[Closed] Opposite to the Google thread: Why does everyone hate Specialized/Giant/Trek?

I like Specialized stuff a lot - we have four Spesh bikes and plenty of their kit.

So ner.

Is this strawman argument day? Who hates on Spesh, Giant and Trek?

Not me, ive got 2 treks and love them! I grew up seeing the stupidly priced trek's in my LBS as a teenager i could only afford a Raleigh Max, so i got my Treks now.

I do like my Fuel Ex although i do need to sell it to make room for another bike.

Giant - used to be good value for money, not so much anymore.
Specialized, trek and GT make OK bikes, but nothing that inspires more than can be bought more cheaply from the like of canyon, focus, cube stc. Although spesh's iron clad warranty reputation should give them a slight edge in a like for like comparison.

Treks, lifetime frame warranty, as long as you don't mess too much with the bike. Thats a winner for me.

Do trek actually backup the rather meaningless "lifetime" claim though? I know people have had probs with them a few years back, not heard anything more recently. The thing with spesh is they always seem to come up with the goods on warranty claims.

specialized make great stuff..........just dont like their f/s stuff
clothes and shoes are great products.
road bikes are great too.

Why does everyone hate Specialized/Giant/Trek?

Do they?

Spesh helmets are good too - hard to beat the 2D as an XC lid.

My last road ride I was wearing specialized shoes, leg warmers, bib shorts, base layer, jersey, helmet, gloves, sunglasses. My socks weren't, and that was it. Look like a model from one of their catalogues sometimes. Its really great kit.

Also had my trusty specialized mini pump with me, plus a specialized inner tube.

I've pretty much always used Spesh Helmets. had a couple of their bikes, they were great.

Do trek actually backup the rather meaningless "lifetime" claim though? I know people have had probs with them a few years back, not heard anything more recently. The thing with spesh is they always seem to come up with the goods on warranty claims.

got a mate who had a 2009 Remedy 9. fairly well used but he washed it with the wrong detergen/brillo pad or something stupid and the lacquer/paint came off. got a 2010 Scratch on warranty.

OK

Maybe over generalising when I say everyone. Not everyone, obviously, otherwise no-one would own them.

Have they become like Microsoft, McDonalds etc is maybe the way I'm going with this.

Lots of hate for Specialized on here - tends to only be from the saddest niche purists though, mentioning no names in particular *cough*

+1 Grum.

Big companies that make great bikes, and back them up with proper warranties and service. What's not to like?

Yes, I remember someone saying a few weeks ago on one thread that he'd rather die then ride a specialized. Seems a bit silly.

Do trek actually backup the rather meaningless "lifetime" claim though?

My Gary Fisher frame broke after 3 years. Trek not only replaced it, but swapped it for the next model up 🙂 My only grievance at the time was the fact they wouldn't pay to have the shop build up the new frame with the old components, but I may have just been wanting the moon on a stick there...

EDIT: I'm told that the replacement frame includes its own lifetime warranty too

Because having something more exclusive is cool

timc - Member
Because having something more exclusive is cool

I like Specialized a lot. If I was buying a full-sus frame, the SX Trail would be top of my list.

Never been interested in Giant or Trek though.

I bought a Spesh hardtail, then a road bike then a Stumpy because of their legendary after-sales and warranty service. But I think those legends were born in pre-recession times. I still like their bikes but I will never buy a bike with Specialized's suspension - forks or "brain" shocks - as they're fragile.

Because having something more exclusive is cool

Caring about being exclusive isn't cool.

I,m not a particularly Huge fan of any of them if i,m honest !

INCOMING !

I,m just particular and a bit narrow minded. I had a bad experience with a Spesh Enduro years ago and that put me off,

I'm not keen on many of the new ones mentioned either Cube, Ghost etc etc
Its not just bikes i,m the same with clothes Shoes Cars and all sorts of Sh!t

Sorry...........

I've only owned Giant and Spesh, does this make me super uncool or do I need to buy a Trek next?

Had 2 Spech FS bikes and a Trek road bike all good bikes but to be honest I havnt had that many bikes so have no comparison to the more boutique stuff.

Twin - Member
timc - Member
Because having something more exclusive is cool

Maybe so, but does that mean that other manufacturers are therefore sh!te?

