NEMBA's Library is a good place to start if you're looking for information about mountain bike or trails advocacy.

You can also check our list of books about mountain biking in New England.

Resources and Studies

Mountain Bike Advocacy

IMBA Resources Page: The International Mountain Bike Association has developed a sizeable array of information useful for mountain bike and trail advocacy. It is highly recommended for anyone looking for information of anything from bike management strategies, trail maintenance, bicycle patrols, soft cycling, wilderness issues and more.

Ten Ways to Save Riding in Your Area. Philip Keyes, Dirt Rag Magazine #105.

Designing Multiple-Use Trails Kurt Loheit, the Trails Resourse Director for the International Mountain Bike Association, is one of the nation's premier experts in trail design. This article appeared in SingleTracks (#51, August/Sept. 2000)

A Primer on GPS and Trails compiled by John Peters and other Trail-Crew@nemba.org list members.

Building Better Trails.  Designing, Constructing and Maintaining Outstanding Trails.  IMBA. 2001

Whistler Trail Standards. Environmental and Technical Trail Features. 2001. PDF.

IMBA's Trail Building and Maintenance Resources.

Working with Volunteers.  A PowerPoint presentation by Philip Keyes

Responsible Riding and Sharing the Trails

Just say "No" to March Mud--Even in April!" by Philip Keyes (2004)

Share the Trail, This is a pamphlet created by NEMBA to educate trail users about how to share the trails with other user groups, especially hikers and equestrians. While it was written long ago, it is just as valid today.

Ten Responsible Riding Tips. IMBA, 2004

"Meeting a horse on the trail? What to do?" by the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club.

Mountain Biking in Connecticut State Forests & Parks: This is a great flier that perfectly states how mountain bikers should be respectful of other trail users experience. It also gives information specific about mountain biking on trails managed by CT's Department of Environmental Protection.

"A Comparative Study of Impacts to Mountain Bike Trails in Five Common Ecological Regions of the Southwestern U.S."  By Dave D. White, M. Troy Waskey, Grant P. Brodehl and Pamela E. Foti.  Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. Summer 2006. Volume 24, Number 2. pp. 21-41.

Planning and Managing Environmentally Friendly Mountain Bike Trails.  By Pamela E. Foti, Dave D. White,Grant P. Brodehl, Troy Waskey, and Elladee Brown. 2006.

Natural Resource Impact of Mountain Biking: A summary of the scientific studies that compare mountain biking to other forms of trail travel. By Gary Sprung, IMBA 2004.

Off-Road Impacts of Mountain Bikes: A Review and Discussion. SCIENCE & RESEARCH SERIES NO.92, (1995) by Gordon R. Cessford  This is one of the best reviews and syntheses of the scientific literature on the physical and social impacts of mountain biking. It's a must read for anyone seeking info on mountain bike impact. The bibliography is excellent.

Conflicts on Multiple-Use Trails: Synthesis of the Literature and State of the Practice by Roger L. Moore (1994). This study, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, makes a good review of the literature and points to numerous ways to mitigate user conflict. It contains much information indicating that mountain biking does not inherently conflict with the experiences of other trail users..

Off-Road Mountain Biking: A profile of participants and their recreation
setting and experience preferences A report by Gordan Cessford, Department
of Conservation, New Zealand. 1995.

Mountain Biking:Issues and Actions for USDA Forest Service Managers by Deborah J. Chavez; USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
 

Assessing Uncertainty in Expert Judgments About Natural Resources by David Cleaves, USDA Forest Service Southern Forest Experiment Station

Public Relations

Publicizing NEMBA Events.  Tom Grimble provides some good tips for getting the word out about NEMBA events. (2004).

NEMBA and Bicycle Dealers PPT

Winter Mountain Biking

Here are a few articles to keep you riding when the snow flies:

Hot tips for a Cold Winter

Great Places to Ride

Something Wintery

PK's Winter Clothes Pics

Icebiking

Winter Riding Tips

NEMBA Proposals

Improvement and Expansion to Mountain Bike User Resourses in the Middlesex Fells Reservation

The Greater Boston chapter of NEMBA has long been active in trying to improve trail access for mountain bikes in the Fells. Last spring a three phase proposal for more equitable trail access in the Fells was put before the MDC. We are still waiting for an official response to this proposal (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).

NEMBA Comments

Green Mountain National Forest Revision Plan, by IMBA, NEMBA and VMBA, July 5, 2005

White Mountain National Forest Management Plan Revision, by IMBA & NEMBA, December 17, 2004

NEMBA Comment on Proposed Logging at Holyoke-Skinner SP , by Philip Keyes, April 22, 2004

Response to "BLM may Restrict Mountain Biking". by Philip Keyes, December 21, 2000.

Response to the Applachian Mountain Club's Proposed Trail Use Policy. by Philip Keyes, December 11, 1997.