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.
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@Teocalli
Seriously. The Spesh lawyers need to step back and take a deep breath. If they haven't learnt anything from this PR debacle. Epix gear getting confused with bikes? Come on! Do we need to mobilize the Velominati again?
@wiscot
Of course that would have been in flight prior to Cafe Roubaix blowing up - but it smacks of someone in their writ dept going for a misguided Christmas Bonus............
@wiscot
Cuff links, check. Decals and name badge are taking their sweet time!
@frank
I too read Mike Sinyards comments, and my little me just cannot fathom some of what he said. I really appreciated his consideration to 'fly in' and 'break bread', and as I would mutually appreciate, there is nothing that solves differences quicker than a common meal. Nonetheless, then MS drivvled about 'not knowing' and making excuses, which either you man up and accept the guilty verdict, or you don't. Don't offer excuses, and having a team of lawyers that monitor all over the world...your trademarks are one thing, but for them to act exclusive on your behalf on something like this is unbelievable...literally. I mean, are you do distant from the business that you entrust lawyers to act exclusive on you part, I just don't understand that. If your so busy, that you fall into this <1%'rs, what the hell do you care about a one man shop in Canada?? sorry, but the lawyers must be doing all kinds of things then unbeknownst to MS and specialized, if not, why not? But to find out yourself as the chief, after a bike ride, over the weekend, like everyone else.....hmm. That process is broken, to put it nicely.
and MS went on mention feeling sorry for a poor chap who crashed one of 'their' bikes, to find it wasn't theirs but a hack, still yet what the hell does that have to do with DanR & his Cafe Roubaix.??? Nothing. just man it up, eat shit for a while, be remorseful and do something cool and leave it at that, thats what most us guys would have done. We don't make excuses, when we suck, we suck. It does look corporate, polished with excuses otherwise, damage control and dare i say 'Tm' control??? I was disappointed in that, but I will also say, DanR did himself right and should be proud! Chapeau
@frank
I've had this same thought as well regarding Pedale.
Wow, never imagined this was going to turn out this way. Way to go, Dan! Congratulations.
And now the cynic in me has to rightfully acknowledge that social media has done as least one good thing for the world.
I wan't to know what happened behind doors with Fuji. I wonder if ASI contacted specialized in regards to this as well. My knowledge of corporate america and the company I work for would lead me to believe there is a real possibility that some shit was kicked around behind closed doors leading up to this.
@wiscot
This will likely flare up as well. They hit FB...https://www.facebook.com/epixgear
Big S...twatwaffle.
@Souleur 100% with you. The whole "I didn't know" thing is either bullshit or the sign of having completely lost a grip. Anyone who does know who his company is suing has no place on the board.
@Gianni There wasn't a great deal of eye contact from MS in that apology video.
@Souleur Spot on. You are the CEO. It doesn't matter if you know or not.