Complain About Bicycling Magazine - learn how to file a complaint

Trying to get a straight answer from Bicycling Magazine can feel like an uphill climb. Here’s a breakdown of your best options, from fastest to slowest.

Immediate to 30 minutes on the phone, but honestly, it feels longer when you're listening to hold music.

• Call Early: Try calling right when their phone lines open to avoid the lunchtime rush.
• Have Your Info Ready: Keep your subscription account number (it's on the magazine label) and billing details handy.
• Use Keywords: When talking to a representative or bot, use clear words like "cancel subscription" or "billing error."

If Bicycling Magazine ignores your emails and you're getting nowhere on the phone, it's time to escalate. Your best bet is filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It's a formal process where the BBB acts as a mediator. You file the complaint on their website, they forward it to a corporate contact at Hearst, and the company is pressured to respond to maintain their rating. The BBB works, but prepare to wait. Hearst usually responds after they get the official notice, but it's not an overnight fix. Remember, you should always try to resolve the issue with the company directly first, as regulatory bodies often require you to show you've made that effort.

Subject: Urgent: Unresolved Issue with Subscription - Account #[Your Account Number]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing again to resolve an issue with my Bicycling Magazine subscription, account #[Your Account Number]. Despite my previous attempts to sort this out, the problem remains unsolved.

On [[Date]], I was incorrectly charged [[$Amount]] for a subscription renewal, even though I had already cancelled my service on [[Date of Cancellation]]. Frankly, having to chase this down and spend my time correcting your company's billing error has been incredibly frustrating.

This is not a request. To resolve this, I require you to process a full refund of the [[$Amount]] charged in error and provide written confirmation that my subscription has been terminated permanently. I expect this confirmation via email within the next five business days.

Please be aware that if this issue is not resolved by then, my next step will be to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau and dispute the charge with my credit card provider.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

[[Your Name]]

• Get a Reference Number. Whether you call or chat, always ask for a confirmation or reference number. If they say they can't provide one, ask for the representative's name or ID.
• Take Screenshots. If you cancel online, screenshot every single step, especially the final confirmation page. Weirdly, these pages can sometimes glitch or not load properly.
• Use Social Media as a Last Resort. A public post on X (formerly Twitter) directed at @BicyclingMag or @Hearst can sometimes get a faster response from a social media team.
• Mention the BBB. One user on a forum mentioned that as soon as they casually said, "Okay, my next step is the BBB," the agent's tone changed and their issue was suddenly resolved. Worth a try.

Tired of digging through website FAQs just to find a contact number that puts you on hold forever? Sound familiar? It's the classic runaround, and it's designed to make you give up. Pine AI handles the annoying parts for you. We navigate the phone trees, wait on hold, and handle the back-and-forth emails to get your complaint filed and resolved. No hold music, no searching for contact forms, no wasted time. Think of it as your personal assistant for dealing with companies that make it hard to be heard. It's a huge time-saver.