Specialized...you may want to rethink this one

[colly]

Yes, but it was Specialized who turned it into a valuable piece of intellectual property. And that's what it is. And any company that's invested a lot of time, effort and money in creating a valuable piece of IP is going to safeguard it, just as they would safeguard any other property they own. To do anything else would be negligent. It's all too easy to play cheap PR cards like 'I was a war vet', but if you're going to be in business - and that's what the guy is - a businessman - you have to play by the rules. Would it be ok for him to steal a bit of a big company's property if he wasn't a vet?

But he isn't stealing any 'property' of the big company FFS. It's a small Local bike shop. You know? The sort of places where we all should be using or losing.
If Specialised had any common sense they would ditch the law suit and get their bikes in his shop. But they won't of course because they are simply a corporation who use cycling/cycling products to make money.

 

[swee'pea99]

Well, we're clearly not going to see eye to eye on this. But calling one 'a small Local bike shop' and the other 'a corporation' doesn't change the fact that both are businesses which 'use cycling/cycling products to make money', and as such, both have to abide by the laws that govern the way business is done. Among which are laws which protect intellectual property - and with good reason: it's worth loads of money. Everyone likes the underdog, but the law's there for a reason. And he must have known he was flouting it.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

it seems unfair but as the good doctor said, the law of the land has prompted Specialized to act in this way to maintain their right to the appropriation of the Roubaix name in connection with cycling hardware.

My company once bought a handful of computers as bespoke built for a non mainstream very specific job in a niche market. The (non car, non automotive industry or use) sellers called the units RS2000's right up until a certain huge car company clocked it and parked a lot of legal tanks on their lawn. We bought Risk2000 units from them after that.

 

[slowmotion]

Roubaix is the name of a place. That's all. Specialized didn't invent it. The place existed long before that big corporation came into being and it will still be there long after the Spesh suits and their lawyers have shuffled off . Complete bullies with a totally disproportionate response to a nonexistant threat to their trade.

Shame on Specialized

 

[Globalti]

Email addresses:

salesuk@specialized.com

customerserviceuk@specialized.com

 

[Dave 123]

Just move the A & I around to spell ROUBIAX.

This is like the little long established Olympic cafe in the east end that had its arse kicked a couple of years back.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Corporate bullying. Bunch of dicks.
http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2013...after-threat-from-u-s-bike-giant-specialized/

 

[mark st1]

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/specialized-you-may-want-to-rethink-this-one.145144/

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I'll remember that too. Easy for me as I don't like their stuff anyway.

 

[jazzkat]

I would never buy a Specialised bike just because I couldn't stand riding around on a spelling mistake

But that story just shows how truly disgusting big business can be.

oops, just seen the other thread!

 

[mark st1]

I would never buy a Specialised bike just because I could stand riding around on a spelling mistake

The irony of the way you spell your user name along with your avatar is a bit ironic. Cat Kat etc

 

[jazzkat]

The irony of the way you spell your user name along with your avatar is a bit ironic. Cat Kat etc

The name actually came about as an abbreviation of Katherine and thus is a play on words, but i take your point

 

[ufkacbln]

Although 'Roubaix' is a iconic cycling name independent of Spesh, I see nothing on CS's website that gives them an irrefutable link to the name or region. Therefore, seeing as Spesh have got there first with more muscle power in naming one of their products thus, I'm afraid naming your own product the same was inviting trouble.

In short, if you want to build and market something you can sell beyond your own neighbourhood, build your own brand FFS.
.

But the problem is when that is technically "theft" of someone's previous entitlment

For instance "McDonald" is a Scottish name that goes back to the 1200s at least. Then some 800 years later an American bigger chain has copyrighted YOUR name and you are unable to use it

At the moment they are trying to trademark the terms "Mc" and "Mac"

How many businesses in Scotland will have to change their names if McDonalds is successful

The list of bizarre cases is endless.

Did you for instance know that silence is copyright!

There is a case where the composer John Cage complained about infringement when someone put a silent gap between tracks on a record, producer Mike Batt (Wombles fame) ended up paying a 6 figure sum in an out of court settlement

 

[Lincov]

I'm gutted to have bought a S********* helmet a couple of weeks ago, thus giving them more free publicity, at least I avoided buying one of their bikes despite seriously considering one! I have a feeling this will massively backfire on them.

The biggest problem is that the shop could probably successfully defend themselves in court, but can't afford to do so. So S********* have won purely on account of their size and muscle.

ETA this comment on Café Roubaix's FB page is useful https://www.facebook.com/CafeRoubai...omment_id=1992480&offset=0&total_comments=108
You may want to like them in support while you're there!

 

[mark st1]

The name actually came about as an abbreviation of Katherine and thus is a play on words, but i take your point

I did think that after I wrote it but hey better to be picked up on it by a dunse like me rather than one of the forum current affairs heavy weights lol