Originally Posted by
tomato coupe
Well, he's paid to ride for a team, and Factor sponsors that team. Factor happens to put disc brakes on his bike. He's not getting paid specifically to use disc brakes, same as he's not getting paid specifically to use CX-Ray spokes.
But irking a sponsor is usually not done because of financial reasons. Him saying negative things about disc brakes while Factor provides the equipment puts Factor in an awkward position. Irk a sponsor enough and the relationship gets damaged. Damaging the relationship can mean an end to the sponsorship, which becomes a financial issue.
My point is sponsorships do not necessarily mean the riders are choosing the best equipment. The buying public often falls into the “so and so uses this equipment and he’s a professional- it must be great stuff!” There are many reasons sponsorships are done, unfortunately providing the best equipment isn’t necessarily one of them. Sometimes it’s which riders provide the best marketing opportunities for the companies.