Mountain Biking in Australia: An Economic and Participation Analysis

Governments at all levels are recognising the growing popularity of mountain biking and its significant market potential by developing strategies and policies to guide investment and planning. Mountain biking, (cycling off-road on a variety of unsealed surfaces, typically through a natural setting) and cycle tourism more broadly is considered one of the fastest growing recreational activities globally. In the 5 years to 2019, Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA, the former peak body for mountain biking nationally) recorded a membership increase of more than 60 percent. Currently, there is limited publicly available information that accurately estimates the extent of economic and social benefits generated by mountain biking in Australia. Similarly, very few studies estimate the number of participants in mountain biking, as data is limited as not all riders are members of formal clubs or groups. Whilst some studies and strategies attempt to estimate participation in mountain biking, there is little consistency between approaches and limited data to base assumptions on. These studies also often estimate participation for a specific location or trail network, rather than estimating the number of riders nationally.