Huh, I've clearly not figured out the forum tools. This one.
History of Specialized ?

No worries, just "quote" the post you're responding to.

I am looking for a bit more clarity on the shift in mfr from Japan to Taiwan. I think I read down-thread that production shifted in the late '80's, but I have a 1992 Stumpjumper Comp with a "Japan" sticker on the headtube. Did some models continue to be produced in Japan, and for how long? Any idea who gets credit for design of the Stumpjumpers from this period? It rides great, even with a replacement fork.
Fwiw, I also have a Rockhopper Comp from the same year, and that one has a Taiwan sticker.

Well thanx to to some here, the one person who may have actually been there for it has left the building.

Yeah, that's a real bummer. Here's hoping it's not for good.

Oh snap, it has been a week since he posted.

Well, my build is still here. I had a tiny screw issue on the Xt shifter, this would have been completed last night.

Red Rider!

Yep

My first 'real' bicycle was a Specialized Rockhopper, so Specialized will always hold a place in the heart as you never forget your 1st. That was when I was living in NorCal's East Bay.
Soon after, I moved to San Jose (South Bay). I was a noob bicyclist, making noob mistakes. Like riding the Coyote Creek Trail a few times all the way to Morgan Hill. Then...pow...flat tire, 16 miles from home. Me, with no spare tube or patch kit. Gulp. Phone a friend.
This was 2011 when the smartphone apps were still relatively new. I had just downloaded an app called 'Around Me' so I used it to locate the nearest bicycle shop.
I called the number listed on the Around Me app and someone answered "Specialized, may I help you?" I explained my problem and the receptionist lady said "this is Specialized HQ, not a bike shop." I laughed, she laughed.
At the time I had no idea Specialized was located in Morgan Hill. Later just for fun, I rode my motorcycle down to Morgan Hill and took a pic in front of Specialized HQ for the scrapbook.
Appreciate those that tell their own Specialized history stories from back in the day. The late 1970's and early 1980's were interesting times.

Funny, found my REI receipt for my Rockhopper (1999).

Validating a poster who openly called him a intellectual property thief and denigrated all of his valued contributions to the sport sure didn’t help. Jim help bring quality affordable mountain bikes to the masses only to get insulted by someone with sour grapes because he was left behind as a footnote in the sports over romanticized history.

As for “Repack” failed trademark attempt.

“In Oregon in 1966, one Chemeketan club member, D. Gwynn, built a rough terrain trail bicycle. He named it a "mountain bicycle" for its intended place of use. This may be the first use of that name.[6]”

"The Chemeketan". 38 (9). September 1966: 4.”

Who is he? Couldn't be me, because I am pretty happy about my contributions to bicycling, and I get daily affirmations from people I have never met. I would love to hear about some of yours.

My contributions started with inventing the downhill time trial, which is now a world championship discipline. Do you have evidence that anyone did it before I did on October 21, 1976? (This poster is from 1978, after I had promoted my race for a couple of years.)





Right. I picked up the name of MY COMPANY from an obscure article in a club newsletter published 13 years earlier, that called the bike a name that was never part of a trademark application. Our company name was MountainBikes, not Mountain Bicycles.

Do you understand how silly you sound?.

Thanks for the inside history!
I have a related question about 'DiNucci Green' as seen on some of the 1980s bikes, and which has become a bit of a meme among vintage Specialized enthusiasts. I assume this colour is named for Mark DiNucci - do you have a story how it got his name on it in the product design? In lieu of a raise? Did you pick or get a named colorway too?