Reach South African cyclists through specialist media, audience insight and year-round engagement.
TREAD Media offers brands a direct route into South Africa’s mountain biking and gravel communities, supported by more than 17 years of specialist publishing experience and a growing range of digital platforms.
We work with commercial partners to develop relevant content, reach defined audiences and create sustained brand visibility within an active, engaged sporting community. Our offering combines digital publishing, newsletter distribution, social media, market research, event discovery and podcast content.
For brands seeking more than a one-off advertising placement, TREAD offers the opportunity to build a partnership around the interests, behaviours and aspirations of South African cyclists.
Our audience and reach
TREAD’s audience is built around people who actively participate in, follow or invest in cycling. They range from recreational mountain bikers and gravel riders to competitive racers, cycling families, schools cyclists and committed enthusiasts.
TREAD Media audience reach – 2026
- 54 000+ unique monthly website visitors
- 25 000+ subscribers to the fortnightly TREAD Bulletin
- 41 000+ followers across Facebook, Instagram and X
These channels provide multiple opportunities to connect with the cycling community through editorial content, campaign features, newsletters, social distribution and longer-term partnerships.
Who we reach
TREAD’s 2025 reader survey provides an additional view of its audience profile.
Age profile
- 12–19: 7%
- 20–34: 11%
- 35–49: 32%
- 50–64: 40%
- 65+: 10%
Sex
- Male: 78%
- Female: 22%
Geographic distribution
- Gauteng: 46%
- Western Cape: 25%
- KwaZulu-Natal: 11%
- Limpopo: 4%
- Eastern Cape: 3%
- Rest of South Africa: 11%
The survey indicates a mature audience, with 72% of respondents aged between 35 and 64. Gauteng and the Western Cape together account for 71% of respondents, while the remaining audience extends across other provinces.
A multi-channel partnership platform
TREAD offers several complementary ways for brands to reach cyclists. These can be used individually or combined into a coordinated campaign.
- Digital editorial and sponsored content
TREAD creates original cycling content covering products, events, destinations, people, trends and industry developments. Commercial partnerships can use this editorial expertise to communicate a brand’s story in a relevant, informative format.
Potential applications include:
- Sponsored articles and brand features
- Product introductions and educational content
- Event previews, reports and related campaigns
- Destination and experience features
- Longer-term content partnerships aligned with a brand’s objectives
Content is developed to suit the audience and the campaign’s purpose, with commercial content identified appropriately.
- Website visibility
TREAD’s website provides a destination for cycling news, features, reviews, industry insight and event-related information.
Website campaigns can incorporate advertising placements and content-led visibility, helping brands maintain a presence beyond a single social media post or newsletter.
- The TREAD Bulletin
The fortnightly TREAD Bulletin provides a direct channel to TREAD’s newsletter subscriber base of more than 25 000.
Newsletter opportunities can include campaign banners, featured content, brand announcements and coordinated links to relevant website content. This allows partners to communicate with subscribers who have opted to receive cycling-related information.
- Social media distribution
TREAD’s Facebook, Instagram and X channels extend the distribution of editorial and campaign content beyond the website and newsletter.
Social media can support launches, event promotion, competitions, product awareness and the amplification of sponsored content, with the approach tailored to each campaign.
- Audience research and industry insight
The annual South African Mountain Biking Survey, presented in partnership with Garmin since 2019, gives TREAD a distinctive position in the local cycling media landscape.
The survey tracks preferences and behaviours across areas such as racing, equipment, training, brands and media consumption. Its longitudinal data can help industry stakeholders understand changes within the mountain biking community.
Depending on the brief and research requirements, opportunities may include survey sponsorship, brand-relevant research questions, data-led editorial features and the presentation of findings to cycling audiences.
- TREAD Events
Launched in 2026, TREAD Events is a web app designed to help cyclists discover mountain biking, gravel, road and schools cycling events around South Africa.
The platform creates opportunities for brands to associate with cycling participation and event discovery, rather than only with race-day coverage. Its longer-term potential includes event-related campaigns and partnerships that connect brands with riders as they plan their cycling calendars.
- Getting to Grips podcast
Following six pilot episodes recorded in 2025 with support from Cannondale and Zini, Getting to Grips is planned to move to a fortnightly schedule in 2027.
The podcast will extend TREAD’s cycling coverage into a more conversational format, creating potential for episode-presenting partnerships, integrated brand involvement and content distribution across relevant digital channels.
Partnership opportunities
TREAD can develop a campaign around a brand’s objectives, audience and available budget. Rather than relying solely on isolated advertising placements, a partnership can combine several channels to create continuity and repeated opportunities for audience engagement.
Examples include:
Brand awareness campaigns
A coordinated programme of sponsored content, website visibility, newsletter placements and social distribution.
Product and category partnerships
Editorial-led campaigns that introduce products, explain their benefits and connect them with relevant cycling interests.
Event and participation campaigns
Content and promotional activity designed to support cycling events, encourage participation or help riders discover relevant experiences.
Research and insight partnerships
Association with TREAD’s survey work and the development of data-led content that explores relevant consumer and industry trends.
Long-term strategic partnerships
Multi-month programmes combining content, digital visibility, newsletter distribution, social media and selected initiatives such as TREAD Events or Getting to Grips.
Each proposal can be structured around agreed deliverables, campaign timing, distribution and reporting requirements.
A proven history of brand relationships
Over the years, TREAD has worked with recognised brands across cycling, automotive, insurance, consumer products and related sectors. These have included Garmin, Nedbank, MiWay, Peugeot, Volvo, Toyota, GWM, Thule, Oakley, Specialized, Biogen and GoPro.
This experience gives TREAD an understanding of the importance of matching brand objectives with relevant content, appropriate audience engagement and clear campaign deliverables.
Why partner with TREAD Media?
- Specialist knowledge: More than 17 years of experience in South African cycling media.
- A defined audience: Access to a community with established interests in cycling, equipment, events and outdoor experiences.
- Multiple channels: Website, newsletter and social media, complemented by research and developing digital platforms.
- Industry insight: An established annual mountain biking survey with several years of comparable data.
- Flexible campaigns: Opportunities ranging from individual content placements to integrated, multi-month partnerships.
- A national perspective: Coverage of South African cycling across disciplines, events, destinations and communities.
Let’s develop a partnership
TREAD Media works with brands to identify relevant opportunities and build campaigns around clear objectives.
Whether the goal is awareness, product education, event participation, consumer insight or sustained engagement with South African cyclists, we can develop a proposal suited to the brand and its priorities.
Contact TREAD Media to discuss a partnership tailored to your objectives.
