The history of bicycling has left many believing that it’s a sport limited to the very young or the super-fit.  But, in reality, the times are changing. More than 100 million Americans rode a bike in 2014, and bicycles have out-sold cars most years in the US since 2003.

For companies looking for an opportunity to reach the tech-savvy millennials who want to participate in, rather than just watch a sporting event, sponsoring a bicycle event is an increasingly wise choice.  Biking is a sport that combines social, environmental, and competitive aspects, which provides huge potential for promoting your brand.

Sponsoring a pro cycling team is one way to get involved.  According to a recent article in Business Insider, “… in terms of per dollar spent, pro cycling teams produce better quantitative global marketing metrics (impressions, views, audience size) and qualitative metrics (fan-to-brand loyalty) than any other single form of advertisement available, inside or outside of sports.”

However, absent of the marketing budget available to the corporate giants, a more budget-friendly way to reach this exploding market audience would be to sponsor a local charity bike ride.  T-shirts, jerseys or any of the many bike tools decorated with the company logo increases the brand exposure and hits home with the bikers as well as the spectators.

Spring has arrived – can bicycling be far behind?  Be ready and start planning for a corporate sponsorship that will keep your brand rolling!