Specialized braching "Globe" off into separate urban brand

Specialized Globe Product Intro – Meet the Bikes, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

Specialized has had a "Globe" model in their lineup since ’94: perhaps the forerunner of the entire urban/commuting mass market bike sector. I was always personally impressed to their dedication producing this model despite fluctuating demand. Spec throughout the years has always been sensible with actual commuting in mind (rear rack, fenders, gear hub, etc).

Specialized will apparently be spinning off the Globe name now into it’s own sub-brand pumping out "urban" bikes which sensible commuting bikes and now the hipster fixed gears as well. Which given the current fashion trend, I’m sure pushed this business idea into fruition; regardless of my obvious curmudgeoning, Specialized looks to be putting out some spectacular new bikes aimed at us city biking folks.

The designs (especially racks) seem to closely follow cues from ANT’s custom bikes, QBP’s relatively new offering of Civia Cycles and since last year, Gary Fisher’s Simple City. Trek Soho can also be mentioned but it lacks one of them nifty racks