#008 The Dales Bike Centre - Bikes, Bikes & More Bikes!

Welcome to the Inside Yorkshire Podcast. A podcast full of stories and tales from the people of Yorkshire. On today’s episode, we talk to Stu Price, the owner of Dales Bike Centre in Swaledale, to talk about bikes, bikes, and more bikes!

The Tour de France really opened up a lot of opportunities when it came to Yorkshire in 2014. The cycling legacy has been the annual Tour de Yorkshire which commenced the following year in 2015. The Ard Rock Enduro Festival is also a regular event taking place now the 6th year in Swaledale.

The Yorkshire hills is surely a challenging route to take for professional cyclists. But it isn’t just the terrain, many enthusiasts are starting to take notice of how fantastic the way of life is and how the people are. Stu didn’t ever plan to move into Swaledale but he loved the countryside and decided to stay. He and his wife built the Dales Bike Centre, which is very popular with visitors who want to explore the place.

The cycling community is indeed growing and Stu is more than happy to share how it has developed ever since the 2014 Tour de France. So make sure to tune in for more stories!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Swaledale is a great place for mountain biking. It is a fantastic dale in the Yorkshire Dales and one of the best in Northern England. It has amazing terrain. There’s miles and miles and miles of tracks. It’s one of the reasons why Stu moved to Yorkshire.
2014 Tour de France had a massive effect on Swaledale. It attracted thousands of people to come to visit and the people of Yorkshire were very supportive.
- Tour de Yorkshire started in 2015. It is a legacy event from the success of 2014 Tour de France.
- Stu and his wife’s Dales Bike Centre, which was built in 2008, also benefitted. They are looking into expanding this year. They’re looking into more space – more parking and storage.
- Electric bikes have had a huge growth market in the UK lately. It opens up cycling to a wider audience.
- The Swale Trail. It is good for families who want to start cycling together. The National Park developed this 20km route which traverses along riverbanks, has gates, and a manageable terrain for different skill levels.
- Ard Rock Enduro Festival 2018, now on its 6^th year, is coming to Swaledale. There will be 4000 riders coming to Swaledale this weekend. Stu is very excited about it. It boosts the tourism and economy of the dale.

BEST MOMENTS

“Yorkshire grabbed it and ran with it. It really makes me proud to think back on the way villagers reacted and how excited everyone became.” (On Tour de France 2014)
“It’s such a huge boost for the dale and its economy".

VALUABLE RESOURCES

ABOUT THE HOST

Susan has been living in Yorkshire for over 30 years.She is passionate about the county she has adopted as her home and she never ceases to be amazed at the wealth of talent ‘Inside Yorkshire’ and the tales that people tell.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Stu Price moved to Yorkshire and initially worked for the Youth Hostel Association. This led to a small business, hiring out mountain bikes and guiding rides. This rapidly expanded and he now has the Dales Bike Centre in Swaledale which he runs with his wife Brenda.

Little did they know, when they began with this enterprise, that biking would become so phenomenally popular in the area. The Tour de France in 2014 rode right past their door and now they host major cycling events with thousands of participants taking part annually.

CONTACT METHOD

Stu Price (GUEST)