Although I live in Toronto, I save my Cafe Roubaix kit for group rides when I’m feeling like I’m going to have a Merckx-like ride and hammer my brothers and sisters into the pave. I still visit Dan at the shop whenever we go back to visit Cock-a-ronie!

Maybe a cogal should stop here for some recovery ales!

“Dan has been my official wheelbuilder for a few years now”

erm…it’s 2013 now.  so…seems like only a year and some change, no?  maybe some proofreading is in order before posting?

To the last, I will grapple with thee… from Hell’s heart, I stab at thee. For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

I like the analogy: Specialized as Moby Dick, Dan R as Ahab. The only thing is, Ahab was a bit crazy and monomaniacal so it makes sense for the roles to be reversed and Sinyard become Ahab.. After all, in the end, Ahab dies while Moby lives.

I liken Dan to Ishmael – he just wants to do him job and get on with everyone.

As Queequeg didn’t say, “Better to ride a real Trek than a pirated Specialized.”

Why are you quoting Montgomery Burns?

Agreed.

I’ve been watching all of this unfold from the sidelines. It’s been pretty painful for all involved, I’m certain. It is quite an amazing thing these interwebs When they use their powers for good instead of evil. (If it weren’t for you meddling kids…)

From my seat in the peanut gallery, both Dan and Mike Sinyard have come thorough this looking like decent people when they could be forgiven for acting otherwise ( well, Dan anyhow).

Most exciting though is seeing @G’phant ‘ s glorious return. What’s next; @Jeff in PetroMetro?, @Oli Brook-White?

They backed off the Epix company too. 

That’s good to hear.  I’m willing to give Specialized the benefit of the doubt that perhaps the right hand didn’t know what the left was doing or at least how the left hand was going about doing it.  I still won’t buy any of their products though, just because I’ve had so many issues with the ones I own (I don’t own any of their bikes though, and I admit their purist bottles are pretty darn nice).

I stopped by the Spec FB page a bit ago, and the comments under the letter of apology aren’t being removed. Some pretty negative ones. So they are allowing a public beating to continue.

They backed off the Epix company too. Hopefully this lesson learned will be good for Spech and the cycling community at large.

Totally stoked for Dan and proud to be part of the VM community!

@Souleur

@frank

@Gianni

@sthilzy

That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.

I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.

A phone call is not good enough? I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.

Based on my inside knowledge of Corporate America, this is verbatim what happened, except swap “dicks” for “fucking fuck fucks”.

I too read Mike Sinyards comments, and my little me just cannot fathom some of what he said. I really appreciated his consideration to ‘fly in’ and ‘break bread’, and as I would mutually appreciate, there is nothing that solves differences quicker than a common meal. Nonetheless, then MS drivvled about ‘not knowing’ and making excuses, which either you man up and accept the guilty verdict, or you don’t. Don’t offer excuses, and having a team of lawyers that monitor all over the world…your trademarks are one thing, but for them to act exclusive on your behalf on something like this is unbelievable…literally. I mean, are you do distant from the business that you entrust lawyers to act exclusive on you part, I just don’t understand that. If your so busy, that you fall into this <1%'rs, what the hell do you care about a one man shop in Canada?? sorry, but the lawyers must be doing all kinds of things then unbeknownst to MS and specialized, if not, why not? But to find out yourself as the chief, after a bike ride, over the weekend, like everyone else…..hmm. That process is broken, to put it nicely.

and MS went on mention feeling sorry for a poor chap who crashed one of 'their' bikes, to find it wasn't theirs but a hack, still yet what the hell does that have to do with DanR & his Cafe Roubaix.??? Nothing. just man it up, eat shit for a while, be remorseful and do something cool and leave it at that, thats what most us guys would have done. We don't make excuses, when we suck, we suck. It does look corporate, polished with excuses otherwise, damage control and dare i say 'Tm' control??? I was disappointed in that, but I will also say, DanR did himself right and should be proud! Chapeau

To be realistic, in these big orgs there is no way he’d know what is going on. I manage a team of about 250 people and there is now way I know what they are doing all the time; I have a few direct reports (about 12, which is too many) and I only really find out about what they’re doing and what they trickle up to me – and the shit the blows up and everyone knows about.

