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So specialized is working up to their slogan again.

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,861
4,158
Copenhagen, Denmark
Yes, all of you hate Specialized and don't buy their products so I can get some good deals on Specialized.

Love how everybody on the Internet is up in arm over a trademark dispute.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
Yes, all of you hate Specialized and don't buy their products so I can get some good deals on Specialized.

Love how everybody on the Internet is up in arm over a trademark dispute.
you seem to conveniently forget spesh's history of this kind of litigious strong arming
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
also, the trademark on the term "roubaix" is a dubious one, considering it's the name of a geographic region, and a bike race that pre-dates specialized by a good 7 decades.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,861
4,158
Copenhagen, Denmark
And Cannondale etc.

That is what big companies do. Squeeze out the competition at every option. Its part of the game like it or not. You can't just pick and choose who is allowed to do what.
 

D.2

Monkey
Jun 17, 2010
164
17
Medway, MA
I hope Specialized get a clue. I like their products a lot, but I will stop buying them if they insist on being azzholes to the little people.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
And Cannondale etc.

That is what big companies do. Squeeze out the competition at every option. Its part of the game like it or not. You can't just pick and choose who is allowed to do what.
the point is the trademark they're trying to enforce in this circumstance is questionable in the first place
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
Love how everybody on the Internet is up in arm over a trademark dispute.
Its the big guy going after the little guy that people hate...its not about a legal dispute. I abhor lawyers and the legal system...I hate bullies. And this is a guy being bullied by a multi national corporation.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
Its the big guy going after the little guy that people hate...its not about a legal dispute. I abhor lawyers and the legal system...I hate bullies. And this is a guy being bullied by a multi national corporation.
the bigger question is how specialized was able to trademark the name "roubaix" in the first place
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,288
5,028
Ottawa, Canada
given the buzz this has created, I'm surprised the guy hasn't started a kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to fight the battle. Would be interesting to see if people would put money where their keyboards are. I'd throw $20 his way...

I just went on his website and the blog hasn't been updated since March. It would be really cool if he tried to fight this.
 

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,383
9,287
MTB New England
Specialized is getting destroyed over this. Their Facebook page is full of posts from angry people. I am guessing they'll come up with some sort of compromise with the bike shop, just like Monster energy drinks did when they went after Rock Art Brewery and got slammed for it.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
Specialized is getting destroyed over this. Their Facebook page is full of posts from angry people. I am guessing they'll come up with some sort of compromise with the bike shop, just like Monster energy drinks did when they went after Rock Art Brewery and got slammed for it.
what was the last C&D spesh sent out that got blown up? i can't remember right now. imagine if social media existed when they sued stratos out of existence
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
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just out of curiosity, we should put together a list of all the companies sinyard et al have sued / threatened to sue over the years

-stratos, sued into bankruptcy
-mountain cycle stumptown
-epic wheel works
-cafe roubaix
-fuji cycles
-chumba cycles (sued but ultimately lost)

these are the ones that come to mind
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,535
Riding the baggage carousel.
Specialized is getting destroyed over this. Their Facebook page is full of posts from angry people. I am guessing they'll come up with some sort of compromise with the bike shop, just like Monster energy drinks did when they went after Rock Art Brewery and got slammed for it.
"Dear Specialized, I represent the letter "S" and as such I am alerting you of the need for you to immediately cease and desist using that letter "S". A simple search of the alphabet would have prevented this, but you have used the letter with impunity and the letter "S" is certain that, if it does not defend its right to ownership, everyone will feel some right to use what many people feel is just a letter of the alphabet. Thank you."

ROLF.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,861
4,158
Copenhagen, Denmark
Unethical behavior by party A does not excuse the same by party B. Your argument seems similar to Lance Dopestrong's "Everyone was doing it..."
What Amstrong is doing was illigal. What Specialized is doing is not. I am not agreeing with what they do I think its a huge waste of money and clearly bad PR. I just think what they do is nothing compared to how Wallmarkt is crusing mom and pop stores just as one example on a much larger scale. If you people want to take a stand do it wholeheartedly not just one example comes up.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
given the buzz this has created, I'm surprised the guy hasn't started a kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to fight the battle. Would be interesting to see if people would put money where their keyboards are. I'd throw $20 his way...

I just went on his website and the blog hasn't been updated since March. It would be really cool if he tried to fight this.
Some info here: http://www.facebook.com/CafeRoubaix
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
from velownews:

First, a bit of background. Specialized holds the trademark for Roubaix in Canada; it has since 2007 when its application was approved. It does not hold the Roubaix trademark in the United States. It licenses that mark from Advanced Sports, which has held it since 1990 and used it within its Fuji brand.
 

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,596
5,894
in a single wide, cooking meth...
just out of curiosity, we should put together a list of all the companies sinyard et al have sued / threatened to sue over the years

-stratos, sued into bankruptcy
-mountain cycle stumptown
-epic wheel works
-cafe roubaix
-fuji cycles
-chumba cycles (sued but ultimately lost)

these are the ones that come to mind
Did they sue (or consider suing) Ellsworth over "ICT"?

Also, I'm so bummed they took down the Hitler-Specialized youtube rant. So good...
 

BMXman

I wish I was Canadian
Sep 8, 2001
13,827
0
Victoria, BC
the bigger question is how specialized was able to trademark the name "roubaix" in the first place
Exactly...instead of b!tching about specialized defending their patent...people should be asking how they were able to get the patent in the 1st place!
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,559
24,182
media blackout
Exactly...instead of b!tching about specialized defending their patent...people should be asking how they were able to get the patent in the 1st place!
not a patent, but a trademark. they own it in canada, but license it in the US. also, the fact that it's the name of a town and a famous cycling race weakens their claim to it.