Sweet Riders

What Sweet Riders does

Sweet Riders LTD is a privately held mountain biking coaching and guiding service founded in 2015 by Karey Hovind (formerly Watanabe) in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada. The company delivers instruction and guided experiences across adult clinics (MTB 101/102, evening skill series, jump skills, drops, refresher courses), private lessons for individuals, couples and families, youth programs for ages 4-17, multi-day ladies and co-ed skill camps, winter fat biking tours, e-bike historical mining tours, and Bicycle Instructor Certification Program (BICP) Level 1 and Level 2 certification courses. Pricing is set in Canadian dollars plus GST across unit-priced offerings ranging from $30 youth sessions to $750 BICP Level 2 certification, with no subscription or recurring-contract model.

The business has no proprietary technology. Operations run on third-party infrastructure: PayPal for payment processing, Smartwaiver for electronic liability waivers, Drip for email marketing, and Trailforks for trail mapping references. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via sweetriders.com with PayPal checkout, supplemented by external BICP website registrations. Marketing relies on organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, Twitter), Travel Alberta and Crowsnest Pass earned-media features, and word-of-mouth referrals. Youth outreach is delivered in conjunction with Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills and the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta, providing partial foundation funding for youth cycling. Sweet Riders sponsors include Norco, Ascent Cycle, CogNation, UROC, Uplift Adventures, and Crowsnest Coffee Company.

Geographically the company serves a defined catchment — the Crowsnest Pass region in southwestern Alberta including Blairmore, Coleman, Pass Powderkeg, and York Creek trail networks — plus an extension into Cardston via a second skills park location. The operation is founder-led with 1-10 employees and remains essentially a personal-services coaching business where the founder's elite racing background (three Japanese DH Series titles, World Cup and Canadian National Series experience) and BICP Level 2 certification function as the primary differentiator against other regional mountain bike schools.

Name

Sweet Riders

Legal name

Sweet Riders LTD

Website

https://sweetriders.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sweet Riders is a privately held mountain biking coaching and guiding company in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, offering adult clinics, youth programs, private lessons, skill camps, fat biking and e-bike tours, and BICP instructor certification courses for individual recreation riders of all skill levels and ages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Coaching and Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF)

Keywords

• Mountain bike coaching
• Cycling instruction services
• Guided cycling tours
• Youth cycling programs
• Bike certification courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Blairmore

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Coaching and Instruction Services: Revenue from mountain bike coaching sessions including private lessons, group clinics, skill camps for adults and youth. Services offered at various skill levels from beginner to advanced. Includes MTB 101/102 sessions, evening series, jump skills, drops training, and specialty sessions.
2. Tours and Guiding: Revenue from guided tours including fat biking winter tours, e-bike historical mining tours, and community trail rides. Tours often include additional amenities such as meals, fondue experiences, or accommodation packages.
3. BICP Certification Courses: Revenue from hosting BICP (Bicycle Instructor Certification Program) Level 1 and Level 2 certification courses. Registration handled through BICP website with Sweet Riders as the host venue in Crowsnest Pass.
4. Merchandise Sales: Revenue from branded merchandise including mountain bike jerseys (youth, ladies, men's) sold in various sizes and colors at $65-$68.25 per jersey.
5. Gift Certificates: Revenue from gift certificates available in fixed or custom amounts, valid for one year from purchase date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sweet Riders is a mountain biking coaching and guiding service business operating in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. The company delivers in-person MTB skill instruction across adult clinics, private lessons, kids/youth programs, multi-day skill camps, winter fat biking tours, e-bike tours, and BICP instructor certification courses. Supplementary offerings include branded jerseys and gift certificates.

Product overview

Sweet Riders is a mountain biking coaching and guiding company operating in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of services organized around skill development and trail experiences: core coaching programs include adult MTB clinics (MTB 101/102, evening series, jump skills), BICP certification courses (Level 1 and Level 2), and private lessons for individuals, couples, and families. Specialized offerings include kids/youth programs spanning ages 4+ (Tiny Tots through Advanced Youth Camps), fat biking winter tours, e-bike tours with historical mining narratives, and multi-day skill camps for ladies and co-ed groups. The company also sells branded merchandise (jerseys) and gift certificates as supplementary products. All services are delivered at locations including Blairmore Skills Park, Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill trails, and various Crowsnest Pass trail networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult MTB Coaching & Clinics
• Skill Camps (Ladies & Co-Ed)
• Kids/Youth Programs
• Fat Biking Tours
• E-Bike Tours & Lessons
• BICP Certification Courses
• Private Lessons (Adults/Youth)
• Couples MTB Experiences
• Family MTB Lessons
• Sweet Riders Merchandise
• Gift Certificates

