Journal Entry 6: More bicycle logos

Since I was already on the topic of bicycles I thought I would keep going down that trail and examine some logos for specific bikes. I am going to examine three different logos from different bikes from Specialized. If you can't tell, I ride and like Specialized bikes a lot. I am going to include a picture of the bike along with the logo because the design of the logo is integrally linked to the design of the frame.

First off we have the Stumpjumper, this is the bike that started it all. As stated in the previous entry, the Stumpjumper was the first mass production mountain bike to be released, that was in 1981. Almost 30 years later it is still a force to be reckoned with in XC (cross country) racing. Although in that time the logo has undergone many evolutions. Many of Specialized's logos for specific bikes are somewhat similar. They all use unique typefaces, that feel like they belong to a family. This makes sense, and gives the brand as a whole some unity. I especially like the Stumpjumper logo because it really feels like it follows the same lines as the top tube of the bike, and unifies the two. The rounded letters convey a sense of aerodynamics and swiftness.

Next is the Demo, this is strictly a downhill bike featuring 7" of suspension travel in the front and 8" in the rear. For comparison, the Stumpjumper has less than 4" of travel, and this bike has only 4-5" less travel than a motocross dirt bike. This bike is meant for extreme riders and extreme terrain. The logo is fitting because it is also extreme. As with the Stumpjumper logo, I think this one follows the top tube quite well. The M follows the line of the top tube just in front of the seatpost. And the way the logo seems to ascend slightly from left to right, also echos the shape of the frame. Also the thickness of the letters have the same feeling of strength and sturdiness of the frame.

Finally we have the FSR XC. This logo is interesting because it is composed of acronyms. FSR stands for Future Shock Rear, which is a rear suspension design that specialized patented. And XC stands for cross country. This is basically a cheaper version of a full suspension Stumpjumper. I would have used the Stumpjumper FSR for comparison but the logo is almost identical to the regular Stumpjumper, using the same typeface with thinner strokes. The combination of the solid filled and rounded letters of FSR contrasting with the stroked and hard edged letters in XC is an interesting juxtaposition.