BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The International Mountain Bicycling Association has launched an online survey. The nonprofit says findings will help guide its advocacy work. IMBA worked with the SRAM Cycling Fund and Ohio University researchers on the national survey, which is open until Sept. 20.
IMBA said it's seeking "the diverse opinions of America's mountain bikers to understand their habits, access to trails and levels of engagement."
The survey asks about a variety of topics including mountain biking experience, how respondents were introduced to mountain biking, type of riding they engage in and prefer, the kinds of local trails that are available, frequency of mountain biking, duration of rides, people they ride with, other sports they engage in as well as how much they've spent on bikes, how many they own, how much is spent on service and related parts, and where respondents have purchased mountain biking equipment and gear.
The survey also asks about traveling for mountain bike trips, races, and how much time and money is spent on destination mountain biking.
Aside from user experience, IMBA also asks about what respondents believe are the biggest threats to gaining trail access, about e-MTB use on mountain bike trails, and views on bike access in federal Wilderness Areas.
The survey takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. It's open to U.S. residents ages 18 and older and can only be taken once per person. Answers will be anonymous.
"Much is known about the habits and priorities of passionate and engaged mountain bikers — those who read mountain bike media, belong to local advocacy groups and take mountain bike-specific vacations. While their opinions are critical to the success of this survey, so, too, are the little-understood experiences and desires of those who ride only occasionally and casually, and those who might not even ride at all but are interested peripherally in mountain biking. Understanding what might engage more casual riders in mountain bike volunteerism and providing them their desired experiences is critical for both advocacy organizations and land managers," IMBA said in its news release.
IMBA said it will provide a high-level summary of the findings at its 30th anniversary celebration in Bentonville, Ark., October 26-28. The findings will be available online via IMBA.com after that date.
Readers can take the survey here: ohio.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e8ugn6H4uebaBRH.
