Originally Posted by On Your Right
I saved money. Why don't others? If certain ones here choose to throw away money, please PM me and I'll give you a link where you can sponsor me in the upcoming Tour de Cure ride for Diabetes. At least there your money will do some good!!
Pinarello sponsors a UCI ProTour team with their "thrown away" money, and I'm a fan of pro cycling.
Specialized GIVES AWAY BIKES with their "thrown away" money to kids who want to get into bike racing, sponsors the US U23 team, AND is a co-sponsor of my racing team so that I can buy Specialized goods at a discount and race without breaking the bank.
Trek, Cannondale, BMC, et al. spend time sitting at CAD workstations and actually designing bikes so the bargain shops have a design to use and sell for cheap. Those designers are paid with the money that some of us choose to throw away.
Many companies also sponsor cyclist education programs in many communities, and donate bikes to programs like Bicycling magazine's "BikeTown" program. Good thing someone threw their money away there...
Mavic runs neutral support pits at some pretty small races. I'm guessing some of the money that's "thrown away" on their products goes to that as well, and lowly (then) Cat 5's like me get a free pro mechanic on race day.
But you're right. None of that money goes to anything useful.
