Where Are Specialized Bikes Made?

Updated on August 17, 2023

Just like other bicycle companies, Specialized Bikes manufacture different types of bicycles. These bikes are divided into two major categories so they can cater to most people. Specialized Bicycle Components is an American Company founded by Mike Sinyard. People have many questions regarding the manufacturing of these bikes. I did my research and mentioned the details about the manufacturing process and the reason behind it below. You can read the article till the end to know all the information and how things work in big companies.

Specialized Bicycle Components

The company, Specialized Bicycle Components is an American company that makes different types of bikes. Whether you want a mountain bike or a turbo e-bike, you can purchase them from this company. The owner of the company was a cyclist named Mike Sinyard. He started the company in 1974 after selling his bus. Initially, the company made the components of the bike. Over the years, the company has sold thousands of bikes and is still considered one of the best and the biggest producers of bikes and their components.

People have always been confused about the manufacturing of bikes and I did my research to find out the process. If you are a beginner who has recently started to ride bikes, you can read all the details that are given below. You can know all the information about where and when the Specialized Bikes are manufactured. The quality and details regarding the making of these bicycles are mentioned below.

Where Are Specialized Bikes Made?

I cannot answer this question in a single statement because Specialized Bikes are not manufactured in one place only. A lot of effort goes into the making of these bikes because it is a long process. The manufacturing cycle is long and time-consuming. Specialized Bikes are designed and manufactured in Morgan Hill, California. The initial planning, designing, and trial of the prototype, everything is done in California.

I will not be wrong if I say that the initial process and planning of making a bike by the company is done in Morgan Hill. After the design is finalized and the prototype is approved, the company hands over the bike to the contractor located in Taiwan. This contractor or the owner of the 49% shares of the company, Merida does the rest of the manufacturing in their own country.

This is a little confusing and which is why people often ask about the place where these bikes are manufactured. Back in the day, the company suffered financially and it decided to sell 49% equity to stay in the business. This was a big step taken by Specialized Bike Components but it helped them stay in the market. The company now makes different types of bikes that are divided into two main categories of high quality and average-quality bikes.

The bikes having good quality are made in Taiwan after the prototype and design were approved in California by the CEO of the company. Whereas, the average-quality bikes are sent to China for further manufacturing. The overall cost is reduced but the company still has some great models that are affordable and work pretty well. As I mentioned above, Specialized Bikes are manufactured in Taiwan and China and the quality of these bikes will vary from place to place.

The bikes that are manufactured in China are affordable but do not compromise on quality. The main reason for getting the manufacturing done in China is to save some cost because the company has already suffered and sold 49% of its equity due to financial problems in 2001. After this event, the company has become very careful and they try to keep up with the market.

In order to keep up and maintain their standard without suffering financially, the company decided to get their affordable models manufactured in China. The bikes that are made in Taiwan are expensive but the company cannot rely only on the expensive models because the competition is very high. When Mike Sinyard started back in 1974, there were a few companies that were making bikes. Hence the market was not very competitive back in the day but now the times have changed.

The reason that Specialized Bikes have sustained in the market is that they provide many options to the buyers. Not everyone is willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a bicycle if they go out and ride it for an hour every week. They would prefer investing in an affordable model which is why the company is successful in selling cheaper models too.

You should not be surprised after knowing that the company makes its bicycles in different countries because this is a very common practice amongst the companies who manufacture vehicles as they have to look for the cost without compromising on the quality. Specialized Bike Components is doing the same thing from the beginning when they used to import bicycle components.

FAQs

Where are Specialized bicycles made?

Specialized bicycles are made in three different countries depending upon the quality and the cost of the bikes. The manufacturing process is done in California, China, and Taiwan.

Is Specialized an American Company?

Yes, Specialized Bicycle Company is an America-based company that was founded by Mike Sinyard, a cyclist. He was an enthusiast and wanted to start a company in 1974.

Why is Specialized more expensive?

Some of the models of Specialized Bikes are expensive because they are made with high-quality materials in Taiwan. The company is known for making reliable bikes since the 20th century.

Conclusion

A brief article on where are Specialized Bikes made is mentioned above to end the curiosity amongst the people. This article has all the answers and information that you were looking for the longest time. Specialized Bikes have good quality and work pretty well over the years. You can purchase them even if you are not a cyclist but like riding a bike. I hope the article has helped you find the answers to most of your questions about the manufacturing process of these bikes.