Sea Otter Classic: from humble beginnings to all-star success across multiple industries
The Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California is the perfect event for cycling industry brands and lovers of all things bike-related! However, it is also one of the best outdoor industry festivals for bike-adjacent brands. So whether you offer camping and overlanding gear, nutrition and wellness products, or fitness tech like Garmins and GoPros, the Sea Otter Classic should be on your list of events to attend every Spring due to its ability to reach retailers, dealers and outdoor enthusiasts alike!
What started in 1991 as Laguna Seca Challenge with 350 athletes and 150 spectators has grown to a well-attended industry + public-facing event with over 70,000 visitors and 900+ cycling industry brands! The four-day festival showcased some of the world’s best cycling brands, thrilling races, and non-profit organizations doing great things for all cyclists.
And, one of the best parts about the Sea Otter Classic? You can camp onsite!
the best in Show at Sea Otter Classic are the Trails
The Sea Otter Classic is held at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a 2.2-mile race course typically reserved for auto and moto racing. However, the draw at the Sea Otter Classic is not the racetrack and its famous ‘corkscrew’, which is exhilarating in itself. Instead, it’s the trails that surround the course in Ford Ord, an old military base.
Fort Ord National Monument offers 86 miles of trails that include flowy singletrack, punchy climbs, and fire roads interconnecting it all to make it an excellent destination for mountain biking and gravel riding!
And since the trails at Sea Otter Classic are the ‘Best in Show’, we thought you might want to know who maintains them. It’s a combination of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and volunteers from local non-profit organizations such as the Monterey Off-Road Cycling Association (MORCA).
The costs associated with trail maintenance are primarily covered by government funding, donations from community members, and organizations that support trail advocacy, like our friends at the California Mountain Biking Coalition!
the racing at Sea Otter Classic
Besides the trails, and all the meet and greets with cycling brands, the Sea Otter Classic is also the best event for bringing together riders of all disciplines. With a mix of professional and amateur racers, the event features everything from road racing to gravel, eMTB, and downhill!
The Sea Otter Classic featured too many races and categories to list, including the Sea Otter Fuego XL, which is a qualifier for the Leadville 100MTB.
Sea Otter Classic: Best event for outdoor recreation and cycling ‘adjacent’ brands
The Sea Otter Classic is more than just a cycling event—it’s a four-day celebration of outdoor recreation, innovation, and adventure. Attendees range from hardcore mountain bikers and road cyclists to gravel riders, e-bike explorers, and even families looking for an outdoor weekend getaway. This diverse audience presents a unique opportunity for brands that cater to active lifestyles, even if they aren’t directly in the cycling industry.
Think about attending the Sea Otter Classic if you specialize in:
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Outdoor apparel – Sun protection, rain gear, or casual wear designed for adventure lovers fits right in.
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Hydration & nutrition – Energy bars, electrolyte drinks, and recovery supplements have a captive audience.
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Camping & overlanding gear – Many cyclists at Sea Otter are also campers, van lifers, or adventure travelers- learn more below!
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Action cameras & tech accessories – GPS devices, power banks, and mounts appeal to riders documenting their rides.
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Wellness & recovery products – From CBD balms to compression gear, active individuals are always seeking recovery solutions.
It’s also one of the reasons Sea Otter tops our list each year for the Best Tradeshows to Attend to Grow Your Outdoor Brand. And if you haven’t read that piece yet, bookmark it for later!
the sea otter classic expo area
One of the biggest draws of Sea Otter is the expo area, where brands unveil their latest innovations, from game-changing bike components to exciting crossover products that enhance the outdoor experience. Over the years, some of the most talked-about “Best in Show” winners have included:
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Garmin (2023) – Their Edge GPS cycling computers and Varia radar systems continue to impress not just cyclists, but runners and adventure racers as well.
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Yakima (2019) – Known for car racks, Yakima showcased bike storage solutions that also catered to overlanders and campers.
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Osprey (2022) – While best known for hiking packs, their hydration packs were a hit among endurance cyclists.
