King James Is Also King Of Bicycle Commercials (VIDEO)

I’m from Southwest Florida. In high school, pretty much everyone I knew (who followed the NBA) was a fan of the Orlando Magic. It was the time of Shaq and Penny Hardaway. But I was a Miami fan. It took awhile, but Miami finally rose to the top. And, now, I’m obviously a LeBron James fan. The fact that the man bikes to work and is now actually promoting bicycling in commercials just makes me love him that much more.

The influence such celebrities have is enormous. And when it’s a celebrity known for his athletic prowess, his strength, and his manliness, promoting bicycling can make a world of difference for countless kids around the country and even around the world. Bicycling isn’t weak. It isn’t stupid or girly or lame. King James bikes to work!

Genuinely, I couldn’t thank LeBron enough for promoting this. He may not be doing it because it’s green. He may not be doing it to fight global warming. He might just be doing it because it’s fun, or because it’s fun and healthy. But no matter his reason, there’s hardly a person out there who could be a better bicycling mascot. 😀

http://youtu.be/hmWMz10Ftko

LeBron’s decision to bike commute matches a growing trend in the city in the past several years. And perhaps others in Miami are partly getting into the bicycling spirit because of King James commuting strategy. The League of American Bicyclists writes:

“Lebron is in good company in Miami — the city has seen an almost 90% increase in bicycle commuting since 2005 and was awarded a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community Award last year.”

Notably, King James isn’t the only NBA star promoting bicycling.

“The commercial also builds on other NBA players who have embraced bicycling, including Kevin Durant, who showcased the recreational side of cycling in Degree’s Do More campaign. One can only hope that their on-court rivalry continues as NBA players strive to promote bicycling for fitness and transportation.”

Of course, all of this is the norm for the League of American Bicyclists.

The League will be in Miami later this year to promote the use of federal funds for bicycling and pedestrian facilities through an Advocacy Advance workshop. Advocacy Advance is a partnership between the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking made possible by the generous support of SRAM Cycling Fund.

Congratulations and best of luck to Lebron James this year. Miami is poised to #striveforgreatness not just in basketball, but as a great place for bicycling.

Kudos to the League, too. It may not have the star power of LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but it is persistent and dedicated to this much-needed and fun transportation option!