Bicycle Association and DMBinS join forces to boost mountain biking across UK
The Bicycle Association of Great Britain (BA) has partnered with Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) to strengthen collaboration and encourage the growth of mountain biking across the UK.
The initiative will pilot innovative data-sharing projects, bring industry voices from Scotland and across the UK into strategic mountain bike planning, and create new opportunities for nationwide collaboration. Regional pilots will also be launched in the Lothians & Borders and Aberdeenshire, working with local bike shops to trial anonymous data-sharing models through the BA’s Market Data Service. These pilots will provide valuable insights into sales trends, servicing and accessory uptake.
The findings will help shape regional cycling and mountain biking strategies, inform economic development, and support trail and destination planning. The overall aim is to encourage more people to take up mountain biking in the pilot regions, with the support of their local bike shops.
“This partnership represents a major step forward in how the mountain biking industry and brands can have their voice heard in the development of future strategies for mountain biking,” said Steve Garidis, Executive Director of the Bicycle Association GB. “By combining DMBinS’s leadership in strategic planning with the BA’s industry expertise and data capabilities, we can create a richer understanding of the market and a stronger platform to support independent retailers, regional growth and national strategies across the UK.”
In addition to the regional pilots, the BA will take a formal role in Scotland’s MTB Consortium, ensuring the industry’s voice is represented at a national level. The partnership will also establish a new UK-wide mountain bike sub-group under the BA umbrella to drive shared priorities such as trail access, product innovation and sector promotion.
The sub-group will work closely with the industry-funded UK Trails Project, ensuring industry insights and priorities — including future trends — are fed into governing bodies and land managers. This will help anticipate riders’ needs and guide the development of trails and routes accordingly.
“Independent Bike Dealers are at the heart of our cycling communities, and by bringing them into a structured data-sharing framework, we can generate the insights needed to support their businesses, campaign for more trails and improved infrastructure, inform economic development, and help deliver the long-term ambitions of Scottish mountain biking,” said Graeme McLean, Head of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland.
