#fustlefamily
We often refer to our #fustlefamily and ever since one of our customers coined the term, we have slowly grown our gravel biking family across Ireland, UK and further afield. However, there is 1 very special family member who until recently, was without her very own Fustle (and wasn't afraid to let it be known!)
This is Valerie.
Valerie is my mum, and aside from raising this budding young cycling-mad toddler who went on to create FUSTLE in his mid 30's, she was as many mothers are, the centre of our family home growing up.
Valerie lost her father Billy (my grandfather) to Pancreatic Cancer in 2017, and became curious about cycling again in 2024 when she came to support us during the 2024 Pedal The Periphery charity event.
Valerie hadn't ridden a bike since she was a young girl on her commute to school (she won't be too keen if I disclose just how long ago that was!) but there was a glint in her eye during the weekend of the charity cycle challenge as family members and friends cycled around Northern Ireland to raise awareness of the terrible cancer that had taken her fathers life.
When she heard that we were entering a Fustle team into the 2025 event around January, she casually threw her name into the hat as a team member and insisted that she would get to work re-learning how to cycle again and getting some training in throughout the year. True to her word, she dusted off an appropriately vintage mountainbike from the back of the garage, got the tyres pumped up and set about racking up some miles in the 6 months leading up to the charity event in June.
Valerie not only schooled us all on how to train for an event (with the help of her Daugher in laws tailored training plan https://www.jbfunctionalfitness.com/), but equally showed everyone just how capable she was in raising funds for the charity, exceeding her target within the first few weeks, and ending the event with a staggering £2'863 raised to contribute to the team. The highest individual fundraiser in event history to date.
Joining team Fustle for her meant more than just a day out on the bike. For Valerie it was her way of helping others, challenging herself and proving a point that no matter your age, ability or experience, you can achieve a lot more on 2 wheels that you think.
For me as a young teenager, cycling became my freedom from every day life. It helped me make friends, see the world and eventually led me to my wife and 2 young children of my own.
To see my mum take on a challenge like Pedal The Periphery and ride over 40 miles from Millisle to Ardglass, raise thousands of pound, and do it all with a smile on her face and not one complaint about a sore bum, or tired legs, the least we could do was build her very own custom Fustle gravel bike.
Decked out with Shimano Cues groupset, and flat bars, Valerie is already starting planning for next years event and riding up and down the Ards Peninsula every week in preparation.
Who knows how far she might go next year!
Thanks for being fantastic mum!...welcome to the #fustlefamily
Check out this page for more information: https://nipanc.enthuse.com/pf/team-fustle
