To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Specialized wants to get 1 million bikes back on the road. The Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized campaign offers an affordable way for people to pedal again and reap all the rewards of riding a bicycle.
On Oct. 26, participating dealers will offer free tune-ups and simple repairs, discounts for other repairs, and free helmets for kids. The kind of bike or brand doesn’t matter. If the bike needs service that cannot be addressed that day, after an inspection, the dealer will present a coupon for “significant” discounts on service and parts required for the repair. Specialized could not provide specific discount amounts at the time of writing.
Specialized plans to host more “ReSpecialized” days and other community events. All this is an effort to put a million bikes back on the road by the end of 2025. That will mean more “free repair” events over the next 14 months, which will be announced on a rolling basis through the newly launched ReSpecialized platform, the brand said.
“Most people probably have a bike sitting in the garage, and there’s often a simple repair needed that’s keeping people from riding,” Geoff Rogers, the company’s director of marketing, told GearJunkie this week. “We’re hoping to get a lot of bikes back on the road by doing this.”
The Link to Specialized’s History
Specialized was founded in 1974 and has become one of the most recognized bicycle brands in its 50 years. In 1981, the Northern California company created the first-ever production mountain bike, the iconic Stumpjumper. In 2023, it launched the Tarmac SL8 road racing bike, one of the winningest models in the WorldTour.
Five decades of cycling experience revealed that maintenance issues are problematic for some riders. Flat tires, noisy chains, or misadjusted brakes keep people from using bikes they already own.
The Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized initiative addresses this barrier.
“For 50 years, we’ve been motivated by the pure love of riding and spotlighting the benefits bikes provide for our communities and health,” said Specialized Founder Mike Sinyard. “For example, we formed Outride, a non-profit committed to using cycling to support the cognitive and physical well-being of youth to underline the power of two wheels — as we look toward the future, we don’t care what kind of bike you ride, we just want you riding it. By getting one million bikes back on the road and inspiring more to ride, we can collectively reduce our carbon footprint, help our bodies, and steer toward a better future.”
Potential Impact of ‘ReSpecializing’ 1 Million Bikes
To pull off its grand repair scheme, Specialized has already developed partnerships with 130 retailers in the US, with almost every state represented.
Most of those retailers are Specialized shops, though some independent retailers have also agreed to join the repair program. The focus will be on single-tool repairs. That means simple problems that can be fixed fairly quickly, like flat tires, grip adjustment, or shifter issues.
By allowing repairs for any brand, Specialized hopes to get more people riding bikes and connecting to their local communities, Rogers said.
“We don’t really care what bike you’re on,” he said. “This program is going to connect a lot of people to their local retailer again.”
It’s also a way to promote the sustainability of bike riding, which can reduce carbon emissions by replacing many of the shorter car rides that add up over time. One million new riders pedaling an average of 12 miles per week over a year can collectively achieve a CO2 reduction equivalent to planting 7.2 million new trees, Specialized said in a news release, citing medical journals and scientific groups.
So if you have a beater bike you’d like to fix up, now’s the time. Get your bike out of the attic or shed, or under a tarp, and dust it off.
Visit the Specialized Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized site page for information on participating locations, repair information, and event schedules.
