Pace Cycles and CTC to launch premier Bike Centre in Dalby Forest
Pace Cycles has teamed up with the Forest Commission to open a new and exciting trail centre in partnership with CTC, the UK’s largest cycling charity, in Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire.
The trail centre will be launched as Dalby Bike Barn and the aim is to make Dalby Forest a recreation and social hub for local, regional and national visitors building on its already strong reputation as World Cup venue and site of a Tour of Britain stage.
Dalby Bike Barn will provide a full cycle hire service in conjunction with a high quality retail experience supplying a range of bike brands and accessories. The CTC is also looking to make Dalby its flagship centre, where the organisation will deliver its top end training, guiding, coaching and education services.
The collaboration brings together one of the UK’s original and iconic mountain bike brands renowned for its high quality cycles and products and CTC, the UK’s largest cycling charity with over a century’s experience of promoting cycling – on or off the road.
Adrian Carter, Pace Managing Director, said;
“We’ve been developing our bikes in this forest for almost 25 years and in that time have seen Dalby progress into the World Class venue we see today. We intend to build upon that as we form a strong and unique partnership with CTC and Forestry Commission bringing together our collective strengths.
Dalby Bike Barn’s key objectives are to provide a focal point for the local cycling community, attract more tourists and keen road/mountain bikers into Dalby and once here deliver the very best courses and events, technical support and retail experience all in a warm and welcoming environment.”
Dan Cook, CTC Senior Off-road Officer, said;
“Dalby provides an ideal environment for each of the 29 different courses that CTC delivers, as well as a great base for community development. Partnering with Pace and Forestry Commission at Dalby Bike Barn means that we can inspire more people to cycle.”
Alan Eves, Forest Management Director, said;
“The high level of interest underlines the forest’s profile as a prime biking destination. We have sought to select partners who can help take forward cycling in Dalby, building on our reputation as a family biking centre offering world class facilities on and off the trail.”
Background. As you may know Pace Cycles has had a close and long working relationship with this forest as Adrian Carter MD of Pace started out racing motorcycles here before progressing to organising National Level enduros then staging the forests first MTB race back in 1989. But most people will associate the early days of Pace and Dalby with the launch of Paces’ iconic RC100 MTB in a BBC TV programme back in 1987.
Since those days of course Dalby has grown to become a leading mountain bike trail centre with its World Cup venue, 50 miles of MTB trails along with the Pace Bike Park, and we are proud to have partnered with the FC, local riders and Singletraction to help deliver this.
Pace and CTC. Dan Cook of the CTC and Adrian Carter have known each other for many years with their early involvement on the XC and DH race circuits and have worked together developing the joint tender for Dalbys Bike Centre. The CTC are experts in their field and propose to make Dalby their Centre of Excellence as they work alongside Pace here at Dalby Bike Barn. Pace Cycles Demo Centre and Service Centre operations at Dalby will remain unchanged.
Dalby Bike Barn. We think we can create something completely new and unique at Dalby Bike Barn making it a destination in itself- not just in the quality of services the CTC will provide but also through the range of cycle brands and accessories we’ll supply and the standard of technical support we have on site.
To be successful we understand that we need to make the site warm, attractive, bright and friendly- so we’re having a centrally located log burning stove with seating around with books and mags for customers to browse. Informed, qualified staff- Dalby Bike Barn will have its own dedicated professionals fully integrated with CTC staff. We have so many additional ideas- from enduro, sportive events, film nights and free club rides through to Dalby having its own Cycle Show!
Dalby Bike Barn will be totally customer focused making their visit enjoyable and rewarding so that they want to return time and again.
This is all going to take a little time of course so bear with us whilst we refurbish the site and implement our plans however it is our intention to have Dalby Bike Barn’s essential services up and running April 1.