"The concept of bikers 'developing' a bit of woodland was unheard of. Now almost every bit of accessible woods has little trails snaking all over it."
Although it probably has got a lot more common most of the places I used to ride 10-15 years ago seemed to have been seen to by the local bikers at the time, we used to spend all weekend in the woods with our spades, and you could see all the biking trails where a lot of other people had been. I don't think much changes really, kids always go out on their bikes and some keep up the habit and others fall out of it. Some get back into it when they are older, (like many people on this forum). It's never been a cheap hobby though. £400 always bought you a decent entry level bike and it costs about the same now, more or less. I've just realised this post doesn't really have a point.
Aaah, this is taking me back, I might dust off the old rigid Rockhopper…