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

[Shebeen]

you got to realise that Spez are a really good marketing company.*** Sure they make great bikes, but they've managed to craft an image of excellence from rather humble beginnings.

 

Locally they dominate the marathon category, they've taken the market leader status from raleigh who had it mid noughties. and they've charged a flippen premium to do it.

 

I think the distributors who got booted out deserve a lot of credit for this, it definitely didn't end friendly when HQ decided to come over here and do it themselves.

 

I also think a lot of their LOCAL success goes down to one guy. This bloke who started riding their bikes in 2008. he was u23 world champ on a GT, went to Beijing Olympics on a GT.

 

http://burrystander.typepad.com/on_the_road_with_burry_st/images/2008/08/29/p1010122.jpg

 

(I wonder if they put a haircut clause in his pro contract.)

 

and he became the world beater we knew - and the local face of speshracing

http://dirtragmag.com/userfiles/Burry_Taking_First.jpg

 

tall poppy syndrome really. every single kid wanted to be burry and win races on their spaz. lots of grown up kids too.

[Hairy]

you got to realise that Spez are a really good marketing company.*** Sure they make great bikes, but they've managed to craft an image of excellence from rather humble beginnings.

 

Locally they dominate the marathon category, they've taken the market leader status from raleigh who had it mid noughties. and they've charged a flippen premium to do it.

 

I think the distributors who got booted out deserve a lot of credit for this, it definitely didn't end friendly when HQ decided to come over here and do it themselves.

 

I also think a lot of their LOCAL success goes down to one guy. This bloke who started riding their bikes in 2008. he was u23 world champ on a GT, went to Beijing Olympics on a GT.

 

http://burrystander.typepad.com/on_the_road_with_burry_st/images/2008/08/29/p1010122.jpg

 

(I wonder if they put a haircut clause in his pro contract.)

 

and he became the world beater we knew - and the local face of speshracing

http://dirtragmag.com/userfiles/Burry_Taking_First.jpg

 

tall poppy syndrome really. every single kid wanted to be burry and win races on their spaz. lots of grown up kids too.

My Friday T-Shirt at work .... it is getting a little "worn" now, but it is my #FRIDAYT-SHIRT!

 

It makes me feel like superman before the weekend

[Johny Bravo]

you got to realise that Spez are a really good marketing company.*** Sure they make great bikes, but they've managed to craft an image of excellence from rather humble beginnings.

 

Locally they dominate the marathon category, they've taken the market leader status from raleigh who had it mid noughties. and they've charged a flippen premium to do it.

 

I think the distributors who got booted out deserve a lot of credit for this, it definitely didn't end friendly when HQ decided to come over here and do it themselves.

 

I also think a lot of their LOCAL success goes down to one guy. This bloke who started riding their bikes in 2008. he was u23 world champ on a GT, went to Beijing Olympics on a GT.

 

http://burrystander.typepad.com/on_the_road_with_burry_st/images/2008/08/29/p1010122.jpg

 

(I wonder if they put a haircut clause in his pro contract.)

 

and he became the world beater we knew - and the local face of speshracing

http://dirtragmag.com/userfiles/Burry_Taking_First.jpg

 

tall poppy syndrome really. every single kid wanted to be burry and win races on their spaz. lots of grown up kids too.

I hear what you are saying, but then surely Scott should be able to achieve this with Nino. And they are not. Why? I dunno, if I had to guess, a Scott is not as desirable as a Spez.

[Shebeen]

oh...and they've been a top racing team for a long time too.

 

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/vintage-retro-classic/235047d1171475869-official-ned-overend-thread-1990team-3.jpg

[Shebeen]

I hear what you are saying, but then surely Scott should be able to achieve this with Nino. And they are not. Why? I dunno, if I had to guess, a Scott is not as desirable as a Spez.

I'm saying burry elevated spez in south africa....reckon scott sell a lot more bikes in switzerland since nino started making absolon his bitch. the raliegh reference was when mtn energade was cleaning up locally here with kev ev and his posse...they were always on the podium and sold a lot of bikes

[Shebeen]

just for fun....here is the 1982 spaz stumpie. hailed by many as the first 'production mtb' for the mass market.

 

http://www.oldmountainbikes.com/bikes/specialized/T1J0184/100_0038.JPG

 

 

ps. disclaimer, i don't own a spez....used to have (a not so fancy) one but it got redistributed.

[NotSoBigBen]

snip snip snip

 

I think the distributors who got booted out deserve a lot of credit for this, it definitely didn't end friendly when HQ decided to come over here and do it themselves.

