David and Goliath in Endurance Sports

An interesting thing happened this week in endurance sports and the companies behind the technology we use every training and race to make us faster and stronger.  Whether you are just an avid runner, a part-time runner or an elite runner you have a pair of shoes that are your favorite.  You also have thoughts around what can make you faster or feel more confortable during the run.  If you are also a triathlete you have technology that goes beyond just shoes.  You buy the best that you can afford for your bike and your wetsuit.  Just a few seconds saved in a transition can make you better than the person next to you who you have been competing against the last three seasons.   

What if you work for a company who makes bicycles, wetsuits or running shoes?  As your running through the streets of Chicago and an idea to limit blisters that always come up in mile 20 of your run pops in your head.  You decided that you think you know how to build a better shoe or bike and quit your job.  Your job is in the marketing department so your thoughts really don’t make any difference for your company if you have them or now.  You don’t design their shoes you just market them and wear them.  You decide to take your idea to a design shop and build a contraption that stops blisters at mile 20 helping people get beyond the marathon wall.  Your idea takes off and is now being worn by runners all over the Chicago Marathon.  Does the running company you work for own the idea you had? 

That’s what Specialized bicycles thought when they filed a lawsuit against the founders of Volagi bicycles.  Two avid riders who just happened to work for Specialized when they had a thought about technology that would improve the comfort of the bike while riding for long periods of time.  Anyone who has done a Century Ride or an Ironman knows how uncomfortable a bike can get.  The founders of Volagi were sued because they signed a confidentiality agreement that covered their thoughts while they worked at Specialized. 

Both Volagi and Specialized believe they are winners in the race, I mean lawsuit.  Specialized proved that the founders of Volagi breached their contract with Specialized but were unable to prove the Volagi owners stole the Intellectual Property that Specialized believed they did in the design of the Volagi bicycles.  For his part in the breach of contract Volagi founder Robert Choi is fined $1 that is owed to Specialized.  The question in the end is if Volagi is really a winner as they claim or if Specialized bankrupted Volagi with the lawsuit making it now impossible to continue to market and sell the bikes they create. 

Regardless, I am sure each one of us will continue to find new and improved ways to make us for comfortable as we train for our marathons, half-marathons, century rides, triathlons, and Ironman’s.  Train on.