The Legend of @Dan_R and Café Roubaix
Although he was already an active community member, I began my friendship with Dan Richter in early 2012 after he reached out to me regarding some wheels he wanted us to take along on Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012. At the time, he was an amateur wheel builder making some money on the side selling his wheels on eBay. Like many of us in this community, his heart tends toward the classics and the roughest roads around, and the wheels he was focussed on were largely classic wheels designed for rough riding.
Having read that I had built myself some wheels (three times, before I got it right) for the trip, and he wanted to see if his wheels would be able to withstand the torture of the cobbles of Northern Europe. We chatted about it, but the project never came to life as the wheels were damaged in an accident just before he was due to ship them off to me; with no time left to rebuild them, I left for France without a set of his wheels in my luggage.
But we kept up our communication and by the time I got back from the trip, he’s made up his mind to open a bicycle studio in Cochrane, Alberta, named Café Roubaix Bicycle Studio in homage to the greatest and toughest race in the world, Paris-Roubaix. I love seeing friends take a chance on starting a business, not to mention one built around Cycling; I was overjoyed at hearing the news and immediately offered any assistance we might be able to provide via our humble little community.
Fast forward a few months to November 2012 and delivery to my house of a set of Richter-branded carbon tubular wheels laced in a 3x pattern with bladed spokes; quite simply the most stunning wheels I’d ever laid eyes on, and shockingly light. With their lacing pattern, they were designed for Cyclocross but had an obvious use as wheels for the cobbles as well. I raced them the rest of the season before having an issue with one of the hubs. Dan quickly crossed that supplier of his list and sent me a replacement pair of wheels, this time co-branded with Velominati. These wheels were bullet-proof and carried me down the trench of Arenberg and every other cobbled road we hit during our 9-day trip.
In the meantime, I’d also commissioned a prototype climbing wheelset from him for my third attempt at not sucking on Haleakala. I still sucked, but I sucked a little less because the wheels were so insanely light and stiff; Dan immediately dubbed them the Haleakalas and offered them for sale as a standard wheelset through his studio.
But there was a nagging bit of feedback I kept getting from people who saw me out on the wheels, “Hey, how do you like those Ritchey wheels?” They’re not Ritcheys, they are Ricthers; read, you dumbass. (As I’ve said before, my natural charm has made me a good sprinter.) I brought the feedback that there might be some brand confusion to Dan over coffee one afternoon when he happened to pass through Seattle; after some brainstorming he decided to brand them after his shop’s fantastic name.
Every man needs a partner, a tailor, a wheelbuider and I’m proud Dan has been my official wheelbuilder for a few years now; his wheels are the best I’ve ever ridden and I’m grumpy any time I have to ride other wheels. It was only natural, then, that this past summer, we started working on an exciting project to co-brand a premium bespoke wheelset which would be available for sale to the public. KRX-10, Velominati’s trusty Graphic Designer, produced the most stunning design imaginable, before all our plans evaporated when Specialized sent the cease and desist letter. Velominati offered to publicize the matter, but Dan – the good guy that he is – decided to keep quiet and work it out between his lawyer and Specialized while laying plans to rebuild his brand from the ground up. It broke my heart to see his dream fall in shambles around him, but he always seemed to keep a good attitude and had confidence he would get back on his feet. He set about enlisting friends to brainstorm new names, and before long he was on his way to a fresh start.
Dan never asked for the outpouring from the Cycling community; he just gave an interview to a reporter who stopped by his shop and figured that was that. But within hours of its publication, the Cycling world went mad, launching into the biggest social media campaign I’ve ever seen around Cycling and one which Velominati were very proud to play some small part in. With the outpouring came the dropping of the lawsuit and, thanks to all of you in the community – not just here but in the Cycling world at large – Dan now has permission to continue using “Roubaix” in his shop name (although I’m not sure he can still use it on the wheels, we’ll have to ask him now how that works out legally.)
These past days, I have been more proud than ever to call myself a Cyclist, and I was just a bystander on the periphery of this amazing event – I can’t imagine how Dan feels. On behalf of all of us, we can not express our happiness and relief that this has worked out for a fellow Velominatus.
Vive La Vie Velominatus was ever thus.
I hope Mr. Sinyard has enough class to reimburse Dan for all his legal fees.
An incredible and serious own goal.
@Pedale.Forchetta
…countered with an incrediblty dignified approach and attitude from @Dan_R. Nice guys can get results.
