enzo24

TBH I'm a little surprised, if they'd signed the kind of contract that I, and probably most engineers have to sign, any innovations even remotely connected to work would become property of the employer. That said, I'm not rushing out to buy any Specialized stuff right now.

fly:yes/land:no

ftfy

i know that companies the size of volagi don't spend 300k in marketing in one year, but i am sure that the lawsuit has greatly elevated volagi's status among cycling enthusiasts.

specialized definitely seems to be getting beat up on the message boards over this, but i really doubt that they will lose much in sales at all. most people hating on the big s already hated specialized and this just validates their belief.

just found this - https://www.google.com/trends/?q=vola...ate=mtd&sort=0

volagi had sent bikes to bike radar and bike rumor several months earlier. nothing even blipped on google trends. then volagi got sued by specialized and internet searches went way up!

wkg

I was going to go buy the Venge Mclaren w/ Di2 at the end of this month but because of this Volagi lawsuit I am not going to anymore. I was also going to buy one for my wife.

svtmike

Riiiiiggghhht. The Roubaix SL3, Tarmac SL4, and Venge are copies of which cheap overseas bikes? Like them or not, Specialized is helping to drive the leading edge of cycling tech and design.

sbxx1985 

Their Pro Carbon road shoes are excellent, as is most of their shoe line. I use the Roubaix tape, which I like more than Deda and Cinelli. The Allez is a fantastic entry level bike. They make some great stuff.

mconlonx 

You, too? Same thing with the pair of McLaren supercars we were considering -- they're associated with Specialized, so I think we'll go with the Bugattis instead.

fly:yes/land:no

good for you! - i have lots of respect for people who stick to their guns and vote with their dollars. but, i think you will be the exception. my guess is that 90% or more of specialized buyers don't even know that this lawsuit existed.

what are you going to get now, btw?

wkg

i just won't buy a bike. already got a '12 6 series madone. might look into getting a super car. of course like mconlonx said it won't be a mclaren because of their association with the devil company specialized.

danvuquoc

They probably signed one that was exactly the same/fairly standard in the engineering field, you just don't live in California. California is the worst state for Specialized to sue Volagi in. The verdict would have been quite different in a state like Minnesota.

danvuquoc

This would be correct, its a boost in search and media, and it might be on a few more people's radars -- but this was extremely expensive PR for Volagi. I really do hope after defeating Specialized they make it out alive. Its a big hole to dig yourself out of as a new company, and they may need to invest in more backers.

bobbycorno

So, "as long as it benefits me, screw everybody else"? Nice attitude.

SP
Bend, OR

DRietz

I think the only Specialized products I actually like are the water bottles.

AEO

oakley made gloves?
I thought they only did optics. speaking of optics, specialized does that too. I use their arc terra photochromic full wraps.
oh well, all my specialized gear was purchased WAAAAAAAAAAY before this volagi lawsuit. I don't see myself purchasing anything from specialized for quite a while, because their gear just never dies.

wkg

https://www.oakley.com/store/products/men/apparel/gloves

Factory Glove is my favorite. Automatic 2 and Overload are also pretty sweet.

ThinLine

The monopolies that Specialized has created in steiffeling competition is nonsense. Free enterprise in product design should be explored and, if a niche market is captured, good for the entrepenuer who started the quest.
Innovation should not be stymied because a congloramate of a company (Specialized) has the means.

spock

When Specialized made Double Steel Allez as a throwback, but no lugs and friction shifters, I knew that day was gonna come when something like this was going to happen.

They didn't wanna infringe on their own patent. That's how great they are.

ThinLine

Another thing......Intellectural property is just that. I am a Mech. Design Engineer working at a company which makes the BEST in the world (Bar none) Optical Image Stabilized Gyro binoculars. We are not doing well and I, along with a few other Eng.nrs want to start a company doing this. We did NOT sign a non-compete (oddly enough) although my lawyer said they could still come after you within 6 months, BUT they would have to pay you your salary for that sit on your a%# time.

surgeonstone

And for this 1 dollar victory how much was spent on the lawyers. What a rip.

unterhausen

Too bad the court didn't slap Specialized around a little for this baseless suit.

no, you can't. So much for the unlimited mod powers you were promised.

Stealthammer

Don't read very well do you.....

What I said is "Mike Sinyard sells copies made cheaper overseas", almost everything Specialized sells is made overseas, and the vast majority of these products have been copied from more innovative companies or chosen out of a catalog.

ricebowl

I've conisdered a Specialized bike in the past. Even had a rock hopper for at ime. But I've never owned or considered specialized for accessories. For accessores I tend to stay away from house brands except for what comes stock on the bike.

svtmike

I was giving you the benefit of the doubt that you aren't dense enough to think that Apple doesn't manufacture everything overseas. Guess I was wrong on that count.

I will agree however, that Mike Sinyard is no Steve Jobs. But his company is on the leading edge in its industry.

So what was your point?

Stealthammer

Absolutely, but they were designed here at home by Steve Jobs and is crew, not picked out of a Taiwanese catalog and then "re-styled", or copied from a competitor. Mike Sinyard and his company are marketers, not innovators. I am simply in agreement with Volagi attorney Charles Smith when he correctly stated "Mike Sinyard, you are no Steve Jobs.”

An expensive dollar: Volagi owes Specialized $1

surgeonstone

Play nice .

jdon

Sounds more to me like Specialized won the suit, but failed to prove damage.