I’m proud to be an independent blogger with exclusive ownership of the rights to my intellectual property. I do not use AI to generate my content. There are no hidden partnerships or commercial interests I don’t fully disclose. I don’t accept sponsored guest posts, paid backlinks, or any other type of advertorial content written by anyone else.
I do, however, have to keep a roof (or tent, or tarp) over my head somehow!
In order to keep my content both free and unbiased, therefore, when reviewing or mentioning a product I’ll occasionally provide a link to buy the item or service on a third-party website. If there’s an asterisk (*) next to the link, I may earn a small commission (typically 3–5%) if you make a purchase after following the link. This never affects the price you’ll pay; the commission comes out of the retailer’s profit margin, being accounted for as an advertising fee.
The websites to which I provide monetised links are many and varied, but mainly fit the category of online retailers of outdoor and cycling equipment. I use well-known affiliate networks such as Avantlink, Webgains and Affiliate Window to create and manage these partnerships. As an Amazon Associate I also earn from qualifying purchases on several localised Amazon outlets. I’m a member of the eBay Partner Network which means I earn commission on purchases made through the eBay platforms.
In addition to tracked affiliate links to online retailers, I also have a very small number of offline partnerships, in which I earn commissions based on the buyer mentioning me or my blog as their referrer during a physical transaction.
I want to remain completely transparent about this setup in order to avoid the kind of distrust so prevalent in the world of affiliate linking and blog monetisation in general. That’s why each and every affiliate link or partnership is clearly identified as such.
How Do I Decide Which Affiliate Links To Include?
My main goals for this website are to tell stories of adventure in the hope that they will educate, entertain and inspire others, and to be of service to the adventure cycling community by sharing knowledge, helping more people make personal, meaningful journeys by bicycle.
When I create a third-party link to a product or service, I’ll search first for the best deals I can find from trusted retailers, and only then investigate the possibility of joining that retailer’s affiliate programme, if they have one. (They often don’t, hence many of the links are unaffiliated.)
Adding a small amount to my income through these links ultimately enables me to spend more time on the site because I’ll be selling less of my time elsewhere to cover the costs of living.
I hope that this equation is clear enough, and that you will deem this site’s objectives worthy of your support.
Final Obligatory Disclaimer
You should be aware that the opinions I express about these products are purely my own, and I provide the links for informational purposes. Whether to buy the item or not is a matter for your discretion alone, and I can’t be held responsible for the failings of any third-party websites or manufacturers.
Thank you for reading,
Tom