleasure than a Spez? Spez is the opposite of a simple pleasure if look at those Brain shocks, that is a complicated bitch.

 

Not sure if BMW can be called a simple pleasure. An old Beatle, Mini or Alpha is a simple pleasure.

[blondeonabike]

That brainshock has made handling my bike much easier.  I need all the help I can get.  I've also crashed my Spez many times, and not broken anything yet, so according to the Blonde Bureau of Standards, I give it a pass.

[Patchelicious]

Its amazing how we love to hate.

 

Spez bikes are good bikes, fact. Are there better bikes, sure... debates on this rage on at EVERY braai.

 

Its seems the haters use the same logic as the haters of Manchester United, or Blue Bulls or Ferrari in the Schumie days.

They are hated not for the brand or for their quality (not applicable to Bulls) but for their supporters to a degree, but mostly it seems we as humans don't like other peoples success.

 

You cant hate on a Giant supporter just like you cant hate on a Toyota driver.

[GLuvsMtb]

But a Giant is more like a simple pleasure than a Spez? Spez is the opposite of a simple pleasure if look at those Brain shocks, that is a complicated bitch.

 

Not sure if BMW can be called a simple pleasure. An old Beatle, Mini or Alpha is a simple pleasure.

It depends on how you look at it. A Giant with a lock-out for the front and a lock-out for the rear is more complicated to ride than a Spez with brain tech. All you really have to focus about is keeping your hands on the bars. 

Same with a BMW. All those acronyms (ABS EBT ESP ...) are complicated tech, but ensures that you don't have to think too much about it when you sit behind the wheel. 

[MuddyMike]

I reckon this thread has inspired me F%$# with a few okes minds at the 94.7 on Sunday......

 

Cannondale Super 6

SPD's with S-works XC shoes

Spez Baggies in lime green

Spez Enduro T-Shirt

Spez Prevail helmet

Camelback filled with beer....

 

I will be in batch "KNOB".......

[Headshot]

Actually the bottom line is that Spez is just not a cool brand anymore. While i like some of their bikes, I'd rather have a Pyga/Morewood/Transition/Evil/Intense/SC etc in terms of brand appeal. But because I am cheap, i'll carry on riding my Giant.

[Fisan]

9/10 times when a I-wanna-klap-that-rider-moment occurs, it is a Spez rider. The fault lies in the fact that Specialized is too successful: in certin, erm, yuppie communities the average rider will own a Spez. even if its just a small percentage of the total Spez population, there will be more Spez bokse than Merida, Scott, BMC, Momsen, Giant, etc. bokse. This is what is unfortunate. We associate a great bike brand with the few people we don't like (and also, because they're easily identifiable in their kits...)

 

 

#endapostwithahashtag

 

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