hello single track collective,
i’m doing a uni piece on rural mtb access and id like your views,
do you think that one day mtbs will have the same access as our red socked rambling masses? Is it now time for us to ride over kinder scout en mass and get something done?or are you happy with it currently and feel that actually why complain there’s plenty to do? I’ll start us off shall i?!

well personally i feel that we could and should try to get better more open access for mtbs and look towards a CROW type movement for mtbs .
I think that as a whole the mtbing comunity is percieved to be louts in lycra (or these days more acurately layered lyrca and baggies so people don’t get scared by tight fitting clothing ,including yourselves)
but increasing participation is leading to more people on the trails and increased erosion rates.I also think that with BC’s cycling for all type campaigns mtb access should be pushed as its what many people see as attractive in cycling.

Finally if people know of any studies that you think are applicable it would be great,particularly the erosion rates of cycling and the socio demographics of mtbers

thanks alot in advance
Bruce
ps. in the near future i will be setting up a cycling reasearch project website with polls and questionaire to let you have your say so it would be sweet if you could join in when up and running.

I think that you will find that there are wildly differing situations across England & Wales (ignoring Scotland for obvious reasons)

Although mtbers aspirations are likely to be similar across the country, the “countryside” and it’s historical uses vary massively in character and suitability for “open access” mtb riding.

For one thing, mtbs actually do need to have “trails” whereas walkers can just roam without doing massive damage (given care, avoidance of crops, damage to fences etc).

If “access all areas” means mtbers digging new trails where none exist, then open access will not (and probably should not) happen. Access to existing tracks / paths is a different matter and should be opened up as a matter of course, unless thee is a compelling individual case not to.

IMBA mention some erosion studies here.. http://www.imba.com/resources/research/trail-science/natural-resource-impacts-mountain-biking.

In an ideal world, being allowed everwhere would be lovely, but I don’t think its sustainable. There are certain trails, at certain times of year that shouldn’t be used. I think possibly a reverse of the current situation, where we’re allowed on any path unless signposted otherwise would work. That’d spread us out more, reducing erosion, but still allow local authorities to protect more delicate trails. I think the amount of work and investment would, for now at least, be prohibitive though.

There were two articles and a load of debate about this on the news pages

Online Feature: Access All Areas?

Online Feature: Access All Areas?

I had a read of that research mentioned by imba. It really is very very limited and I would be cautious about drawing general conclusions from it.

I think we should have equality of use. Any user of the countryside should be able to use what ever path or track with responsibility that they see fit.

Personally I go where I want within reason, and I can count of the fingers of one hand the amount of proper grief I’ve had in the last 20 years or so of actively off-road cycling. Most folk just don’t really care, or know what the rules are.

I think that as a whole the mtbing comunity is percieved to be louts in lycra

Not any more, lots of outdoor folk have got used to MTB ‘community’ and I personally think it’s just perceived now as part of a wider group of outdoor users. Unless you are, of course, a lout in Lycra, and that’s got less to do with your choice of transport and more to do with your personal attitude to other people in general. IME

We should have equality of use, however I can’t see it happening, in fact I think MTBing is more likely to become ghettod into the forests in the coming years, hidden behind arguments of sustainable man made tracks etc – besides redsocks tend to not like forests due to the lack of views.