How I Built This with Guy Raz Specialized Bicycle Components: Mike Sinyard
30 snips
Jul 29, 2024 
Mike Sinyard, founder of Specialized Bicycle Components, revolutionized the mountain biking industry. He dives into his journey from selling bike parts to designing some of the first mass-produced mountain bikes. Sinyard shares the pitfalls of diversifying into lower-cost bikes, which jeopardized brand trust, and the near-bankruptcy that followed. He emphasizes lessons in recovery, innovation, and the importance of staying true to core values, all while celebrating the cycling passion that drives the industry forward.
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Humble Beginnings
- Mike Sinyard's family was self-sufficient and resourceful, valuing experiences over material possessions.
- They fixed and built things themselves, even plumbing, and never ate out, fostering a frugal mindset.
Early Challenges
- Mike Sinyard dropped out of high school at 16, facing disapproval from his parents, but later returned to continuation school.
- Despite struggling with undiagnosed ADHD, he embraced his unconventional path and eventually graduated.
Spark of Interest
- Mike Sinyard's interest in cycling stemmed from his childhood, where he and his father would fix old bikes.
- This sparked his passion for bicycles and laid the foundation for his future career.