Ever wanted to take a peek inside Specialized? Follow us as we step inside... - Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized has quite the long history - James Huang / Immediate Media
Specialized's four-bar Horst Link suspension designs are among the most refined in the industry but it wasn't always that way. This prototype from the early 1990s may not have been especially pretty but it forged the path for the next fifteen years - James Huang / Immediate Media
The halls of Specialized HQ are chock-full of one-off paint jobs that will never see production. This faux-lugged carbon fiber CruX is particularly fetching - James Huang / Immediate Media
Designers can play with graphics and colors all day on their computers but there's no substitute for seeing things in real life. This paint scheme didn't make the cut but we're guessing that there's more than a handful of people who would want it - James Huang / Immediate Media
The chrome logos are a nice touch - James Huang / Immediate Media
Sparkly! - James Huang / Immediate Media
Specialized produces countless one-off prototypes as its designers and engineers explore different ideas - James Huang / Immediate Media
Who wouldn't want to ride this stylish e-bike to the local cafe? - James Huang / Immediate Media
Many of the one-offs never stood a chance at production, even in small quantities - but they're fun to do, and draw plenty of attention - James Huang / Immediate Media
These townie concepts are achingly cute. Note the flip-down mini-bar at the back, too - James Huang / Immediate Media
Electric motor-assisted bikes may be drawing all the attention at the moment but there's still plenty of appeal in good old fashioned internal combustion - James Huang / Immediate Media
Just the thought of this should make folks at the UCI turn up their noses in disgust - James Huang / Immediate Media
Not surprisingly, plenty of folks at Specialized are also keen motorheads so the concepts often reflect those shared interests - James Huang / Immediate Media
This isn't your father's Schwinn - James Huang / Immediate Media
This concept looks like it'd be remarkably fun - and likely at least a little dangerous - to ride - James Huang / Immediate Media
How many companies allow their staff to pursue projects like this? - James Huang / Immediate Media
Because smaller tires just wouldn't look right - James Huang / Immediate Media
One can only imagine what this would have looked like had Specialized's in-house wind tunnel actually been built back in the day - James Huang / Immediate Media
While some of this concept obviously uses off-the-shelf parts, most of it is fully bespoke - James Huang / Immediate Media
Specialized opened up its own wind tunnel a couple of years ago and continues to reap the benefits of unlimited testing time. Sponsored athletes regularly pay visits to optimize their positions here - James Huang / Immediate Media
Specialized says its custom-built force balance is anchored directly in the concrete slap well below the platform to ensure accurate readings - James Huang / Immediate Media
Hold on, lady, we're going for a ride! - James Huang / Immediate Media
The six fans can generate quite the punch - James Huang / Immediate Media
Naturally, the fan shrouds were custom made of carbon fiber - James Huang / Immediate Media
Airfoil-shaped bike supports help minimize the aero footprint of the test apparatus - James Huang / Immediate Media
Riders get a live display projected on the floor right in front of them that shows wind speed, yaw angle, and real-time drag - James Huang / Immediate Media
The real-time drag display provides instantaneous feedback to the rider on changes in position - James Huang / Immediate Media
Tucking down on to the aero extensions yield the expected decrease in drag - James Huang / Immediate Media
How big an effect is drafting? Just check out the graph to see for yourself. Save for some climbing situations, the biggest force impeding your forward progress is aerodynamic drag - James Huang / Immediate Media
Even hanging back more than a full bike length still yields aerodynamic benefits - James Huang / Immediate Media
Is there still an aerodynamic benefit to following a rider two bike lengths ahead? The benefits obviously decrease with increasing distance but even this far back, there are measurable decreases in drag - James Huang / Immediate Media
Is it a financially sensible decision for a bike company to build its own wind tunnel? Maybe not but company head Mike Sinyard is well known for oftentimes operating on feel - James Huang / Immediate Media
It's quickly becoming a requirement at the top levels of the sport that you need to spend time in one of these to go faster - James Huang / Immediate Media
Wind tunnel testing is a lonely, boring, and cold endeavor - James Huang / Immediate Media
Specialized employees can refuel in the company's in-house cafeteria - James Huang / Immediate Media
Even the walls of the cafeteria are decorated with historically significant machines - James Huang / Immediate Media
My, how far we've all come since these days - James Huang / Immediate Media
It may be Mike Sinyard's company but even the big man doesn't get freebies when it comes to lunch - James Huang / Immediate Media
With more than forty years of history under its belt – in the same location – it's no surprise that there's a lot to see inside Specialized's headquarters in Morgan Hill, California. The company has grown incredibly since those early days of founder Mike Sinyard peddling his imported Italian fares to local shops by bicycle, but it's clear when walking through the halls that Specialized hasn't forgotten its rich history.
Specialized has quite the long history:
Specialized is no new kid on the block
One of the most interesting aspects is the number of concept bikes displayed in various rooms and byways. Despite already having one of the deepest and broadest ranges of any bike company, Specialized's designers and engineers produce countless bespoke machines that serve purely as creative exercises with usually no plans for production. Not surprisingly, there are plenty of one-off paint jobs, too.
The chrome logos are a nice touch:
Like what you see? Sorry, it's a one-off paint sample
One of the company's more recent developments was the opening of its own in-house wind tunnel. According to Specialized, the custom force balance is purpose-built for the smaller forces generated by bikes and riders, while the generously sized test chamber is big enough for an entire leadout train. Athletes pay regular visits here to refine their positions but Specialized product developers also now have the luxury of essentially unlimited tunnel time – all without the usual US$1,000/hour price tag.
But enough of the yip-yapping from us. Click through the gallery and see for yourself what lies within.
These townie concepts are achingly cute. note the flip-down mini-bar at the back, too:
James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
