Is Specialized a Bully?

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01-13-12 | 03:51 PM

#226

pallen

Descends like a rock

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From: Fort Worth, TX

Bikes: Scott Foil, Surly Pacer

Nice, not only because they are small fledgling company, but I think they have a great idea with that bike concept. Wish I could afford one...

It would be a shame to see someone doing something truly unique shut down like this.

01-13-12 | 03:51 PM

#227

X-LinkedRider

Flying Under the Radar

Joined: Oct 2007

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From: Northeast PA

Bikes: 10' SuperiorLite SL Club | 06' Giant FCR3 | 2010 GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc

Good day for all people looking for this kind of bike. Volagi will definitely have a hard hold on this niche market for a bit.

01-13-12 | 03:54 PM

#228

Jed19

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Apparently, Mike Sinyard said he's satisfied with the result

01-13-12 | 03:57 PM

#229

Hunt-man

Tete de Couch

Joined: Aug 2008

Posts: 1,488

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From: West Linn OR

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

Where are all the lawyers who were predicting doom and gloom for Volagi? Off eating some crow?

Oh no, they knew who the only real winners would be long long ago, the lawyers..... $400k just for one side! Awesome!

01-13-12 | 04:01 PM

#230

Jed19

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunt-man

I started the thread. I must admit that I thought it looked bad for Volagi re the founders coming up with a design while still employed at Specialized, but apparently the jury felt different. I am indeed happy with the result.

Now off to eating my crow accompanied with a nice microbrew, eh.

01-13-12 | 04:08 PM

#231

oldbobcat

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From: Boulder County, CO

Bikes: '80 Masi Gran Criterium, '12 Trek Madone, early '60s Frejus track

At least in California, your boss can't own the patent for your pipe dream if you dream it on your own time and resources. Hip-hip for the California Civil Code.

01-13-12 | 06:57 PM

#232

halfspeed

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From: SE Minnesota

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat

At least in California, your boss can't own the patent for your pipe dream if you dream it on your own time and resources. Hip-hip for the California Civil Code.

This is probably no small factor in the success of silicon valley at being the cradle of so many innovative technology companies.

__________________
Telemachus has, indeed, sneezed.

01-13-12 | 08:11 PM

#233

rdtompki

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From: Hollister, CA

Bikes: Volagi, daVinci Joint Venture

Well, there goes my retirement

I was hoping to finance earlier retirement through the sale of my rare Volagi. Now I'm going to have to keep working for a living.

It is heartening that a small company can't simply be put out of business because of a technical contract violation that obviously didn't cause any material damage.

01-13-12 | 08:37 PM

#234

Right Said Fred

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Mike Sinyard: "We are the Apple Computer of the bicycle industry."

Volagi lawyer: "Mike Sinyard, you are no Steve Jobs."

Ouch, that'll leave a mark!

01-13-12 | 08:42 PM

#235

david58

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From: Los Alamos, NM

Bikes: Fuji Cross Comp, BMC SR02, Surly Krampas

I'm sorry, but I don't get it - from what I can see, the guys at Volagi violated a ton of ethical principles. Let's just start with stealing sales/service information from their employer. I am no fan of Specialized necessarily, but I wouldn't want to do business with sidewinders like the ones that started Volagi.

Signed,

Contrarian Curmudgeon

01-13-12 | 08:51 PM

#236

LemondFanForeve

Banned

Joined: Feb 2011

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From: Pasadena, CA(for now)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhotoJoe

A little old of a post, but from the "WeKeepYouCycling" FB page:

It seems Volagi may walk away with a $41K financial hit (plus legal fees). If you've not been following this, Volagi is a recent start up from former Specialized employes who started a competing frame company. Specialized had trouble proving technology was stolen from them in the court case, however based on the tweets it seems they still may have to pay for contract violations- as they discussed the new company while at Specialized. We hope this has been the best PR campaign for the new company. Sales have sky rocketed since the lawsuit.

I like the very last sentence. Hopefully this is enough to pay their legal fees AND buy their houses back!

If thats all they get "hit" for, They should consider themselves VERY lucky, and thankful. Pay it...wait a bit, and then re-start.

01-13-12 | 09:29 PM

#237

Jed19

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Right Said Fred

Mike Sinyard: "We are the Apple Computer of the bicycle industry."

Volagi lawyer: "Mike Sinyard, you are no Steve Jobs."

Ouch, that'll leave a mark!

Sinyard actually said that in a deposition/court, or are you making it up?

If he said that, Tom Ritchey should have sued his ass back to the stone age, b/cos of the issue with the Stumpjumper.

01-13-12 | 10:26 PM

#238

ruskko

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yes he acutally said it jed,i will never ride a specialized after this ****...

01-14-12 | 12:09 AM

#239

justkeepedaling

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From: Ogden, Utah

Bikes: CAAD 10, Cervelo P2 SL, Focus RG-700, Quintana Roo #101

Quote:

Originally Posted by david58

This was completely disclosed by Choi. Not only that, but I believe he stated the vast majority of this information was widely available online or in the public domain

01-14-12 | 08:44 AM

#240

Right Said Fred

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jed19

Sinyard actually said that in a deposition/court, or are you making it up?

If he said that, Tom Ritchey should have sued his ass back to the stone age, b/cos of the issue with the Stumpjumper.

Yep:

Quote:

Volagi attorney Charles Smith argued that Specialized had brought the suit to stifle competition. Smith argued, using a section of the California labor code, that as long as employees are dutiful to their employers, they are free to work on other projects on their own time. In a direct rebuke to Sinyard’s claim on the stand of being the “Apple Computer of bicycles,” Smith completed his statements with the words, “Mike Sinyard, you are no Steve Jobs.”

https://velonews.competitor.com/2012/...lized-1_203443

01-14-12 | 02:45 PM

#241

Jed19

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Right Said Fred

Yep:

https://velonews.competitor.com/2012/...lized-1_203443

Wow! I just read the Velonews article.

Mike Sinyard is a piece of work, isn't he?

The design of the Roubaix was copied from a custom Seven Cycles a Specialized employee bought, and this guy had the audacity to sue Volagi.

And of course, the bike that put Specialized on the radar screen of cycling enthusiasts was the Stumpjumper, a design appropriated from Tom Ritchey.

Talk about chutzpah!

01-14-12 | 05:33 PM

#242

MileHighMark

Old. Slow. Happy.

Joined: Jan 2010

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From: Boulder County, CO

01-14-12 | 09:45 PM

#243

Pinkbullet3

Joined: Dec 2010

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Not sure if this has been posted here yet, but:

Quote:

For their part, Volagi appears to be planning a 100-cyclist ride from Cotati to Specialized's Morgan Hill headquarters to settle their debt. "Each one must bring a penny," their Twitter feed says.

https://www.bohemian.com/BohoBlog/arc...ed-owes-them-1