Why all the hating on Specialized?
02-10-14, 01:38 PM
#151
Ghost Ryding 24/7
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Canada/604
Posts: 2,185
Bikes: Giant Defy with Dura Ace group, & Ksyrium SL's,Specialized Allez Shimano mixed/mashed,2011 Opus Sentiero,2008 Kona Jake the Snake,Custom built track/fixed,Stumpy Hartail,Kuwahara/ET bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Yes, but that's not the point of the thread or my question: already assuming manufacturers donate lots of product for publicity purposes, would pro teams not named "Specialized" be riding Tarmacs if the product sucked or the company was staffed with baby seal clubbers?
(I'm neither a fan-boy nor hater; simply trying to understand the logic. My other passion is acoustic guitars. Endorsements are everywhere, but you won't see Eric Clapton playing an Esteban, no matter how many freebies they offer.)
(I'm neither a fan-boy nor hater; simply trying to understand the logic. My other passion is acoustic guitars. Endorsements are everywhere, but you won't see Eric Clapton playing an Esteban, no matter how many freebies they offer.)
Sure they race on bike provided by their teams, this doesn't mean they ride the same bike on their off time.
The racers might not like the bike, but they get to customize it to their liking.
This goes back to the actual question from the OP.
People ride spesh because they like them, & it feels right for them.
If an Esteban felt right, & sounded perfect in the hands of Clapton, he probably would own 1.
"Different strokes for different folks."
Ever heard of the stories about pros "rebranding" bikes?
ie: Lance...
What looked like a Trek, wasn't always a Trek...
I doubt it happens now, but lets not forget about who manufacturers the frames.
Not Specilized...
Last edited by Ghost Ryder; 02-10-14 at 01:42 PM.
02-10-14, 01:40 PM
#152
Gouge Away
02-10-14, 01:42 PM
#153
Gouge Away
02-10-14, 01:46 PM
#154
Ghost Ryding 24/7
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Canada/604
Posts: 2,185
Bikes: Giant Defy with Dura Ace group, & Ksyrium SL's,Specialized Allez Shimano mixed/mashed,2011 Opus Sentiero,2008 Kona Jake the Snake,Custom built track/fixed,Stumpy Hartail,Kuwahara/ET bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
02-10-14, 01:56 PM
#155
Gouge Away
Same here. I don't think SRAM sucks, just never bought the hype when all the pro teams were using it. Now some teams would rather drop their own dime on Shimano components than get free SRAM.
02-10-14, 02:23 PM
#156
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 2,204 Times
in
1,484 Posts
02-10-14, 02:49 PM
#157
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seattle
Posts: 180
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The same situation applies to me as well. The only "bigger" (yet still tiny) LBS only sells Specialized, which means I simply do not shop locally. Besides not wanting to purchasing Specialized because they do not honor their warranties, but who buys only Specialized? My LBS only sells Specialized tires. When was the last time Specialized tires were discussed or recommend? Not really picky, give me Conti, Michelin, Vitorria or Schwalbe tiress, but Specialized?
02-10-14, 02:55 PM
#159
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 13,478
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4260 Post(s)
Liked 2,978 Times
in
1,830 Posts
Yes, but that's not the point of the thread or my question: already assuming manufacturers donate lots of product for publicity purposes, would pro teams not named "Specialized" be riding Tarmacs if the product sucked or the company was staffed with baby seal clubbers?
(I'm neither a fan-boy nor hater; simply trying to understand the logic. My other passion is acoustic guitars. Endorsements are everywhere, but you won't see Eric Clapton playing an Esteban, no matter how many freebies they offer.)
(I'm neither a fan-boy nor hater; simply trying to understand the logic. My other passion is acoustic guitars. Endorsements are everywhere, but you won't see Eric Clapton playing an Esteban, no matter how many freebies they offer.)
__________________
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
02-10-14, 02:59 PM
#160
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 536
Bikes: 2014 Cervelo R5 Dura Ace,2014 Specialized S-Works Roubaix
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
specialized has to be hated to give trek a break, simple as that.
02-10-14, 03:07 PM
#161
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 536
Bikes: 2014 Cervelo R5 Dura Ace,2014 Specialized S-Works Roubaix
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
and then when everyone gets tired of hammering specialized they'll move on to the next bike company that makes the mistake of becoming successful so all the people on the 41 can share their slights and injustices that particular bike company has probably (not) committed
02-10-14, 03:10 PM
#162
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,560
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 2,204 Times
in
1,484 Posts
Originally Posted by patrickgm60
Yes, but that's not the point of the thread or my question: already assuming manufacturers donate lots of product for publicity purposes, would pro teams not named "Specialized" be riding Tarmacs if the product sucked or the company was staffed with baby seal clubbers?
Yes, but that's not the point of the thread or my question: already assuming manufacturers donate lots of product for publicity purposes, would pro teams not named "Specialized" be riding Tarmacs if the product sucked or the company was staffed with baby seal clubbers?
It's not a donation. They are out and out paid to ride those bikes. In the old days, some people would have their bikes custom made and then painted to look like the bike they were being paid to ride. Now that doesn't happen quite that much, but unless you're talking about "freebies" being cash, you're missing something on how this whole things works.
02-10-14, 03:21 PM
#163
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 238
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So your opinion is anymore correct than his? You missed his point. Everything in your post was fine, except for the idiot part...hence you are the idiot. You choose a bike for your reasons, while others have their reasons. To call someone an idiot because its not your way makes you a hypocrite.
