ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly looks at the emergence of the sport and its advocacy groups, then explores the most common varieties/types of mountain biking and trails, the competitions and festivals that often bring together large numbers of riders, the demographics of the community, and finally the environmental impact of riding in wilderness areas. Mountain biking spread widely throughout the 1980s and onward across the globe. The International Mountain Bicycling Association was formed in 1988 to advocate for trail access and promote mountain biking through educating riders and trail builders to limit erosion and environmental impacts. Enduro or trail riding is more technical than cross-country riding. Enduro is a rapidly growing segment of the sport covering a broad range of riding styles. Fat biking is another increasingly popular style of riding in cold climates. It involves retrofitting enduro bikes with wide forks, and very wide, fat tires to enable riding on snow and ice.
