Since its launch in 2014 Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland has grown to become the UK's largest mountain bike trail centre; supporting a multi-million pound economic boom as businesses create new and innovative products for the soaring number of cyclists taking to the outdoors. 

Rapid rise to success

The Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland, at Glentress Forest near Peebles, opened in the summer of 2014 and it is now the UK's largest mountain bike trail centre with more than 300,000 visitors per year; run as a partnership with Edinburgh Napier University, the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Cycling.

A survey of 28 companies, ranging from textiles firms and bicycle manufacturers to security devices firms and makers of specialist equipment forecast a combined increase in turnover of £13.5 million over the next three years. This growth will create 69 new jobs and see a £7.4 million increase in international sales over the same period. 

Among the successful product developments linked to the centre are -

  • Scottoiler's automatic chain lubrication system Cycle S1, which attaches to a bike and takes over the entire chain maintenance process.
  • SussMyBike's monitoring device which gathers the data you need to accurately adjust your suspension for improved performance via a smartphone app. 

"One of the jewels in Scotland’s mountain biking crown, Glentress attracts hundreds of thousands of mountain bikers to the Tweed Valley every year and I am pleased to see how the Mountain Bike Centre, industry and academia are collaborating to create new products and experiences which will allow this exciting sport to grow even further." Cabinet Minister Fergus Ewing MSP

Economic impact

In 2013, a study by University of Highlands & Islands estimated that visiting mountain bikers spent £49 million in the country, with indirect spending amounting to £130 million. 

“We can show international companies that if their product can work in the wet, muddy challenging conditions of the Scottish climate – it will work anywhere else in the world,” Dr Florida-James, Academic lead at the Mountain Bike Centre of Scotland.

News item: "Mountain Bike Centre helps boost Scottish business."

Interested in this project? Contact Dr Florida-James.