../companies/Specialized

Sources: www.specialized.com, Ride BMX UK, www.vitalbmx.com, ...
If you want to add any info, contact buissonrouge@23mag.com.
Bike company located in Gilroy, CA.
www.specialized.com: Specialized was founded in 1974 when Mike Sinyard decided to sell high-end bike components out of his Volkswagen van. In 1981, we became the first company to mass-produce the mountain bike. After 20+ years of success in the bike industry, we made our move int
Specialized stormed the BMX scene in 1997. We introduced our BMX line, which ranged from entry level to high-end race bikes. That same year, Mountain Dew teamed up with Specialized to sponsor the BMX program and TJ Lavin walked away from the X-Games with a gold medal. Specialized quickly became the fastest growing BMX brand in the world.
1974 Mike Sinyard founds Specialized Bicycle Imports.
1981 Specialized introduces the first mass-produced mountain bike: the $750.00 Stump Jumper.
1996 "Specialized stormed the BMX scene."
Ride BMX UK october 1996: SPECIALIZED, a MTB company, are now making BMX bikes. They have a range of new bikes out, and boy are they different. MTB giants Specialized deliberately released bikes which are different to the norm to 'avoid being lost in the shuffle with the round-tube bike market', and came out with something that is basically a posh Haro DV8. They have steel entry-level versions, cromoly versions, and aluminium versions, with a range of fear template bikes called the FAT BOY. All bikes come with V-brakes, Aheadsets and cromo bars, and the top of the range A1 TEAM comes with three piece cranks and aluminium forks. Most of the parts on the bikes are branded Specialized. Because of the frame's design, a velcro mounted toptube pad comes with each bike and it's even called the 'toupee'. The top and down tubes are huge, and the seattube is cut off [it doesn't join the BB shell]. Here's what the designer, ROBERT EGGAR had to say: "The BMX market is very competitive, so we had to create a solid precision oriented bike that could be pushed to the max. The Fat Boy is performance engineered and utilized distinct design and rate geometry mixed with core attitude. It is the fastest looking bike as the market." See what you think. Team riders MIKE HAJEK [the pro racer] and TJ LAVIN [the jumper] are now riding them. Hajek claims that the frame, even without a seattube and double diamond design, is as stiff and as strong as any other aluminium bike.
2001 James Deacon interview in Ride BMX UK #56 december 2001.
2002 New for 02 are the S-Works dirt and street frames.
2008 www.vitalbmx.com, december 2008: Along with Allan Cooke, Marcus Tooker will no longer be riding for Specialized Bikes as of the first of next year. Marcus and Allan were the only two riders on the Specialized team; thus meaning their entire team has been cut. Good luck, Marcus.
SPECIALIZED team
Allan Cooke .... - december 2000 and then again ....
Tracer Finn team manager 2002
Kenan Harkin1999 - ....
Josh Heino december 1998 - march 2000 and then riding for WTP
Chad Kagy january 2003, former Hoffman Bikes-rider Chad Kagy is now on Specialized.
TJ Lavin 1996 - ....
Christophe Levêque
Colin MacKay from Australia