Cycling Friends

What Cycling Friends does

CyclingFriends is a Japan-based direct-to-consumer cycle tourism platform operated by Terra Incognita Co., Ltd. (株式会社テラインコグニタ), a privately held company headquartered in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture. The platform serves individual cyclists and domestic/inbound tourists seeking to explore scenic back-roads of Japan, particularly around the Mt. Fuji region. Its core offering is a GIS-powered online cycling map built on community-contributed data, with route planning, diary management, scenic spot documentation, GPX export, and a "Japan's Most Beautiful Roads" encyclopedia; the mobile/web app is the primary interface, complemented by in-person guided tours at tours.cyclingfriends.co and electric-assisted bike rentals.

The business generates revenue through three streams: individually-priced guided cycling tours (one-time payment per tour), bike and equipment rentals, and the CF Points loyalty program where 1 point equals 1 yen off future purchases. Pricing is fully unit-based with no enterprise contracts; payment is accepted via credit card and Google Pay. Tours are conducted in person with trained guides wearing Poli Teamwear apparel, and difficulty is communicated through a three-tier star rating system. The platform's positioning emphasizes "hidden Japan" micro-tourism and regional revitalization rather than mass tourist destinations.

The company was founded with tour operations beginning in October 2020 and formalized its web platform in July 2023. It is currently expanding from its Mt. Fuji base into the Kanto, Koshinetsu, and Tokai regions and is recruiting guides to support that geographic expansion. No venture capital, private equity funding, or revenue figures have been disclosed, and the company's technology stack is centered on GIS rather than AI/ML, leaving the curated community content library as the principal differentiator.

Name

Cycling Friends

Legal name

株式会社テラインコグニタ

Website

https://cyclingfriends.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CyclingFriends, operated by Terra Incognita Co., Ltd., is a Japanese direct-to-consumer cycle tourism platform offering a community-built GIS cycling map, guided cycling tours, and bike rentals focused on scenic routes around Mt. Fuji and expanding across central Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (4879)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-Bike Adventure Tour Operators (THAAADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF), Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals (THAAALAG), Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Cycling tourism services
• Guided cycling tours
• Bike rental services
• Cycling route planning
• Collaborative cycling maps

Headquarters

HQ city

Shizuoka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Guided Cycling Tours: Guided cycling tours across Japan, focusing on hidden scenic spots and local attractions. Tours are led by trained guides and include carefully designed routes avoiding crowded tourist areas.
2. Bike Rentals: Electric-assisted bicycles and standard bikes available for rental during tours. Helmets and flat pedals provided.
3. CF Points System: Point-based loyalty system where customers earn CF Points that can be redeemed at 1 point = 1 yen for tours and products. Points are automatically applied to purchases over 500 yen.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CyclingFriends is a cycling tourism platform that enables cyclists to plan, record, and share cycling routes across Japan through a GIS-based collaborative cycling map. The company also operates professionally guided cycling tours across scenic regions of Japan (primarily around Mt. Fuji) and rents electric-assisted bicycles and equipment to tour participants, with a focus on hidden scenic spots and off-the-beaten-path experiences rather than crowded tourist destinations.

Product overview

CyclingFriends is a platform-based cycling ecosystem consisting of a mobile/web app and tour services. The core product is the CyclingFriends App, which provides an online cycling map with scenic spot discovery, route creation tools, and diary management. Supporting the app are Guided Cycling Tours offered through tours.cyclingfriends.co, providing professionally guided cycling experiences in Japan. The Bike Rental Service enables participants to rent electric-assisted bicycles for tours. These components work together to support cycle tourism in Japan, connecting cyclists with hidden scenic spots and enabling both self-guided and guided cycling experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CyclingFriends Tours: Guided cycling tour services operated by the company, featuring routes around Mount Fuji and expanding to other regions in Japan.

Products and services

• CyclingFriends App A comprehensive cycling app for planning, recording, and sharing cycling activities. Features include an online GIS-based cycling map, route creation tools, route sharing, and tour hosting capabilities. The platform emphasizes community-driven content with scenic spot recommendations and beautiful road guides for individual cyclists exploring Japan.
• Guided Cycling Tours

Quantifiable outcome

• Community-contributed scenic spots and routes across Japan
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Poli TeamwearminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPoli Teamwear is a cycling apparel brand handled by CyclingFriends. Their easily recognizable light blue cycling jerseys are worn by the guide team during tours. Guides wear Poli-branded uniforms to be easily identifiable during group rides.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Walk Japan: Walk Japan is a Japan-based guided walking and cultural tour operator focused on off-the-beaten-path experiences. It is comparable in spirit and customer overlap with CyclingFriends' off-the-beaten-path positioning, though it focuses on walking rather than cycling.

Broad incumbents

• Japanican (JTB Group): Japanican is the inbound tourism arm of JTB, a major Japanese travel conglomerate. It is comparable as a Japan-focused tour and experience booking platform, though it covers a much broader category of tours beyond cycling.
• Backroads: Backroads is a large, established active travel and adventure tour operator. It is a broad incumbent in the adventure tour space, offering cycling tours globally including Japan, but as part of a much wider portfolio.

Direct peers

• Strava: Strava is a fitness and cycling social network with route planning and community features. It overlaps with CyclingFriends in cycling route discovery and community engagement, though Strava's primary value is training/competition rather than scenic tourism.
• Komoot: Komoot is a leading route planning platform for hiking and cycling with strong community-generated content. It is directly comparable as a digital cycling/hiking map and route planning tool, though it operates globally rather than Japan-specifically.
• Cycle Japan: Cycle Japan is a guided cycling tour operator running tours across Japan. It overlaps with CyclingFriends Tours in offering organized, guide-led cycling experiences in scenic Japanese regions.
• Bikemap: Bikemap is a global cycling route platform with community-contributed routes and navigation. It overlaps with CyclingFriends' map and route-sharing functionality, though it serves a global rather than Japan-specific audience.
• Ride with GPS: Ride with GPS is a cycling-specific route planning and navigation platform. It is comparable as a tool for cyclists to discover, plan, and record routes, with similar functionality to CyclingFriends' map and route creation tools.
• Tokyo Bike Tour: Tokyo Bike Tour is a Japan-based guided cycling tour operator. It is directly comparable as a Japanese cycle tourism tour operator, though focused on Tokyo rather than the Mt. Fuji region.

Emerging players

• NAVITIME (Japan Travel): NAVITIME operates Japan Travel, a comprehensive Japan travel and transit platform with cycling route features. It overlaps in Japan-specific route planning and tourism content, with partial rather than full overlap with CyclingFriends' niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Cycling Friends