Specialised Bicycles has its headquarters in Morgan Hill and has a pleasant museum on-site. My Tuesday driving group had visited it earlier than in spring 2020, proper earlier than the Covid pandemic took off. We went once more final Tuesday, and this time our information was Robert Egger, who has been their inventive director for years. He designs their idea bikes, a whole lot of that are within the museum, and likewise guides future instructions of the product strains. He’s additionally an excellent and humorous man and an excellent storyteller.
It was enjoyable to listen to him inform the story of how Mike Sinyard, the CEO, based Specialised Bicycle Imports, which grew into the present firm. I advised that story right here, however we received some new tidbits from Robert.
The subsequent enjoyable anecdote was how Robert received concerned with the corporate. He had graduated with a level in industrial design, and was working for a motorbike seller in Los Gatos within the early 80s. A buyer got here in that Robert didn’t acknowledge and was asking questions on a whole lot of merchandise made by Specialised. Robert would say the Specialised product was fairly good, however right here is why a opponents mannequin was higher (their bike baggage are a made a little bit sturdier, or their water bottles have a extra wide-mouthed opening so it’s straightforward to place ice in them). When he later discovered that this was Mike Sinyard, he thought he would get fired if Mike complained to the proprietor of the shop. As an alternative, Mike known as him up and organized to have him come right down to Morgan Hill for a go to. He employed Robert on the spot, and gave him his first assignment- to supervise enhancing all of the components Robert had thought weren’t the perfect.
Our Group is standing in entrance of the bike trailer Mike Sinyard used to ship imported Italian bike components within the early days
There a a whole lot of shows of bikes ridden by Specialised-sponsored riders to win well-known races. These are bikes ridden by Peter Sagan in profitable the World Championship highway race 3 times
Robert (proper) is explaining concerning the big cowbell he made to cheer on Specialised riders at races. It takes two folks to elevate and ring, however sadly makes a relatively discordant sound so was not successful.Roberts idea of an electric-assist recumbent trike, full with roll-cageThe bike Robert designed and made for Jason Momoa. Jason visited Specialised a few years in the past and hung out with Robert, who describes him as a super-nice man. Jason talked about what he thought could be cool in a motorbike they usually got here up with a prototype for this one. Robert made two of them, giving one to Jason and conserving one for the museum. Jason is 6’4″ (1.93 m) tall. Robert insisted the bike accommodates a spread of heights, so received our shortest rider 5’0″ (1.52 m) to strive it .Idea For a Cowboy Bike. With a a six-shooter holster on the handlebars, Robert says he has much less bother with vehicles when driving this
Robert exhibiting tips on how to trip the hearth pole Specialised has for workers to get rapidly to the first ground. I attempted it out, a little bit scary however enjoyable.
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Printed by BionicOldGuy
I’m a Mechanical Engineer born in 1953, Ph. D, Stanford, 1980. I’ve been lively within the mechanical CAE area for many years. I even have a lifelong curiosity in outside actions and health. I’ve had each hips changed and a coronary heart valve alternative as a result of a genetic situation. This weblog chronicles my adventures in staying lively regardless of these bumps within the highway.
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