In the eyes of those idiots, yes, sadly...

grum - Member
Because having something more exclusive is cool
Caring about being exclusive isn't cool.

exactly...

For the record I have x2 specialized's & x1 giant...

My first proper mountain bike was a Specialized and it served me well. Considering it wasn't really designed for it, it managed well when I took it to Spain and despite my best efforts to kill it with several falling off incidents down steep hillsides it remained completely unscathed.

This yr I replaced it with a 2010 Stumpy Elite and a couple of months ago it developed a paint defect. Spesh UK wanted to see the frame and decided to offer me an upgrade to the Pro Carbon model for £50. A week later I was back up and riding again, there was no quibble about whether the replacement was justified and I am well pleased with the service.

What others think of my bike and how niche my bike is comes a long way down my list of priorities.

Most of the people I ride with have 'built in a shed out of scaffold poles' bikes, so my Specialized/Giant's end up being niche!

I killed two pairs of Spesh shoes as a guide in two seasons. My old Shimanos are still going now. Their gloves also seem to disintegrate - I get the impression that their stuff is well designed, but put together on the cheap. Cost of R&D maybe?

I also don't like Specialized's idea of routing a brake hose on the underside of a downtube. Does no-one else find that is rockier climes their downtube gets a hammering from flying rocks? I'm sure there's a reason for it, but common sense tells me it's [i]baaaaad[/i].

I *also* don't like the fact that on most Specialized sussers the seat-tube is interrupted.

Nice riding bikes though - I've owned two.

New Treks look ace tho. And I've always liked Giant.

I quite like giant and trek ( we own a few of each ) - I personally dislike spec cable routing esp on full sus - however its a bit of hate for the whole MBR up spec ass = anti spec bikes mabe? Oh and the fact that their brain / own brand / x fusion shocks are/were really really shonky and thats from real life experience from mates bikes / working in the biz - good warranty thou - they have had a lot of practice....

If I were buying a run of the mill bike i would choose Trek every day. Big brand bikes just arent that exciting for niche mongers....

paul

No issue with Spesh kit here. I used to have a problem with Trek being the type of bike Ned Flanders would ride, but thanks to new colour schemes and suspension design I rather like them.

My second bike is a Marin...

Had 2 specialized, great bikes. Got a Trek road bike at the moment, would buy any of them to be honest. Anyway aren't Specialized and Trek made by Merida in Taiwan anyway?
Giant is the worlds biggest bicycle manufacturer with Merida being the 2nd biggest iirc. Maybe thats the problem for most, not rare/niche enough. Oh well, thats their loss. Missing out on some great bikes.

There is a very small minority of folk who have a downer on these brands. It's just that they all post on here. If you think that forum is a representative sample of the UK biking community then you need to get out (a lot) more.

hmm... I currently have 3 specializeds, 2 Giants and one Trek. I Rode a Spesh and a Giant today, shoulda known better, hated every minute of it 🙄

No real comment from me on Giant and Trek ... but I've had 5 Spesh bikes and various other bits of their kit. Have also had nothing but excellent customer service (like many others), so what's not to like? IMO they make stuff that works. Nuff said.

I don't hate spesh but the salesman in thier concept store was patronising. I don't think this covers thier customer service as a whole, just an isolated case. I've had a few spesh helmets and they have been great.

I do hate Mongoose though and don't know why.

My present bike list includes both a Giant and a Specialized (and some others *cough*) and if I look back at the many road and mountain bikes I've been fortunate enough to own, Spesh and Giant probably total around half of them all told. I think I've had about 8 or 9 between the two brands, and the only dog was a 1st gen Epic that just didn't work. My current S-Works Roubaix is the business for the sort of riding I do on it, and I can't heap enough praise on my Anthem X. Neither's the best looking, coolest, sexiest bike on the planet, but they don't half work well.

I'm a fan of other brands of course - I love the whole approach that On One has to practically every aspect of their business and in my experience their products stack up brilliantly too. I've also had some nice borderline boutique stuff that's been fine in its own right, but at the end of the day, nothing so special that it trounces either a Spesh or a Giant. I'd like to think that there's a place for us all - but those that can't see it are missing out somewhat.

