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Brand Recognition
What is the Authentic Badge?
A special status for well-established, reputable brands, clubs, and stores. It's our way of recognising household names in cycling.
What Makes a Brand Authentic?
There's no strict set of rules, but we look for clubs and brands that are reputable, recognisable, and trusted in the cycling community.
Established Brand
A recognisable name in the cycling industry or community
Online Presence
Active website, social media, and verified business identity
Active Community
Regular rides, events, or member engagement
Reputation
Positive standing within the cycling community
Examples of Authentic Listings
Here are some examples of the types of brands, clubs, and stores that may qualify for Authentic status.
Retailer-Linked Clubs
Clubs operated by or affiliated with major cycling retailers
Wiggle
Sigma Sport
Evans Cycles
Cycle Republic
Manufacturer Clubs
Official clubs run by bike manufacturers and brands
Giant
Trek
Specialized
Canyon
Brompton
Media & Community
Well-known cycling media brands with active riding communities
GCN
Cycling Weekly
road.cc
Established Institutions
Historic clubs with long-standing reputation in British cycling
Long-established racing clubs
University cycling clubs
Historic touring clubs
Key Points About Authentic Status
Completely Free
Authentic status is never paid for. It's awarded based on brand recognition alone.
Does Not Require Verification
Unlike Verified status, Authentic brands don't need to go through our standard verification process. We recognise them based on their established reputation.
At Our Discretion
Our team decides which brands qualify. There's no application process - we identify and award authentic brands ourselves.
Dofollow Backlinks Included
Authentic brands automatically receive dofollow backlinks to their websites, the same SEO benefit as Verified listings.
Authentic vs Other Statuses
Understanding the different recognition types on Sportverse.
Authentic - Recognised Brands
For well-established brands like retailers (Wiggle, Sigma Sport), manufacturers (Giant, Trek), and media brands (GCN). Free, no verification required.
Claimed - Free
First step to managing your listing. Prove ownership to update basic info, add contact details, and access basic analytics.
Verified - £3.99/month
Upgrade from Claimed to unlock full control, custom branding, social media links, and dofollow backlinks.
Featured - Editor's Choice
Temporary spotlight for outstanding clubs. Time-limited, awarded by our team, cannot be purchased.
Promoted - Paid Advertising
Pay to boost your listing in search results and homepage. Available to any club or store.
Are You a Recognised Brand?
If you represent a well-known cycling brand, retailer, or manufacturer and your club isn't yet marked as Authentic, get in touch with us.