The importance of a spokesperson for a Bike Manufacturer
Fabian Cancellara became the face of speed and determination on a Specialized. Lance Armstrong put a Trek bike in many households in the United States. Taylor Phinney will be the next big connection for the bicycle industry. Whichever professional cycling team Phinney decides to go with in 2011 will benefit greatly from his race wins, but the bike he rides for the next 5 years will grow leaps and bounds in sales.
More importantly than the pro cycling team Taylor Phinney chooses to join in 2011, look at the bike, the shoes, the sunglasses, the helmet and anything that kid attaches to himself. This will be much bigger than your average MAMIL (Middle-aged-male-in-lycra) adding to their gear. Phinney is the new generation of cyclist and is one big product promotion waiting to happen for the bicycle industry. He has a presence on the track, time trial course, and on the road. Product promoters don't just wear and sell the gear, they influence the gear. It is a good outcome for the consumer as well as the Bike Industry.
Now that the semi-news is Cancellara will likely be riding a Trek bike in 2011 (which seems odd enough), I'm really interested to hear what Taylor Phinney will be promoting for the next 3 years. Don't we all love new bike technology and shiny new equipment?
CyclingNews.com will be there as well, which this morning announced that Fabian Cancellara will compete at World Championships in Australia next week. According to CyclingNews.com:
.Swiss rider puts off announcing his 2011 team: Fabian Cancellara has confirmed that he will take part in the road race world championships in Melbourne but has put off any announcement about his team for 2011 until after he returns from Australia.