Tweed Green light for big Borders bike festival

With its main races already sold out, the Tweed Valley’s big bike festival looks set to make a triumphant return.
Returning festival visitors can find out more about e-bikes as an option for everyday local journeys and as a method of hitting the hills and trails (picture by Ian Linton)Returning festival visitors can find out more about e-bikes as an option for everyday local journeys and as a method of hitting the hills and trails (picture by Ian Linton)
Returning festival visitors can find out more about e-bikes as an option for everyday local journeys and as a method of hitting the hills and trails (picture by Ian Linton)

Having missed its 10th anniversary edition because of Covid-19, TweedLove Bike Festival will return to Tweed Green in Peebles from September 17-19, with at least 1500 cyclists involved in bike events and many hundreds of others visiting the festival village.

It’s a positive turn of events for both the occasion and the Peebles company behind it, Hillside Outside Ltd, which looked almost certain to go out of business at the start of the year.

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With no event revenue since the summer of 2019, the situation was dire and staff were lost. Now, with a new team and a reborn public enthusiasm for all things cycling, the picture is looking much brighter.

“It’s been a tough time and looked totally hopeless at times but we’re fighting our way back,” said TweedLove boss Neil Dalgleish. “We wouldn’t be here now without the support and advice of South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council and EventScotland.”

TweedLove was established over 11 years ago and is one of the biggest bike events on the UK calendar. Tweed Green will be buzzing with bikers, the top bike brands, festival food and drink and the free Canyon Airbag, with the new September date aiming to finish the summer season in style.

There’s an added dimension too this year, as the organisers want to bring attention to how bikes, and e-bikes in particular, can contribute to promoting greener travel and draw attention to the climate crisis.

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“Bikes have to play a much bigger part in our future travel mix, it’s as simple as that,” added Dalgleish.

The festival, which is free entry all weekend, will also include a free outdoor family cinema night, the Frog Bikes Kids’ Zone, a huge bike industry expo and demo where the public can try the best new bikes, marked trails, meet and greet with pro riders and a chance for bike fans of all kinds to immerse themselves in the world of cycling.

“Bike tourism is one of the biggest parts of the local economy now and our community has a great reputation for welcoming visitors,” said Dalgleish.

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