I’m sure he has a similar structure in place. But what he would know about is the instructions he gave to his direct reports which say something like – and I’m guessing here – “enforce our trademarks even when it means fucking the little guys.”

I’m sure he didn’t know about this case and his lawyers were running after a bone and the levels of management between them and him insulated him from the details until it got really fucking hairy.

So I believe he was unaware and the apology was genuine. But he is responsible for the policy and unless he now changes the policy, other similar cases will keep popping up. Sounds like there are some others floating around as well so this is not an isolated case.

your quite fair in that Frank, its just like I said, in my little mind, its hard to wrap myself around the things that don’t make it up to the top.  I have been on a local school board, I too have ~45 people i am directly over in a role, and granted, the work is quite different, but part of the management I find is communication.  Communication is an art, and management even the more.  I am not corporate, so it is different, but there is no f@$^in way I would be told in retrospect of  something of this nature, even with prior directions..I would have prefaced it with at least a weekly/montly/periodic discussion..somehow, someway.   But thats me, and my small mind, in a little world.  Apples…and….like douchbag comparisons apparently.

Perhaps, I am simply very glad I look at things the way I do.  You just don’t know what you don’t know, and in this case, the way things are ‘commonly’ done is something I don’t know, and thats not a bad thing.

@frank

@wiscot

@sthilzy

@brett

over before it began! has the Velominati set a precedent?

http://road.cc/content/news/101165-specialized-drops-new-trademark-case-against-clothing-firm-epix

Good news! Glad to hear MS is taking ownership of the debacle. Sure, I have no doubt Specialized are being ripped off, but it’s not by Dan or EPIX. Maybe Michael Best and Friedrich need to do a bit more homework in the future or would that cut down on billable hours if they realize they can’t send letters to all and sundry?

The letter from Mike on FB is promising. I am starting to think I might be back in the market for that Evade helmet, if they ever come available!

@Rob

Unlike @Frank and @Gphant I have been self employed my whole career (missed a corporate job 4 years back cause I spent the night before the interview partying with Frank…) so I have no inside knowledge of the dynamics/politics within such a behemoth. None the less, although it is tempting to generalize and condem Spech and MS unless some work there or know the man personally we can only judge the superficialities not the corporate structure or the man.

I agree with @Frank & @Gphant, they made a mistake and made it right so give them credit. If you still want to hate the corporation that’s a separate conversation I love to have but in the mean time for the little I have paid attention to Spech and the one pair of shoes I own they seem to be a pretty good company…

As a sole proprietor, like Dan I am glad it’s over and that it, ironically, has put him on the map in a whole new way! I mean did any of you below the 49th know where he was before this?

Well said. Dan is the big winner, and Spesh did the right thing in the end, even if they were slow to respond. Really still wish Mike had come clean before Fuji gave them a swirly, but at least they did right in the end.

Yes, I would love to have heard that phone call from Fuji to M. S.!

“Herro Mike, we are detecting a sright probrem over here and we thought it would be good if you might possibry want to try seppuku, neh?”*

“Uhhnn? Oh, ya, right that thing?? Well maybe that would be too much blood for our market, you know they have become such girls? How about I go get a dog team and sled up there and metaphorically fall on my sword??”

*apologies for seeming latent racism, just trying to get a cultural skew on the global village of corporate world domination… Also apologies to girls, who are truly tough as nails and are not afraid of a little blood and given the same situation would not hesitate….

Again Congrats Dan R! If I ever find myself in the area I will be sure to drop by. And if I need a new wheelset in the future I will be sure to contact you.

@sthilzy

@brett

over before it began! has the Velominati set a precedent?

http://road.cc/content/news/101165-specialized-drops-new-trademark-case-against-clothing-firm-epix

Good news! Glad to hear MS is taking ownership of the debacle. Sure, I have no doubt Specialized are being ripped off, but it’s not by Dan or EPIX. Maybe Michael Best and Friedrich need to do a bit more homework in the future or would that cut down on billable hours if they realize they can’t send letters to all and sundry?

