The new "Why Aren’t You Mountain Biking" (WAYMB) report from Reframing MTB takes a deep dive into inclusion and access across the mountain biking community – and asks what’s stopping people from riding in the first place.

The reality of access and inclusion

While 38.4% of overall respondents feel the MTB culture is inclusive, the numbers drop sharply for marginalised groups: just 22.7% of people of colour, 22.5% of LGBTQ+ individuals, and 19.33% of disabled riders felt the same. Only 36.9% of women said they found mountain biking inclusive.

One respondent said: “The sport isn’t as welcoming as it likes to think it is.” 

Discovering mountain biking still relies heavily on who you know

79% of riders discovered the sport through personal connections: friends (48%), partners (16%) or family (15%). In contrast, just 3.2% discovered MTB at school, and only 6.2% through a cycling club – pointing to a lack of formal and accessible entry points for new riders.

Over 78% of riders said they mountain bike for wellbeing, being outdoors, and enjoyment – while only 9.5% said they do it for the thrills and risk. This contrasts with how MTB is often portrayed in media, which can feel off-putting to newcomers.

Cost and knowledge are key barriers

For people getting into MTB, affordability (22%), lack of gear (15%) and not knowing where to ride (21%) were major barriers. Among non-riders, the most common reasons given were: not owning a bike (19%), fear of crashing or injury (19%), and finding mountains intimidating (12%).

“It took me two years to save up to buy a mountain bike,” shared one rider. “Hiring helped me trial it.”

The power of inclusive community efforts

The report shares inspiring examples from across the UK:

• The North Wales Trail Collective exemplifies inclusive foundations by forming a Community Interest Company (CIC) and creating a diverse committee—with Welsh speakers and young riders—to give the community an official voice and elevate underrepresented perspectives.

• Women on Wheels run ‘pay what you can’ sessions with loan bikes and kit to support women and non-binary riders in cities.
• Ride Bristol’s Bristol Shredders offer inclusive kids’ rides and support neurodiverse riders, making MTB part of everyday family life.
• The Bike College in Leeds makes MTB affordable through donated and discounted bikes and parts.
• Adaptive Riders Collective work to improve aMTB access globally, campaigning for better facilities and sharing accessible trail info.
• Aberdeenshire Trail Association now run supportive, women-only dig days, helping shift the trail-building culture.
• The TVTA (Tweed Valley Trails Association) has teamed up with Selkirk and Peebles High Schools to give students a hands-on mountain biking experience. 

Looking ahead

The report outlines practical steps for communities to start small, build momentum and make meaningful change. From mapping out local groups and sharing stories, to removing cost barriers and championing diversity in leadership – the goal is to reframe mountain biking as a sport truly open to all.

You can download and explore the full toolkit here: https://reframingmtb.org/why-arent-you-mountain-biking

Read: 37 times Published: 27/07/2025