Right then. Imagine I'm a bike shop owner feeling the effects of the credit crunch and economic downturn.
Some bloke I've never met writes me a letter saying "I like cycling and I reckon I'm good. Please give me free kit." Looking at his age I can tell that this time last year he probably wanted to be a pro skateboarder, this time next year he'll probably be wanting to chase girls or drink alcopops, and his bedroom is probably littered with the leftovers from previous fads.
Same day a young lad comes in to my shop and says "any chance of getting a morning job for my summer holidays? I'm dead keen on cycling, want to learn about the components, different types of gear, tools, stuff like that. If you haven't got a job going, I'd be prepared to work for free each morning if you'll teach me about bike maintenance, let me use your workshop during term time and let me buy stuff at cost price when I spend the money from my Saturday job / birthday / christmas / pocket money in here."
Who do you think I'd be prepared to help out? Who do you think I'd sponsor, if I was into sponsoring riders at all?
