Dukes Weekender: The Next Chapter...

Community has always been at the heart of Dukes Weekender and as the event enters it’s 4th edition the team behind the event have officially handed over the reigns to Bike Trossachs CIC.

Like the best things in life, the idea from the event was born through a couple of friends on a bike ride. Since that point, Stu Thomson and Rob Friel set about turning the event into a reality as a way to play a part in a community effort to help revitalise the local economy and simultaneously demonstrate the wonderful riding on their doorstep in Aberfoyle.

Together with their partners, Amber and Caroline the four put together their collective skills and have grown the event to become what it is today... We’re biased (obviously) but the event has blown away all expectations. It is the largest gravel event in Scotland (and one of the biggest in the UK), but more than that it is one with a special vibe, with community and inclusivity at the centre, a stalwart on the cycling calendar every year and set in the heart of Aberfoyle with a route (new one coming this year ;)) that takes in some of the most breathtaking views of the Trossachs.

Left to right: Caroline, Rob, Amber and Stu

Yet, while the event has now grown from the 118 riders in year one, to a sold out weekend of over 600 riders of all ages, bikes and background (and a waiting list nearly as long), the most important thing is that community has always been the focus and goal for the four founders.

The journey over the years since the first event has been incredible, not least the birth of the Gravelfoyle brand, the village now has a wonderful resort feel on the weekends with gravel bikes (and many others) buzzing about, an incredible social media following and the recent introduction of the first ever way marked gravel routes in the UK which is something we are all extremely proud of.

This is where Bike Trossachs CIC comes in. Over the last few years, in parallel to the growth of Dukes, Bike Trossachs CIC has had a rebirth. Initially responsible way back when for the village bike park, in the last few years a group of local riders have joined forces to bring the organisation back to life.

This is an image with a story…. Stu took this photo of Rob riding as one of the first images to promote Dukes in the first year. The shot and location has become a bit iconic for the event and Gravelfoyle as a destination. A regular tagged spot on social media ❤️.

Bike Trossachs is a community interest company with the mission to enable and promote cycling in the Trossachs and surrounding area. Rob and Stu are part of the (our) organisation, who under the steering (notable mention) of chairman and local rider Enda McLoughlin are working together on a number of projects from areas such as accessible cycling, Gravelfoyle brand and the Gravelfoyle trails, working with local schools, bike park upgrades and many many more.

‘We’ is most certainly stronger that ‘I’ and it is with that in mind that Stu, Rob, Amber and Caroline have passed over the running of the event to Bike Trossachs. The event is on solid ground and the opportunity it is giving Bike Trossachs to have a profit making venture as part of the organisation is a powerful one. To this point every step on the journey has been driven by volunteers, passionate about cycling and their home. Yet Dukes has supported in allowing Bike Trossachs to employ their first ever part-time member of staff to the team (local legend and Gravelfoyle queen Kerry MacPhee!). This is just the first step, we’re ambitious about what we can do, growing the organisation, working on some amazing cycling projects and delivering on the positive influence cycling can make to lives and our little part of Scotland.

Frustratingly we don’t actually have a picture of the full Bike Trossachs team…. This is as close as we have (sorry Beth!). You’ll get to meet us all at Dukes 2022 though!

So from now on Dukes Weekender will be run and operated by the team at Bike Trossachs CIC. Every single penny of profit that the event can turn will be put back into our projects and making our cycling related ambitions happen.

Thanks to Stu, Amber, Rob and Caroline for making the event what is has become, but moreover thank you to all the participants, brands and local support for helping realise this vision, we genuinely cannot express how much it means.

It’s in safe hands going forward and we can’t wait to see what the future brings.

You can check out the Bike Trossachs website here - BikeTrossachs.com

and incase you haven’t checked out the launch of the Gravelfoyle destination website and trails - Gravelfoyle.com