The large "S" is emblazoned in bright red above the entrance. What awaits visitors here not far from Silicon Valley in Morgan Hill resembles a kind of amusement park for cyclists. Without registration, a profile photo and a visitor's pass, there's nothing to do, because we're about to enter the hallowed halls of one of the world's most renowned bike manufacturers to see the entire development process from design to prototype construction. But first we are invited to the canteen. Here, a dedicated team of chefs cooks for the 200 or so employees at the site. The Specialized Breakfast burrito is obviously also to the taste of freeride legend Matt Hunter, who has mingled with the staff while chowing down.
Bikes for Aquaman and the Terminator
We are picked up by Robert Egger, another cult figure at the company site. His business card reads "Trouble-Maker". He is the Daniel Gyro Gearloose of the Specialized universe and is known for particularly wild creations. He shows us an e-bike with a military look that he designed for Arnold Schwarzenegger and the customised version for Jason Momoa, the actor from Aquaman. His private Harley-Davidson collection, which the Hawaiian had specially shipped to Morgan Hill, served as the model. Egger enthuses about this kind of inspiration and gives us an insight into the expensive world of the stars: a museum had offered 750,000 US dollars for one of the Harleys. Egger guides us through his collection of crazy racing bike tandems and milestones in bike development. The tinkerer has been creating extraordinary bikes for 40 years. At the end of the tour through Disneyland for cyclists, we are allowed to slide down the fireman's pole into the basement.
From hippie to industry giant
The story of Specialized began with Mike Sinyard. Now 76 years old, he was not only an enthusiastic cyclist in his youth, but also a self-confessed hippie. He sold his VW bus to finance a trip to Europe, where he met Cino Cinelli and struck a deal with the Italian racing bike icon. Sinyard then cycled from bike shop to bike shop through California with his bike trailer, selling imported goods. Legend has it that there was also a small side business with marijuana. In 1974, at the age of 24, the businessman founded Specialized Bicycles and is still at the helm of the company today. Sinyard's old workplace has been recreated in the company's own mini-museum. Because he had no money for a desk, he built a replacement from an old door. Just a few years later, the young company was already making millions in profits. One of the key factors in its success was the first production mountain bike in history, the legendary Specialized Stumpjumper from 1981.
Prototypes that win world championship gold
The tour of the Specialized headquarters continues through the huge machine park at the Morgan Hill site. The latest designs from the development departments are created here on large CNC milling machines and 3D printers. On a workbench lies the demo prototype frame of downhill jack-of-all-trades Loic Bruni with carbon tubes and heavily machined aluminium lugs. The current development projects remain hidden under blankets from the prying eyes of visitors. The Ride Dynamics department works in a room that looks clinically clean with its shiny stainless steel surfaces. This is where the custom tunes for the suspension elements of the Specialized mountain bikes are designed. Unlike many other manufacturers, the Americans do not rely on standard components from Rockshox or Fox, but adapt their behaviour to their own needs.
Unique selling point wind tunnel
Specialized is one of the very few bike companies in the world to operate its own wind tunnel. It is the highlight of the tour and is located just on the other side of the road. "Aerodynamic is everything" is emblazoned in large letters on the wall. The six turbines produce a total of 450 hp. The entire system is powered entirely by solar energy from the Californian sun. The employees in the wind tunnel work closely with the company's own body geometry team. Together, they measure professional road and mountain bike athletes and determine, for example, what aerodynamic difference a longer stem can make. Both the cross-country and downhill teams are regular guests here. All helmets with the Specialized logo also have to undergo the wind tunnel test. This allows their thermodynamics to be measured and the ventilation optimised. To top it all off, we also get to feel the power of the wind on our own bodies. After all, what kind of amusement park would it be if the attractions weren't also demonstrated?
Conclusion
Specialized is cult and a visit to the headquarters is a must-do on any trip to California. The look behind the scenes makes it clear why Specialized equips some of the most successful race teams in the world and the journey from a small one-man hippie company to one of the most important bike manufacturers in the world is worthy of a film. - Jan Timmermann, BIKE editor
Jan Timmermann
Editor
