PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Advanced Sports International says it contacted the operator of Saratoga Frameworks last year to object to its use of the Saratoga trademark.
Saratoga Frameworks, which is connected to the bankrupt Divine Cycling Group and which operated out of the former Serotta factory in upstate New York, shut down this week.
ASI, which owns Fuji, SE, Kestrel and other brands, has registered and used the Saratoga name on a Fuji bike model since 1987.
"ASI notified (Saratoga Frameworks owner) Brian Case of its ownership in November 2013 and formally objected to continued use in early 2014 when an agreement with Case was not met," an ASI statement released Friday read.
"Advanced Sports is making this information public to protect its trademark and inform any potential buyer (of Saratoga Frameworks) of the unresolved conflict."
ASI was in the news last December when it asserted that it owned the Roubaix trademark, which it licenses to Specialized. The issue came to light when Specialized attempted to force a Canadian retailer, Cafe Roubaix, to stop using the name.
In 2012, Fuji recalled about 10,000 Saratoga step-through cruiser bikes because of potential frame breakage.
