Adventure Cyclist Magazine: A Comprehensive Guide for Bicycle Travelers

Adventure Cyclist magazine, published bimonthly by the Adventure Cycling Association, is a leading resource for bicycle travel enthusiasts in the United States and around the world. With a circulation of approximately 115,000, the magazine provides stories, photos, essays, gear reviews, technical articles, and guides to inspire and equip cyclists for their next adventure.

History and Evolution

The magazine’s roots trace back to 1974 when Adventure Cycling, then known as Bikecentennial, began publishing a newsletter called BikeReport. In 1975, BikeReport was established as a magazine [1]. It underwent several redesigns, transitioning from a newsprint tabloid published six times annually in 1978 to nine issues annually by 1985. The publication officially changed its name to Adventure Cyclist with the April 1994 issue. Further redesigns followed in 1998 and 2013 [1].

In 2023, marking its 50th volume, Adventure Cyclist launched another significant redesign. This redesign reduced the publication frequency to six issues per year, increased the page count to 76 pages per issue, and shifted from saddle-stitch binding to a more durable perfect-bound format [1].

Editorial Leadership

Alex Strickland served as the editor-in-chief of Adventure Cyclist from November 2015 to April 2021. Carolyne Whelan then took on the role of editor-in-chief in April 2021 [1].

Content and Features

Adventure Cyclist covers a wide range of topics relevant to bicycle travel, including:

• Stories and photos from bicycle tours across the U.S. And internationally
• Bike and gear reviews
• Technical articles on bicycle maintenance and repair
• Route guides and maps

A recurring feature, the Open Road Gallery, showcases photographs by Greg Siple, a cofounder of Adventure Cycling, of bicycle travelers visiting the Missoula headquarters [1].

Digital Access

Adventure Cycling members have access to digital editions of the magazine. Beginning with the March/April 2023 issue, members can enjoy an interactive digital edition with adjustable text size through the Contents View [3]. Full issues published after February 2011 are available as PDFs [3]. Digital versions are typically uploaded approximately two weeks after the print edition is mailed [4].

To access the digital edition, members must have a valid email address associated with their Adventure Cycling account [3]. Those who are not members can join to receive a subscription to Adventure Cyclist and full access to the digital editions [3].

Subscription Information

As of 2022, approximately 55,000 hardcopy issues of Adventure Cyclist are mailed to paid subscribers [1].