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These particular brands associate themselves with these athletes because of their athletic potential and results. Their politics are, at best, secondary. Clearly you have the right to choose who you support and on what basis you will, or won't, support a brand, but it's multi-faceted and complex for you, as it is for the people making the decisions on behalf of brands.
andyp-
as it is for the people making the decisions on behalf of brands
I get this. She is clearly hugely talented on the bike and that brands will wish to associate themselves with that success. The reason that I’d picked out Rapha in place of SRAM/Canyon (aside from a sense of proximity) is that I’d see them as a champion of diversity within a sport that needs it. Simmons & Dygert both have very different views to those I’d like to associate with & a quick scan of twitter will show that they seem to legitimise these views in the eyes of their fans & therefore the cycling world. I don’t really believe that Rapha aligns with those views/values and hence was disappointed to see it
LukeG
I haven’t said that I’d never purchase Rapha again, just that while I was deliberating they endorsed Dygert so I shopped elsewhere. Clearly the reason that we connect with brands is that they profess to represent similar ideals and we therefore connect with them. Those two don’t represent what I’d like to see in the world, brands are choosing to pay them/advertise using them and we get to choose where to spend our money. From a branding point of view, I know little about Sram/canyon other than functionality. From Rapha I hadn’t expected this.