The letter from Mike on FB is promising. I am starting to think I might be back in the market for that Evade helmet, if they ever come available!

@Rob

Unlike @Frank and @Gphant I have been self employed my whole career (missed a corporate job 4 years back cause I spent the night before the interview partying with Frank…) so I have no inside knowledge of the dynamics/politics within such a behemoth. None the less, although it is tempting to generalize and condem Spech and MS unless some work there or know the man personally we can only judge the superficialities not the corporate structure or the man.

I agree with @Frank & @Gphant, they made a mistake and made it right so give them credit. If you still want to hate the corporation that’s a separate conversation I love to have but in the mean time for the little I have paid attention to Spech and the one pair of shoes I own they seem to be a pretty good company…

As a sole proprietor, like Dan I am glad it’s over and that it, ironically, has put him on the map in a whole new way! I mean did any of you below the 49th know where he was before this?

Well said. Dan is the big winner, and Spesh did the right thing in the end, even if they were slow to respond. Really still wish Mike had come clean before Fuji gave them a swirly, but at least they did right in the end. 

I agree with @Frank & @Gphant, they made a mistake and made it right so give them credit. If you still want to hate  the corporation that’s a separate conversation I love to have but in the mean time for the little I have paid attention to Spech and the one pair of shoes I own  they seem to be a pretty good company…

As a sole proprietor, like Dan I am glad it’s over and that it, ironically, has put him on the map in a whole new way! I mean did any of you below the 49th know where he was before this?

@brett

over before it began! has the Velominati set a precedent?

http://road.cc/content/news/101165-specialized-drops-new-trademark-case-against-clothing-firm-epix

Good news! Glad to hear MS is taking ownership of the debacle. Sure, I have no doubt Specialized are being ripped off, but it’s not by Dan or EPIX. Maybe Michael Best and Friedrich need to do a bit more homework in the future or would that cut down on billable hours if they realize they can’t send letters to all and sundry?

@frank

@Gianni

@sthilzy

That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.

I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.

A phone call is not good enough? I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.

Based on my inside knowledge of Corporate America, this is verbatim what happened, except swap “dicks” for “fucking fuck fucks”.

I too read Mike Sinyards comments, and my little me just cannot fathom some of what he said. I really appreciated his consideration to ‘fly in’ and ‘break bread’, and as I would mutually appreciate, there is nothing that solves differences quicker than a common meal. Nonetheless, then MS drivvled about ‘not knowing’ and making excuses, which either you man up and accept the guilty verdict, or you don’t. Don’t offer excuses, and having a team of lawyers that monitor all over the world…your trademarks are one thing, but for them to act exclusive on your behalf on something like this is unbelievable…literally. I mean, are you do distant from the business that you entrust lawyers to act exclusive on you part, I just don’t understand that. If your so busy, that you fall into this <1%'rs, what the hell do you care about a one man shop in Canada?? sorry, but the lawyers must be doing all kinds of things then unbeknownst to MS and specialized, if not, why not? But to find out yourself as the chief, after a bike ride, over the weekend, like everyone else.....hmm. That process is broken, to put it nicely.

and MS went on mention feeling sorry for a poor chap who crashed one of 'their' bikes, to find it wasn't theirs but a hack, still yet what the hell does that have to do with DanR & his Cafe Roubaix.??? Nothing. just man it up, eat shit for a while, be remorseful and do something cool and leave it at that, thats what most us guys would have done. We don't make excuses, when we suck, we suck. It does look corporate, polished with excuses otherwise, damage control and dare i say 'Tm' control??? I was disappointed in that, but I will also say, DanR did himself right and should be proud! Chapeau

To be realistic, in these big orgs there is no way he’d know what is going on. I manage a team of about 250 people and there is now way I know what they are doing all the time; I have a few direct reports (about 12, which is too many) and I only really find out about what they’re doing and what they trickle up to me – and the shit the blows up and everyone knows about.

I’m sure he has a similar structure in place. But what he would know about is the instructions he gave to his direct reports which say something like – and I’m guessing here – “enforce our trademarks even when it means fucking the little guys.”

