A Canadian veteran of the Afghanistan war who operates a tiny bicycle shop in Cochrane is being forced to change his store’s name after being threatened with a lawsuit by one of the giants of the U.S. bike industry.
Dan Richter, owner of Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio, located above the famous Mackay’s Ice Cream in Cochrane, says he received a letter from the lawyers of big bicycle maker Specialized several months ago, demanding he change the store’s name because the company owns the trademark on the word Roubaix, which they use to market a brand of road bike.
Richter, however, says he didn’t name his store after the company’s bike, rather after a region in France that hosts one of the most famous bike races in the world, the gruelling 117-year-old Paris-Roubaix. Because the name is an icon of bike culture, and graces hundreds of other products from bike tires to a brand of cycling tights sold by MEC (and even other road bikes), Richter says he has a good case to keep the store name, but is capitulating because he can’t afford a legal fight in court.
“It’s been frustrating,” Richter told me. “The response throughout this process (from Specialized) has been arrogant and almost unbelievably dismissive.
“We didn’t want to go public . . . but they’ve made it clear on no uncertain terms, they are going to sue.”
Larry Koury, managing director of Specialized Canada Inc., said the company is simply defending its legally owned trademark.
“A simple trademark search would have prevented this,” Koury wrote in an email, along with a reference to the federal government’s trademark database showing Specialized’s registration of the word Roubaix. “We are required to defend or lose our trademark registration.”
Richter, who says the running the bike shop has helped him deal with the post-traumatic stress disorder that ended his military career, says he did some research and felt comfortable that naming his store after a location like Roubaix wouldn’t contradict Canada’s intellectual property protection laws. He doesn’t think the name confuses anybody shopping for bikes. His store sells high-end bikes and his handmade wheels in an Italian-cycling inspired environment. He does not sell Specialized products.
“I understand the need for the protection of intellectual property, but this is named after a city known worldwide for this race,” Richter said. “For our customer base, there’s an appeal (with the name Roubaix). Our market understands that race, and it reflects what we want to provide for them.”
Richter says his lawyer thinks they have a good case to make, but the fight could cost upwards of $150,000 in legal fees, a price too steep for his small company.
Changing his company’s name isn’t as simple as erecting a new sign, Richter says. He has been selling custom wheels under that name for about a year and has operated the store since March, all of which has helped him build an formidable brand, reputation and online presence. Being forced to adopt a new moniker means he will have to start anew, an expensive and time-consuming prospect.
“I’ve gone through some very intense (post-traumatic stress disorder) therapy in the last year. Forcing myself to get out there into the public and the business world has taken a huge effort,” he says. “I’m just at the point were we think this might fly, so this was a huge hit for me personally.”
Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
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Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby Ross » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:27 am
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby jasonc » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:56 am
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby vince » Sun Dec 08, 2013 8:40 am
"Man plans, God laughs"
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby thecaptn » Sun Dec 08, 2013 8:55 am
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby find_bruce » Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:04 am
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby thecaptn » Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:17 am
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby AUbicycles » Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:34 am
Everyone who knows Roubaix knows that it is a French town and unless the shop owner was using the word Specialized, there there is no cause for confusion.
How many other brands have bikes with place names or concepts, what about the Trek Madone?
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby RonK » Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:46 am
Better still, what is Larry Koury's email address. I'd like to let him know what I think.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby redsonic » Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:40 am
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Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby Duck! » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:40 pm
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby macca33 » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:44 pm
RonK wrote:Specialized already getting a hammering on Twitter - @iamspecialized is their Twitter tag. Or @LarryKoury
Same on Facebook and deservedly so. How much money is enough for these greedy a-holes.
I've been in contact with the Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio owners and am hoping to purchase a couple of t-shirts as a token of support.
Will NEVER purchase Specialized...
