Research Exposes Postcode Lottery in England’s Challenging MTB Trails
New analysis from online retailer Paul’s Cycles has laid bare a stark regional disparity in access to demanding mountain bike terrain across England, with riders in some counties left with precious few technical routes on their doorstep.
The study trawled AllTrails data, counting how many routes within each county are classified as “hard” or “strenuous”, before ranking the 39 English counties from best to worst served. The findings reveal a lopsided picture, with certain areas boasting a wealth of gnarly, technical singletrack while others offer riders slim pickings when it comes to genuinely testing trails.
Paul’s Cycles argues this imbalance isn’t just an inconvenience – it may be actively pushing riders towards unofficial or unauthorised trail-building and riding. Where legitimate, well-maintained technical routes are scarce, the retailer suggests, keen mountain bikers are more likely to seek out or carve their own rogue lines through woodland and countryside, raising concerns around land access disputes, erosion, and strained relationships with landowners.
The research lands at a moment when the mountain biking community continues to lobby for improved trail access and investment, particularly outside the well-known hotspots of the Peak District, Lake District and South Wales. Advocacy groups have long argued that a shortage of legal, purpose-built technical trails in under-served counties leaves local riders with an unenviable choice: travel significant distances to reach quality riding, or take matters into their own hands.
For On Track readers, this matters beyond mere convenience. A genuine gap in provision has implications for rider safety – unofficial trails are rarely built with drainage, gradient or sustainability in mind – and for the broader reputation of mountain biking with landowners and local authorities. If Paul’s Cycles’ findings prompt councils, trail centres and cycling bodies to address these gaps, it could mean better, safer riding for thousands of enthusiasts currently making do with limited options closer to home.
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Reported from an announcement by BikeBiz. Read the original.
