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He sold his VW bus to ride across Europe. That decision changed cycling forever.
Mike Sinyard didn’t set out to build Specialized. He set out to ride.
He sold his VW bus and rode through Europe. What came back was something bigger. A way of seeing the world. The start of Specialized. And a relentless belief that the bicycle can change the world.
In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, Ben Capron sits down with Sinyard for a direct conversation about where it all began, and what still drives him today.
The story moves from the freedom of early childhood rides, to importing Italian components, to building the first Specialized products designed to solve real problems for riders. From there, it tracks the launch of the Stumpjumper and the birth of mountain biking as we know it, and into becoming one of the winningest brand across all major disciplines, including winning the Tour de France.
But this is not just a history lesson.
It is a philosophy.
Innovate or Die. The Rider Is the Boss. Do the Right Thing. Use science to make it better. From Body Geometry to World Cup racing to the rise of Turbo electric bikes, Sinyard shares how these ideas have shaped every chapter of Specialized.
Along the way, the conversation expands beyond product into something bigger. The power of the bicycle to change health, mindset, and the trajectory of people’s lives. The work of Outride. And the belief that bikes can pedal the planet forward.
The episode closes where it began. With a simple idea.
Ride a bike. Change your life.
This episode goes beyond origin stories, covering:
- How a trip through Europe sparked Specialized
- Why the first product was a tire, and what it taught him
- The launch of the Stumpjumper and the birth of mountain biking
- The philosophy behind “Innovate or Die”
- How Body Geometry redefined comfort, performance, and health
- Why racing remains essential to innovation
- The vision behind Turbo and the rise of electric bikes
- The mission of Outride and the connection between bikes and the brain
- What the bicycle can do for humanity
- What still inspires him after 50 years
It is a conversation about freedom, innovation, and the enduring power of the bicycle.
Get More from Specialized
Get More from Specialized
TikTok: @specializedbicycles
Instagram: @iamspecialized
Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb
Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc
Facebook: specializedbicycles
Outride: @outride
View all episodes
By SpecializedSend us Fan Mail
He sold his VW bus to ride across Europe. That decision changed cycling forever.
Mike Sinyard didn’t set out to build Specialized. He set out to ride.
He sold his VW bus and rode through Europe. What came back was something bigger. A way of seeing the world. The start of Specialized. And a relentless belief that the bicycle can change the world.
In this episode of the Specialized Podcast, Ben Capron sits down with Sinyard for a direct conversation about where it all began, and what still drives him today.
The story moves from the freedom of early childhood rides, to importing Italian components, to building the first Specialized products designed to solve real problems for riders. From there, it tracks the launch of the Stumpjumper and the birth of mountain biking as we know it, and into becoming one of the winningest brand across all major disciplines, including winning the Tour de France.
But this is not just a history lesson.
It is a philosophy.
Innovate or Die. The Rider Is the Boss. Do the Right Thing. Use science to make it better. From Body Geometry to World Cup racing to the rise of Turbo electric bikes, Sinyard shares how these ideas have shaped every chapter of Specialized.
Along the way, the conversation expands beyond product into something bigger. The power of the bicycle to change health, mindset, and the trajectory of people’s lives. The work of Outride. And the belief that bikes can pedal the planet forward.
The episode closes where it began. With a simple idea.
Ride a bike. Change your life.
This episode goes beyond origin stories, covering:
- How a trip through Europe sparked Specialized
- Why the first product was a tire, and what it taught him
- The launch of the Stumpjumper and the birth of mountain biking
- The philosophy behind “Innovate or Die”
- How Body Geometry redefined comfort, performance, and health
- Why racing remains essential to innovation
- The vision behind Turbo and the rise of electric bikes
- The mission of Outride and the connection between bikes and the brain
- What the bicycle can do for humanity
- What still inspires him after 50 years
It is a conversation about freedom, innovation, and the enduring power of the bicycle.
Get More from Specialized
Get More from Specialized
TikTok: @specializedbicycles
Instagram: @iamspecialized
Specialized MTB Instagram @iamspecialized_mtb
Specialized Factory Racing Instagram: @specialized_factoryxc
Facebook: specializedbicycles
Outride: @outride