The BikeBiz Awards 2026Â will be voted on by a panel of judges from across the cycling industry.
For this year’s awards, we have a panel of 18 judges who bring expertise from advocacy, retail, media, distribution, brands, and beyond.
For the 2026 BikeBiz Awards, voting will be carried out by our expert judging panel or by a wider vote open to the whole cycling industry, depending on the award category.
How the BikeBiz Awards Work
Entries and nominationsÂ
Members of the cycling trade community will be invited to enter for one of our awards via an online form. Individuals can also nominate their favourite retailers, brands or individuals in any relevant categories.
In 2026, nominations/entries closed on 3 July.
Voting
Voting will be conducted by our expert judging panel or by a wider vote open to the whole cycling industry, depending on the category. Most awards will be decided by our judging panel, who offer years of combined experience in the cycling industry.
Our judges come from a broad range of backgrounds in the industry. To ensure fair judging, judges must abstain from any award category that may relate to their organisation, to avoid any conflicts of interest – for example, retailer judges will not be permitted to vote in the retailer category.
Judges will vote via an online form, selecting their preferred winner and offering a reason for their selection. In other categories, voting will be open to the wider cycling trade through an online voting form.
In 2026, public votes include:
- IBD of the Year
- Woman of the Year
- Event of the Year
- Mechanic of the Year (sponsored by Topeak)
- Unsung Hero of the Year
- Cycling Media of the Year
- Best Distributor Team of the Year
Voting will be open from Friday, 17 July, until midnight on Friday, 28 August. After the closure, the BikeBiz team will collate all the results.
BikeBiz Awards Judges for 2026
Angie Ortega, Owner of Aztecs Bikes
As the Founder of Aztecs Bikes, Angie bridges the gap between high-tech expertise and cycling tradition. Her journey in cycling was sparked by her partner Marco, whose lifelong passion taught her the soul of the industry.
Since launching Aztecs Bikes in 2021, she has combined this authentic heritage with a ‘disruptive’ mindset, creating a modern, premium retail space. She specialises in merging data-driven efficiency with an accessible, community-focused experience that redefines the modern bike shop.
Marcus Tonndorf, CEO & Founder, Hexlox
Swedish serial entrepreneur and investor with over 10 years in the cycling industry. Based in Berlin and recently founded Hexlox.com.
Catherine Bedford, CEO, Dashel Helmets Limited
Catherine Bedford is Founder and CEO of Dashel, a British cycling helmet brand known for combining safety, style and sustainability. She founded the company in 2017. With a background in accessories design for global brands including Nike and LVMH, Catherine has led the development of UK-manufactured helmets designed for circularity and everyday use.
A strong advocate for any type of cycling adoption, she brings expertise in product innovation, sustainable manufacturing and growing the urban cycling market.
Tom Fyans, CEO, London Cycling Campaign
Before joining London Cycling Campaign as the Chief Executive Officer in 2023, Tom was Campaigns and Policy Director & Deputy CEO at CPRE, the countryside charity, and has over 25 years’ experience providing campaign leadership and influencing policymakers for charities including ActionAid UK and Amnesty International.
Tom has been an LCC member for over 15 years and has been cycling in London for 25 years, so has some understanding of the daily challenges cyclists face. As CEO, Tom works with staff, trustees, members, and patrons to maximise our impact as we continue to push for zero-carbon roads, safer junctions and the removal of the barriers that people in London face to cycling. He is passionate about ensuring as many people as possible – regardless of age, income, background, experience or ability – feel riding a bike in London is a choice available to them.
Shameem Vesamia, Proprietor, A&S Cycles
Sham is the owner of A&S Cycles, a Hackney cornerstone with a legacy dating to 1984. She has led with a quiet, steady dedication, earning respect through hard work and a simple commitment to her customers. While she never seeks the spotlight, Sham is a trusted expert on the independent trade, gently but firmly voicing the real struggles community bike shops face today.
Recognised as a “100 Women in Cycling” member and Businesswoman of the Year, she remains motivated by the joy of serving her community and keeping the high street alive.
Mark Almond, Bike Industry Marketing Consultant, Red Cloud Marketing
Bike industry marketing consultant since 2007 after years heading up marketing at Capital Radio and Wembley amongst others. Clients across the spectrum of all bike industry sectors and have worked in various capacities, including shop owner.
Away from work, he rides road, gravel and mountain bike and also occasionally write for cycling media.
Sarah Darling, Head of Marketing, Extra UK
Sarah Darling is an accomplished marketing leader with over 17 years of experience in the cycling industry, spanning the full marketing mix. As Head of Marketing at Extra UK, she oversees all marketing and promotional activity for both Extra and its portfolio of brand partners, while also being part of the senior leadership team, helping to drive continued growth and claim market share.
She is passionate about the cycling industry and dedicated to building strong, authentic brand voices that resonate across the UK market.
Miles Baker-Clarke, Director of Strategy & Growth, Fusion Media
Miles is a multi-disciplinary marketer, strategist and industry veteran of 10+ years. With a creative and media-focused background, Miles brings a holistic marketing approach to the cycling industry and to his role at leading global comms agency, Fusion Media.
In addition, Miles is a passionate advocate for diversity in cycling, not only pushing the industry to do better in this respect, but championing all aspects of diversity through not-for-profit organisation, Cycling Culture Club, dedicated to telling stories and connecting people across the world to make cycling a more diverse sport.
