LeBron James is one of the greatest sportspeople of his generation and an astute investor who has never forgotten his roots. The dominant NBA power forward might be a Los Angeles resident. Still, he’s always retained an affinity and involvement with his hometown of Akron, Ohio – where bicycles significantly influenced the young LeBron.

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"Riding a bike has always been a big part of my life. When I was growing up, it was how I got around – from riding with friends across the city to getting to practice and wherever I needed to be. It gave me the freedom to not only get to places but to access things that otherwise would have been out of reach.”

Since 2022, LeBron has been a minority shareholder in Canyon, and his latest initiative in the realm of bikes is ‘Find Your Freedom’. It’s a joint venture advocacy campaign between the Lakers’ legend and the German cycling brand. With his understanding of how transformative riding can be in a challenging youth environment and 160m followers on Instagram, LeBron is the ideal ‘Find Your Freedom’ advocate. 

p5pb26943896.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The goal is to inspire more people to ride, globally. With his immense social media following and reach, LeBron’s involvement is crucial, but the diversity of this ‘Find Your Freedom’ initiative makes it so relatable. 

Several of Canyon’s best riders feature in the campaign. Dutch cyclo-cross, mountain bike and road riding phenom, Mathieu van der Poel, is one of the riders. So are daring Freeriders Fabio Wibmer, Samantha Soriano, and youth rider Olivia Silva. 

Beyond the awareness value of the campaign, real bikes are going to riders. Canyon will be shipping bikes to the LeBron James Family Foundation’s 'I PROMISE' Program, which originated in 2011. This initiative rewards students who adhere to school discipline and healthy lifestyle outcomes, with a new bike.

"I know how much a bike meant to me when I was a kid and how it opened doors and got me places, I couldn’t otherwise go, so it’s always been a staple of our program to provide bikes," says LeBron. 

"It’s not only a reward for their hard work, but it also allows them to get outside, experience their community, and make memories with their friends and family in a different way."

• www.canyon.com

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