Prototyping, CNC machines, a wind tunnel, table football, and a trip down memory lane
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The two Joshes - Croxton and Ross - from the Cyclingnews tech team were on the ground in Monterey, California recently, heading to Sea Otter Classic to bring you all the latest tech from cycling's biggest outdoor trade show. While Josh Ross was riding a 200-mile day on his way to the area. I had an easier day and took the short drive up to Morgan Hill, home of Specialized for a peek inside, where the company founder Mike Sinyard was on hand to greet us.
The brand's global headquarters is dubbed by many as one of the coolest offices in the bike industry, and we can see why. There's a games room with pool and foosball tables, there's a bike shop, and the corridors are covered in hanging bike racks full of employees' bikes. There's even a locker room that I'd guess is bigger than the average British home, complete with Tarmac SL5 towel racks, of course. One employee even told us that between around 12 and 2 pm, there's an "expectation" that employees will probably be away from their desks and out for a ride.
There are exciting things for bike nerds to see at every turn: the walls of the maze-like building are peppered with memorabilia of the brand's past successes, there's a museum full of iconic bikes that have shaped the brand's history, a mezzanine dedicated to wild prototype bikes, and an in-house prototyping facility - The Machineshop - dedicated to turning the design team's ideas into a working reality.
And that's all before we head over the road to what aero engineer Lionello Bardina described as a "one-stop shop for pro athletes," complete with the brand's own in-house dedicated wind tunnel, complete with Retul bike fit room and metabolic testing equipment.
I took a camera along and snapped away at all the interesting things I could see, and I've shared them all in the gallery below.
Like any good story, we'll start at the beginning... the entrance to Specialized HQ (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Through the double doors and into the foyer, you're met with two Stumpjumpers, one old and one new (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Every good day starts with a good breakfast accompanied by a retro time trial bike... that's how the saying goes, right? (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Die-hard cycling fans would dream to own just one piece of memorabilia such as this. Specialized has them dotted around at almost every turn. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
"Sure they'll run, but we may need to jump start them" - this VW Camper and the Mini below are hidden out back (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Occasionally, Specialized will roll them out - quite literally in this case - for a special event. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
A slightly contrasting image: More top-tier memorabilia - this time a signed World Road Race Championship jersey and Tour de France yellow jersey - sit behind some of the brand's helmets (including everyone's least-favourite TT5) and a bodily fluid spill kit. In case anyone throws up after seeing the helmet? I joke, of course. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Pool, foosball, table tennis and more, the Specialized HQ certainly gives off laid-back working environment vibes. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
There's even an in-house Service Course... aka bike shop, complete with stock from Specialized, as well as a few other products such as Look pedals, Cushcore tyre inserts and Muc-Off sealant. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The Machine Shop
The first stop on the tour was the 'Machine Shop', a facility dedicated to prototyping both alloy and carbon fibre products. The former comes through the use of various CNC machines, including three-, five- and seven-axis machines that can create a working prototype in just minutes.
Our hosts in the machine shop, both named Dan, showed off the tools of their trade. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The most advanced of which was this seven-axis CNC machine, which is capable of creating incredibly intricate pieces in a single stage. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This, a fluid damper for a Futureshock headset, is just one of them. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This is another... any guesses what it is? (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It's the 'tendon' from the rear FutureShock on the Diverge STR (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This is the inside of the seven-axis machine, paused for our photo. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
We weren't allowed to know what this component would eventually become. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This is a five-axis machine, and was home to the prototyping of the Tarmac SL7 stem. The difference between three and five axis machines was explained in an interesting way: when creating the stem for the Venge Vias, it was created over 27 different stages. When prototyping the Tarmac SL7 stem with the newer machine, the process was reduced to just two stages, meaning fewer chances for mistakes and a much faster turnaround. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Here are just some of the tools used in one of the five-axis machines. The way the machine automatically switches between bits, each held on a rotating carousel, is a joy to see. You can watch it here. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Moving into the carbon prototyping area, and the first thing that caught our eye was this bike, dubbed the 'F-UCI'. The rear wheel is a 33 inch. The front, we're told, is a standard 700c. It looks miniscule next to the rear. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
These were on the entrance to the carbon fibre room too. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Sheets of prepreg carbon fibre are stored in a massive fridge in the corner of the room. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
A quick lesson in raw carbon fibre sheets used to make bikes: woven carbon fibre can be pulled in any direction and will hold its structure. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Whereas unidirectional carbon fibre, which sees all strands running parallel in the same direction, will break if pulled apart laterally. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Unidirectional carbon can be used to manage ride characteristics when creating a frame. These two sticks look identical, but the top one has its fibres travelling at a 45-degree angle, whereas the fibres in the bottom one are at 0-degrees.
The top one can twist easily, but try to bend it end-to-end and it's really stiff. The bottom one is stiff when twisting, but easy to bend.
