Specialized Goes Nuclear

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Mar 17, 2009
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aphronesis said:
No, I probably cracked it riding from Mendocino to SF. And "dispatched on it for a year."

Geometry on the Comp and Pro may have been the same, but the materials and ride were not. The pro rode closer to an S-Works, the comp rides like a pig.

Regardless of how you want to argue it the fundamental are as follows: the Pro sold for one price, the S works higher, the Comp eventually lower. Components aside, these were the frame alone prices.

Moreover, you want to seize on the sale, that's fine, but Specialized doesn't control the sale rates of one's LBS, they ship product and thenwarranty the frame through said dealer.

So I'm not clear what you're telling me. A moral?

And just to go a little further and give you the benefit of the doubt, the component kit on the comp was significantly less than on the pro (ask around) --fixed market having taken off--they graciously allowed me to keep and swap the components that I saw useable
No I just know that a year of dispatching will result in a bike that is stuffed. So for them to offer you the same frame with slightly lower spec is reasonable. The tubing is the same, all that differed is the smoothing of the welds. It makes no difference at all to the ride. Tyres will, tubing possibly, welds SFA.

i don't need a lesson in how a manufacturer operates or how they deal with warranty, having been in the trade for nigh on 20 years. Sounds more like the shop you dealt with was not going to bat for you. That makes all the difference in the world with Specialized in my experience.
 
Jul 30, 2011
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ultimobici said:
No I just know that a year of dispatching will result in a bike that is stuffed. So for them to offer you the same frame with slightly lower spec is reasonable. The tubing is the same, all that differed is the smoothing of the welds. It makes no difference at all to the ride. Tyres will, tubing possibly, welds SFA.

i don't need a lesson in how a manufacturer operates or how they deal with warranty, having been in the trade for nigh on 20 years. Sounds more like the shop you dealt with was not going to bat for you. That makes all the difference in the world with Specialized in my experience.

Fine, then if you've been in the business for years then you should know that lifetime warranty is lifetime warranty. That same frame is same frame.

The geometry may have been the same, but the weight and power transfer were not. Regardless of what they may claim--and when pressed on these issues, they would not make these claims. For obvious reasons.

And, contrary to what you would like to imply, the bike shop went to bat for a couple of days before passing it off to me. Specialized spoke to me on the phone for days--different reps.

The point is this: I offered to pay cash difference to upgrade the frame since they couldn't offer the same and instead of just going with that, they withdrew their warranty language--it would seem in order to avoid any future complications.

I have no way of knowing what you know about a year of dispatching, but it's likely the same as anything else: are you maintaining the bike, do you keep it indoors, do you blow through potholes and jump curbs, etc.

All that aside, what you know or I know doesn't matter. They gave me a lesser priced, heavier frame and refused to upgrade even with the offer to pay. And that's fine. But that wasn't the language in the warranty--at all.
 
Mar 19, 2009
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Don't mean to but in here, but fwiw Specialized is notorious for screwing customers out of warranties, this has been going on for many, many, many years. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would give that company any of their hard earned money.
 
Jul 30, 2011
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RDV4ROUBAIX said:
Don't mean to but in here, but fwiw Specialized is notorious for screwing customers out of warranties, this has been going on for many, many, many years. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would give that company any of their hard earned money.

Hadn't known it until I picked one up by chance and found that to be the case.
 
Jan 13, 2010
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So in the end all charges were dropped except breach of contract, and that occurred, according to Choi, during the period Choi stayed on after submitting his resignation, at the behest of Specialized. I used to work for people who did things like that.
 
Jul 23, 2009
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ustabe said:
So in the end all charges were dropped except breach of contract, and that occurred, according to Choi, during the period Choi stayed on after submitting his resignation, at the behest of Specialized. I used to work for people who did things like that.

Damages awarded to Special-ed-$1.00

Appropriate. I'll bet Sinyard is fuming-tuff.
 
Jan 13, 2010
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Bustedknuckle said:
Damages awarded to Special-ed-$1.00
The jury's way of saying, "Yes, the letter of the contract was breached, but lack of damages or good faith on the part of the plaintiff make this a waste of our time."
 
Feb 10, 2010
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Bustedknuckle said:
Damages awarded to Special-ed-$1.00

Appropriate. I'll bet Sinyard is fuming-tuff.

No, it's a win. Choi's side generated mid-10's of thousands of dollars in legal fees. That's a major hit to a small company.

Sinyard will likely try again too. And you won't hear about it. One lawyer to another Trademark, Patent back and forth generating legal bills sufficient to weaken the organization.

Sinyard would be stupid to just walk away from that niche, so maybe one or two years before Specialized releases one like it.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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DirtyWorks said:
No, it's a win. Choi's side generated mid-10's of thousands of dollars in legal fees. That's a major hit to a small company.

