A new strategy has been launched, covering the years 2019 – 2025, which outlines the vision for how mountain biking will continue to develop and sustainably grow moving forward.
Scotland’s famed scenery, networks of purpose built trails and progressive legislation make it one of the best locations in the world to go mountain biking. The new strategy details the impact and the wide range of benefits from getting outdoors and with Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) overseeing the strategy a number of strategic initiatives and projects will be delivered to put these benefits into practice.
What is Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland?
Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBiS) is a partnership hosted within Scottish Cycling. The principle role of DMBiS is to oversee the delivery of the national strategy for mountain biking in Scotland. This includes working with a range of partners at a national, regional and local level to provide a strategic approach for facility development, the spreading of best practice, campaigns, pilot programmes and international conferences.
Partners of DMBinS include; Scottish Cycling, Scottish Government, Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish National Heritage, Scottish Enterprise, EventScotland, Highlands and Island Enterprise, Cycling Scotland, Cycling UK Scotland, Glenmore Lodge, Scottish Land & Estates, VisitScotland and sportscotland.
About the strategy
The six-year strategy has been developed on behalf of all stakeholders in Scottish mountain biking, whether they be riders, tourists, product designers or manufacturers. The strategy comes at a great time for mountain biking in Scotland. The country is due to host the UCI World Championships in 2023 as well as having new trail developments in the pipeline. There has also been success on the global stage from Scottish riders and a growing number of participation programmes running across the country.
Graeme McLean, Head of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, discussed the purpose of the strategy;
“We want Scotland to be recognised as the leader of mountain biking in Europe."
"We are building towards this through product development, tourism, sport development, and sustainable trail development.”
Looking to the future
The strategy sets out a very clear mission for the future of Scottish mountain biking, by 2025, to have;
- Two million annual visits to the Scottish outdoors on a mountain bike (an increase of 33%).
- A world champion or world series winner in every mountain bike discipline.
- And to increase mountain biking’s annual total economic GVA contribution to £158m (51% increase).
Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture Tourism and External Affairs, added;
“Mountain biking is a growing activity in Scotland and this revised and ambitious strategy is very timely."
“I welcome the strategy’s threefold aim to increase participation, to support developing athletes and to increase the economic contribution of the sector to the wider Scottish economy."
Find out more
- Download a copy of the Strategy The Strategy for Scottish Mountain Biking, 2019-2025.
- About Developing Mountain Biking.
- More Cycling Stories on Sport First.
