MTB racing coverage drives sales spikes, turns spectators into cyclists

Following a record-breaking 2024 UCI Mountain Bike season and strong early buzz for 2025, Tom Thornley, Managing Director of Paul’s Cycles, examines the growing influence of mountain bike racing on the cycling industry, highlighting the opportunity for retailers to turn spectators into customers.

Headline insights and numbers:

• UCI MTB viewership reached record-breaking numbers in 2024, including a 133% increase in YouTube views and an average of 500,000 more views per round compared to 2023. Although there has been concern over changes to streaming for this year’s season.

• During the Paris Olympics mountain bike finals, UK search interest for “mountain biking” spiked 77%, while Paul’s Cycles recorded a strong MTB revenue increase, up 245% compared to the previous weekend.

• The alternative sport market is significantly growing, with mountain biking reported to have increased by 18% as a hobby YoY. Reflecting this momentum, Brisbane 2032 looks set to debut Downhill as an official Olympic event.

The numbers suggest that MTB’s mainstream moment is having a tangible impact off the trails, illustrated by Paul’s Cycles’ 245% revenue increase throughout last year’s Olympic mountain bike finals.

Year-on-year, the retailer also saw a significant 191% increase in MTB revenue, accompanied by a 366% rise in traffic to its mountain bike pages.

Media coverage of elite MTB racing impacts retail sales?

“Events like the UCI Mountain Bike World Series are having a real impact, bringing mountain biking into the mainstream and inspiring a new wave of riders,” reflects  Thornley.

“We’re seeing more first-time customers, including families, younger riders, and a growing number of women entering the sport.” Website data backs this up, with traffic to female-specific MTB pages experiencing a 14.3% rise in active users during the World Series Championship Week (27/08/24-01/09/24).

Similar spikes were seen when analysing other key event dates, including a 37.9% spike in electric mountain bike traffic during Olympic final coverage (28/07/24-29/07/24).

“The rise of e-MTB racing is already changing perceptions and creating real momentum around electric mountain bikes”, says Thornley. “We are seeing strong, consistent growth in this category, with more riders recognising that e-MTBs are not just for leisure or commuting. They are high-performance machines in their own right. The excitement and competitiveness of e-MTB racing only adds to that appeal, and we expect interest to keep rising as the sport continues to evolve.”

Broadcaster changes

While it is not yet known how streaming changes will impact viewership this year, Thornley believes the cycling retail industry still has a golden opportunity to ride this wave of mainstream attention. “Aligning promotions with major sporting moments like the UCI MTB World Cups is a smart way to capture attention while it’s on a lot of people’s minds.

“And it’s not just about sales; engaging in those conversations on social media, within digital content and offering beginner-friendly bikes and advice, all help welcome new riders into the cycling world. That first experience matters, and we want to make it a good one.”

With trail access expanding and mountain biking earning its place on the global sporting stage, the MTB momentum shows no signs of slowing. Thornley concludes, “Looking ahead, I absolutely expect mountain biking to keep growing. e-MTBs in particular are opening the sport up to even more people, and with increased visibility from events and media, it’s becoming far more mainstream.

“For the cycling retail market, this means adapting and not just by stocking more trail-ready and electric models, but by offering expert advice and strong customer service. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and those who evolve with the audience will be the ones who stay ahead.”