Today started off pretty good. Not bad getting to the office early and taking a stroll through the Specialized Museum. When you first come into the place it is designed to highlight the history of Specialized humble beginnings, when Mike Sinyard spent his last $1500.00 dollars on Italian Bicycle parts and started riding his bike with a cart trailing behind to the shops in California. He was a pioneer then and still is when it comes to the bike industry. The museum is sort of a history of my love for the Specialized bicycle line. I have owned a Specialized bike of some sort since 2000! Some of the bikes hanging in the museum were and still are dream bikes of mine. Some I now own, but none of them have been ridden in such races as the Tour De France, Paris Roubaix, and the world road championships. The bikes not only are some of the fastest and most sought after bikes to race on in the world, but have a pedigry of winning riders who have been drawn to ride them acrossed several finish lines around the world. One of my favorite riders of all time is Mario Chipollini. He was not only one of the fastest sprinters in the world, but did it his own way! Often known for some of his outrageous cycling kits. But, he was one of the most noteable sprinters in the world to elevate Specialized in the European Peleton. So, it was an honor to see and touch the actual bike that helped him Win the World Championships several years ago.
Tom Boonen's Paris Roubaix winning, Specialized Roubaix is also lined up next in line! This is where the famous Specialized Roubaix line up was molded into the bike line it is today. Just incredible how you can see how important it is to stretch the limits and place some of the best riders on your bikes! The next bike was Fabian Cancellera's Custom Yellow S-Works Tarmac. This thing is just too cool! Fabian road this bike for several days while defending the Yellow Jersey during the Tour De France. I am sure it will not be the last time Fabian wears the famous yellow jersey. Too bad he is not on a Specialized anymore! He might have had a better season in 2011!? Pretty nice way to kick off my day!
After my stroll through the museum, we hit the bike area. One thing I did not point out yesterday was your choice of Helmets and Shoes. They are all S works products which makes it nice to test the products and the ability to try out what we sell. The Body Geometry design of these products makes them feel like a custom fit for your feet! The helmets are easily adjusted, light and very Aero dynamic! Today I rode the Venge one more time. Tomorrow, I will ride another bike after a full BG Fit before the afternoon ride. What do you think it will be??
Ok, so above is where the real work is being done while I am out here! Yes, riding is part of this life and testing the latest rides out on the open roads. But, in order to better serve our customers, help them reach there goals, and place them in the best possible position to enjoy that new Specialized ride, we have to do a bit of studying! The photo's above show the room in which we work most of the day. This is a pretty killer layout. We do our physical assessment on the riders, then move to on the bike assessment, and then adjustments to the fitting. I provided a quick example of one of the riders above. I will call her Julie. Julie is a phenominal athlete! She has raced in Europe, ridden on the Saturn Pro Women's team, and has been on the US National Cycling team. She is now a distance trail runner! Hardcore for sure and a great subject for our fitting session. I wanted you to see how some minor adjustments made a difference in her upper body position of the bike. We are fitting the bike to her and not her to the bike. Who can tell me what the difference is between the lower photo of her and the top photo? A hint is to look at her elbows and shoulders. This adjustment was minimum! But, made a huge difference in here comfort level, ability to open up her ribs, and most of all keep her driving those legs for the long haul at top speed! It was an honor working with her today and we shall see what her feedback is after the road ride tomorrow?
Loved the bikes, and the shoes, and the helmets. Quite the museum, had to be a blast checking out some pretty famous rides.
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