I’m sure he didn’t know about this case and his lawyers were running after a bone and the levels of management between them and him insulated him from the details until it got really fucking hairy.

So I believe he was unaware and the apology was genuine. But he is responsible for the policy and unless he now changes the policy, other similar cases will keep popping up. Sounds like there are some others floating around as well so this is not an isolated case.

1. Stop hating on Mike S. His company did a shitty thing. But he accepted responsibility. He didn’t duck it – he just explained it. The explanation is plausible – Spesh will have a bunch of lawyers  charged with protecting trademarks, and the CEO shouldn’t know about every letter they send.  He wouldn’t be doing his job right if he did. Of course  he only acted when  it blew up. But at least he acted. Compare that with how many Wall St captains of industry complicit in blowing up the financial world and causing endless misery for untold numbers of people who didn’t front. Mike comes out of that comparison ok. Even if  he needed to do it to prevent more damage, he did it. (If you want to use it as an excuse to bash capitalism, go right ahead – but hand back your carbon fibre frame, your smartphone, your microwave and pretty much everything else you take for granted which you only have beause someone invented it because they had a financial incentive to do so.)

2. Sometimes I am ashamed to be a lawyer.

3. Big ups to Dan R. Though Mike and Spesh come out ok, you come out uber-ok. The little guy always wins the popularity contest in the confrontations with the corporate, but even taking that into account you are all class Dan R.

4. Been absent for a while. Gently chastised tonight by Brett, Rigid and Bianchi Denti for that absence. Made a mental note to check back in once kids were in bed. Perfect timing. A great story to come back to, and a reminder of why, even when you check out, you can never leave. It’s articles like this that make this site and this community what they are.

5. Please don’t make me sell my Stumpy.

@brett

over before it began! has the Velominati set a precedent?

http://road.cc/content/news/101165-specialized-drops-new-trademark-case-against-clothing-firm-epix

@sthilzy

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Café Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?

no offence taken. I did it with MS Paint just for S&G’s. But it turned out real! Happy it all turned out for the best. Mind you on delivery today in work ute via Melbourne’s iconic Beach Road, every bike I saw was a bid S. even this evenings ride with my 8 & 4 year old Pedalwans three  riders had to pass us either way, big S. Maybe just blinkered vision. I’m not dissing S owners, trust they still enjoy their rides. Just the way they went in full ball instead of a little tap on the shoulder for a win-win outcome. Including past and present dudes hit with the full force of the white collar litigation S crew. Cycling is the business first, main reason why anyone with love of the sport starts up in the first place, Mike included, then the main reason is blurred by greed.

Two f***ing thumbs up!

No matter what people say about you lot, you are classy. (Am I allowed to do fart jokes again?)

Was going to spring for a Speci Crux today, but this debacle gave me a great excuse to pick up a Ridley X-Night instead.

“As we continue to evolve as a business, we’ll be sure to take this experience to heart…” And informed consumers will be sure to hold you to this commitment. You can begin by calling your attack dogs…I mean, “external” legal team…off of Epix Gear.

@Teocalli

@brett

Looks like the S-litigation team have moved on…

Absolutely mad – just put Epic Clothing into your browser and see what comes up. I guess they will just go after the ones that have an association with cycling. They were done for me before this anyway but it looks like MS needs to set about a wholesale overhaul of his business approach.

Seriously. The Spesh lawyers need to step back and take a deep breath. If they haven’t learnt anything from this PR debacle. Epix gear getting confused with bikes? Come on! Do we need to mobilize the Velominati again?

This will likely flare up as well.  They hit FB…https://www.facebook.com/epixgear

Big S…twatwaffle.

@Pedale.Forchetta

An incredible and serious own goal.

You keep saying you don’t speak English well, but you also keep saying things better and more precisely than anyone else.

What does that say for the rest of us?

I’ve had this same thought as well regarding Pedale.

Wow, never imagined this was going to turn out this way. Way to go, Dan! Congratulations.

And now the cynic in me has to rightfully acknowledge that social media has done as least one good thing for the world.

