A PEEBLES-BASED cycle events organiser behind some of the region’s most popular biking spectacles has confirmed this will be its last season.

Thousands of cyclists have enjoyed rides put on by TweedLove across its near decade-and-a-half lifespan.

But founder Neil Dalgleish, of its Cavalry Park parent company Hillside Outside, announced this week it had reached the end of the road.

In a detailed statement, Mr Dalgleish blamed a combination of factors including costs since Covid, a lack of public sector support and a decline in bike industry sponsorship.

Mr Dalgleish said: “This is definitely the hardest thing I’ve had to write during the whole 15-year TweedLove journey.

“It’s with a heavy heart I have to announce that there will be no TweedLove events in 2025 or beyond.

“After several difficult years keeping everything afloat, these final races over the next couple of months will be our last.”

Mr Dalgleish said TweedLove had “created Scotland’s first-ever home-grown bike festival, produced the country’s biggest enduro race series and ran the UK’s biggest kids’ cycling events”.

There was dismay among supporters on social media.

Innerleithen and District Community Council member Andy Weir, of mountain bike tuition and guiding company Ridelines, said: “I can’t quite take in the impact of this right now as TweedLove has always been a significant part of Ridelines MTB schedule.

“I’ll seriously miss TweedLove and it will leave a big empty space for me personally.

“I know I’m not alone in feeling this and many more people will feel the same when they realise it’s gone.

“Please feel pride and joy in everything you achieved and enjoy quieter times.”

TweedLove hosted hundreds of cycling events, mostly for mountain bikes but also for children and on road and gravel.

Mr Dalgleish said he had “a lifetime of pride” in what had been achieved.

He added that entry numbers had “largely bucked the trend of dwindling participation” but it was not enough to “balance the negative elements”.

Mr Dalgleish said: “TweedLove began as an idea round a kitchen table and grew to become Scotland’s only full-time bike event business.

“At a conservative estimate, more than 70,000 participants have signed up, got on their bikes and taken part in TweedLove events.

“That doesn’t include all the free events, guided rides or all the people who came to spectate, support or just hang out at the festival.”

He added: “The bottom line is we can’t afford the salaries to attract or retain all the staff we need to do what we do.

“Having spent 15 years literally subsidising the whole operation, I just can’t see how I can, or maybe more accurately how I can afford to, take TweedLove forward.

“If anyone has any realistic proposals for how TweedLove can return, we’re all ears.” 

In one piece of good news, the closed road Tour O The Borders in September next year will still go ahead.

Glentress 7 on August 24; Hope Enjoyro EVO presented by Ridelines on August 25; and Glentress Family Day on August 25 will all take place this year.

The third TweedLove Enduro Series round on September 14-15 in Innerleithen will be the final TweedLove event in 2024.