“my natural charm has made me a good sprinter” Classic @Frank!
This episode really will go down in history. For the Lexicon???
Sinyardism: shooting yourself so hard in both feet that you’re unable to show yourself in public for weeks at a time.
@Mike_P +1 Nice one, love it.
Glad this worked out for Dan. Glad we were all able to help spread the word!
Great outcome – in no small part to the Keepers for their tenacity and Dan’s path down the high road.
Frank, that’s a very cool story. I love it when a good plan comes together, aided by good people with good intentions.
@Mike_P
Sinyardicide?
Happy days. Proud to have my Velominati decals and cuff links on show on the bikes.
The power of social media and Velominati (and fellow cyclists the world over): Mind Blown!
Congrats Dan!!
It is immensely satisfying when the lowly and principled get one over the big bastard.
To DanR? As Derek and Clive said about Squatter: “I think he retains his dignity.”
As for Roubaix? Well there’s a mythical aura about the name for cyclists but the place itself is really a bit of a shithole with an average velodrome right? So a Roubaix bike (or a Roubaix wheel for that matter) sounds to me like its good for 2 track laps.
Perfect for Specialised but not for DanR?
We’ve all seen that the legends are made in the sectors. Haveluy, Trouee, Orchies, Cysoing, L’Abre…
@scaler911
What? I don’t understand you. I have no mind left. Fucking awesome.
@Cyclops
+1. Couldn’t agree more…and if he was smart, he would also offer to make a sizeable donation in Cafe Roubaix’s name to the bicycling related charity of Dan’s choice. Just a thought.
@marko
Nice one!
So Sinyard has visited Dan. Part of me thinks “nice touch” but most of me thinks “damage limitation”. Gladly, Dan’s moving on with head held high, so Im gonna have a drink and move on. Still not buying their bastard products though.
It’s been superb to watch the cycling community- across all social networks, across many communities- really unite behind Dan. It’s been cringeworthy and painful to watch Specialized completely, totally fail to understand how to deal with this sort of storm. The total media (especially social media) silence was terrible- though not as terrible as the ham fisted attempt to stomp on a small business.
I hope this works. Here is the video we have been waiting for. It’s the Big S apology.
@Mike_P
Have you moved on yet?
@Gianni
Oh that is brilliant! Dan is the epitome of cool and understated schadenfreude. He just stands there and let’s him talk and doesn’t interrupt. Sinyard could not have looked more awkward and uncomfortable – just look at his face in the beginning. Given the choice between unsedated colonoscopy and this, I think he’s have taken the former. Mind you, a wee bit of credit to him for doing this in person and not just doing it via twitter or facebook as so often happens these days.
Interesting that Sinyard was wearing plain black T shirt and Dan a plain black collared shirt. Nary a logo or name in sight! Coincidence? I think not.
I hope Sinyard sprung for breakfast too!
@wiscot
Except in the wheelset behind Dan!:
Is it just me, or did Mike look like a deer caught in headlights?
If Sinyard was was a politician or oil exec I’d be less inclined to buy it. But the optimist in me has to believe that as a cyclist and former dirtbag, Sinyard is being genuine.
It’s healthy to be an optimist. Personally, I’m agnostic about Sinyard or what his apology might mean for him or the company. For me, the upside is two-fold: a) Dan carries on in style, and 2) the next time they pull shit like this on a small business, there’s that pesky fucking video with the founder and chairman saying that what they were doing to Dan was a mistake. That’s enough for me, right there.
When I saw the vid, I’d just kitted up to go ride the mtb–the Epic mtb. And suddenly I wasn’t really pissed off about riding a Spesh.
I think Mike had his T-shirt on backwards for the interview!
@sthilzy
That would have been a classy move to wear a Café Roubaix T for the video.
I wonder what happened over the weekend at Big S.
A phone call is not good enough? I have to go to f’ing Calgary to undo the mess you lawyers got us into? I have to have breakfast with this guy and shoot a mea culpa video too? Oh I can’t believe this. Damn it, when I get back I’m going to start firing some of you dicks.
@RoubaixInTwoYears
My thoughts exactly, what a great ending and it really proves that the world is such a small place !
I got a hint of genuine remorse out of what was said in the video ! I also understand the trademark protection thing ala Chinarello etc etc but his comments seemed from the heart.
Excellent result !
Now Dan, more importantly, wheres my T Shirt, I want to proudly wear that sucker !