 

snip snip snip

 

And as much as I am a Specialized fan it saddens me that a lot of the small shops that probably had a big influence on that initial big 'boom' have since lost their right to sell the brand.

 

When I first rode a Specialized many many years ago the only shop in the greater Gauteng area that was able to help with their bikes was Summit cycles when they were still in a little shop in Midrand (even pre the shop before the one he is in now ). Even my son in law who started much later but for sure did a hell of a lot for them in the South has been forsaken.

 

I guess they will move on and do good for other brands but it's just not fair but ja that's business I guess .........

[Shebeen]

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/vintage-retro-classic/889930d1398980469-official-ned-overend-thread-image.jpg

[LazyTrailRider]

just for fun....here is the 1982 spaz stumpie. hailed by many as the first 'production mtb' for the mass market.

 

http://www.oldmountainbikes.com/bikes/specialized/T1J0184/100_0038.JPG

 

 

ps. disclaimer, i don't own a spez....used to have (a not so fancy) one but it got redistributed.

 

That head angle was way ahead of its time...

[Shebeen]

And as much as I am a Specialized fan it saddens me that a lot of the small shops that probably had a big influence on that initial big 'boom' have since lost their right to sell the brand.

 

 that's business I guess .........

...yup, as local market leader in the 'premium category' they seem to have made quite a move to push the 'exclusivity vibe' and most mom and pop LBS just can't afford to stock them. Opening their own stores might not work long term, time will tell.

[EmptyB]

I ride Trek and I effing love it....don't give a toss about what bike any other rider is on!!

[KarlvN]

Who cares what bike you ride, eh?

 

It matters more that you ride, don't you think? People who gripe about "this" brand being better than "that" brand...really pisses me off...people are lemmings following fads. I'm reminded of those dedicated followers of fashion who splash cash on the latest and greatest. Think Apple, for instance...seriously, I broke my S4 mini crashing into a bush on Hoogekraal last Monday, and am now forced to use an Apple 4S. Such crap, this overhyped apple. I suppose the same could be said of other brands as well,

 

What matters is that you ride, not what you ride. For the POSERS out there...who cares, eh?

[Headshot]

I saw what looked like one C Sauser out training at Jonkers on Saturday - he epitomizes what all Spez riders aspire to be. Lean, fast and dressed from top to toe in Specialized kit right down to the one piece bibby thing. He was roaring along on his 9kg S Wroks like there was no hill. The bike however, does not the man/woman maketh. 

[Brian Fantana]

you got to realise that Spez are a really good marketing company.*** Sure they make great bikes, but they've managed to craft an image of excellence from rather humble beginnings.

 

Locally they dominate the marathon category, they've taken the market leader status from raleigh who had it mid noughties. and they've charged a flippen premium to do it.

 

I think the distributors who got booted out deserve a lot of credit for this, it definitely didn't end friendly when HQ decided to come over here and do it themselves.

 

I also think a lot of their LOCAL success goes down to one guy. This bloke who started riding their bikes in 2008. he was u23 world champ on a GT, went to Beijing Olympics on a GT.

 

http://burrystander.typepad.com/on_the_road_with_burry_st/images/2008/08/29/p1010122.jpg

 

(I wonder if they put a haircut clause in his pro contract.)

 

and he became the world beater we knew - and the local face of speshracing

http://dirtragmag.com/userfiles/Burry_Taking_First.jpg

 

tall poppy syndrome really. every single kid wanted to be burry and win races on their spaz. lots of grown up kids too.

Burry won u23 worlds on Specialized in 2009 in Canberra Australia, and his first elite world cup win was on Specialized.

[Guest notmyname]

Burry won u23 worlds on Specialized in 2009 in Canberra Australia, and his first elite world cup win was on Specialized.

RIP BURRY. MTB lost a true Champion and we all lost a special inspirational man. So sad!

[TheV]

Isn't it "Spaz".... why are people saying "Spez" ... it's Spaz ... NO ???? 

 

On a serious note... the reason I'm not a fan is because you have legions of idiots all thinking that the "Epic" is the be all and end all of MTB's... Most of these jokers should rather be considering the Camber and the super awesome STUMPY FSR.. but they get "befok" in their heads and get/want an Epic for ALL the wrong reasons... and then the stupid "boxes" <change to local lingo sell them Epics because they see them coming a mile away... 

 

Another thing that peeves me personally on the Spaz is the super-low-end bits that get mixed in with high end components.... really??? do you so badly want to save R50 on your cost that you have to mix X5/X7/X9/X0 bits on one bike?? Or is it just another gimmick to pull the stupid oke back later to upgrade his Epic's cheap brakeset to a XO 2 piston "trail" brakeset on a XC racing machine....