Didn't someone once say something like: "It's not what you ride, it's WHY you ride that matters"?

Enduro remedy anthem
one of each please

Going back about six, maybe seven years I formed a a very negative opinion of all of those brands above. The bikes they made which I rode at the time were (I was convinced) bland and uninspiring.

Fast forward to the present day - I am now a good enough rider to actually appreciate the quality of the bikes they make. In my opinion, specialized make some of the very best FS bikes on the planet which (assuming comparable spec/damping) outperform any niche/boutique brands product.

Well I have happily owned a Specialized s works enduro, big hit, Demo 8, SX trail, pitch pro. There have been some ropey colour combinations, but I love their bikes(frames.) Usually I change all the components though.

Currently still own the Demo and Pitch, if someone gave me four grand to buy a bike I would probably be the new Demo 8. There is something very reassuring knowing if I break it my LBS will have a new frame for me PDQ.

My current S-Works Roubaix is the business for the sort of riding I do on it

Same here - I'm about to be on my third frame, after the previous 2 developed faults in the lacquer finish. Both have been replaced without a quibble.

I've owned 3 Giants and been very happy with them and a Specialized before that. My Anthem X is the best bike I've ridden.

Just selling my Mongoose - it was well spec'd and seemed well put together but I simply couldn't get on with the Freedrive suspension.

Got a Nicolai on the way now though so will I become a boutique snob?

The sadddest thing is choosing a bike because you think it will make others think you are cool, knowlegable or trendy, or even to persuade yourself you are those things. No matter what the brand surely it's best to get the right tool for the job, preferably with great value for money? I try to ignore the brand and get the best bike I can for my cash. If I realise I'm being sucked in by someones marketing guff or image I try to stop myself and refocus on the bikes themselves - fit, spec, weight, suspension, value etc. As a result I've had bikes or frames from Giant, Specialized and Trek over the years and loved them all.

Same here - I'm about to be on my third frame, after the previous 2 developed faults in the lacquer finish. Both have been replaced without a quibble.

Out of interest, ditch_jockey, what has that looked like? I've got some funny sort of haze going on on my downtube in a couple of areas - only really visible on the laquered carbon bits, but it's been there for a while now. Should I chat with my lbs? Cheers.

I had a lovely Specialized bike pump. Far better than the many other pumps I've had.

Dropped it somewhere at Dusk to Dawn though. Sadly missed 🙁

I've got products from Giant (road bike) and Specialized (Enduro SL and a Transition TT bike) and can't find any fault with them. They just work, I've had a few dealings with Specialized and I find their customer service (and that of their LBS dealers) is excellent. The Body Geometry range is fantastic. The theory behind their Roubaix range - be comfortable to go faster was a bit of a revelation and to me this says a lot about them, I find them to be an innovative company and the fact that they make products that sometimes fail is a sign of this.

Interesting interview here with the legend that is Ned 'the lung' Overend:
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/interview-ned-overend-specialized-ambassador-18113

My first ever mtb was a Specalized, so have a soft spot for the FSRs though the rest of the bikes are a little bland, but mainly due to paint schemes as opposed to technology... (Although, why they have stopped using shock bushes on some models is beyond me)
Treks I used to think were dull as dish water, though my Madone changed that as it's the best road bike I have ever ridden (including some VERY expensive niche stuff). The ABP range of bikes are superb also.
Giants - not really a fan, though the reign and glory are both great riding bikes!
Big brands at the end of the day, have the budget to spend on fantastic technology and R&D. I can live with dull paint for that!

Says me with a carbon blur 😕

I don't hate Giantspecialisedtrek, I'd just never own one. What's wrong with wanting something different?

Specialized clothing is toss IMO, never liked any of the stuff I've had.

Their helmets are brilliant, as are their shoes, their glasses weren't bad, execution could've been better, but they're discontinued anyway now, so perhaps they agreed. Their gloves are very good.

As for bikes the one I've had the most problems with (both reliability, and trying to sort it out) was a Titus, and it totally soured me on ever owning anything like that again. The importers were utter sh1t, and I wasn't remotely happy with the resolution, nor the fait accompli they presented me with!

Had some shock problems with Spesh bikes, often resolved same day, helped by living 2 miles from one of the warranty guys. Never had any problems with any of the Treks I've owned.

