Freeride Rules

What is Freeriding

Freeride mountain biking, one of the fastest-growing trends in bicycling, incorporates everything from traditional trail riding to big-air jumps, hair-raising descents and technical maneuvers. In short, freeriders seek out opportunities to test their bike-handling skills.

They're not afraid of a few scrapes and bruises, but they're not interested in getting seriously hurt, either.

Bicycle manufacturers say that the number of freeride-oriented bikes - and riders with the skills to handle them - will only increase in upcoming years. "If you look back at Trek's catalogue from the year 2000, you'll see a couple of bikes with fairly minimal suspension," says Joe Vadeboncouer, a product specialist at Trek Bicycles, one of the nation's largest manufacturers. "Next year, we'll offer five full categories - totaling 21 models - of full-suspension bikes. We're confident that our future consumer is going to have an interest in freeride - it's where the soul of the sport is these days."

Freeriding appeals to a generation that is just discovering the healthy, muscle-powered sport of mountain biking. Because it doesn't require as much acreage as traditional mountain bike areas - just a few miles of challenge-oriented trails can provide hours of fun - freeriding parks are often a good option for urban and suburban settings. But managing a freeride facility offers substantial challenges, including the proper design and maintenance of trails, overseeing interactions between riders and other user groups, and liability concerns.

Managing Risk With Trail Design 

Presented at the 2006 IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference

Speakers: Chris Bernhardt, IMBA; Rich Edwards, IMBA

Most trails currently in use were designed before the creation of the mountain bike and were therefore not designed to maximize biking experience or provide adequate opportunities for skill progression. Seeking physical challenge in the outdoors is a long-standing human practice. Below are some principles of trail design, construction techniques and management strategies for managing risk.

The Future of Freeriding

Bicycle manufacturers expect to see growth in the freeride market

"Freeride reflects a generation of mountain bikers who have rediscovered the passion that first lured cycists into the forest in the late 1970s," says Mountain Bike Action's Richard Cunningham. "The dilemma we face, however, is that the modern mountain bike is far more capable than previous bikes, so the present trail systems offer fewer challenges."

Bicycle manufacturers say that the number of technically advanced bikes - and riders with the skills to handle them - will only increase in upcoming years. "If you look back at Trek's catalogue from the year 2000 you'll see a couple of cross-country bikes with fairly minimal suspension," says Joe Vadeboncouer, a product specialist at Trek Bicycles. "Next year, we'll offer five full categories - totaling 21 models - of full-suspension bikes. We're confident that our future consumer is going to have an interest in freeride - it's where the soul of the sport is these days."

Skip Hess, president of Giant USA, agrees that the freeride category offers significant growth potential, but says there are degrees of freeride compatibility. "Freeride and downhill bikes with eight inches of travel grab the media's attention. While they don't provide the bulk of our full-suspension sales, those technologies do trickle down to our mid-range and entry-level models. That allows more people to tackle more kinds of terrain when they go riding."

Here at IMBA, it's increasingly apparent that mountain bikers across North America are eager for freeriding challenges. An unprecedented number of freeride-oriented clubs have been formed. We also received more than 20 well-crafted applications for the 2005 Kona/IMBA Freeride Grants program, and new freeride areas (on both private and public lands) are cropping up everywhere.

Developments in bicycle technology often lead to unexpected access issues, and the need to educate and encourage land managers about what the future might hold. In the past three decades, IMBA has learned a lot about how to create sustainable, challenging cycling experiences. Freeriding is simply the latest opportunity to utilize that knowledge.

The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.

15 Steps to Risk Management 

The freeride movement went through an awkward adolescence in the 1990s. Early movies and magazine stories gave many people the impression that "freeriding" was synonymous with riding off-trail and mountain biking in a reckless fashion. As a result, some land managers cling to the notion that technically challenging trails are fundamentally unsafe. They oppose freeriding out of a fear of potential injuries and lawsuits. The good news is that mountain bikers can responsibly create and ride challenging trails without sparking liability concerns or provoking lawsuits. In this article we present 15 steps to managing freeriding risk.

Communities and Trails: Making the Connection

Presented at the 2006 IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference

Speakers: Laura Woolner, IMBA; Cynthia Lovely, Coconino County Parks and Recreation, Flagstaff, Arizona; Mark Gullo, Flagstaff Biking in Flagstaff, Arizona; Carol Potter, Mountain Trails Foundation in Park City, Utah

Speakers shared success stories of cities that have adopted trails as an integral part of their community development programs.

Flagstaff has 40 miles of urban trails with more than a hundred more miles in proposition. With a population of 64,270 and 1,821,495 acres of land in Coconino National Forest, there is a huge expanse of public land at the city's disposal. In 1998, Flagstaff publicized their open space and greenways plan, which led, in part, to the development and legitimization of 350 miles of trails within Coconino National Forest.

Carol Potter, who works with the non-profit Mountain Trails Foundation in Park City, Utah, celebrates the fact that, by law, new developers have to leave open space on their land, designated specifically for public use. The city quickly realized the value of their trails. In 1992 there were only 10 miles of trails, and today Park City boasts 330 miles of trails. She explains that realtors happily allow for public land use, acknowledging the fact that land values rise in relation to its proximity to a trail system.

Park City shares many of the secrets to success with Flagstaff. It has numerous annual events including the Tour de Suds, multiple bike races, Hike your Hound Day (reaching beyond the mountain biking population), and an IMBA Epic Ride. More than that, Potter emphasizes good signage and interesting trail features. There are musical and artistic additions to some of the urban trails around Park City and Potter says that she is able to get art grants for those types of amenities.

 Overcomming Objections to Freeriding

Originally published in the IMBA Freeride Guide, September, 2006

Many landowners believe freeriding equals reckless riding and off-trail rampages. They frequently oppose it and cite potential lawsuits, environmental damage and conflicts with other trail users as their reasons.

The good news is that mountain bikers can create challenging trails and bike parks that defy prejudiced views. Let's break down the arguments that are used against freeriding, and look at effective strategies for countering them.