@Gianni

@sthilzy

That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.

I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.

A phone call is not good enough? I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.

Based on my inside knowledge of Corporate America, this is verbatim what happened, except swap “dicks” for “fucking fuck fucks”.

I too read Mike Sinyards comments, and my little me just cannot fathom some of what he said.  I really appreciated his consideration to ‘fly in’ and ‘break bread’, and as I would mutually appreciate, there is nothing that solves differences quicker than a common meal.  Nonetheless, then MS drivvled about ‘not knowing’ and making excuses, which either you man up and accept the guilty verdict, or you don’t.  Don’t offer excuses, and having a team of lawyers that monitor all over the world…your trademarks are one thing, but for them to act exclusive on your behalf on something like this is unbelievable…literally.  I mean, are you do distant from the business that you entrust lawyers to act exclusive on you part, I just don’t understand that.  If your so busy, that you fall into this <1%'rs, what the hell do you care about a one man shop in Canada??  sorry, but the lawyers must be doing all kinds of things then unbeknownst to MS and specialized, if not, why not?  But to find out yourself as the chief, after a bike ride, over the weekend, like everyone else…..hmm.  That process is broken, to put it nicely.

and MS went on mention feeling sorry for a poor chap who crashed one of 'their' bikes, to find it wasn't theirs but a hack, still yet what the hell does that have to do with DanR & his Cafe Roubaix.???  Nothing.    just man it up, eat shit for a while, be remorseful and do something cool and leave it at that, thats what most us guys would have done.  We don't make excuses, when we suck, we suck.  It does look corporate, polished with excuses otherwise, damage control and dare i say 'Tm' control???  I was disappointed in that, but I will also say, DanR did himself right and should be proud!  Chapeau

Happy days. Proud to have my Velominati decals and cuff links on show on the bikes.

Cuff links, check. Decals and name badge are taking their sweet time!

Seriously. The Spesh lawyers need to step back and take a deep breath. If they haven’t learnt anything from this PR debacle. Epix gear getting confused with bikes? Come on! Do we need to mobilize the Velominati again?

Of course that would have been in flight prior to Cafe Roubaix blowing up – but it smacks of someone in their writ dept going for a misguided Christmas Bonus…………

@brett

Looks like the S-litigation team have moved on…

Absolutely mad – just put Epic Clothing into your browser and see what comes up. I guess they will just go after the ones that have an association with cycling. They were done for me before this anyway but it looks like MS needs to set about a wholesale overhaul of his business approach.

Seriously. The Spesh lawyers need to step back and take a deep breath. If they haven’t learnt anything from this PR debacle. Epix gear getting confused with bikes? Come on! Do we need to mobilize the Velominati again?

@wiscot  Shame Dan didn’t stock Epix Gear clothing and he could have picked up one of those too!

@Chris

@wiscot

@sthilzy

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Café Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?

I’m not sure that’s necessary. From Dan’s twitter feed…

Defending a lawsuit from a major corporate: $160,000

Social media defence: $Nil

Using the subsequent apology as marketing collateral: $Classy as Fuck

Brilliant Chris! And Bravo Dan_R!!!

Indeed! Who needs photoshop when you have the real deal?

Dan: “well thanks for coming up Mike, I appreciate it.”

MS “You’re welcome, I hope we can put this behind us and move on.”

Dan “Agreed, but you owe me $30 for the shirt, by the way. A man’s got to make a living you know”

 

@wiscot

@sthilzy

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Café Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?

I’m not sure that’s necessary. From Dan’s twitter feed…

 

Defending a lawsuit from a major corporate: $160,000

Social media defence: $Nil

Using the subsequent apology as marketing collateral: $Classy as Fuck

 

Brilliant Chris!  And Bravo Dan_R!!!

@RoubaixInTwoYears hey, they’ll be after you next to drop your V-moniker!

