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FEATURES: THE PHENOMENON OF THE SPECIALIZED GLOBE
Brad Roe
December 17, 2008
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RBA: How did the Globe project begin?
Nic: The original globe was launched in 1994 and was featured on TV (the Oprah show) and other non industry related media as being the next big trend, but that was kind of at the height of the mountain bike boom, so I don’t think people were ready for the whole green commute/city bike segment just yet. As we know, commuting by bike is something that happens more frequently in Europe. It is a different mindset on cycling over there and it is slowly changing here. For us, all aspects of cycling are exciting and even back in ‘94 Mike Sinyard could see that commuting/recreational style bikes were an untapped market and required a different kind of marketing strategy to get people excited about cycling and thinking differently-The thought that a bike doesn’t just have to be for the weekend. Our hope is that people get into the Globe commute bikes and then from there start to enjoy cycling and maybe look at other areas to get into on the weekends.
RBA: What portion of your sales come from the commuting market? Has that changed recently?
Nic: Our commuting bike market is up about 25-percent over previous years but it is still a relatively small segment of the market.
RBA: Have you reorganized at all to add resources to this emerging market? Or, have you started any campaigns, programs, to increase awareness and participation in commuting?
Nic: We are very energized to identify the core users of this emerging market and present new products meet and exceed their needs/expectations. We have product managers based in Europe who can closely monitor trends in the European markets where commuting bikes are a big piece of the market and those trends eventually work their way across the pond.
The 2009 Globe Vienna Deluxe 3: This $1100 bikes features a Shimano Dynamo front hub that powers the
light, an Internal 8-speed Nexus rear hub, puncture protection tires,
fenders, racks and bells.
RBA: What are your dealers saying about the increase in commuting/interest in bicycles?
Nic: Our dealers are saying that the peak in interest is the result of merging trends in energy costs, environmental/health awareness, transportation congestion and the looming economic situation.
RBA: Do you break out different "types" of commuters at Specialized, 2-miles, 10-miles, 20-miles, urban/rural etc and then target certain models for that person? Or, how do you classify your model range in the commuting arena to certain types of riders?
Nic: We tend to create profiles for user groups that actually exist and are important to serve. Then we move to the needs of these users in terms of distances ridden, their communities (urban, suburban, cul du sac), culture/style, carrying capacity (briefcase, groceries, passengers, etc.). Finally, we sort out the nuts and bolts in terms of designing products specifically for these groups and their needs.
RBA: What can we do as an industry to continue this growth and get more people on bikes even in difficult economic times?
Nic: I think the biggest thing we can do is make the process of buying a bike less intimidating. The approach to accomplish this is to provide a consistent and easily understandable message in terms of design, marketing, presentation and service (dealer education).
 The 2009 Globe San Francisco 2: This $770 bike features disc brakes, a Shimano IG3 internal rear hub and a body geometry saddle.
RBA: What is the magic price-point for a viable commuting bike? What bikes and price-points are moving for your dealers?
Nic: This varies dramatically depending on the markets. Urban consumers are often willing to pay more for this type of bike than the suburban folks, but overall there is a surge in demand at all price points. You can see more recently from our increase in sales that people are using bikes more for commuting or just getting out as a family on the weekend and I believe with the economy we will see it grow even more.
To see all the Globe models, check out www.specialized.com
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