Specialized is GWINNING!!!!!

**mbizzles** · 01-07-2013, 10:20 PM

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Aaron-G...zed-Video.html

Dubya. Tee. Eff.

I'm surprised. I have to say though, Gwin>Sam Hill (well, Gwin>every human), so Specialized is a big winner in this case.

**Crinkle** · 01-07-2013, 11:08 PM

WTF? I don't get it. I don't follow it close enough to understand why he would leave trek. He had a sick bike. He was winning like crazy. Is he chasing the cash?

**marshalolson** · 01-07-2013, 11:17 PM

not to mention the 3 year contact he signed in august then peaced out on...?

**PeachesN'Cream** · 01-08-2013, 12:37 AM

Most things have a price.
Maybe he wanted to get away from Monkey after his brake fail?... : )

**backcountry1pr** · 01-08-2013, 08:25 AM

very surprised to see this. It could not have been cheep.

**Phall** · 01-08-2013, 09:31 AM

I'm not a lawyer, but I play one from my armchair on occasion. A letter of intent =/= contract generally. Who knows, maybe Trek didn't get him a contract yet because they thought he was in the bag and Spec. came out with better terms. OMG the b1k3 interwEbz are going to XXXPloDE with teh RUMORZ today.

**Skipig25** · 01-08-2013, 09:49 AM

that or the big S payed big $$ to buy out his contract? I can think of crazier things.

anyway, can't say I'd mind riding a carbon demo. it's not the hippest DH rig out there, but it sure is sick

**XtrPickels** · 01-09-2013, 10:35 PM

Gwin is claiming there is no breach of contract.

**jm2e** · 01-09-2013, 10:50 PM

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Aaron-G...Statement.html
Trek got bitch slapped out of this one.

**mbizzles** · 01-10-2013, 02:35 PM

http://m.pinkbike.com/news/Aaron-Gwi...-vs-Drama.html

I think this is a great common sense view on the whole thing. Since it seems he wasn't completely legally bound to TWR, Specializes gave him more of what he wanted. I think most of us would have done the same.

Wonder who TWR is gonna replace him with? Big shoes to fill.

**toast2266** · 01-10-2013, 02:55 PM

So who will TWR pick up to fill the gap? Stevie Smith?

**AKbruin** · 01-10-2013, 03:05 PM

It's disappointing to see the break up between Gwin and TWR turn bitter. PR move or not, this seems much more appropriate:

**kidwoo** · 01-10-2013, 11:30 PM

Oh thank god. A place where this can be discussed sanely. (totally serious)

Sounds like TWR was trying to dick around with his contract. The letter of intent was probably just their version of holding onto him with whatever tenuous means they could while they figured out how much they could milk him for. Based on some the shit TWR/whitley has been putting up publicly, I believe the toofless nerd who goes fast.

**Phall** · 01-11-2013, 12:50 AM

Funny, my roomate and I were sitting around the night/night before it was announced and he got a text basically saying the intertube forums were going to break. Something about the newest fastest man that get people to loose any sort of logic/reasoning. similar to Utah drivers every time it snows.

**rideit** · 01-11-2013, 01:15 AM

I always loose my logic on the intertoobz.

**jamesp** · 01-11-2013, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Oh thank god. A place where this can be discussed sanely. (totally serious)

Sounds like TWR was trying to dick around with his contract. The letter of intent was probably just their version of holding onto him with whatever tenuous means they could while they figured out how much they could milk him for. Based on some the shit TWR/whitley has been putting up publicly, I believe the toofless nerd who goes fast.

his statement says the contract was different to the deal discussed. Whatever the difference really was, if there was no contract there was no contract, letter of intent doesn't mean anything. TWR sound pissy because they missed the boat. Probably didn't help that Sam Hill switched teams, hence leaving Spec shopping for a new big name.

**Canada1** · 01-11-2013, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by jamesp

his statement says the contract was different to the deal discussed. Whatever the difference really was, if there was no contract there was no contract, letter of intent doesn't mean anything. TWR sound pissy because they missed the boat. Probably didn't help that Sam Hill switched teams, hence leaving Spec shopping for a new big name.

I like guys to honor a contract, but when an opportunity presents itself for a rider to make a bit more money promoting a sport I love, I will generally side with the rider. Trek has lost Lance and now their flagship DH guy. Tough couple years.

**jamesp** · 01-11-2013, 01:52 PM

You really have sympathy for Trek? They are a huge company.... a couple marketing schmucks might be having conniptions, but its not really going to hurt them even in the medium term. They will sign someone else & it will all be forgotten by this time next year.

**kidwoo** · 01-11-2013, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by jamesp

his statement says the contract was different to the deal discussed. Whatever the difference really was, if there was no contract there was no contract, letter of intent doesn't mean anything. TWR sound pissy because they missed the boat. Probably didn't help that Sam Hill switched teams, hence leaving Spec shopping for a new big name.

Heh. Pretty sure sam hill went looking for a new team BECAUSE specialized got gwinn.

**toast2266** · 01-12-2013, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by toast2266

So who will TWR pick up to fill the gap? Stevie Smith?

Looking like Brook MacDonald.

**mbizzles** · 01-12-2013, 03:55 PM

I was thinking the Bulldog myself. I think Stevie likes Devinci a lot.

**jamesp** · 01-12-2013, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

Heh. Pretty sure sam hill went looking for a new team BECAUSE specialized got gwinn.

ok yeah that's sounds feasible also.

**kidwoo** · 01-13-2013, 01:33 AM

Well it was contract time for both of them. If you were running a team backed by specialized it only makes sense that you'd at least make an attempt for the "sam hill of the present"......