Roubaix belongs to no-one – it belongs in the centre of what is the very essence of cycling – the pinnacle of suffering

As a S- Roubaix owner and rider, I was very disappointed to see S do this, it smacks of a terrible arrogance – we all are a piece of Roubaix, and pieces of us are strewn around all Roubaix – it is the most inspiring word I think I know off – no other word makes me jangle when I whisper it to myself – I am proud to have been thrashed nearly to death by it and will probably never try it again, a humbled disciple

Well done DanR – when I read the article in CN this morning, I hot tailed it over here, as I knew it would be centre stage, and that all of us who share with you, would be hopping mad

Good man DanR for releasing that mighty name back to all of us, again – we are all Roubaix

Well said. Dan’s response to all of this revealed an immense amount of class. If there are V points up for grabs, he’s got em.

@wiscot

@sthilzy

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Café Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?

I’m not sure that’s necessary. From Dan’s twitter feed…

Defending a lawsuit from a major corporate: $160,000

Social media defence: $Nil

Using the subsequent apology as marketing collateral: $Classy as Fuck

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Cafe Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?

@Mike_P

So Sinyard has visited Dan. Part of me thinks “nice touch” but most of me thinks “damage limitation”. Gladly, Dan’s moving on with head held high, so Im gonna have a drink and move on. Still not buying their bastard products though.

Have you moved on yet?

Not really, but the red wine was nice!

Roubaix belongs to no-one – it belongs in the centre of what is the very essence of cycling – the pinnacle of suffering

As a S- Roubaix owner and rider, I was very disappointed to see S do this, it smacks of a terrible arrogance – we all are a piece of Roubaix, and pieces of us are strewn around all Roubaix – it is the most inspiring word I think I know off – no other word makes me jangle when I whisper it to myself – I am proud to have been thrashed nearly to death by it and will probably never try it again, a humbled disciple

Well done DanR – when I read the article in CN this morning, I hot tailed it over here, as I knew it would be centre stage, and that all of us who share with you, would be hopping mad

Good man DanR for releasing  that mighty name back to all of us, again – we are all Roubaix

Looks like the S-litigation team have moved on…

Absolutely mad – just put Epic Clothing into your browser and see what comes up.  I guess they will just go after the ones that have an association with cycling.  They were done for me before this anyway but it looks like MS needs to set about a wholesale overhaul of his business approach.

Descending like a pro? check it out at 3.47

This episode really will go down in history. For the Lexicon???

Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.

It’s rare for me to literally laugh out loud at something I read on-line, but this was one of those times.  Well done!

Is it just me, or did Mike look like a deer caught in headlights?

That was my first thought.  Second was Dan’s composure.  Third: still not buying anything Spesh.  Ever.

An incredible and serious own goal.

You keep saying you don’t speak English well, but you also keep saying things better and more precisely than anyone else.

What does that say for the rest of us?

@sthilzy

That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.

I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.

A phone call is not good enough? I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.

Based on my inside knowledge of Corporate America, this is verbatim what happened, except swap “dicks” for “fucking fuck fucks”.

This episode really will go down in history. For the Lexicon???

Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.

Yes!!!! Eh??

@sthilzy

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

Nice. I suppose it would be piling on to circulate this image all over the internet.

Oh, wait, piling on is what made the good thing happen in the first place.

Kudos to Sinyard. His obvious discomfort shows that he is not, in fact, the monstrous villain the social media lynching tried to portray, He is just a human being. He had the balls to stand up for his company’s mistake, take full responsibility and apologize.

Kudos to Dan. There was no trace of gloating or sanctimony. A testament to his character and obeyance of Rule #2.

To all those still spouting vitriol and hate toward Specialized. Follow Dan’s example and see Rule #43.

Sorry, I can’t. I refuse to forgive and forget corporate greed and malice. Someone signed a cease and desist letter against something that was not a threat in any way shape or form to a brand. “We didn’t mean it” is crap. They meant it, right up until it was going to bite them in the ass hard. The only, I emphasize ONLY reason corporate apologies are made is when they realize not doing so costs shareholders money. Sinyard apologized because of the shitstorm. Speciaized is sorry they got caught. So it is with BP, and any other corporate entity that acts solely and completely in their sole, monetary interest.

This is the essence of patent-troll-dom. When the shakedown implodes or doesn’t work, apologies cost nothing. Well…I refuse to let them off the hook.