It's this basic principle that allowed brands to create bikes that are laterally stiff but vertically compliant. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
These two boards show off Specialized's 'Rider First Geometry', by showing the carbon fibre sheets used to create two of the same frame in different sizes. The left is a size 49cm, while the right is a 61cm. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
And just because it's cool to see, this is the carbon used to create a single wheel. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It's not all breakfast bars, foosball tables and lunch rides, these folks know their trade. They also draw cats. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This seven-axis 3D scanner is described by its manufacturer as "the all-in-one solution for portable 3D measurement." It's price is around $50,000. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This Gerber table is a cutting machine, like a massive printer that uses blades instead of ink and pre preg carbon fibre instead of paper. It's used for precisely cutting carbon sheets into pre-programmed shapes, like those seen on the wall above.
My fiancée has a Cricut machine that does a similar thing with A5 sheets of paper and it fascinates me, so you can imagine my feelings towards this. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This is a mould, made out of plywood, used to create a carbon fibre shape you'll see later on in this gallery. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Here are some of the early prototypes for putting a door inside a down tube, as nowadays found on Stumpjumper, Diverge and more. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It might look messy, but I think it's called 'organised chaos.' (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Blown away... literally
Next on the whistle-stop tour was a walk to the other side of the business park to an all-black building that is home to Specialized's wind tunnel, other athlete services such as a Retul fit room, parts storage, metabolic testing, and unexpectedly, where its custom-design water bottles are made.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
I've never described a building as stealthy before, but this black on black design is about as close as you'll get. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Inside, you're met with a fairly industrial looking shell of a building, with a huge honeycomb mesh wall at its centre. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The mesh is one end of the wind tunnel, and is designed to smooth the airflow when sucked through by these six enormous fans. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
...THESE six enormous fans. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Surrounding each fan is four corner pieces, created by Specialized's own engineers in the prototype room using the wooden mould shown earlier. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Here is the first attempt at one of those corner pieces, made to ensure it would fit. It's been signed by hundreds of pro cyclists during their time at the tunnel, including Julian Alaphilippe, and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (pre-name change). (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Stepping upstairs into the control room, you're met with a clinical looking space, with little more than a single computer, three monitors, and a couple of seating areas. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Two of those monitors are positioned for all attendees to see, showing the basic data in real time. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
'Aero is everything' is written on the wall, but the first thing our host Lionello Bardina said upon entering the room is that it's not really accurate anymore, before explaining that he instead seeks to understand the entire picture, including comfort and metabolic stress. The most aero position isn't going to be the one in which a rider can produce the most power, so the aim is to find the fastest balance. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Also in the room is a candidate for Instagram's 'Toolbox Wars' award. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Stepping inside, there's a plate that can rotate to sweep across different yaw angles. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The struts that hold the bike upright are even given a teardrop shape in order to minimise disturbance of air. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
A projection of more data is shone onto the floor in front of the rider. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
High up, this probe keeps track of various things such as air pressure and temperature. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The museum
For visitors, one of the more unique and interesting areas within Specialized's California HQ is the museum that adjoins reception. It is a huge space in which you'll find dozens of Specialized bikes from across all disciplines, as well as a lifesize recreation of the garage where Mike Sinyard first founded the company.
Highlights include early Specialized Allez and Sequoia models, winning bikes ridden by Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, and Peter Sagan, and even original handwritten invoices from Sinyard's early days.
The security guard had a real chip on its shoulder (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This life-size replica of Sinyard's office was tucked away in the corner of the museum, complete with original desk, posters, invoices and some of the original stock. The boxes on the back wall are just an image printed on the wall, but there were boxes of stock to the right. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This shelf isn't a printed image, it's the original shelving and was removed when Sinyard moved house. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
It's still stocked with various parts, including Campagnolo hubs, pedals, and derailleurs (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
There are also rolls of rim tape and six-speed Campagnolo-compatible Regina chains (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
There were cassette sprockets too... (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
...as well as tubular tyres. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Sinyard's desk was also recovered, complete with a poster of Campagnolo parts diagrams at the centre. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Two inner tubes sit in their original packaging on the desk. The Turbo name is still in use today, but for tyres. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Also on the desk is an original invoice to Rick's Bike Shop in Reno for a Cinelli TT bike. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This order was for various tubular rims from French brand Super Champion (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Moving out of the office and into the rest of the museum, there were dozens of special bikes on show. This one is the Tarmac SL5 that Peter Sagan used to win his first World Championships. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The 'Aero Allez' from 1982 is an early sign of Specialized's commitment to aerodynamics. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
One of the more interesting parts is this aero bottle, a product that in many ways, remains unchanged from this shape and design. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
The detail on the Allez stem is also interesting, albeit from an aesthetic perspective more than anything else. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Similar branding is used on the cranks. Interestingly, despite the prevalence of groupsets always including a crank, and the availability of aftermarket options, Specialized has long been making its own, including as recently as the S-Works carbon cranks featuring on the Tarmac SL6. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Above that bike on the wall was this Specialized/DuPont wheel, which was designed using a supercomputer in 1990. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Of course, computers are much more involved in the design process nowadays, as is the wind tunnel, which helped to shape the Shiv TT's design. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
This 'Nose Cone' edition of the Shiv was ridden to victory by Cancellara in the 2009 time trial world champs. The UCI then banned it. We wonder, with the recent change to the permitted tube dimensions, if it would now be deemed legal again. (Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
