Bike Iowa - Honest Review

I wanted to circle back now that we've made it through RAGBRAI and most of our cycling season and give you an update on how things went with Strike Force.

First off - we really appreciate the partnership.

Strike Force continues to be an incredibly easy product for us to talk about because we actually use it. We're not standing behind a table trying to sell people something we just learned about. We can tell them how we discovered it years ago, why we use it, and why we think it works so well for cyclists.

RAGBRAI INPECTION RIDE

We already chatted about this in June and how it went.

RAGBRAI LIII

As we talked about before RAGBRAI, our setup is a little different because we're in the overnight towns. By the time riders get to the BIKEIOWA Expo, they've already ridden their miles for the day.

And honestly, we were reminded that RAGBRAI riders have a pretty short list by then:

Food. Live music. Maybe some beers. And eventually, sleep. 😄

Getting their focused attention at an Expo booth can be tough.

That said, the Strike Force Energy packets went like hotcakes once we explained what they were and told people that we've personally been using them for years. The convenience of throwing a couple packets in a jersey pocket for the next day's ride really resonated.

The Hydration was a little tougher.

People noticed the pump bottles, but a surprising number walked right past assuming they were alcohol-related because of the bottle design. Even with our signage and cups available for samples, most people weren't stopping long enough to read about what they were.

That's probably our biggest takeaway from RAGBRAI: the packets almost explain themselves once we get someone's attention. The bottles require more education.

About half of RAGBRAI week was brutally hot, so there certainly wasn't a shortage of people thinking about hydration and energy. Once the heat spell finally broke, you could almost feel the entire ride loosen up and start having more fun again.

Throughout the week we heavily promoted the BIKEIOWA 20% discount code, both in person and through BIKEIOWA online and social channels.

We Didn't Stop With RAGBRAI

We've continued taking Strike Force with us throughout the season:

• Iowa State Fair - took the BIKEIOWA Expo Trailer for a day
• Capital City Cross - our flagship two-day cyclocross event. We gave away Energy packets and used several bottles and packet packages as race prizes.
• Ankeny Bike to the Farmers Market - rainy day, but still worthwhile exposure.
• Twisted Cross in Cedar Falls - had Strike Force at the BIKEIOWA tent and handed out packets to racers and attendees.
• BIKEIOWA Racing Team - opened it up to our roughly 50-member team. We got some interest, although admittedly not as much as I expected.

At all of these we've continued promoting the 20% BIKEIOWA code, along with continued promotion through BIKEIOWA.com and our social channels.

And You Converted Us on Hydration...

This wasn't necessarily something I expected when we started the partnership.

We were already longtime Strike Force Energy users, but we've really grown to like Strike Force Hydration.

We've now used it ourselves for gravel races, a half marathon, cyclocross races, mountain bike races and everyday hydration. It has pretty much worked its way into our regular routine alongside the Energy.

So even though Hydration was harder to explain in the RAGBRAI Expo environment, the product itself has definitely won us over.

Next Up 2026:

More cyclocross races, fall mountain biking, and fat biking events. We'll take some to the Iowa Bike and Trails Summit in Mid Oct and our Event Directors conference in Tucson in Nov.

Next Up 2027: Iowa Bike Expo

Our next really big opportunity is the Iowa Bike Expo on January 23rd.

We'll see roughly 3,000–5,000 people come through during the Expo and RAGBRAI Announcement Party that evening. It's the largest cycling expo in the Midwest and, unlike the RAGBRAI overnight setup, people are there specifically to browse, talk bikes, learn about products and plan the upcoming season.

I think that environment could be a really good fit for Strike Force.

We'll absolutely continue showcasing the product and promoting the BIKEIOWA discount code there.

More than anything, I wanted to give you some real-world feedback and say thank you.

We REALLY appreciate the support and the partnership. Strike Force is an easy fit for BIKEIOWA because we use it ourselves, believe in it, and have an authentic story to tell when someone asks why it's sitting on our table.

We're looking forward to continuing to build on that.

Let me know what you're seeing on your end, what has worked well for your other cycling/endurance partnerships, and if you have any ideas for things you'd like us to try going into the Iowa Bike Expo and the 2027 season.

Attached are a few photos and a video.

Thanks again and RIDE SAFE!