3point5.com Partners with the International Mountain Biking Association

SALT LAKE CITY, UT– (Oct. 15, 2008) – When the International Mountain Biking Association needed to educate people about its global organization, the nonprofit turned to 3point5.com and its 95,000 registered users.

The result: IMBA 101, an online training course built by the online training leader and accessible for free by all 3point5.com users. The course charts IMBA’s rise from its birth in 1988 as a mountain bike advocacy group in California to a worldwide force for trail maintenance, education and innovative mountain bike management solutions. When users are done taking the course, they can test their knowledge by taking 3point5.com’s interactive “Edu-Games”.

3point5.com, an online training campus that hosts thousands of retail salespeople, manufacturers and retailers in the Outdoor, Bike, Snowsports, Action Sports and Hunt/Fish markets, was an ideal partner for IMBA training, according to Rich Cook, Development Director of IMBA.

“We quickly realized that 3point5.com not only had extensive reach in the retail arena, the company also had relationships with people who quite likely were into mountain biking,” Cook said. “We understood that the retail staff – and the mountain bikers they interact with each day – needs to know the importance of IMBA’s mission in protecting the places we play and how they can join us to support the effort to build new trails.”

“As 3point5.com has penetrated different markets with its online training programs, the company had begin reaching out to nonprofits like IMBA and advocacy organizations like the Board Retailers Association,” said 3point5.com CEO Duncan Robins.

“We want to be the online campus where retail industry employees go for information – whether it’s how to sell a bicycle or how to get involved as a mountain bike trail-builder,” Robins said.

3point5.com has built online training sites for several bike industry manufacturers, including Pearl Izumi, Giro, GT bicycles, Thule, CycleOps, Saris, Manitou, New Balance, Brooks, Smith and over 100 other sporting goods brands.

In addition, the Salt Lake City-based company offers expert-authored product fundamental training courses on road bikes, mountain bikes and BMX bikes.

About 3point5.com
3point5.com is an online campus that represents over 95,000 registered pros and sales professionals, 250 manufacturers and over 12,000 retailers in an increasing number of industries, including Outdoor, Snow, Bike, Action Sports, Golf, Tennis and Hunt/Fish. 3point5.com offers a fun and secure place for retail sales professionals to train, access information and interact within their industry.

About IMBA
IMBA creates, enhances and preserves great trail opportunities for mountain bikers worldwide, encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trail work, cooperation among different trail user groups and innovative, sustainable trail management solutions. IMBA’s network includes 32,000 individual members, more than 650 bicycle clubs, more than 150 corporate partners and an equal number of bicycle retailer members. IMBA is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt, non-profit educational association.