Opinion: We Need Harder Trail Standards

I am going to say something that will get me uninvited from trail association meetings: we are building too many easy trails, and it is making us worse riders.

The Dilution Problem

What I am arguing against is the prevailing philosophy that intermediate terrain is the ideal endpoint for rider progression. That black-rated trails are a niche product for a niche market, rather than an aspiration towards which all riders might journey at their own pace.

Technical trails don’t exclude riders. They inspire them. They give them something to work towards.

The mountain bike industry celebrates technical challenges in every piece of marketing material. On the other, it has spent years softening trail networks in the name of accessibility. We can have both. We must.