Specialized Bicycle Components Specialized Bicycle Components Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., commonly called "Specialized", is a United States-based company that designs, manufactures and markets bicycles, bicycle components and related products under the brand name "Specialized". The Morgan Hill, California-based company was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard — and since 2001 has been 49% owned by Taiwan-based Merida Bikes. The company was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard, a cycling enthusiast who sold his Volkswagen Bus for $1,500 to fund a cycle tour of Europe, where he bought handlebars and stems made by Cinelli to take back to the US. Sinyard started out importing
Mountain bike full XC and All-Mountain bikes. Examples include the Giant Trance, the Trek Fuel EX series, and the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, among many others. With less of an emphasis on weight, trail bikes are typically built to handle rougher terrain than dedicated XC bikes while having slacker head angles (68-69°) which provide greater stability while descending. Trail bikes are designed for approximately 60-70% uphill, and 30-40% downhill riding. Enduro/all-mountain (AM) bikes bridge the gap between cross-country and freeride bikes, such as the Trek Remedy and Specialized Enduro series, typically weighing between . These bikes tend to feature greater suspension travel, frequently