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants achieve skills progression from absolute beginner to confident rider capable of handling various trail conditions

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ascent CycleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Sweet Riders. Logo displayed on sponsors section of website.
• UROC (United Riders of the Crowsnest)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal trail organization and sponsor. UROC maintains trail systems including Pass Powderkeg, York Creek, and Kids Corner. Sweet Riders utilizes UROC trails for instruction.
• CogNationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Sweet Riders. Logo displayed on sponsors section of website.
• NorcominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBicycle manufacturer sponsor. Logo displayed on sponsors section of website.
• Uplift AdventuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal adventure company. Partner for historical mining e-bike tour script written by Uplift Adventures. Same family operation as Country Encounters.
• Crowsnest Coffee CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal coffee company sponsor. Logo displayed on sponsors section of website.
• Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills/CNP BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiated youth cycling program in 2016 in conjunction with Boys & Girls Club and The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta. Sweet Riders continues to work on expanding youth cycling programs.
• The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner for youth cycling program initiated in 2016. Provides funding support for youth cycling development in the region.
• Women on Wheels (WOW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer WOW head coach Natalie Rix partners with Sweet Riders for Ladies Skill Camps as a qualified coach.
• Country Encounters Wine BarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for fat bike tours including lunch and fondue experiences. Also offers accommodation packages. Same family as Uplift Adventures.
• Alpenland BlairmoreminorOthersGear rental partner for fat bikes and e-bikes. Provides 10% discount for Sweet Riders participants. Located at 13131 20 Ave Blairmore, AB.
• York Creek Bed and BreakfastminorOthersRecommended accommodation partner for skill camps. $130 + GST per room with two single beds, split for $65 each.
• Pass Beer BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery recommended for skill camp dinners. Offers 10% discount to Sweet Riders participants for 'Bikes & Beers' program.
• Stone's Throw CafeminorOthersProvides meals for skill camps including lunches and optional lunch for couples day camp. Located in Crowsnest Pass.
• Krista's Counselling Services Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MTB & Anxiety seminars. Krista provides counselling expertise for addressing fear and anxiety while riding MTB.
• Allison-Chinook XC Ski AreaminorOthersVenue for fat biking tours. Meeting place for Allison-Chinook trails fat bike experiences.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Whistler Mountain Bike Park: The largest and most established lift-served mountain bike park globally, with a full school offering private lessons, group clinics, and camps. Comparable as a destination MTB instruction business, but operates at vastly larger scale and as part of Whistler Blackcomb resort.
• Trestle Bike Park: Colorado lift-served bike park with a dedicated skills park, lessons, and camps run through Winter Park Resort. Comparable as a MTB school + park offering private/group lessons across ability levels, with a broader resort portfolio around the core coaching business.
• SilverStar Bike Park: BC ski resort operating a summer mountain bike park and lesson program comparable to Sweet Riders' coaching model, but as part of a full resort with summer lift access, rental fleet, and lodging. Same regional Canadian mountain context as Sweet Riders.

Direct peers

• Dirt Series: Multi-day women's mountain bike skills camps operated across North America, originally co-founded with Trek. Mirrors Sweet Riders' camp-format, certified-instructor, all-skills-level coaching model with strong community-driven branding.
• Highland Mountain Bike Park: Lift-served mountain bike park in New Hampshire offering lessons, camps, and coaching programs for all skill levels. Comparable as a facility-based MTB school serving riders from beginners through advanced, with a coaching-driven offering model.
• Ladies AllRide: Founded by Lindsey Voreis, Ladies AllRide runs women's mountain bike skills camps and clinics across multiple U.S. locations. Closest direct comparable: skills-focused women's MTB coaching business with multi-day camp formats, certified instructors, and event-driven GTM similar to Sweet Riders' ladies and co-ed skill camps.
• Camp of Champions: Long-running mountain bike and action-sports camp at Whistler, BC, offering multi-day instructional programs for youth and adults. Closely comparable to Sweet Riders' summer camp and skill-camp structure, with similar coach-led, skill-progression curriculum.

Others

• Uplift Adventures: Local adventure-guiding operator in Crowsnest Pass that co-authored Sweet Riders' historical mining e-bike tour script. Adjacent operator in the same geography providing complementary adventure experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SweetRidersLtd
• YouTubevimeo.com/sweetriders
• Facebookfacebook.com/sweetriders
• Instagraminstagram.com/sweetriders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sweet-riders-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sweet Riders