FEATURE
PHOTO: RAMON CLIFF, SHUTTERSTOCK
put you off. But what about those people who fall through the cracks? The ones that don’t come back to give riding another go. As the saying goes, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’.
What’s wrong with finding a balance and giving space to encourage wider participation? In a recent study, conducted by Shift Active Media in preparation for the Reframing MTB event, out of all participants surveyed (159, 58 of which were women), 55% of women feel that MTB is inclusive to riders of different genders, in comparison to 78% of men. Women are clear that the industry, media and policymakers need to do more to encourage participation, with 50% of women disagreeing that the MTB industry does enough to encourage more women to get into MTB, and 53% felt the same about encouraging more participation from diverse ethnic backgrounds. On both aspects, men are split, with roughly 1/3 agreeing, disagreeing and feeling neutral on whether enough is being done. You might find yourself thinking, why does this matter? Gender and inclusivity aside, encouraging responsible riding is vital. Showing people respecting nature and ambling through the places we ride rarely looks particularly exciting, but the way in which we portray, market and talk about things is a shared responsibility.
40 | April 2025
We, as an industry, have the power to shape the culture of the sport. There are so many benefits to mountain biking, and by limiting the view of those, we limit ourselves. We limit our ability to apply for funding for new trails, better infrastructure, and outside investment. We are the gatekeepers to our sport and its culture. People spend money on things they care about. If you don’t see yourself represented in anything, why would you invest? So, how do we change? It’s a challenge, and something that takes time, but by doing small, tangible things, we can all make a difference. You can’t do everything, but you can do something. Think about the language you use, the media you engage with and share, and the way you talk about riding.
Think about the reason you ride. Is it for fitness, pleasure, to escape? Maybe it’s a mix of those things. Many of us appreciate the release, the chance to connect with nature, feel free and know that getting out on the bike is beneficial for our physical and mental health. Mountain biking is something that should be shared. I’d encourage you to look into the growing research, get involved in the building momentum, have conversations and engage in the community. Together, we can all benefit from making change.
www.bikebiz.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