The big manufacturers have more money to plough into R&D, it generally seems the case that you'll get a more 'finished' product, rather than feeling you're doing the 'beta testing' (or the bike equivalent!) which was how it felt with the Titus.

Love Giant, we have three in our garage, never owned a trek so don't really have an opinion on them.
It's spesh i dislike. The bikes just don't inspire me, tried an epic a while back and whilst i thought the concept was good i just thought that the shock was right in the firing line for all the mud and crap we have in this country and the lack of alternate products meaning you have to buy spesh products to replace it. Enduro was pants imo. Some of thier BG stuff however is quite good.
I also think the way they treated Eric at Epic designs was a bit shonky by telling him they own the word Epic. They like to throw thier weight around, it's not as if Eric was making a rival product.
For that reason i'm having my own little boycott of them.

Since nobody else seems prepared to put their head above the parapet, I'll admit to hating Specialized. That's only because of their big legal budget to support a dodgy patent though, and it doesn't actually stop me owning quite a bit of their kit! I suppose if I'm being picky I also dislike the way they have to have constant turnover of product and change their sizing, so their helmets no longer fit me, and that their concept stores don't stock shoes in my size and wouldn't get one in for me to try on without me paying a deposit - though that just means I bought a different branded helmet in one of my LBSs and bought the shoes through a different one (who also gave me a discount on them without me asking 😀 ) Oh, and also that Specialized UK wouldn't bring in the S-Works road shoe in black a couple of years ago, though that did result in me waiting for the newer, lighter, better fitting model.

I like my Specialized Langster. The Rockhopper I had was also good but a bit too big for me in 19". I would be tempted to buy another Rockhopper in 17.5" as it was a nice lightish xc bike.

I think hate is a bit strong, surely many of us just have a dislike / distrust of the big corporate image these brands have. They clearly make some very good bikes, and some average ones too, much like the niche brands.

Like many other consumer goods, many of us of a certain age / backgound just like to be a bit different from the masses 😉

Surely if the ultra niche brands were producing such good design concepts/ riding experience the big boys would buy them up no?

First bike a GT from Halfords second a self built Anthem X, liked the first loved the second. Don't think most people hate them just a vocal part of singletrack members does.

Oh what? Does everybody hate Specialized now? It used to be Marin. What happened to to Marin?

I have a Trek and two Specialised, and I love the two Speshes (FS/HT). But on holiday recently I rode a Saracen so really, what do I know? Except for me it's about the cycling, rather than the bike 🙂

Don't think most people hate them just a vocal part of singletrack members does.

Good point, those who like to be different often also want everyone else to knwo they're different 😉

Trek Warranty = Impressive

Had a beautiful Klein Palomino V with a bolt stuck in the frame. Got sent back to Trek for repair, but got 'lost' in the post.

No quibbles, they instantely replaced with an EX9.

Couple of years later, I managed to crack the EX9. Again, no quibble replacement (of the replacement). Was offered the new (and more expensive) EX9 or Top Fuel. Went for the latter.

I've never had a problem with the quality of a bike from a mainstream manufacturer.

I've bought four bikes from smaller outfits and had serious issues with each (missaligned frames, badly reamed seat tubes, dangerous welding, crap paint, wrong spec delivered, arrogant staff/company owners who refuse to acknowledge a problem to name but a few issues).

I'll be sticking firmly to the mainstream in future, although the Cotic Soul (which I've ridden) and the Ragley Piglet (which I haven't) are both very tempting, but previous experience puts me right off the idea.

Human Nature... cases of "mines better than your's" type insecurity. Personally my problem has always been of coveting... If I'm reading a paper on the train, for some reason the headlines on the paper the other guy is reading seem infinitely more interesting, although nothing stopped me buying that one at the stand.

Same with bikes, I don't profess to be an expert so if general consensus says it's "fit for purpose" then I'll consider it when looking for a purchase. Then when I'm out on the trails, the bike I really want is the one the other guy is riding... doh!!

Currently got myself a Trek Fuel Ex Mondeo - and I have mates who own a Lapierre Spicy 516 and a Yeti 575 respectively... and each of them has had a session on my Trek and loved it... although I wish I had their bikes.