Exclusive: Outside acquires Pinkbike, Cycling Tips, Trailforks

Outside Media, home to dozens of outdoor enthusiast brands, is acquiring two new titles, Pinkbike and Cycling Tips, as well as Trailforks, a trail mapping app.

Why it matters: The deals will help further cement Outside’s coverage of cycling and bolster its mapping tools.

• Outside currently owns Bicycle Retailer, a cycling industry news site, and Gaia GPS, a mapping app for biking and outdoor activities.
• It also owns VeloNews, a cycling and race results magazine, Peloton Magazine, and Beta, a mountain biking magazine.

Details: Pinkbike, a consumer-facing digital brand, is considered the global leader in mountain biking, per a statement. Outside says that the outlet drives more than half of all page views in its category.

• Pinkbike recently acquired CyclingTips, a road and racing news site, and Trailforks.
• In a statement, the company said that the core teams from Pinkbike and Trailforks will continue operating out of their offices in Squamish, British Columbia.
• “CyclingTips will maintain its office in Australia, and its U.S.-based staff will join the larger Outside team in the company’s headquarters in Boulder.”

The big picture: Outside recently completed a $150 million fundraising round from Sequoia Heritage to help fuel its growth, including via acquisitions.

• With these new titles, Outdoors’ owned and operated media assets bow amount to nearly 30 brands.

• The company, which launched a membership program earlier this year called Outside+, is considered the leading digital brand for outdoor lifestyle content.

What they’re saying: “The marriage of these businesses creates a truly comprehensive resource for all types of cyclists and outdoor adventurers,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Outdoor Media.

• ”In partnership with Gaia, we intend to map every trail in America, and eventually the world, so that Outside+ members can ride, hike, run, and ski with greater confidence and safety,” said Pinkbike founder Radek Burkat.