Commercially Sustainable Trails: Future-Proofing Mountain Biking in the UK

Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Mountain Bike Trails in the UK

I recently read a thought-provoking article from Flow Mountain Bike (focusing on the Australian and New Zealand trail scene). It was called  What does it cost to run a mountain bike park? (flowmountainbike.com). It got me thinking about whether some of the strategies highlighted in the article used in Australia could be adapted to the UK trail scene to enhance the commercial viability and inclusivity of mountain bike trails. Let's start with a couple of the key challenges in the way of commercial sustainability here in the UK.

Key Commercial Challenges in the UK Mountain Biking Industry

1. Over-reliance on Grants and Limited Financial Models: Outside of the pay to ride Bike Parks the UK mountain biking trail industry often depends heavily on large grants that may not cover mid or long-term operational costs. We have a limited number of commercial models to sustain trails and an over-dependence on grants. A multi-layered and mixed set of commercial business models is an indicator of any mature industry. Commercially we are immature and need more mixed models. 
2. Non-Inclusive and Off-Grid Trails: Many trails are not formally recognized and do not contribute to the local economy, potentially diverting traffic from official trails. I'm not saying they aren't awesome but in terms of positive economic impact to the local tourism economy, they are too underground to move any commercial needle.

So let's look at some of the ideas I took from the article about the Australian scene with a few builds.

Strategies for Commercial Sustainability

• Encouraging Local Investment with a Multi-Layered Commercial Model: Local councils, businesses and government bodies should be encouraged to invest in mountain bike parks, similar to the Blue Derby model in Australia. I use these folk quite a lot in the article so to pause and look a bit deeper on their set-up:

The Blue Derby model, as described in the article, is a successful example of a council-owned mountain bike park in Northeast Tasmania. It highlights the importance of substantial financial backing from local councils, which covers the majority of the park's maintenance costs, estimated between $750,000 to $850,000 AUD annually with an estimated $30 million AUD (@£15m) in economic benefit. This impact is attributed to increased tourism, as visitors spend money on local accommodations, dining, and other services, thereby supporting local businesses and creating jobs in the region. 

This model also incorporates supplementary funding from local and corporate sponsorships, as well as revenue from camping and accommodation fees. The council's involvement is crucial, as it also seeks grants for new developments and major upgrades, ensuring the park remains a top-tier destination.

The model is often referenced in planning documents for new trail networks due to its effective combination of public funding, sponsorship, and innovative revenue streams like an in-house accommodation booking platform that redirects fees back into the trails whilst maximising income from local tourism.

• The Blue Derby approach highlights how creating a blueprint case study like theirs could be used across the UK that shows a) the power of a trail network to boost local tourism and so encourage local authorities and businesses to invest and b) the multi-layered commercial models at play over the over-reliance on one.
• My big takeaway is that it could be powerful to identify some trails, local councils and businesses to form a case study and blueprint other centres could use in proposals. Maybe areas like Forest of Dean, Glentress or Cannock could be candidates working with UK trail bodies like the UK MTB Trail Alliance, DMBinS and landowners like Natural Resources Wales, and the Forestry Commission.

Let's look at some more used wider in Australia that could work here and are already at play in some places here: 

• Volunteer Management: Developing structured volunteer programs with incentives can sustain volunteer contributions and prevent burnout. The concept of "Sweat Equity," where volunteers earn free rides/uplifts in exchange for their work, offers a positive, inclusive approach. It also offers a more inclusive wider publicised positive twist to the no dig no ride ethos and as a way to make UK Bike Parks especially more inclusive economically and foster a stronger local community advocacy network. NB If a UK bike park is in an economically deprived area or just wants to be more inclusive to all socio-economic groups then how does it make itself accessible to local riders? An opportunity maybe. 
• Diversifying Revenue Streams: Additional revenue can be generated by hosting events, selling branded merchandise, and forming partnerships with local businesses and accommodation providers. This is challenging for off-piste trails, but a powerful add for financial stability.
• Membership Models: Implementing membership or "pay-to-play" models can help generate steady revenue. A hybrid model combining public funding with pay-to-ride options could be explored further rather than one or the other. Culturally this is a challenge to overcome and face as we naively expect our rides to be free but happy to spend thousands on a bike. 
• Corporate Sponsorships: Engaging with local and national businesses for sponsorships can provide financial support, though it requires significant effort and goes beyond typical corporate engagements.
• Trail Tax Advocacy:  This isn't mentioned in the article but the role of the bike industry and brands is crucial in my mind and largely lacking although some green shoots. Proposing a corporate big bike brand trail tax could support the maintenance and development of trails. We are seeing some positive shoots here as mentioned like Shimano's new Trail Born Fund  (Shimano to commit $10 million to new global Trail Born Fund aimed at helping trail building projects around the world - MBR) but much more is needed. It is the availability of trails that is the foundation of any bike sale as you go down the funnel of a sale but it is very one-way at the moment with free volunteer hours driving profit for bike brands. Maybe every time a bike test/review is written (which will have a trail spot in the background) there is a set trail tax back to the brand before being featured. Why not? 

The Elephant in the Room

• Formal Sanctioning of Off-Piste Trails:  The formal sanctioning of off-piste trails is not mentioned in the article in Australia, but it warrants further discussion, particularly from an economic perspective in the UK. As noted at the beginning of the article, the non-inclusive nature of these hidden and untracked trails means they provide minimal economic benefit. Worse, they may distract from the formal centres, which is counterproductive to establishing a viable local tourism model.

Once a blueprint model similar to Blue Derby is established and proven then adopting, investing in, and formalizing off-piste trails becomes more appealing to local councils and landowners. This approach would maximise rider numbers and commercial opportunities. Therefore, and it is slightly getting ahead but with a local tourism model proven and established, you could see locations like Risca, Golfie, Tirpentwys, Afan Masts be strong candidates for adoption, development, promotion and investment, especially if they collaborate with organizations like the UK MTB Trail Alliance.

Summary

By adopting similar strategies, maybe the UK mountain biking trail industry can address its challenges and work towards a more commercially sustainable and inclusive future. What would work here? What are other countries doing? What strategies do you think we should employ? 

Published: 14/08//2024