How to Connect with the Mountain Bike Audience

Purpose of This Research

Identify key messaging opportunities by analyzing what competitors are posting and what audience members are talking about on:

• ‍Organic: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube 
• ‍Paid: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Display, Search, Twitter, YouTube
• ‍Owned Media: Blogs, Websites, Emails ‍

‍To inform new topics, and content opportunities for the MTB audience.  

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Competitors Analyzed

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Competitors are talking about…‍

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while MTBers are talking about…

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Both audiences are discussing…

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Kids & Biking

Take on “start ‘em young” messaging or use content to speak to the youth instead of parents.

Competitors are building visibility by sharing content that supports kids getting on bikes in all-mountain settings from a sentimental perspective.   

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Specialized is promoting kids learning how to ride as a method of “amplifying family time”.
• Giant is discussing family time as well as using MTB to help kids build confidence and skills.
• ‍Commencal and Trek are sharing content of young shredders simply doing their thing.

Views 61K

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Non-Profit

Be a direct part of helping improve community relationships with MTB.

All brands are doing something to support charitable causes but none seem to be hands-on in the process.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Giant uplifts ambassadors doing good, like Rahsaan Bahati who is working on helping inner-city kids in L.A. 
• ‍Giant & Trek send bikes to communities in need.
• Santa Cruz hosts giveaways to help support their “Santa Cruz Trails” division that works on maintaining and rebuilding local trails. 
• ‍Specialized is working on improving the lives of youth through activity as well as improving local trails.

We would recommend doing a hands-on project like this but with localized communities where your team spends an hour doing training sessions for low-income riders.

Views 16K 

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Views 8K 

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Behind the Build

Present a no-fluff series highlighting the core concepts and benefits of the bikes you carry.

Competitors are switching the script to traditional breakdown content by offering a more narrative approach.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Brands are using this content to share details about their newest bikes, but in a personal & intimate way.
• ‍Halfway through Santa Cruz’s “Skitch” breakdown video, they interrupted by asking the host “Do you think it’s kind of bullsh*t that we made this?” which prompts the speaker into an organic breakdown of its necessity in the bike space.  
• Santa Cruz also has a serial format on YouTube* and Instagram called “Factory Fridays” where they take viewers behind the scenes.

Views 27K 

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Views 63K 

*Serial indicates that the content has episodes in a series of videos.

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Maintenance

Create care guides and maintenance content.

MTB audience members are asking about ways to maintain different parts of their bikes as well as making content showing their DIY maintenance methods.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• ‍Keep maintenance content short to show only what is relevant to whatever question you are answering. YouTube Shorts and TikToks have seen upwards of 6M views on DIY maintenance content. 
• Offer both tailored brand content about how to maintain bikes (ie. for well-versed viewers who have all the tools you could need) as well as DIY content to reach less equipt riders. 
• ‍This audience hates waste, find ways to incentivize them to feel confident in understanding when a piece of gear has met its end.

Views 6.5M

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Views 6M 

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Disc Brakes

Be a one-stop shop for Disc Brakes.

Disc Brakes have been increasing in search traffic in the United States from April - September 2023 by +6%. 

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Brands aren’t making any content about specific components—like disc brakes—and how they are maintained or their impact on biking experiences. 
• ‍Smash myths about disc brakes and provide reliable content about their true uses and how they can apply to different riders based on their skill level, and MTB interests.

Views 7M 

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Creative Upgrades

Engage with creators leveraging their bikes to the fullest. 

Nothing says all-mountain like setting your bike up to serve you to the fullest while on the trails.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Find ways to help your audience find ease in their MTB experiences whether that is while they are riding or while they are cleaning up from a ride…
• ‍Partner with creators as opposed to making this content yourself. Most of it is lighthearted and can show prospects that you’re humorous. 

Views 26M

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Views 3M 

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Trail Ideas

Segment your audience by region and send them tailored trail content. 

People in the MTB community are constantly looking for trail recommendations or links to trail apps. 

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• There’s a huge opportunity to be more present in this content space. Trek is the only brand posting about trails and through email marketing alone. 
• Create lists for different regions that are segmented by trail type, discipline type, and expertise level that all start from or near your store locations.   

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Multi-Purpose

Narrow the options in an infinite space.

Audiences are talking about the versatility of bikes. Explain how you provide options to ALL aspects of biking disciplines within the mountains.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• People are not only talking about all-mountain riding but all-mountain extreme experiences. Commencal & GoPro shared Bike + BASE videos about MTB and parachuting.
• Fox and Giant are spending on ads discussing on- and off-road and on- and off-bike products. 
• ‍Demonstrate going from road to rugged. People are asking about it and brands have started making content such as this Specialized Stigmata campaign and Rockhopper Paid Search ad. 

The creator captioned the video “Can we normalize this everywhere!?”. Start a series that hunts for under-maintained but high potential neighbourhood trails near your locations.

Views 9M 

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Views 82K 

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New to Riding

Be approachable to new riders. 

Many new riders frequently ask questions and seek advice on improving their skills. Only Fox has created content for new riders and there are still unanswered questions.

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• People really want to know about specifics when it comes to levelling up their riding experience. As they start to take up bigger jumps and tricks, they’re looking for content to help them get there. 
• Currently, creators are filling this gap by posting tutorials online to questions they are asked in their videos about mountain biking. 

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Views 6M 

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Engagements 3K 

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Hardtails Pros & Cons

Lead the conversation about hardtails.

People are asking questions about hardtails but Trek is the only competitor who posted content specifically about the hardtail difference through a Facebook ad. 

Tactics to Keep in Mind

• Trek is positioning its hardtail bike as the perfect all-mountain option, that “has more fun”. 
• To support both your hardtail and non-hardtail offerings, try pushing hot takes on hardtails by explaining the best ways and use cases for both types of bikes. 
• You can do this by noting which is best for specific trail types.

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Spend $2K | Imp. 219K | CPM $6.8 

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Prioritize organic content on TikTok, Instagram & YouTube (experiment with email and Twitter).

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Leverage paid channels. Competitors do not tend to focus there.

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Partner with creators on TikTok & YouTube then repurpose cross-channel.

All audience members are discussing MTB content on Reddit & Quora as well. 

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Both competitors and the MTB audience are talking about eMTB and multi-purpose bikes across all channels except X (Twitter). 

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There is a notable white space on web content. Capitalize on this white space opportunity.

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*$ Indicates a paid channel. Competitors only have marketing spends on Facebook, Instagram and Search.