While this may sound like the title of an article in an obscure academic journal, we want to have a conversation. No, we won’t be citing any latest research, nor will this be filled with bottomless footnotes. It’s about thinking through the where and how of our lifestyle as mountain bikers, gravel riders, and coffee drinkers.
Maybe the question we have before us is, “how can we make a difference?” That is quite daunting. How can one person or group of people venturing into the backcountry for a ride even make any tangible difference in the struggling economies that we drive through on the way to the trailhead? Depending on where you live and ride, sometimes poverty and suffering are at the center stage. Other times it is more hidden. While it is always helpful when traveling to ride to stop for burritos, drinks, stay in local motels, or an Airbnb, we may wonder what good it does.
Mountain biking and economic development are intrinsically linked. How so? Most often, where we ride are a ways from our urban centers. We know in particular rural communities across the West (the US and Canada) continue to face uphill battles to transition their local economies away from logging after the mill closes or mining when the copper mine shutters down. Loss of income and revenue causes desperation. For every Whistler or Aspen, a hundred obscure communities are not attracting those with means.
All over the PNW, we see an explosion of new trails systems being permitted and built by local volunteers. The goal is to create excellent trail access and bolster a community’s potential turnaround. There is plenty of research out there about how much the average mountain biker spends on day trips and overnight stays. These trips bring basic income into remote communities. In other words, the habits of mountain bikers can have a small tangible impact. It may not seem like much, but it’s something.
One of the unfortunate narratives of mountain biking is it can be viewed as a sport, hobby, or lifestyle of privilege. While on the one hand, it is true as the “average” mountain bike costs between $3,000-$5,000. But on the other hand, we know MANY who work low-wage jobs and gladly spend more on their bikes than their cars. The question isn’t what one has or doesn’t, but instead, how do we leverage our lives and this crazy adventure called mountain biking for the benefit of others? That can be as simple as stopping for that burrito. It can also look like supporting and volunteering for trail-building days at these locations.