Dennis Publishing to launch Cyclist magazine
In the week that saw Bradley Wiggins winning the Tour de France, Dennis Publishing has announced it is to launch a premium monthly, road cycling magazine in print and enhanced iPad format.
Entitled Cyclist the first print and digital issues will go one sale on Wednesday 19 September, priced at £5. Market research, conducted by Dennis, has shown that in addition to a huge growth in cycling (British Cycling memberships have doubled in the last two years to 50,000) there has also been a change in attitude surrounding the road cycling sector. As the modern road cycling enthusiast has a passion for travel, knowledge, ride performance and style Cyclist will aim to engage this audience in a way it is not currently being catered too.
Former Men’s Fitness editor Pete Muir will take the helm at the new magazine, looking to build on his success at Men’s Fitness which during his time there saw its ABC rise by 36 per cent to almost 70,000. Muir is a keen road cyclist himself having ridden Mont Ventoux and an Etape du Tour for Men’s Fitness.
Commenting on the publication Muir said: “The magazine will be like a cyclist’s perfect partner: intelligent, good-looking and passionate about road cycling.” Also on the editorial team is deputy editor Stu Bowers, who joins from Cycling Weekly, the project has also been aided by former editor-in-chief across Future Publishing’s cycling portfolio, John Stevenson, as well as Ash Gibson, former creative director of GQ and Men’s Health.
Publishing director James Burnay, added: “The cycling market is the perfect next step for our growing fitness portfolio. Dennis has a history of producing excellent editorial brands and we are a leading UK publisher in digital formats.
“Cyclist will be launching with a 50,000 print run and we have already secured listings in all of the major retailers including the iTunes store. With Dennis’s half a million subscribers in the target demographic, we are confident we can build a high quality audience for our advertisers, very quickly indeed.”
Cyclists launch will also be supported by a £500,000 multi-platform marketing campaign, including targeted advertising, sampling opportunities and promotion at key retail outlets.