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:20 pm
Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby g-boaf » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:22 pm
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:23 pm
Item: Specialized "One Less Specialized," Top Tube Sticker U.S.A. Flag
URL: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1148734984" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Alt URL: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Specialized- ... 1148734984" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Dec 08, 2013 1:32 pm
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby thecaptn » Sun Dec 08, 2013 2:23 pm
Yeah the shop logo shirt looks pretty cool. If you get onto them can I grab one too please macca?macca33 wrote:RonK wrote:Specialized already getting a hammering on Twitter - @iamspecialized is their Twitter tag. Or @LarryKoury
Same on Facebook and deservedly so. How much money is enough for these greedy a-holes.
I've been in contact with the Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio owners and am hoping to purchase a couple of t-shirts as a token of support.
Will NEVER purchase Specialized...
cheers
Pete
*Edit* Make that two, my Mrs wants one aswell.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby zero » Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:44 pm
because they can afford to mount a defence.vince wrote:my bike is a Fuji Roubaix 1 ? how come Fuji haven been sued? ( to my knowledge )
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby beanspropulsion » Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:50 pm
vince wrote:my bike is a Fuji Roubaix 1 ? how come Fuji haven been sued? ( to my knowledge )
From what I am reading the company that owns Fuji has the Roubaix trademark registered in the US. Specialized owns the Roubaix trademark in Canada.
Fuji first registered the name Roubaix apparently.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby birdbrain » Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:59 pm
.Dan Richter, owner of Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio, located above the famous Mackay’s Ice Cream in Cochrane, says he received a letter from the lawyers of big bicycle maker Specialized several months ago, demanding he change the store’s name because the company owns the trademark on the word Roubaix, which they use to market a brand of road bike
Why is anybody allowed to trademark the name of a town. I imagine whatever the flimsy criteria is that it suggests anybody could trademark any town, city, dog breed or whatever that hasn't been trademarked yet. Typical bully behaviour.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby zero » Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:27 pm
Actually its no bother to make a trademark including a town name at all. Its also not a particularly bothersome one to me, given that Spec has a history of sponsoring teams and entering the race (and winning it) and may well have negotiated rights to the name with the race organizers (or otherwise be naming their bikes with the organizers blessing).birdbrain wrote:.Dan Richter, owner of Cafe Roubaix Bicycle Studio, located above the famous Mackay’s Ice Cream in Cochrane, says he received a letter from the lawyers of big bicycle maker Specialized several months ago, demanding he change the store’s name because the company owns the trademark on the word Roubaix, which they use to market a brand of road bike
Why is anybody allowed to trademark the name of a town. I imagine whatever the flimsy criteria is that it suggests anybody could trademark any town, city, dog breed or whatever that hasn't been trademarked yet. Typical bully behaviour.
Its unfortunate but the guys business won't tank just because he can't halo off spec's marketing anymore.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby beanspropulsion » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:03 pm
But he isn't.birdbrain wrote:
Its unfortunate but the guys business won't tank just because he can't halo off spec's marketing anymore.
Doesn't the UCI sanction the race and have a finger in every pie regarding advertising and making cash from towns along a races route?
Surely they don't have a trademark "Paris" either then?
It's not like the brainless woman this week who named her chipshop "Frying Nemo", complete with the actual likeness of Nemo.
http://www.news.com.au/national/south-a ... 6776478332" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Now that is copyright infringement.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby thecaptn » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:05 pm
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby cyclotaur » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:17 pm
THIS has nothing to do with it. And I doubt he's 'halo-ing' off Spesh's marketing.zero wrote: Actually its no bother to make a trademark including a town name at all. Its also not a particularly bothersome one to me, given that Spec has a history of sponsoring teams and entering the race (and winning it) and may well have negotiated rights to the name with the race organizers (or otherwise be naming their bikes with the organizers blessing).
Its unfortunate but the guys business won't tank just because he can't halo off spec's marketing anymore.
Just as an exercise I entered 'Roubaix' as a search keyword on Bike Exchange and 10 different brands came up, either as model names or referencing the word in their marketing.
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Re: Specialized forces owner to change bike shop’s name
Postby ball bearing » Sun Dec 08, 2013 6:52 pm
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