Gateshead father and son bicycle firm secures top award for gravel model following £750k investment

A bicycle brand founded by a father-and-son team in Gateshead has hinted at growth following a major award win and new funding.

Vielo Sports was set up eight years ago by Ian Hughes and his son Trevor using their experience in the bike trade, including having run a distribution company on Tyneside. The pair have invested more than £750,000 in the brand which offers a range of road, race and gravel models.

The Gateshead-based firm scooped Gravel Bike of the Year 2024/25 at the cycling news outlet Road CC's annual awards. Judges praised the firm's Vielo V+1 Race Edition model as being "incredibly capable".

Ian Hughes, a former BBC presenter who subsequently helped bring the Scott mountain bike brand to the UK, said: "The Vielo V+1 Race Edition was competing against major international brands, so for a small company from Gateshead to win the overall Gravel & Adventure Bike of the Year award is