06/09/2026
perhaps, a little.
as the core cycling demographic shifts younger post-covid, some of the industry’s traditional marketing language is starting to feel somewhat… dated.
“laterally stiff and vertically compliant.”
“born from racing.”
“wind-tunnel tested / engineered for speed.”
“save 4 watts at 40kph… vs the previous generation.”
there is always going to be a place for performance, technology and racing pedigree. but when every brand communicates in the same polished language, it can start to feel impersonal.
meanwhile, a new cycling culture has emerged online; built around memes, nostalgia, inside jokes, niche references and, most importantly, a willingness to not take the sport quite so seriously. and this counter-culture seems to be permeating cycling marketing.
maybe the gen y/z cohort of cyclists don’t want to be marketed at. they want to feel like they’re part of the conversation.
more authentic personality. more self-awareness. more iykyk.
less polished. less corporate performance graphs. less sales-y.
cycling is already a slightly ridiculous hobby. we spend our hard-earned money to save a few hundred grams, debate endlessly about tyre pressures, hooked vs hookless, tpu tubes vs tubeless, and somehow always need another bike (see n+1).
maybe it’s okay to acknowledge that.
cycling can still be aspirational without taking itself so seriously.
so, is this the future of cycling marketing?