Bronwyn Benstead, Commercial & Insights Manager, Bicycle Association
Bronwyn Benstead is the Commercial & Insights Manager at the Bicycle Association, bringing nearly 15 years of experience across forecasting, manufacturing, supply chain, and data analysis from the Outdoor and Cycling Industries.
An expert in transforming data into tangible commercial outcomes, her expertise spans B2B and D2C sales strategy, market analysis, and understanding what drives real business results. As a judge, Bronwyn brings breadth of knowledge and a keen eye for identifying commercial potential and lasting opportunities for impact.
Nic Vieri, Owner/videographer/Mechanic, Backyard Bike Shop
Nic is a bicycle mechanic, custom bike builder and content creator with 27 years of experience across multiple areas of the cycling industry. Through running a specialist workshop focused on high-end custom builds, he has worked closely with leading brands in road, gravel and mountain biking, developing a strong understanding of product quality, craftsmanship and rider needs.
Alongside his workshop experience, he runs a growing YouTube channel focused on bespoke builds, technical insights and industry events, giving him a broad perspective on innovation, trends and consumer engagement within cycling.
Emily Cherry MBE, CEO, The Bikeability Trust
Emily Cherry MBE is the Chief Executive of the Bikeability Trust, whose mission is to get more people cycling, more safely and more often, through Bikeability training; a high-quality cycle training programme for children in schools, funded by the Department for Transport and has already reached 6 million children.
Emily has spent over 30 years in the children’s sector, largely at the NSPCC, with experience of running safeguarding services, policy, comms and media. She is also a strategic advisor to the United Nations Peace One Day campaign and Trustee of Pro Level Vision (football coaching charity).
John Russell, Learning and Skills Manager, Bikes Beyond Bars, Life Cycle
John Russell is Prison Learning & Skills Manager at Life Cycle, leading Bikes Beyond Bars, a pioneering programme addressing the cycle industry’s shortage of skilled technicians. Each year, he supports up to 200 prisoners to become Cytech‑accredited mechanics, creating a vital talent pipeline from an untapped workforce. With 30 years’ experience in custodial education, John has expanded delivery across three prison workshops, supplying the trade with work-ready, motivated individuals.
His approach combines technical rigour with inclusion, delivering high progression and employability outcomes. Through his work, John is reshaping access to cycle careers while strengthening the industry’s future workforce.
Emily Childs, Executive Producer & Co-Owner, CADE Media
A passionate cyclist with a background in journalism, Emily is Executive Producer and co-owner of CADE Media – one of the cycling industry’s leading YouTube-first media companies. Having spent almost a decade editing on national news titles, she has been instrumental in transforming CADE from a one-man vlog into a major voice in modern cycling culture.
Today, the channel reaches over two million views every month and is widely recognised as one of the most influential voices in the road and gravel space.
Rory Hitchens, Brand Consultant, Greenleaves Cycling
In the UK trade since 1990, working as Marketing and Brand Manager (much wider than that in reality) for: Moore Large Distribution (1990-1994); USE/Exposure Lights (1995-2010); Upgrade Distribution (2010 – 2022). Founder & CEO, Greenleaves Cycling.Â
Lauren Jenkins, Editor, BikeBiz and MicromobilityBiz
Editor of BikeBiz since January 2025, Lauren has been in the cycling industry for over a decade. Working in either marketing or journalism roles. In 2025, she launched the ‘BikeBiz Mechanic of the Month’ initiative, quickly gaining support from BikeBook and Topeak to highlight the work of bike mechanics around the UK.
She is passionate about the industry and telling its stories. She is also a Director of Cycle CPD, Wales’ first Cytech centre, run by Founder Chris Dower, offering training to trade and public as well as supporting more people to feel more confident with basic bicycle repairs.
Steven Pasch, Field Account Manager, V12
Steve Pasch is a Field Account Manager at V12 Retail Finance, a business that has been helping UK retailers grow through flexible finance solutions for over 20 years. Working closely on strategies with cycling retailers, he combines extensive sector knowledge with a genuine passion for the industry to support growth and enhance customer experiences across the cycle sector.
Outside of work, Steve is usually found somewhere in the cycling world—mountain biking, following the sport, or supporting his son at BMX races around the UK. When bikes aren’t involved, he enjoys getting out on the trails and taking on the occasional ultra-marathon.
Dr Fiona Spotswood, Professor in Marketing, Bristol University
Dr Fiona Spotswood is Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption at the University of Bristol, where she conducts research into sport and physical activity participation, cultures of exclusion and behaviour change.
She is an internationally renowned author and public speaker on gender inequality, action sports and social change, and heads up Project FIAS. She is also board member of the European Network of Outdoor Sports, Ride Bristol trail association trustee, leader of Bristol Shredders children’s mountain bike club and a qualified mountain bike guide and
coach.
Edwin Matthews, Sales, Reilly The Titanium Bike Co
After learning to ride a bicycle during the 2020 lockdown, Edwin quickly became hooked and soon joined his local club, Brixton Cycles. He is passionate about encouraging underrepresented communities to experience the same sense of freedom cycling has given him and now serves as Secretary and Diversity and Inclusivity Officer at the club.
In 2025, he made the leap from a career as a TV Sound Editor into a sales role at Reilly, where he combines his professional skills with my love of talking all things bikes.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities for the BikeBiz Awards, contact Richard Setters – rsetters@datateam.co.uk
