This technology is found on Specialized’s gravel and all-road bikes, such as the Roubaix and Diverge. The Future Shock is a suspension mechanism that fits inside the headtube and provides riders with 20mm of front travel. So, when Specialized says their new bike is more aero than ever before, you know they have actual data to prove it. The brand has a team of aerodynamic experts who use tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and on-bike Data Acquisition (DAQ) to reduce drag and increase speed. That doesn’t come as a surprise considering that the company has its own wind tunnel. There’s no doubt that Specialized makes some of the best aero road bikes available on the market today. The result? Every carbon bike has a frame with a different fiber layup for maximum stiffness and best performance. Again, this is a problem-solving procedure that aims to make carbon equipment more efficient and more durable. This does not just stand for the carbon fiber material but for the entire process of designing and manufacturing a carbon product. Unlike other similar suspension technologies, there’s no need to press any levers to change ride feel, Brain does it all on its own.įACT stands for Functional Advanced Composite Technology and represents Specialized’s approach to carbon composites used for the production of frames and components. Moreover, the system can distinguish pedaling forces from bump forces, so it makes pedaling more efficient as well. Its job is to keep the suspension firm on smooth terrain and activate it when things get rough.īrain suspension does all of this automatically, so riders can simply focus on riding. The Brain is a suspension technology that is used in Specialized’s Epic forks and shocks. In 1999, the brand started working on “Body Geometry” to make its bikes and gear more efficient and more comfortable and even designed its own wind tunnel to take the aerodynamic properties to the next level. Sometimes, these were problems that cyclists didn’t even know they had until the solution appeared.įor example, in 1993 Specialized introduced the FSR four-bar suspension system (still in use today), followed by the Brain shocks and the Future Shock suspension. Specialized’s mission has always been to improve the cycling sport by researching and developing technologies that solve problems. However, today Mike still owns 51% of the company’s shares and the headquarters remain in Morgan Hill, California, where it all started almost 40 years ago. In 2001, Mike Sinyard had to sell 49% of his ownership to Merida bikes due to financial struggles caused by poor business decisions made during the mid-1990s. This was not the first mountain bike, but it was the first mass-produced MTB, which helped popularize mountain biking and make it more accessible.Īround this time, the company also made the Allez road bike and the Sequoia touring bike, both of which were huge successes. Mike believed that tires were the part that affected the ride quality the most but was not happy with the options on the market, so he decided to solve that problem.Īfter that, in 1981 came the first Specialized-labeled bicycle-the Stumpjumper. Specialized’s story began in 1974 when Mike Sinyard sold his Volkswagen Microbus for $1,500 and bought Italian bike parts that were in high demand at the time.Ī few years later, in 1976, Specialized made its first product-a road tire. Mountain | Road | Kids | Electric | Top Models Keep reading to learn more about the brand’s history, new technologies, and mouth-watering Specialized bikes. Specialized came a long way from being an importer of Italian bike parts to manufacturing tires to producing revolutionary bicycles in all categories.Īccording to Specialized itself, the brand has always been about “building bikes and gear that solve a problem and fill a need.” The brand has always looked toward the future, which is probably why it is still around today. This California-based company is an industry leader and one of the most influential cycling brands ever to exist. There’s little chance that you haven’t heard about Specialized if you have even the slightest interest in cycling. We delve deeper to find out more about its unique bikes, history, and groundbreaking technologies. Specialized is one of the biggest, most popular, and most innovative cycling brands in the world right now.

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