@sthilzy
Nice. I suppose it would be piling on to circulate this image all over the internet.
Kudos to Sinyard. His obvious discomfort shows that he is not, in fact, the monstrous villain the social media lynching tried to portray, He is just a human being. He had the balls to stand up for his company’s mistake, take full responsibility and apologize.
Kudos to Dan. There was no trace of gloating or sanctimony. A testament to his character and obeyance of Rule #2.
To all those still spouting vitriol and hate toward Specialized. Follow Dan’s example and see Rule #43.
@w3r1
Sorry, I can’t. I refuse to forgive and forget corporate greed and malice. Someone signed a cease and desist letter against something that was not a threat in any way shape or form to a brand. “We didn’t mean it” is crap. They meant it, right up until it was going to bite them in the ass hard. The only, I emphasize ONLY reason corporate apologies are made is when they realize not doing so costs shareholders money. Sinyard apologized because of the shitstorm. Speciaized is sorry they got caught. So it is with BP, and any other corporate entity that acts solely and completely in their sole, monetary interest.
This is the essence of patent-troll-dom. When the shakedown implodes or doesn’t work, apologies cost nothing. Well…I refuse to let them off the hook.
@RoubaixInTwoYears
Oh, wait, piling on is what made the good thing happen in the first place.
@marko Im with you brother.
@Mike_P
Yes!!!! Eh??
@Gianni
Based on my inside knowledge of Corporate America, this is verbatim what happened, except swap “dicks” for “fucking fuck fucks”.
@Pedale.Forchetta
You keep saying you don’t speak English well, but you also keep saying things better and more precisely than anyone else.
What does that say for the rest of us?
@MJ Moquin
That was my first thought. Second was Dan’s composure. Third: still not buying anything Spesh. Ever.
Looks like the S-litigation team have moved on…
Score one for the good guys gives me a warm fuzzy feeling
@Mike_P
It’s rare for me to literally laugh out loud at something I read on-line, but this was one of those times. Well done!
I’ll put this here so’s you can all see it, Mr Ashton still paralysed after a fall in September
Descending like a pro? check it out at 3.47
@brett
Absolutely mad – just put Epic Clothing into your browser and see what comes up. I guess they will just go after the ones that have an association with cycling. They were done for me before this anyway but it looks like MS needs to set about a wholesale overhaul of his business approach.
@RoubaixInTwoYears hey, they’ll be after you next to drop your V-moniker!
Roubaix belongs to no-one – it belongs in the centre of what is the very essence of cycling – the pinnacle of suffering
As a S- Roubaix owner and rider, I was very disappointed to see S do this, it smacks of a terrible arrogance – we all are a piece of Roubaix, and pieces of us are strewn around all Roubaix – it is the most inspiring word I think I know off – no other word makes me jangle when I whisper it to myself – I am proud to have been thrashed nearly to death by it and will probably never try it again, a humbled disciple
Well done DanR – when I read the article in CN this morning, I hot tailed it over here, as I knew it would be centre stage, and that all of us who share with you, would be hopping mad
Good man DanR for releasing that mighty name back to all of us, again – we are all Roubaix
Strange how they’re not going after Mini (owned by BMW) and their S Works Mini Cooper. I wonder why…..
@unversio
Not really, but the red wine was nice!
@sthilzy
No offence sthilzy, that’s a fine effort but maybe Cyclops can work some of his photoshop magic and make it look real that MS is wearing a Cafe Roubaix t-shirt. I mean, if he can make it look like Frank is beating Spartacus at Flanders, he can do this. What say you, Cyclops?
@wiscot
I’m not sure that’s necessary. From Dan’s twitter feed…
Defending a lawsuit from a major corporate: $160,000
Social media defence: $Nil
Using the subsequent apology as marketing collateral: $Classy as Fuck
@Dr C
Well said. Dan’s response to all of this revealed an immense amount of class. If there are V points up for grabs, he’s got em.
@Chris
Brilliant Chris! And Bravo Dan_R!!!
@Buck Rogers
Indeed! Who needs photoshop when you have the real deal?
Dan: “well thanks for coming up Mike, I appreciate it.”
MS “You’re welcome, I hope we can put this behind us and move on.”
Dan “Agreed, but you owe me $30 for the shirt, by the way. A man’s got to make a living you know”
@Chris Class having The Prophet in the background too. You can almost hear “Comin’ through….”
@wiscot Shame Dan didn’t stock Epix Gear clothing and he could have picked up one of those too!