The Paris to Specialized spring classic coming to you in 2014

Fear is rife among the 96,984 good citizens of Roubaix in Northern France that despite originating sometime in the 15th century, before the United States became a nation, that they may be forced by bicycle company Specialized of Morgan Hill, California, USA, to change the name of their town because the bicycle manufacturing behemoth actually owns the trademark on it.

That fear is spilling over from recent revelations that Specialized, formed approximately 500 years after the town of Roubaix, give or take, are threatening a small bicycle shop called Cafe Roubaix in the Canadian wilderness for daring to use the name Roubaix which they believe is owned by them for use on a line of their bicycles only. They have threatened the shop with legal action if the name is not changed and Roubaix, France (along with perhaps, Roubaix, North Dakota) is on high alert that they could be next.

What the ramifications of this could later mean for the town is one thing with some wondering if the Gare de Roubaix railway station that offers connections from the town of Roubaix to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris must cease operations at once due to its name, but for cycling fans there is the question as to what it means for the famous bicycle race, the Paris-Roubaix formed some 78 years before Specialized in 1896? Will the name change and if not will it be forced to finish elsewhere or use another name? And what of the Pave sections that make this race famous, will they have to go given their association with the name Roubaix in order to appease Specialized?

Roubaix may have survived two World Wars passing through its neighbourhood, but it won't survive the wrath of this American bicycle company.



And then there is Paris, the starting point of the race (actually the race starts these days in Compiègne, but you can include them in this) who must be feeling a little left out, or just lucky that their name was not worthy of trade marking by Specialized. And if it is, will this little spot in New York City be forced to change its name too?

Legal experts seem to suggest that the owner of the little shop in the Canadian mountains would likely win the fight in court, but given the costs of such a fight it seems the pressure of Specialized leaning upon him would be enough for force a change. Dare I suggest that should he decide on a change that he go with Cafe Flanders? Though as someone pointed out to me, this might not sit well with the creators of The Simpsons.

Of course, this could also prove to be a disastrous PR move by Specialized. Public reaction has been almost unanimous in its condemnation of their behavior in daring to trample upon the little man. Talk of a boycott among cycling fans of Specialized products has further heaped the pressure on them to the extent that there is now talk of them beginning to back pedal to try and save face.

Cafe Roubaix's saving grace might yet come in the form of bicycle manufacturer, Fuji Bikes who have today weighed in to claim that it is actually they who own the rights to the name of this French town despite being named after a mountain in Japan and that they licensed it to Specialized and that Specialized have no right to demand the bike shop change its name. Fuji Bikes, yet to require FujiFilm to rename, have gone on to say that they have no objections to the shop remaining as Cafe Roubaix thus seizing the moral high ground with their goodwill gesture and gaining the business of all those out selling their Specialized bikes this week.

None of this, however, answers the question as to why anyone is allowed to claim ownership to the name of a place, outside of the place itself? Had Cafe Roubaix been a huge corporation competing on a level with Specialized you might have seen through Specialized saying that they were first to use the name and that it belonged to them. That is until Fuji Bikes stepped forward with their own claim, just before the Mayor of Roubaix weighed in to remind everyone, that no, in fact, they were the first by several hundred years.