I wasn't referring to you specifically, I read so much on here about how people hate Trek because Lance rode Trek. Or they don't like the way they treated Lemond... you know what that was wrong for them to do but that's life in the business world, bad things happen all the time. And I don't ride Specialized either. I test rode one, I liked it but I didn't buy it. The most important thing to me after the feel of the bike is the relationship with the LBS. The LBS does not make a lot on the bike, the margins are so slim, they make their money on service and parts etc. I'm not going to "punish" a locally owned LBS because I don;t like the brand. It reminds me of the old saying... opinions are like ********, everyone has one and they all stink so I really don't give a **** about anyone's opinion of what I ride. I ride what I ride because I like it and the local shop owner. Never in these forums have I ever told anyone they should buy one bike over another, I always say "ride them and choose the best one".
02-10-14, 03:23 PM
#164
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 238
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Exactly. Total hypocrit.
You don't care about what other people think of your choices, and yet you're calling people elfin' idiots because they have a different set of criteria for choosing a brand they want to ride? "Choosing the best one" means different things to different people. There are lots of bikes out there and more than one will give people a great ride, so they can afford to let other factors influence their choices. What if the bike that seemed to ride the 'best' for you was only available in hot pink or some colour you detested. Would that factor into your choice?
02-10-14, 04:34 PM
#165
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 238
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Is there a link to what teams ride and use? This is very interesting. I wonder why so few teams now use SRAM?
02-10-14, 04:42 PM
#166
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 45,064
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12899 Post(s)
Liked 7,824 Times
in
4,156 Posts
02-10-14, 04:48 PM
#167
well hello there
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,433
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Liked 338 Times
in
208 Posts
02-10-14, 04:53 PM
#168
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,043
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When I was just looking to get started biking again, a friend handed me a Spesh catalogue. I have to say their marketing team did a superb job and left me wanting a spesh. The Big S looks soo good. Due to budget concerns I went with BD.
Last year I finally got my wallet straight and handed out the cash for a tarmac. The bike was nice and light but def was not "magical". Just when I am finally ready to boast, threads about their foolish legal practice start filling BF up. To be fair, as a company you have to protect your trademark otherwise you might end up losing it; but they were really going after the small guys.
Cannondale is where it's at now. Most BFer suck up to them and it is hard to see Caad being dissed around here.
Last year I finally got my wallet straight and handed out the cash for a tarmac. The bike was nice and light but def was not "magical". Just when I am finally ready to boast, threads about their foolish legal practice start filling BF up. To be fair, as a company you have to protect your trademark otherwise you might end up losing it; but they were really going after the small guys.
Cannondale is where it's at now. Most BFer suck up to them and it is hard to see Caad being dissed around here.
02-10-14, 04:53 PM
#169
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 7,621
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 485 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
02-10-14, 04:54 PM
#170
Gouge Away
I don't think it's so few I think it is none, at least with the TDF teams. I suspect a couple of reasons, that they don't have an electronic group and SRAM's pockets aren't as deep as it once was. I saw a link that gave a breakdown of what the TDF teams are using, pretty sure it was from Cycling News. If I find it I will post a link.
Stand corrected, looks like some are still using SRAM.
Stand corrected, looks like some are still using SRAM.
02-10-14, 04:56 PM
#171
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 45,064
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12899 Post(s)
Liked 7,824 Times
in
4,156 Posts
02-10-14, 05:08 PM
#172
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Posts: 33,069
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene '04; Bridgestone RB-1 '92
Mentioned: 326 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12011 Post(s)
Liked 6,758 Times
in
3,529 Posts
What he said.
Free Trek, free tTrek, free Trek . . .
Free Trek, free tTrek, free Trek . . .
__________________
See, this is why we can't have nice things. - - smarkinson
Where else but the internet can a bunch of cyclists go and be the tough guy? - - jdon
02-10-14, 05:12 PM
#173
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 530
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Does anyone here actually know what, if any, sponsorship $ changes hands from bike manufacturers to pro teams, or is this a general "Everyone in cycling dopes and you're uninformed if you think otherwise" statement?
I suspect the quality of the top-end road frames differs little, between brands, but that none of them are "no good," as one poster stated. Assuming the Dogma, SLR01, Tarmac, F1, Evo, Madone, S5, etc are all approximately equal, is it a matter of who donates/pays the most to the teams? Is there a private auction involved? If so, Giant and Shimano could eventually capture the entire pro market..
02-10-14, 05:17 PM
#174
Gouge Away
Here is a link for the World Tour teams and UCI Pro Continental teams.
https://inrng.com/2014/01/2014-pro-team-bikes/
https://inrng.com/2014/01/2014-pro-team-bikes/
02-10-14, 05:52 PM
#175
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SE Minnesota
Posts: 12,275
Bikes: are better than yours.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
Well, I, for one, am ready for some understanding... : )
Does anyone here actually know what, if any, sponsorship $ changes hands from bike manufacturers to pro teams, or is this a general "Everyone in cycling dopes and you're uninformed if you think otherwise" statement?
I suspect the quality of the top-end road frames differs little, between brands, but that none of them are "no good," as one poster stated. Assuming the Dogma, SLR01, Tarmac, F1, Evo, Madone, S5, etc are all approximately equal, is it a matter of who donates/pays the most to the teams? Is there a private auction involved? If so, Giant and Shimano could eventually capture the entire pro market..
Does anyone here actually know what, if any, sponsorship $ changes hands from bike manufacturers to pro teams, or is this a general "Everyone in cycling dopes and you're uninformed if you think otherwise" statement?
I suspect the quality of the top-end road frames differs little, between brands, but that none of them are "no good," as one poster stated. Assuming the Dogma, SLR01, Tarmac, F1, Evo, Madone, S5, etc are all approximately equal, is it a matter of who donates/pays the most to the teams? Is there a private auction involved? If so, Giant and Shimano could eventually capture the entire pro market..
__________________
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.