Publication: Adventure Cyclist Online
Topics: Bicycle travel, bikepacking, bike touring, trip reports, cycling how-to, travel trends, photo essays
Rate (USD): $150–$250 per article
Deadline: Rolling; submissions reviewed quarterly
Editor: Nick, Editor-in-Chief
Submit Via: Submittable

If you have a compelling bicycle-travel story, Adventure Cyclist Online is accepting pitches and completed stories on a rolling basis throughout the year.

The publication focuses on real experiences from people who actually travel by bicycle. It is looking for original, high-quality stories that inspire readers, provide useful information, document memorable journeys, or explore developments in bikepacking and bike touring.

The publication’s current blog continues to feature firsthand cycling experiences, historical stories, gear advice, trip-related guidance, and practical bike-travel content.

What Adventure Cyclist Is Looking For

Inspiring, historical, or amusing bicycle-travel stories

The publication welcomes engaging stories connected to bicycle travel, particularly those built around a strong personal experience or unusual perspective.

See an example: Riding Past the Edge of Instagram

How-to articles

Practical articles can cover planning, navigation, packing, preparation, route creation, and dealing with obstacles encountered during bicycle trips.

See an example: How to Create Your Own Touring Route

Bikepacking and bike touring news and trends

The publication also considers stories about developments, trends, equipment, and other changes affecting bikepacking and bicycle touring.

See an example: 6 Bikepacking Gear Trends

Trip reports

Personal accounts of bicycle journeys are welcome. Strong trip reports should explain where you went, what made the experience special, and how other cyclists could undertake a similar journey.

See an example: Mush

Bike overnights

The publication is particularly interested in stories, how-to articles, and trip reports about shorter bicycle trips that can encourage people who are new to bicycle travel.

Photo essays

Photographers and writers can submit a series of photographs intended to tell a cohesive story. Captions should be provided for all photographs.

No Strict Word Count

There are no specific length requirements. Instead, Adventure Cyclist wants submissions that are high-quality and comprehensive.

That means writers should focus less on hitting a particular word count and more on delivering a complete story that serves the reader.

Who Should Pitch?

Adventure Cyclist Online only publishes original content from real people doing bicycle travel.

Firsthand experience is therefore important. A strong pitch should establish what you personally experienced, why the story is worth telling, and what readers will gain from it.

The publication also emphasizes photography. High-quality photographs can make a significant difference to a submission.

How Much Does Adventure Cyclist Pay?

The publication generally pays $150–$250 per article.

The lower end of the range typically applies to first-time writers, while repeat contributors may receive the higher rate.

Adventure Cyclist buys first rights and will consider simultaneous submissions, provided writers inform the editors about other publications considering the submission.

The publication does not pay separately for photography.

Submission Guidelines

Before pitching, writers should familiarize themselves with the publication’s editorial style and existing content.

Submissions should:

• Be original and well-written.
• Reflect the style and tone of Adventure Cyclist Online.
• Include a short author bio.
• Include no more than one anchor-text link to your own website in the author bio.
• Properly attribute photographs, data, quotations, and other third-party content.
• Include high-quality photography whenever possible.

The editorial team reserves the right to copy-edit content and update published articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Adventure Cycling also reserves the right to add calls-to-action promoting its own content, including newsletters, campaigns, and downloadable resources.

Pitching Tips

The best opportunity here is not simply to pitch “a cycling trip.” Give the editor a specific reason to care.

A strong pitch should quickly explain:

The story: What happened?

The firsthand connection: Why are you the person to tell it?

The reader value: What will cyclists learn, discover, or be inspired to do?

The angle: What makes the story different from a standard travel diary?

The visuals: What original photographs can you provide?

For how-to pieces, identify a specific problem faced by bicycle travelers and explain how to solve it. For trip reports, go beyond listing destinations and routes and focus on the experiences, challenges, discoveries, and practical lessons that make the journey useful to other cyclists.

How to Submit

All inquiries, pitches, text documents, and images must be submitted through Submittable. If you do not already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create one. Accounts are free and allow contributors to track submissions through the editorial process.

For more information or questions about a pitch, writers can email Adventure Cyclist Editor-in-Chief Nick at magazine@adventurecycling.org.

You can also review the publication’s Adventure Cyclist Online blog before pitching to understand its current editorial style and subject matter.

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