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I appreciate that gravel is largely a marketing term, but it's interesting to see how much happier authorities seem to be to encourage this sort of off-road riding compared to "mountain biking"
but it’s interesting to see how much happier authorities seem to be to encourage this sort of off-road riding compared to “mountain biking”
It may be that it’s an easier and cheaper option for a local authority to promote ,if the area already has an existing network of tracks that can be linked up ,then you just need a bit of signage . Tourists and occasional users love a bit of signage.
Also less liability, might get some of those pesky cyclists off the road, and gravelistas more likely to frequent local cafes for coffee and cake?
Win-win-win
I'm sure fears around liability are part of it, but it's also just a general image thing I suspect. Mountain biking is yobbos terrorising the locals, gravel is nice middle class families pootling along and stopping at tea shops.
Mountain biking is yobbos terrorising the
locals, gravel isnice middle class families pootling along and stopping at tea shops.
FTFY 🙂 🙂 🙂
^it needed the 3 smileys and have a 😉
To be fair they've put a lot of trails in those areas for mountain bikes, plus the natural stuff around Dunkeld and Pitlochry means there's not really a need to slap more in there, and with gravel you also tend to have the old military roads around that area as well, which were useful back when i lived up there.
It’s just common sense, nothing sinister, roverpig is overthinking it. Miles and miles of gravel trails linking up villages, towns that need tourists. now gravel riding is a “thing” and marketable it’s an easy win for tourism/ the rural economy.
These still a level of duty of care owed to those that you invite onto any way marked trail. Someone’s obvs done the maths and decided that it’s worthwhile.