#97 – Mike Sinyard: 50 Years at the helm of Specialized, and Still All In

In 1974, Mike Sinyard sold his Volkswagen van to go and buy bike components in Italy. Fifty years later, Specialized is one of the most iconic brands in world cycling — and at seventy-seven, he still rides.He welcomed me to the Morgan Hill headquarters in California, in the room they built for Peter Sagan. What was meant to be an interview about the bike industry became the most personal episode I've ever recorded.Because Mike has ADHD. Diagnosed late, like so many people. Fourteen years ago, he read the story of a kid who told his doctor: "Riding is my Ritalin." He called the doctor, learned that no pharmaceutical company would ever fund the research, and decided to fund it himself. Today, fifty thousand kids go through his OutRide foundation every year.We also talked about the Stumpjumper, born without a single piece of market research; about Robert Egger walking into a bike shop and saying "that's shit, I could do better"; about the Chinese brands and his answer to them — "it's nothing new"; about DJI's Avinox, gravel, artificial intelligence, women's racing, and his conviction that we'll soon look back at how we medicate our children the way we now look back at people smoking.⏱️ Chapters:00:00 — Introduction02:22 — Can a bike really change a life?04:09 — "Riding is my Ritalin": how OutRide began07:43 — Seventy-seven years old, and still no retirement10:31 — Finding a successor, and the soul of Specialized13:45 — Robert Egger, the Stumpjumper and the roots of the brand18:01 — Chinese brands: where does a brand's value lie?24:09 — E-bikes, Avinox and depending on a single supplier27:17 — The future of cycling, and kids on e-bikes30:28 — Racing, riders, and the price of caring37:54 — Gravel, heir to the touring bike — and riding in Asia43:03 — Artificial intelligence and cycling45:54 — What he still wants to accomplish47:04 — "We are over-medicating our children"49:48 — ADHD as a superpower50:43 — Starting over today, and Specialized in fifty years54:57 — The guest he'd like to hear, and the Green Room01:01:16 — What we can wish him01:02:55 — Closing words🔗 Useful links:- OutRide: https://outridebike.org/—🎙️ This is En Roue Libre, Antoine Taillefer's cycling podcast.Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss anything!📸 Instagram: @enrouelibremedia▶️ YouTube: @enrouelibremedia💼 LinkedIn: Antoine TailleferThis episode was recorded in English — this is the original version.A French dubbed version is available here: [link]#MikeSinyard #Specialized #ADHD #OutRide #Stumpjumper #EnRoueLibre