Try mid-100's thousands. Choi had to put his house on the line.
 
Aug 9, 2010
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RDV4ROUBAIX said:
Don't mean to but in here, but fwiw Specialized is notorious for screwing customers out of warranties, this has been going on for many, many, many years. I don't know why anyone in their right mind would give that company any of their hard earned money.

Why would anyone spend their money on Specialized…it's beyond me..
 
Aug 16, 2011
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It's stuff like this that is exactly the reason why I will never be seen riding on or using any bit of Specialized anything. It's simply ridiculous that Specialized thinks they can just go ahead and claim exclusive use to the word Roubaix.

What about this Fuji Roubaix? http://www.the-bike-expert.com/fuji-roubaix-2013-review
Or this Canari Roubaix jersey? http://www.ecyclingstore.com/canari-roubaix-long-sleeve-cycling-jersey.html
Or Endura’s FS260-Pro Roubaix jacket? http://www.velouk.net/2013/01/24/cycling-kit-enduras-fs260-pro-roubaix-jacket/

There are 2 gravel races here in Oregon that use the word Roubaix and probably countless other events around the world. Guess Specialized will be going after all of them next? A friend of mine uses Roubaix in his companies name, are they going to go after him too?

Proud to be an owner of no Specialized gear. :D
 
Aug 9, 2010
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Afrank said:
It's stuff like this that is exactly the reason why I will never be seen riding on or using any bit of Specialized anything. It's simply ridiculous that Specialized thinks they can just go ahead and claim exclusive use to the word Roubaix.

What about this Fuji Roubaix? http://www.the-bike-expert.com/fuji-roubaix-2013-review
Or this Canari Roubaix jersey? http://www.ecyclingstore.com/canari-roubaix-long-sleeve-cycling-jersey.html
Or Endura’s FS260-Pro Roubaix jacket? http://www.velouk.net/2013/01/24/cycling-kit-enduras-fs260-pro-roubaix-jacket/

There are 2 gravel races here in Oregon that use the word Roubaix and probably countless other events around the world. Guess Specialized will be going after all of them next? A friend of mine uses Roubaix in his companies name, are they going to go after him too?

Proud to be an owner of no Specialized gear. :D

Hincapie Roubaix tights…

Roubaix Fabric..

Roubaix Roubaix Roubaix...
 
Jun 15, 2010
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At least they won't have to sue anyone over Zertz or Venge.Nobody us going to use those stupid names.
Maybe they will sue Tarmac and make them dig up the M1 Motorway.
 
Oct 29, 2010
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My friends at Handlebar Mustache have just come out with a special shirtto shame Specialized.

Redacted_Mens-Grey-2.jpg
 
Mar 18, 2009
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Screw Specialized. Cycling would be better off if both Trek and Specialized were blasted out of existence.

Back in the day, before I switched to Sidi, I had a pair of Specialized cycling shoes. One shoe's sole cracked. That was the last Suckalized product I bought.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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In the comments section of the redkiteprayer blog, someone says Advanced Sport (owners of Fuji etc) own the Roubaix TM in the USA (https://www.trademarknow.com/mark/us/74079612). Advanced Sports should go after Specialized and prevent them from using "Roubaix" for their bikes. Now that would be justice for all the little guys Specialized are bullying.
 
Jul 14, 2009
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elapid said:
In the comments section of the redkiteprayer blog, someone says Advanced Sport (owners of Fuji etc) own the Roubaix TM in the USA (https://www.trademarknow.com/mark/us/74079612). Advanced Sports should go after Specialized and prevent them from using "Roubaix" for their bikes. Now that would be justice for all the little guys Specialized are bullying.

I looked that up too. I would love to see it happen as well

After thinking about it, I enjoy the Specialized Purist bottles, but time to switch those out for something else. Any advice anyone?
 
Sep 30, 2009
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Sinyard - Noun

The most evil of measurements. It is the first step when stepping over one's bounds, usually in the name of shodilly protecting a brand's trademark or image.

eg:"give him an inch and he'll take a Sinyard"
 
Feb 10, 2010
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elapid said:
In the comments section of the redkiteprayer blog, someone says Advanced Sport (owners of Fuji etc) own the Roubaix TM in the USA (https://www.trademarknow.com/mark/us/74079612). Advanced Sports should go after Specialized and prevent them from using "Roubaix" for their bikes. Now that would be justice for all the little guys Specialized are bullying.

For what? So they can waste 100,000 on lawyers? And I mean waste as in AS gets nothing.

The term is, or should be unenforceable. This is a perfect example of fundamentally broken intellectual property policy. Thanks to the exported U.S. WIPO. http://www.wipo.org