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GoPro (2018 & 2021) – A staple at Sea Otter, their cameras attract outdoor adventurers far beyond the cycling world.
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Theragun (2020) – Originally a tool for high-performance athletes, their percussive therapy devices found a new fanbase among endurance cyclists.
recreation vehicles (RV’s) have a space and an audience at the sea otter classic
From Outdoor Retailer to the Belgian Waffle Ride, we’ve seen recreational vehicles slowly make their way into cycling events and cycling festival expos. The Sea Otter Classic is no different, and it makes sense as the venue is surrounded by happy campers that also happen to be cyclists!
One year we walked through the Bulls Bikes booth, and we spotted the coolest little vintage trailer. Diego at Happier Camper gave us a quick tour of the HC1, an ultra-light travel trailer- we’re talking 1,100 pounds! The interior comes with lots thoughtful features, and their Adaptiv modular platform can be arranged is a variety of different ways depending if you are sleeping, hauling bikes, cooking up a feast, or just getting work done at camp!
Engaging with the Right Audience at the sea otter classic
Unlike traditional trade shows, Sea Otter Classic is consumer-focused, meaning attendees aren’t just industry insiders but real customers looking for their next favorite product. This allows brands to engage directly with passionate users who are eager to test, purchase, and spread the word about their latest innovations.
Even brands outside of the direct bike industry find success because Sea Otter attendees tend to be early adopters—people who are willing to invest in high-quality gear that enhances their outdoor experience. For companies that offer performance apparel, hydration systems, tech gadgets, or recovery products, this means access to a receptive, engaged, and influential customer base!
Experiential Marketing at Its Best
Sea Otter is a place where consumers want to touch, feel, and experience products firsthand. Outdoor brands that come prepared with engaging activations—whether it’s demo rides, product sampling, interactive booths, or giveaways—create memorable impressions that translate into brand loyalty!
Some past standout activations include:
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Skratch Labs sampling station and hosted happy hours, where attendees fueled up with delicious homemade treats made onsite by Chef Biju himself!
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TASCO MTB’s foot-down competition, besides offering adventure-ready gear and apparel for cyclists and beyond, we helped TASCO bring in their ambassadors from pro-riders to amateurs for a little friendly competition!
Media Exposure & Industry Buzz at sea otter classic
Because Sea Otter Classic is a major launchpad for new products, it attracts significant media attention. Major cycling publications, influencers, and content creators cover the event extensively, making it a great place for brands to gain visibility.
Whether it’s a new hydration pack getting reviewed by BikeRadar, a high-tech bike light featured on Pinkbike, or an innovative recovery product tested by an endurance athlete’s YouTube channel, brands at Sea Otter benefit from industry-wide exposure.
Best Custom Bike at the Sea Otter Classic- the bar bike
When we headed over to watch Dual Slalom one Saturday evening, we had run out of beers. But luckily, I met Mike from Auburn, CA and his incredible Margarita Bar Cart! Not something for sale at the show, but this was just the best custom build we’d seen so far.
It was also a good reminder of how although there are hundreds of cycling brands out there, sometimes the best bikes are the ones you’ve built up yourself!
final thoughts on the Sea Otter Classic
For brands looking to reach an engaged, active audience, the Sea Otter Classic is more than just a cycling festival—it’s a prime opportunity to connect with consumers who love adventure, the outdoors, and innovative gear. Attending and exhibiting at the Sea Otter Classic is a smart investment.
Whether your product is directly cycling-related or simply complements an active lifestyle, Sea Otter is an event where your brand can thrive, build lasting relationships, and make an impact in the outdoor recreation market.
For more tips on event activations, B2B marketing, tradeshows, and brand ambassadors, check out these blogs:
- The Best Tradeshows in the Outdoor Industry
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How to Find the Right Brand Ambassadors and Influencers for Your Brand
- Top 10 Travel Trade Shows for Tour Operators, Hotels, & Destinations
- B2B vs B2C Marketing Strategies: What’s the Difference?
To learn more about what we do on the regular, follow Top Rope Media’s adventures on Instagram, Facebook or X.
Until next time, get out there and ride your bike!
– Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media
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