Specialized bikes and their history
Last weekend my boss asked me to read Specialized Stumpjumper 25 years of Mountain Biking. I admit I wasn’t too keen as I’d rather ride my bike than read about other people riding theirs. Having read the book I’ve changed my opinion.
Being pretty new to the MTB scene and getting told that ‘Specialized is the best company out there’ on all the forums and when I was riding my Hardrock I did start wondering why. This book helped solve that mystery.
It’s a book about the humble beginnings of Mike Sinyard (a.k.a. Mr S) who went from ‘writing his catalogue on yellow legal paper and coaxing employees to sleep overnight cozyed up to piles of tyres that couldn’t fit into what little storage there was at Specialized world headquarters.’ to ‘struggling to hang on to the tiger’s tail, otherwise known as the Stumpjumper.’
Mr S broke the mould with the Stumpjumper and ran ads like: "IT’S NOT JUST A NEW BIKE, IT’S A NEW SPORT" and for the 1984 (personally one of my favourites) "IF YOU’RE ON A PINK BIKE, YOU BETTER BE FAST." They’d made one of the world’s most respected and well loved bikes out there.
This book shows the evolution from the 1981 Blue tig welded, 15 speed with golf club fork design through the 1994 Specialized S-works FSR and on to the 2006 S-Works FSR Carbon full suspension 27 speed demon that is the king of the market for 2006.
The best thing is this book gives you the history of Specialized AND it gives you the background of MTB, it’s beginnings and the stories of those who made the sport. This is a big must for anyone who rides, and an even bigger must for those who ride Specialized.