Kudos to Dan.  There was no trace of gloating or sanctimony.  A testament to his character and obeyance of Rule #2.

To all those still spouting vitriol and hate toward Specialized.  Follow Dan’s example and see Rule #43.

I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!

Nice. I suppose it would be piling on to circulate this image all over the internet.

It’s healthy to be an optimist. Personally, I’m agnostic about Sinyard or what his apology might mean for him or the company. For me, the upside is two-fold: a) Dan carries on in style, and 2) the next time they pull shit like this on a small business, there’s that pesky fucking video with the founder and chairman saying that what they were doing to Dan was a mistake. That’s enough for me, right there.

My thoughts exactly, what a great ending and it really proves that the world is such a small place !

I got a hint of genuine remorse out of what was said in the video !  I also understand the trademark protection thing ala Chinarello etc etc but his comments seemed from the heart.

Excellent result !

Now Dan, more importantly, wheres my T Shirt, I want to proudly wear that sucker !

That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.

I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.

A phone call is not good enough?  I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.

When I saw the vid, I’d just kitted up to go ride the mtb–the Epic mtb. And suddenly I wasn’t really pissed off about riding a Spesh.

@Gianni

I hope this works. Here is the video we have been waiting for. It’s the Big S apology.

Oh that is brilliant! Dan is the epitome of cool and understated schadenfreude. He just stands there and let’s him talk and doesn’t interrupt. Sinyard could not have looked more awkward and uncomfortable – just look at his face in the beginning. Given the choice between unsedated colonoscopy and this, I think he’s have taken the former. Mind you, a wee bit of credit to him for doing this in person and not just doing it via twitter or facebook as so often happens these days.

Interesting that Sinyard was wearing plain black T shirt and Dan a plain black collared shirt. Nary a logo or name in sight! Coincidence? I think not.

I hope Sinyard sprung for breakfast too!

Except in the wheelset behind Dan!:

I hope this works. Here is the video we have been waiting for. It’s the Big S apology.

Oh that is brilliant! Dan is the epitome of cool and understated schadenfreude. He just stands there and let’s him talk and doesn’t interrupt.  Sinyard could not have looked more awkward and uncomfortable – just look at his face in the beginning. Given the choice between unsedated colonoscopy and this, I think he’s have taken the former. Mind you, a wee bit of credit to him for doing this in person and not just doing it via twitter or facebook as so often happens these days.

Interesting that Sinyard was wearing  plain black T shirt and Dan a plain black collared shirt. Nary a logo or name in sight! Coincidence? I think not.

I hope Sinyard sprung for breakfast too!

So Sinyard has visited Dan. Part of me thinks “nice touch” but most of me thinks “damage limitation”. Gladly, Dan’s moving on with head held high, so Im gonna have a drink and move on. Still not buying their bastard products though.

Have you moved on yet?

@Mike_P

This episode really will go down in history. For the Lexicon???

Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.

Sinyardicide?

Nice one!

I hope Mr. Sinyard has enough class to reimburse Dan for all his legal fees.

+1. Couldn’t agree more…and if he was smart, he would also offer to make a sizeable donation in Cafe Roubaix’s name to the bicycling related charity of Dan’s choice. Just a thought.

Mind Blown!

What? I don’t understand you. I have no mind left. Fucking awesome.

To DanR? As Derek and Clive said about Squatter: “I think he retains his dignity.”

As for Roubaix? Well there’s a mythical aura about the name for cyclists but the place itself is really a bit of a shithole with an average velodrome right? So a Roubaix bike (or a Roubaix wheel for that matter) sounds to me like its good for 2 track laps.

Perfect for Specialised but not for DanR?

We’ve all seen that the legends are made in the sectors. Haveluy, Trouee, Orchies, Cysoing, L’Abre…

Congrats Dan!!

This episode really will go down in history. For the Lexicon???

Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.

Sinyardicide?

Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.

An incredible and serious own goal.

…countered with an incrediblty dignified approach and attitude from @Dan_R. Nice guys can get results.

“my natural charm has made me a good sprinter” Classic @Frank!