what's up with Specialized and Incycle?

[eddief]

Our local Specialized LBS was bought by Specialized a year or two ago. Now there is a prominent Incycle logo across the top of Norcal BikeSport's website.

Then when you go to Incycle's own website they apparently have their own group of stores in Socal but are advertising their relationship with Specialized-owned stores across the country.

What are they to each other?

https://www.incycle.com/pages/retail...gaAnc4EALw_wcB

https://www.incycle.com/pages/incycl...rnia-locations

https://www.incycle.com/pages/stores

[KonaSS]

All speculation here based on seeing what happened with my own lbs that Specialized bought. Pretty sure Specialized bought Incycle - but can't find any news on this. But has to be since incycle is all S now.

When they buy a new shop, the shops website stays for awhile but having each shop keep their own website has to be way inefficient and going to be a huge mess, so they eventually transition it to the incycle webpage. Each shop gets a page with a picture and store hours and whatnot, but go to shop and you are on the standard incycle webpage.

[catchourbreath]

S's owned retail segment is kinda a mess. They don't do the Trek game plan of close the doors, reopen as said entity. This leads to weirdness like this, adding to that they are usually hesitant to brand as an S store until certain markers are hit which also leads to a drawn out Grey area explaining to every customer who comes in

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

All speculation here based on seeing what happened with my own lbs that Specialized bought. Pretty sure Specialized bought Incycle - but can't find any news on this. But has to be since incycle is all S now.

When they buy a new shop, the shops website stays for awhile but having each shop keep their own website has to be way inefficient and going to be a huge mess, so they eventually transition it to the incycle webpage. Each shop gets a page with a picture and store hours and whatnot, but go to shop and you are on the standard incycle webpage.

Yeah that last link eddief linked seems to indicate they're a fully vertically integrated Specialized location now.


Makes you wonder when Specialized will become SRAM bikes.

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by rice rocket

Yeah that last link eddief linked seems to indicate they're a fully vertically integrated Specialized location now.

Specialized and Trek shops were already pretty vertically integrated.

[eddief]

that the Incycle online marketplace will sell a much wider variety of brands compared to what is (allowed) in Specialized-specific retail locations?

For instance - helmets:

https://www.incycle.com/search?q=hel...prefix%5D=last

bikes:

https://www.incycle.com/collections/...availability=1

[corkycalvin]

In the Southbay (So Cal) area, Soutybay Cycles store front signs are still up but their website has Incycles

https://www.incycle.com/pages/retailer/south-bay-cycle

Their computers are hooked up to the nation Specialized database so if you need a specific part, they can look it up.

[Turkle]

Originally Posted by corkycalvin

In the Southbay (So Cal) area, Soutybay Cycles store front signs are still up but their website has Incycles

https://www.incycle.com/pages/retailer/south-bay-cycle

Their computers are hooked up to the nation Specialized database so if you need a specific part, they can look it up.

This is how it is in Richmond as well, with the Carytown Bikes stores.

At first, when Specialized took them over, they still had their old website up for several years. Now, you're just taken to the Incycle site instead.

This stinks because the new site doesn't have any information on the shop rides on it!! Come on, folks!

[Pelican]

I think they've been buying up the bigger/better bike shops since they missed out on Mike's Bikes (local Bay Area chain).

I know Cognition Cyclery used to be a Specialized Concept Store (in Mt. View), and they sold their bigger shop (San Mateo) to Spesh last year. Arguably the biggest bike shop in California, but it's all Specialized, all the time.

[krooj]

Originally Posted by Pelican

I think they've been buying up the bigger/better bike shops since they missed out on Mike's Bikes (local Bay Area chain).

I know Cognition Cyclery used to be a Specialized Concept Store (in Mt. View), and they sold their bigger shop (San Mateo) to Spesh last year. Arguably the biggest bike shop in California, but it's all Specialized, all the time.

I'm still blown away by the fact that the MTV shop closed - like, that had to be some serious mismanagement when you consider that:

* MTV folks are generally loaded
* Tons of recreational cyclists
* There's a Caltrain stop ~1km from the shop location

It got replaced by some generic furniture store...

[deluz]

There is a Specialized store just a few miles from my house.
The website shows some connect with Incycle but the store itself doesn't say anything about it. It has been convenient since I am building up my Tarmac.
I had them cut the seatpost and they are good resource to answer technical questions.