Velotech

What Velotech does

Velotech, Inc. is a privately held, multi-brand direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of cycling products headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with a complementary logistics facility in Charlotte, North Carolina serving the Eastern United States. The company operates three consumer-facing websites: BikeTiresDirect (launched 2002) specializing in bicycle tires and components for home mechanics; Western Bikeworks (launched 2003) offering apparel, shoes, helmets, and equipment alongside editorial content; and TriSports (founded 1999, merged into Velotech in 2017 via the Athletes Lounge combination) serving the triathlon community with swim, bike, and run products.

The company generates revenue through one-time online sales of cycling-related merchandise across its three e-commerce storefronts, supplemented by a will-call showroom at its Portland headquarters for in-person pickup. Its technology footprint is a standard e-commerce platform without proprietary AI or API capabilities disclosed, and its distribution model relies on two U.S. logistics nodes to optimize shipping times. Marketing is built on content (editorial reviews, YouTube), organic social (Instagram, Facebook, Strava), athlete sponsorships, and community event sponsorship including title sponsorship of the Portland Velo Cycling club.

In September 2025, Velotech was acquired by Backcountry.com, an outdoor goods online retailer. Under the deal, the three Velotech brands continue to operate independently while exploring collaboration on assortment, fulfillment, and content with the parent. Founder and CEO Jay Torborg exited following the acquisition to ensure smooth integration. The company has been recognized multiple times over the past eight years by the Portland Business Journal as one of the fastest growing companies in Portland and reports a small executive team (CEO, Operations, Finance, Marketing/Purchasing, HR) with 51-100 total employees.

Name

Velotech

Legal name

Velotech, Inc.

Website

https://velotech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Velotech is a Portland-based multi-brand e-commerce retailer of cycling products, selling tires, components, apparel, and triathlon gear to enthusiasts and racers through BikeTiresDirect, Western Bikeworks, and TriSports. The company was acquired by Backcountry.com in September 2025 and continues operating its brands independently.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling and Triathlon E-commerce Retail

NAICS

Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423910)

SIC

Motorcycles, Bicycles & Parts (3751)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling & Bike Retail (Sales, Service & Accessories) (CRAMABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bike Parts & Components Retail (CRAMAHAB), Bike Apparel, Helmets & Protective Gear Retail (CRAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Cycling e-commerce
• Bicycle tires retail
• Triathlon gear shop
• Cycling apparel store
• Online bike parts

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Retail: Direct-to-consumer online retail of cycling tires, components, gear, and accessories through multiple specialized e-commerce websites.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Velotech, Inc. is a multi-brand direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that sells bicycle tires, components, cycling apparel, shoes, helmets, equipment, and triathlon-specific gear through three owned websites: BikeTiresDirect, Western Bikeworks, and TriSports. The company serves cycling enthusiasts including commuters, road cyclists, mountain bikers, cyclocross competitors, and triathletes from its Portland, Oregon headquarters and Charlotte, North Carolina distribution center, providing curated selection, competitive pricing, and post-sale support.

Product overview

Velotech is a family of three e-commerce platforms for cycling enthusiasts and racers: BikeTiresDirect (launched 2002) offers the widest selection of bicycle tires and components; Western Bikeworks (launched 2003) provides cycling apparel, shoes, helmets, and equipment with editorial content; and TriSports (founded 1999, acquired 2017) serves the triathlon community with swim, bike, and run products. The platforms operate independently while sharing infrastructure and a commitment to cycling passion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BikeTiresDirect E-commerce platform offering the widest selection of bicycle tires and components for home bicycle mechanics and cyclists.
• Western Bikeworks E-commerce store serving cycling enthusiasts and racers with apparel, shoes, helmets, and equipment from top brands, plus informative articles and product reviews.
• TriSports E-commerce brand serving the triathlon community with top products in swim, bike, and run categories, actively working with amateur and professional athletes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in Portland by Portland Business Journal multiple times over 8 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Backcountry.comflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 September 2025Velotech Inc., parent company of BikeTiresDirect, Western Bikeworks, and TriSports, was acquired by Backcountry.com, an outdoor goods online retailer founded in 1996. Velotech will continue operating its existing sites independently while exploring opportunities to collaborate on product assortment, fulfillment, and content with Backcountry.
• Portland Velo Cycling clubcoreOthersTitle sponsor of the local Portland Velo Cycling club as part of the company's commitment to supporting local cycling in Portland.
• Local Cycling Event OrganizersminorOthersSponsor of numerous local cycling events including @harvestcyclocross, @zone5promotions, and PNW cycling teams.
• Professional and Amateur AthletescoreOthersPartners with professional and amateur athletes including @maghroch (cyclocross), @alex_howes, @stefano_barberi, and Aaron for athlete sponsorships and brand representation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Competitive Cyclist: Specialty online cycling retailer offering premium road, mountain, and gravel bikes, components, apparel, and accessories. Directly comparable as a passion-driven, enthusiast-focused e-commerce platform serving the same cyclist segments as Western Bikeworks.
• Jenson USA: Direct-to-consumer online cycling retailer selling mountain bikes, road bikes, components, apparel, and accessories. Comparable to Velotech's multi-brand e-commerce model serving enthusiast cyclists with broad category coverage.
• Chain Reaction Cycles: Global online cycling retailer based in Northern Ireland offering bikes, components, apparel, and accessories. Comparable to Velotech as a multi-category online cycling retailer with deep product breadth and enthusiast focus.
• Wiggle: UK-based online cycling and triathlon retailer offering bikes, components, apparel, and accessories across endurance disciplines. Comparable to Velotech as a multi-discipline e-commerce platform with triathlon focus overlapping TriSports.
• Cambria Bike: Specialty online cycling retailer offering bikes, components, and accessories with a focus on enthusiast and racer segments. Comparable to Velotech as a passion-driven cycling e-commerce platform serving dedicated cyclists.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: Large American outdoor retail co-operative selling cycling products alongside broader outdoor gear. Comparable as a broad outdoor/cycling retailer, but operates at significantly larger scale with both online and physical retail.
• Backcountry: Outdoor goods online retailer founded in 1996 and current parent company of Velotech following the September 2025 acquisition. Directly comparable as a multi-category outdoor e-commerce platform; now also the parent rather than a pure peer.

Regional players

• ProBikeKit: European online cycling retailer offering bikes, components, apparel, and accessories to cyclists across multiple countries. Comparable to Velotech as a multi-category cycling e-commerce platform, but primarily serves European markets.
• Merlin Cycles: UK-based online cycling retailer specializing in bikes, components, and accessories with strong road and mountain bike selection. Comparable to Velotech as a specialty cycling e-commerce platform serving enthusiasts, but UK-focused.

Emerging players

• Niterider: Specialty cycling brand focused on lights, electronics, and accessories sold through its own site and cycling retailers. Adjacent to Velotech's bike accessories category and comparable as a specialty cycling-focused brand operating in the same enthusiast ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNJY3VRHEnVZ3HIESTOywTQ?sub_confirmation=1
• Facebookfacebook.com/BikeTiresDirect
• Instagraminstagram.com/biketiresdirect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velotech-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Velotech