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Specialized Bicycles company history timeline

1974

So in 1974 Sinyard sold his VW bus and bicycled around Europe.

AboutInnovationStoriesSustainabilityRetülOutrideAbout UsSince 1974, we've had one goal: Innovate and inspire to improve riders' lives.InnovationInnovate or Die.

1976

1976: Specializes produces and sells their first self-made product, a tire designed for the touring market.

Steve Jobs sold his hippie wheels for $1,300 in 1976 to buy parts for the Apple I.Before Jobs there was Mike Sinyard, a ponytailed graduate of San Jose State.

1981

In 1981, Specialized changed the way that the world rode and thought about biking when they introduced mountain bikes to the general public.

1983

Specialized blazed new trails in 1983 with the creation of the world's first mountain bike racing team.

1987

By 1987, bikes were getting the boot from public lands.

1990

The first metal-matrix rim was introduced in 1990, and Specialized's global reach expanded when it opened Specialized Canada and Europe.

An advertising campaign that Specialized launched in 1990, featuring Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, attracted a significant amount of attention to the company and characterized their advertising methods to be almost as revolutionary as their bicycling technology.

Although competition was fierce and internal company organization faced problems, low United States bike sales also had a hand in Specialized's trouble in the early 1990's.

1995

Specialized saw the potential to boost its sales, and in 1995 announced that they, too, would begin selling bikes to sporting goods stores and discount retailers, but that they would be selling bikes under the Full Force brand.

1996

1996: Specialized discontinues the Full Force brand.

1998

Specialized's founder and CEO Mike Sinyard's special contribution to the sport of mountain biking was honored in 1998 when he was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.

2010

In Specialized's visitors lobby is a replica of Sinyard's VW, along with Specialized's racing bikes ridden by time-trial world champion Fabian Cancellara and the 2010 Tour de France winner, Alberto Contador.

The last two years have seen stunning results: Fabian Cancellara won the 2010 Paris-Roubaix race on a Specialized Roubaix and the world time trial in 2010 on a Specialized Shiv; the top two finishers in the 2010 Tour de France, Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck, rode Specialized Tarmacs.

2015

My 2015 book, Team Genius, was praised by Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella.

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Founded
1974
Company founded
Headquarters
Morgan Hill, CA
Company headquarter
Founders
Mike Sinyard
Company founders
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Specialized Bicycles competitors

Company nameFounded dateRevenueEmployee sizeJob openings
SRAM1987$725.0M3,50010
GT Bicycles1972$380.0M775-
Performance Bicycle1982$270.0M1,01926
Headland Ventures2002$10.9M356
Bulova1875$164.0M500-
Lifetime Brands1945$683.0M1,50038
LaCrosse Footwear1983$131.3M6102
Cutter & Buck1990$41.6M2003
Cork Supply1981$20.3M99-
GAR Products1956$6.3M34-

Specialized Bicycles history FAQs

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Specialized Bicycles may also be known as or be related to Specialized Bicycle Components, Specialized Bicycle Components Inc, Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. and Specialized Bicycles.