Specialized Bicycle Components Costco. The move angered some Specialized dealers. In 1996, Specialized withdrew the Full Force line and Mike Sinyard wrote a letter of apology to dealers. By the end of 1996, Specialized had lost 30% of its bike shop sales and, according to Sinyard, "came within a few hundred dollars of declaring bankruptcy". In 2001, Merida Bikes of Taiwan bought 49% of Specialized for a reported US$30 million. Mike Sinyard remained majority owner and CEO of the company. , Specialized is one of the biggest bicycle brands operating in the United States, alongside Trek Bicycle Corporation and Giant Bicycles. In 2012
Specialized Bicycle Components ASI and the Canadian shop owner was resolved in December 2013, and Specialized vowed to be more cautious in its pursuit of trademark violators going forward. In 2014, Specialized forced bicycle builder Neil Pryde to change the name of their Alize bike model. Many riders in recent years have used Specialized bicycles in the North American and European professional cycling circuits. In 2016, the professional road teams sponsored by Specialized are Etixx–Quick-Step, Astana Pro Team, Tinkoff, Boels–Dolmans and Axeon–Hagens Berman. Mountain bike riders sponsored by Specialized include the downhill world champion Loïc Bruni, who rides for the Specialized Gravity Team,