Our Stateside colleagues have been facing potentially disastrous limitation of their access priviledges thanks to a new Bureau of Land Management plan.

The plan had lumped them together with 4×4’s and motorbikes as “Off Highway Vehicles” but after a massive IMBA led petition from over 12,000 US bikers, they are now planning a seperate strategy for bikes.

Bob Ratcliffe, BLM’s deputy group manager for recreation commented “We have decided to pursue a separate strategy for mountain biking because there are enough unique differences. We’d really like to elevate our recognition of mountain biking and include them in our planning process.”

Though this is exactly what is happening in the enlightened corridors of Welsh power after the success of Coed-y-Brenin it makes a stark contrast to the complete ignoring of mountain bikers in the recent “right to roam” legislation.

Perhaps it’s time to start our own grouping (besides the CTC) to represent mountain bikers in the broader political spectrum, before getting left out of planning strategies becomes a permanent state.