Currently one of the top three largest bike manufacturers next to Giant and Trek, Specialized is a bicycle company that strives for pure riding enjoyment.
Specialized creates and designs bikes for all riders and all terrains and is one of the leading bike brands in the cycling industry.
Who is Specialized?
Specialized was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard. Based in California the company has grown from importing Italian parts to manufacturing their own. In 1981 Specialized released their first two models; a road bike and touring bike.
These were quickly followed by trail bikes and stumpjumpers, designed by Tim Neenan. Now, Specialized has bikes for road, off-road, downhill, trails and endurance riders. Rivaling the biggest names in cycling, Specialized was bought by Meridia Bikes (a 40 percent share) in 2001 and has relaunched with new efforts and even better designs.
Specialized – popular Bike Models
With far too many bikes and lines to mention them all in justice, Specialized creates bikes for everyone, at every skill level, for every type of ride. They have frames designed in carbon, aluminum and steel.
S-Works Demo 8
One of the most popular downhill bikes is the S-Works Demo 8. The frame is constructed of FACT 11m carbon for strength and light weight. The frame design allows for 200mm of travel without compromising cock pit size.
SRAM X0 drivetrain pushes the bike in, out and through any terrain without a hiccup. Using SRAM Code 4-point hydraulic disc brakes add to the total control at any angle or gravity pull.
S-Works Roubiax McLaren
Engineered with the McLaren Applied Technologies team, the same force that brings power and speed to the F1 circuit also brings power and speed to the road circuit for bikes.
The Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes combine with the S-Works dual power cranks for complete power without any weight loss. FACT carbon frame, fork and post creates a powerful, sturdy and lightweight design with the rider in complete control.
Venge ViAS Pro Disc
The most popular Specialized bike currently is the Venge ViAS Pro Disc. The bike is designed for speed and holds a 116 second time advantage over the Tarmac SL5. The entire FACT 11R carbon frame was CAD and 3-D printed designed to be rigid, stiff and ultra-lightweight.
The Venge ViAS boasts Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 drivetrain and brakes with a Praxis 6806 bottom bracket to provide space, power and reliability to the crank.
Specialized epic
The Specialized Epic is a series of bikes focused all types of off-road cycling, but most specifically cross-road biking. Learn more about the differences in models in our Specialized Epic Review.
Specialized Cirrus
The Specialized Cirrus bikes are a series of road bikes, designed as fitness-hybrid bikes. They come in both Men and Women’s form, you can read more about this line of bikes in our Specialized Cirrus Review.
Specialized Allez
The Allez are a series of Road Bikes by specialized which over high-qualtiy parts and performance for every one of their models. In our Specialized Allez in-depth review we take a deeper look at the components of each model.
Specialized Hardrock 650b
The Hardrock 650B is an Entry-level mountain bike that comes at an affordable price. It’s not the fanciest bike but it’s a great fit for beginner mountain-bikers. You can read up more about this bike in our Specialized Hardrock 650B Review.