Specialized - Are they the be all and end all?
Discussion
Right... I appreciate that this is going to cause some debate however I am after a genuine overall opinion, both from current owners and non owners.
A long time ago and well before I got into cycling I used to think Spec were the best you could get. Years later and with much more experience on both off and on road, and my belief now is that Spec are still a fairly good make however are highly overrated and have become a bit of a status monopoliser based on millions spent on marketing as well as the general assumption of novice and new cyclists that they are the pinnacle of cycling. (When you bare in mind the amount of people turning to cycling in recent years that part of the market is significant). I also wonder how much of their wealth can be attributed to the American market. I can't help but look at their bikes and feel there is a huge premium placed upon them purely because of the brand, and more so than the likes of Trek and some of the Italian brands. Take their Venge for example. This seems to retail anywhere between £2500 and £5500 for a complete bike. So the average Venge being around £3500. However for that you generally get the frame plus Ultegra, but modest everything else. No amazing wheels, no great tyres, not a remarkable seat or bars. If I remember rightly the basic Venge comes with pretty much rubbish everything yet still retails at the £2500 price tag. I am sure there is much better value to be had, especially when you think of the various online offerings.
But then, you do see LOADS of Spec bikes being ridden by pro teams, national racing teams and it makes you wonder whether they really are, then, worth all the fuss. If Cav and other world class athletes are not only competing but leading the field on this bikes then surely the answer is that Spec are world class, top in research and development and producing bikes that enable today's best riders to exploit the absolute most they can from themselves.
In any case, whenever I peruse online at fairly high end bike shops, Sigma and Pedal Heaven being only two examples in the South, most are teeming with Spec bikes and merchandise, including the "concept fitting service" which looks great in images, but I am not convinced it is as high tech as it purports to be. I also know that Spec will only provide stock to retailers that will designate a large proportion of their display to Spec products, plus they have minumum requirements on in store square footage e.t.c. This all seems like serious business model's at work to make money to me, not a bespoke cycle manufacturer tailoring their services to customer's needs.
Are Specialized so good that they really are the obvious choice for the serious cyclist and is it time non believer's such as myself just accept that I am wrong?
A long time ago and well before I got into cycling I used to think Spec were the best you could get. Years later and with much more experience on both off and on road, and my belief now is that Spec are still a fairly good make however are highly overrated and have become a bit of a status monopoliser based on millions spent on marketing as well as the general assumption of novice and new cyclists that they are the pinnacle of cycling. (When you bare in mind the amount of people turning to cycling in recent years that part of the market is significant). I also wonder how much of their wealth can be attributed to the American market. I can't help but look at their bikes and feel there is a huge premium placed upon them purely because of the brand, and more so than the likes of Trek and some of the Italian brands. Take their Venge for example. This seems to retail anywhere between £2500 and £5500 for a complete bike. So the average Venge being around £3500. However for that you generally get the frame plus Ultegra, but modest everything else. No amazing wheels, no great tyres, not a remarkable seat or bars. If I remember rightly the basic Venge comes with pretty much rubbish everything yet still retails at the £2500 price tag. I am sure there is much better value to be had, especially when you think of the various online offerings.
But then, you do see LOADS of Spec bikes being ridden by pro teams, national racing teams and it makes you wonder whether they really are, then, worth all the fuss. If Cav and other world class athletes are not only competing but leading the field on this bikes then surely the answer is that Spec are world class, top in research and development and producing bikes that enable today's best riders to exploit the absolute most they can from themselves.
In any case, whenever I peruse online at fairly high end bike shops, Sigma and Pedal Heaven being only two examples in the South, most are teeming with Spec bikes and merchandise, including the "concept fitting service" which looks great in images, but I am not convinced it is as high tech as it purports to be. I also know that Spec will only provide stock to retailers that will designate a large proportion of their display to Spec products, plus they have minumum requirements on in store square footage e.t.c. This all seems like serious business model's at work to make money to me, not a bespoke cycle manufacturer tailoring their services to customer's needs.
Are Specialized so good that they really are the obvious choice for the serious cyclist and is it time non believer's such as myself just accept that I am wrong?
gazza285 said:
Sounds very similar to the Kinesis smooth weld technology, who are rumoured to supply Specialized, according to internet gossip.
This is exactly my point though. Each brand develops their own USP, almost like having a USP is essential in making any waves in today's market. Most brands have mnemonics branded down the side of the seat stays or top tubes for various different "features" unique to them. Smart weld this, active technology that - surely these are very small characteristics that are enough to allow them to advertise a speciality, but in reality you would never notice. I had a Via Nirone a couple of years ago with "Bianchi Active Technology" down the seat stays - what's that and does it matter? My friend has a Trek which boasts a "Stepjoint" and "Ride Tuned Seatmast" - sounds very tech - is it?. Canyon have a VCLS seatpost. Looks great - would it really be that bad without it though? Are we not just being blinded with big words that matched up with their glossy pictures lure us into belief without question?Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff