Business

Pocket Outdoor Media Goes Outside

by editors on February 22, 2021

Pocket Outdoor Media, the umbrella company that owns VeloNews, Backpacker, SKI, Climbing, and many other media properties, (we wrote all about them here) announced today (February 22, 20121) the purchase of Outside, parent company of Outside Magazine, Outside TV, Peloton Magazine and the rest from owner Larry Burke for an undisclosed sum, according to a story on Pocket Media’s SNews.com.

“Adding these businesses to our portfolio and rebranding Pocket is a transformative moment for us,” says Robin Thurston, CEO of the all-new Outside. “Together with our other category-leading properties—SKI, Yoga Journal, Backpacker, Trail Runner, VeloNews, Climbing, Warren Miller Entertainment, Roll Massif, FinisherPix, SNEWS, and more—these brands make our new company the world’s leading creator of active living content, experiences, travel, and services. We now deliver content to almost every home in America across every platform, screen, and device.”

Is consolidation good? When it keeps your favorite brand alive it may be. And with this purchase, the newly renamed Outside seems to have saved a bundle of brands from certain death. So, yay, Outside!

[Link: SNews.com]

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Specialized, Lance Armstrong & VeloNews

by editors on July 21, 2020

While doing a little web cruising this morning, wondering whatever happened to some old media friends, we stumbled onto a press release from June 30, 2020 suggesting that Specialized and The Biggest Liar of All Time (aka BLOAT aka Lance Armstrong) have joined forces to possibly control the cycling narrative through media ownership.

Here’s how it goes: VeloNews (and Bicycle Retailer) owner Pocket Outdoor Media just purchased a boat load of “media” titles from another media/events company called Active Interest Media. Not that cyclists should care, but the titles Pocket purchased include: Warren Miller Entertainment, Ski Magazine, Backpacker, Climbing, Yoga Journal, Vegetarian Times, and more.

This got more interesting when Pocket Outdoor Media listed where they got the money to grab the titles. It came from a “Series A” round of funding from three different venture capital groups, namely JAZZ Venture Partners, NEXT VENTŪRES, and Zone 5 Ventures.

Who are these venture firms? Well, JAZZ is a bunch of neuroscience medical start-up brainiacs based in San Francisco, Next Ventures is the BLOAT and friends (yes, he still has some), and Zone 5 Ventures is Specialized’s early-stage investment arm which is run by former and current employees at Specialized.

We haven’t had reason to follow anyone from JAZZ, but before starting Next with the BLOAT managing partner Lionel Conacher was a senior advisor and operating partner at Altamont Capital Partners, LLC which has large stakes in the Billabong, Brixton, Fox (head), HUF, and Dakine brands. Lance’s other partner at Next is Melanie Strong, the former Nike vice president and general manager of Nike Skateboarding.

So why are all these corporate jocks suddenly interested in the action sports media world in general and cycling in particular? Is it because in these COVID times the only thing any of us can do is spend time outside? Is it because distressed action media brands are currently a bargain? Or is it because (as we suspect) The BLOAT and Specialized want to own the cycling narrative from beginning to end?

How do you feel about getting all your cycling news from Specialized and The BLOAT? It doesn’t feel all that good to us. Makes it even more difficult to know what to believe, doesn’t it? For instance, how long will this story on Specialized’s silly trademark lawsuit stay up on the VeloNews website? Click the link to see if it’s still there. 

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Brendan Quirk Joins Allied Cycle Works

by editors on September 3, 2019

Brendan Quirk, the former President of Rapha North America, and co-founder of Competitive Cyclist (sold to Backcountry.com in 2011), has stepped in as the interim CEO of Allied Cycle Works, in Bentonville, Arkansas.

“Being a start-up is an uphill battle,” Quirk said. “But in the last few months, Allied has really broken through.”. . . He called out the recent launch of the Able gravel frameset – the bike ridden to victory in both the Men’s and Women’s races at the world’s most prestigious gravel event, the Dirty Kanza 200. . . “The success of the Able proves that our foundation is in place,” Quirk said, in reference to Allied’s U.S.-based frame production. “The market is responding, the momentum is tangible, and I’m excited to be part of the future here.”

As he should be. The bikes look right nice, indeed. Check them out here. For the official word from Allied, follow the jump.

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Volvo + POC = Crash Test Smarties

by editors on June 4, 2019

Volvo and POC have teamed up for a series of crash tests between cars and cycling helmets for research on how to make cycling safer.

The Volvo-POC research project consists of a number of specially designed crash tests at the famous Volvo Cars safety research facilities in Gothenburg, Sweden and is part of a wider research project to understand the types of long-term injuries sustained by cyclists. . . During these tests, POC bike helmets are worn by crash dummy heads mounted on a testing rig, from where they are launched towards different areas of the hood of a static Volvo car, at different speeds and angles for various measurements.

Obviously, the easiest way to protect cyclists from cars is to remove cars from the road, but apparently, that’s not worth testing. For the official word from Volvo and POC, please follow the jump.

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Apple’s News+ App Brings Some Cycling

by editors on March 26, 2019

In a keynote address yesterday (March 25, 2019), Apple’s Tim Cook mentioned that the newly launched News+ app is like having an “entire newsstand on your iPhone” and for cyclists he’s not exactly wrong. The new subscription app which charges users $9.99 a month for unlimited magazine viewing from at least 300 different magazine titles does include four cycling magazines in the mix: Bicycling, Bike, Canadian Cycling, Cycling Plus, and Mountain Biking UK.

While maybe not our first choices in cycling magazines currently, when coupled with other titles that we might be interested in reading like The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, The Week, et al. this new subscription model might not be all that bad of a deal, assuming of course, that spending $120 a year for magazines that must be read on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple computer is something you’re into. For more info on Apple News+ please click the link.

[Link: News+]

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Emerald Rolls Bikes Into Outdoor Retailer

by editors on March 12, 2019

As the tradeshow business quickly contracts it’s been interesting to watch Emerald Expositions, one of the largest tradeshow operators in the world consolidating their business. Last year after buying the SIA Snow Show from Snow Industries of America, they slid the Snow Show into Outdoor Retailer, then they cancelled Interbike, and now, they’ve decided that including the bicycle industry in the OR Show is a great idea almost as if they’re bummed they didn’t think of before.

“We’re excited to bring outdoor and bike together at Outdoor Retailer as we launch the winter season,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “It’s a natural fit for bike to be part of Outdoor Retailer. Our data indicates that we already see over 3,000 buyers attending our shows who purchase for bike, so incorporating the category makes the show even more valuable. Additionally, retailers, dealers, and buyers will have an opportunity to discover new brands and products, expand store offerings, and make new connections to support their businesses.”

Will be interesting to see how Emerald will spin adding their other shows like Surf Expo and/or the Swim Collection, into OR eventually to make only one show for their whole sports category. Sad times for trade shows. For the official spin from Emerald, please follow the jump.
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Pinkbike Buys CyclingTips: PinkTips?

by editors on March 12, 2019

As is rather obvious by our hodge-podge of odd updates and seemingly random posts somewhat relating to cycling, we can’t figure out exactly what cyclists look for when it comes to online content, mostly because we don’t know what we, ourselves, want. We’re not down with the precious, condescending, fetishizations of Rapha podcast missives, nor do we much appreciate the other end of the spectrum at Bicycling Magazine. We’ll occasionally check out RKP for their road racing poetry, and sometimes read reviews on BikeRadar because they come up in our product searches.

Lately, we’ve been noticing the CyclingTips website coming up in our mix more and more and feel relatively positive about it. Can’t really say the same for PinkBike (it’s a blur of MTBing content that we’ve never been able to figure out), however, reading news that BikeExchange has offloaded CyclingTips to PinkBike makes us question a few things. Firstly, what is BikeExchange? Secondly, is consolidation in cycling media good? And finally, will this be good for us as mildly interested cycling media consumers? Obviously, PinkBike founder Radek Burkat believes it’s all good.

“We are excited to commit the talents and resources we have at Pinkbike and Trailforks to allow the CyclingTips team to grow and be the leader in road cycling,” said Burkat.

CyclingTips founder Wade Wallace is also happy about it, saying:

“We are thrilled that CyclingTips has come together with the Pinkbike family. We are confident that this partnership will result in a better product for our readers, members and industry partners.”

Guess we’ll have to wait and see. The entire staff of CyclingTips will reportedly stay with the brand. Thanks for allowing us to think out loud this morning. It likely won’t happen again for a while as we’re sure we’ll be too busy creating highly curated, stylized content for some other failing web property.

 [Link: Bicycle Retailer]

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Garmin Buys Tacx Trainer Systems

by editors on February 12, 2019

Competition in the indoor trainer market is about to get more interesting as Garmin announced today (February 12, 2019) their plans to buy Tacx the Dutch makers of connected indoor training systems and software.

“Tacx brings an entirely new product category to Garmin’s fitness portfolio that expands our reach into the indoor training market,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin president and CEO. “Together with Tacx, Garmin will offer a seamless, enjoyable and motivating indoor and outdoor experience for cyclists
all year long.”

Totally makes sense, doesn’t it? Might as well keep all our cycling tech in the family, right? Tacx seems pretty happy with the sale as well.

“We are excited to have the support of a technology leader like Garmin,” said Koos Tacx, CEO of Tacx. “With Garmin’s extensive R&D capabilities and global distribution network, we look forward to working together to further enhance our indoor training products and technologies, and bring them to cyclists around the world.”

For the official word from Garmin, please follow the jump.

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Bezos Accuses Pecker Of Dick Pic Threat

by editors on February 7, 2019

In a story posted on Medium today (February 7, 2019), Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos claims that Bike Magazine’s new parent company American Media (through its tabloid The National Enquirer) has threatened to publish photos of Mr. Bezos’ penis “as well as nine other images” if Mr. Bezos didn’t call the Washington Post off its investigation of American Media CEO David Pecker’s relationship with Donald Trump, according to a story on the Huffington Post.

Here’s a little of what Mr. Bezos is claiming:

I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse. Or at least that’s what the top people at the National Enquirer thought. I’m glad they thought that, because it emboldened them to put it all in writing. Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten. . . They said they had more of my text messages and photos that they would publish if we didn’t stop our investigation.

Usually these stories that have nothing to do with cycling would be well outside our “lane.” But last week’s sale brings it all home to our world. Think about it? This suggests that those left at what once was TEN are now in a not-so-roundabout way working for the Trump Administration. We would imagine this might get some bicycle industry marketing asking themselves, “Do we really want to support Donald Trump by spending advertising and marketing dollars with American Media right now?”

We can say this for certain: if this is how American Media does business, then the people who had their jobs eliminated last week are the lucky ones.

[Link: The Huffington Post]

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VeloNews & Bicycle Retailer Reunited

by editors on February 4, 2019

While we were messing around with news that Bike Magazine et. al. was being sold to American Media last Thursday we totally missed the other bicycle media story that went down on January 31, 2019. And that was this: Emerald Events, the owner of the “on hold” Interbike trade show has off-loaded Bicycle Retailer and Industry News to VeloNew’s parent company Pocket Outdoor Media, according to a story on VeloNews.

“Bringing BRAIN into Pocket Outdoor Media is a little piece of history coming full circle,” said Felix Magowan, chairman of Pocket Outdoor Media. “VeloNews helped establish BRAIN in 1992 and this acquisition means we will continue BRAIN’s legacy of authoritative industry coverage,” Magowan said.

Not exactly sure how this will go for Pocket as recent changes in the business landscape seem to suggest that there are neither bicycle retailers, nor bicycle media consumers in general, but good luck with that. Nice to know BRIAN (as they call it) will have a home with a company with at least a sentimental attachment to cycling. For the whole story, please click the link.

[Link: VeloNews]

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