Regional Trail closures, assaults in the forest, negative voices in the regional press. It seems that mountain bikers are once again the enemy of the general public. Since the coronavirus crisis, the sport of mountain biking has taken on unprecedented proportions. With every person who gets on a bike, the pressure on the country's forests and trails increases. If you were to imagine the existing trail infrastructure as a person, it would be a thin-legged person whose knees have recently started to tremble. This is because landowners, hunters, foresters, hikers and conservationists do not always see the mountain bike boom in a positive light. These interest groups are (usually unfounded) afraid of liability claims, fear possible restrictions in hunting or forestry operations or see nature as a habitat for plants and animals being impaired. Concerns that are also understandable for us as a cycling medium. We and our partners in the industry are aware that in the long term, our beloved sport will only remain viable if we take into account the interests that are placed on the forest and its trails from various directions. After all, unlike footballers, swimmers or tennis players, for example, we bikers are out and about in public spaces and therefore not in a cordoned-off area. Anyone who moves respectfully through the woods helps the sport of mountain biking to survive in the long term. The DIMB, the umbrella organisation for German mountain bikers, therefore in favour of complying with the so-called Trail Rules. Our new "Love Trails - Respect Rules" campaign joins the call of the umbrella organisation and aims to sensitise bikers to correct behaviour in the forests and in nature. Those who adhere to the following rules and help to spread them further can continue to bike through Germany's forests with a clear conscience and, above all, legally.
Love Trails - Respect Rules: The rules of the game for mountain bikers
1. trail sharing - Respect other road users
2. no shortcuts - Stay on the paths
3. stay safe - Stay in your comfort zone
4th Ride for Future - Leave no rubbish and no traces behind
5. no night rides - Allow the animals to rest
6. stop building illegally - Legal routes are needed!
Respect through knowledge
In order not to pay lip service to the rules of our campaign, we have decided to back up our campaign adverts with editorial content. Because it's easier to follow the rules when you know the underlying problems behind them. In BIKE 9/20 we have therefore filled over 15 pages with the following topics:
- The future of mountain biking: We show problems and possible solutions for more acceptance
- DIMB interview: The German Mountain Bike Initiative fights for the rights of bikers
- Territorial behaviour: How Conflicts between hunters and bikers can be avoided
- Interview Joe Vadeboncoeur: Breaking down old structures - how the US-American wants to revitalise the image of bike sport
Our sister magazine EMTB is joining the campaign. Florentin Vesenbeckh, the deputy editor-in-chief of EMTB, has written the following commentary on this and has taken care of the relevant issues in EMTB issue 4/20 taken care of:
"E-mountain bikers are under particular scrutiny in the current debate. Even more so. In some cases, they are downright under fire and portrayed as the cause of all evil. We are certain that it is not the bike that makes the music, but the person on it. Of course, there are black sheep. On the E-MTB. And on mountain bikes too. And also in hiking boots. The path to peaceful coexistence can only work together. Of course, we also want to sensitise the readers of our EMTB magazine to this very issue. In issue 4/2020, we provide tips for peaceful coexistence in nature. Tour author Christian Penning set off on a west-east traverse through Bavaria and had some groundbreaking encounters with hikers and tourism experts. Travel specialist Sissi Pärsch uncovered another sensitive point during her research in the Allgäu: encounters with cows. Here, too, there are a few things for bikers to bear in mind. To protect the animals, for respectful coexistence - and not least to protect their own health."
How can I help?
Every biker who addresses the issue and promotes the rules among friends, acquaintances, in the bike shop and on tour helps to improve the image of mountain bikers in the long term. In order to make the clear stance behind our campaign visible to the outside world, there will be a special poster in the coming issues of BIKE, FREERIDE
and EMTB Sticker sheets with our "Love Trails - Respect Rules" logo. If you don't want to wait, you can download the logo here in the
JPG format
or
PNG format
and thus express his commitment with a post on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #LoveTrailsRespectRules show clearly. Otherwise, only one thing helps: stay relaxed, be friendly and bike respectfully.
Who supports this campaign?
In addition to the Delius Klasing Publishing House companies from the bike industry have also agreed to support the "Love Trails - Respect Rules" campaign. Cube is the largest bicycle manufacturer in Europe and has not flinched from taking responsibility. "Of course we also help to sensitise the buyers of our bikes to the correct behaviour in the forest," says the head of the Bavarian bike manufacturer's marketing department. The US Americans Trek are actively supporting us. The Salzburger Land tourism region also makes the campaign heard in Austria. In addition, the E-motor manufacturer Bosch and tyre specialist Swallow in spreading the word about our campaign.
Everyone can help to promote togetherness in the forest. We bikers don't have to be the enemy! If you love trails, it's easy to follow certain rules.
#LoveTrailsRespectRules
