The NBA athlete loves bikes, and is launching an initiative to get more people out riding.

LeBron James has been vocal about his love for cycling over the years as a way to stay mentally and physically fit. In mid-2022, the power forward for the Lakers invested in Canyon Bicycles, and today they are launching the “Find Your Freedom” initiative with a stacked roster of Canyon Athletes.

“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. Even now, riding a bike makes me feel like a kid again. There’s nothing like feeling the air on your face and that freedom to just ride.” - LeBron James

The message behind “Find Your Freedom” is a beautiful one and is focused on elevating the magic that bikes can provide for everyone. Bikes are an incredible facilitator for performance, freedom, and personal improvement, no matter what your background is. Seeing LeBron and Canyon launch this initiative is a big play for the brand and the perception of cycling in the mainstream. Although it is no secret that NBA athletes often look to cycling as an auxiliary form of activity, with Reggie Miller , Dwayne Wade, and Leandrinho Barbosa all showing love for two wheels, this initiative is sure to put an incredible spotlight on the sport.

“Find Your Freedom” will see collaboration with current road cycling world champion Mathieu van der Poel, plus freeride sensations Fabio Wibmer and Samantha Soriano, dirt and gravel rider Andrew Jackson, CANYON//SRAM Generation’s rider Diane Ingabire, and up-and-coming mountain biker Olivia Silva. The goal is straightforward: Inspire everyone and share the wonderful potential that cycling can unlock, the lessons it can teach, and the freedom it provides.

Canyon X LeBron James Family Foundation

The LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) has long recognized the power of a bike and the mobility, accessibility, and physical fitness they bring to students in LeBron’s hometown of Akron. Since the I PROMISE Program began in 2011, LJFF has provided each student in the program a brand-new bike as part of their promise to work hard, finish school, and live an active and healthy lifestyle, and this new initiative will see Canyon as the new sponsor for the bikes in the program.

“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 to our I PROMISE students as they join the program,” says James. “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.” - LeBron James

As part of this partnership, Canyon will be donating its Grand Canyon Young Heroes bikes to this year’s class of I PROMISE students at the completion of the academic year in support of the Foundation’s earned, not given philosophy.

You can learn more about Canyon and LeBron's partnership here.