Specialised Bicycles has its headquarters in Morgan Hill and has a pleasant museum on-site. My Tuesday using 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, lots of that are within the museum, and likewise guides future instructions of the product traces. He’s additionally a great 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 instructed that story right here, however we obtained some new tidbits from Robert.
The subsequent enjoyable anecdote was how Robert obtained concerned with the corporate. He had graduated with a level in industrial design, and was working for a motorcycle vendor in Los Gatos within the early 80s. A buyer got here in that Robert didn’t acknowledge and was asking questions on lots of merchandise made by Specialised. Robert would say the Specialised product was fairly good, however right here is why a rivals mannequin was higher (their bike luggage are a made a bit sturdier, or their water bottles have a extra wide-mouthed opening so it’s straightforward to place ice in them). When he later came upon 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 all the way down to Morgan Hill for a go to. He employed Robert on the spot, and gave him his first assignment- to supervise bettering all of the components Robert had thought weren’t the most effective.
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 lots of shows of bikes ridden by Specialised-sponsored riders to win well-known races. These are bikes ridden by Peter Sagan in successful the World Championship highway race thrice
Robert (proper) is explaining in regards to the big cowbell he made to cheer on Specialised riders at races. It takes two individuals to raise and ring, however sadly makes a reasonably 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 motorcycle they usually got here up with a prototype for this one. Robert made two of them, giving one to Jason and retaining one for the museum. Jason is 6’4″ (1.93 m) tall. Robert insisted the bike accommodates a variety of heights, so obtained 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 hassle with vehicles when using this
Robert exhibiting the right way to trip the fireplace pole Specialised has for workers to get rapidly to the first ground. I attempted it out, a 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 discipline 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 attributable to a genetic situation. This weblog chronicles my adventures in staying lively regardless of these bumps within the highway.
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