Letters

IMBA Trail News
Volume 16, Number 5
Winter 2003

Indiana Bike Coalition Represents Mountain Bikers Too

In the 2003 Report Card, you indicated that Indiana's "Bike coalition represents road cycling." While the Indiana Bicycle Coalition does indeed do a great job of representing the needs of road cyclists, we have long championed the cause of Hoosier mountain bikers, as well. Since its inception in 1993, IBC has worked with land managers to improve mountain biking in our state. Our decade of leadership has established us as the authority.

When our Department of Natural Resources moved to open trails on state property in 2000, we acted as consultants to the program. It was at our urging that the DNR adopted IMBA trail building standards. When the DNR opened a position on the State Trails Advisory Board for mountain bikers, they elected me, as IBC's mountain bike chairman, to fill that spot. Last month we met with the Director of the DNR, John Goss, to discuss ways to improve mountain biking opportunities on state land. Next week, we'll meet with representatives from the Division of State Parks to plan our next step.

Our influence is not limited to state government. When the Forest Service was exploring ways to improve maintenance procedures at their Young's Creek trail, IBC was called in to represent mountain bikers. Many of our suggestions were incorporated into the final plan. (A review of the results can be found on the News and Views page of my website, www.bigringadventure.com.)

To suggest that the Coalition represents only road riders is a disservice to the organization, and a disservice to all the Hoosier mountain bikers who have worked so hard to establish our sport in this state. Thank you for the opportunity to correct this misperception.

Richard Ries
Mountain Bike Chairman, Indiana Bicycle Coalition