During his Comeback 1.0 (after cancer recovery), Lance Armstrong insisted that his sponsors, mechanics and advisors to come up with the best possible equipment for him, which spurred development in high-end road bike equipment from all brands. While he did the same during Comeback 2.0, it did not result in Tour victory, and Armstrong’s effect on bicycle technology was considerably less powerful. However, his influence on social media the last few years has been profound.
During the BL (Before Lance) epoch, consumers could not buy the bikes their heroes were riding without getting them custom made. Consumers were less aware of this than, say, Formula 1 fans, who knew without a doubt that they could not buy the same car the Ferrari team raced in … More