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IMBA Freeriding Resources Directory

Freeride Locations
Freeride Overview
Building Freeriding Trails
Success Stories
IMBA Freeride Guides

Freeride Locations

Where to Freeride

-- A list of authorized freeride areas and technical trails worldwide.

Great Places to Freeride on Public Land

-- A few examples where clubs have helped develop freeriding on pubic lands.

Freeride Overview

A Note From Kona, Official Sponsor of the IMBA Freeride Guide

-- Why we sponsor freeriding resources and advocacy.

IMBA's Freeriding Position

-- How IMBA defines freeriding and the official IMBA position statement.

The Emergence of Bike Parks

-- These playgrounds are popping up all over and riders are loving them.

Overcoming Objections to Freeriding

-- Basic ideas for countering arguments against freeriding.

Out of the Shadows

-- An essay for the 2006 IMBA Freeride Guide by Richard Cunningham.

Air Controllers: About the Whistler Bike Patrol

-- Plus 5 tips for patrolling freeride areas.

Welcome to the World of Freeriding

-- Published in Parks and Recreation magazine, December, 2005 (Vol. 40, No.12)

The Future of Freeriding

-- Bicycle manufacturers expect to see growth in the freeride market.

National Ski Area Assoc. Article on Freeriding

-- The NSAA's 2005 feature-length article on freeriding at ski areas.

Freeriding and Risk Management: 15 Steps to Success

-- A step-by-step guide to managing the risks of freeriding.

9 Ways to Involve Freeriders in Your Club

-- Ways to involve these riders in your club for everyone's benefit.

Risk Management and Liability for Mountain Biking

-- Resources to help manage the risk and liability of freeriding.

Kona/IMBA Freeriding Grant Application

-- Cash grants to help create new freeriding, downhilling and dirt jumping opportunities.

Kona/IMBA Freeride Grant Winners

-- A complete list of grant winning groups since 2004.

Freestyle Terrain Safety Initiative from the National Ski Areas Association (off-site link)

-- The NSAA's education and safety program for terrain parks at mountain resorts.

Tips for Managing Risk in Ski Area Mountain Bike Operations

-- From the National Ski Area Association Journal, April/May 2006.

Building Freeride Trails

Building Bulldozer-Proof Trails

-- Tips to prevent your perfectly sculpted dirt jumps being crushed by a 50,000-pound Caterpillar.

Building Dirt Jump and Freeriding Parks

-- 18 steps to building sustainable jump parks.

Trailbuilding Tips for Downhill Trails

-- Cutting-edge techniques for constructing downhill tracks.

Defining the Challenge: Three Ways to Create a Challenging Trail

-- The primary building blocks of technical trails.

Rock Versus Wood: Which is the Better Material for Technical Trails?

-- Consider durability, predictability, maintenance and aesthetics.

Construction Guidelines for Wooden Technical Trail Features

-- Basic advice for building high-quality wooden structures.

10 Tips to Build a Ladder Bridge

-- Helpful ideas for making them fun, durable, and managing risk.

Dropping-In to More Technical Challenge

-- Instructions for building a drop-off.

Use Exposure to Add Challenge

-- Exposure always produces grins and a shot of adrenaline.

Using Logs to Add Challenge

-- Advice for log-rides and similar technical trail features.

Tough Trails Should Be Rock-Solid

-- Using rocks to add technical challenge.

Armoring - Using Rock to Harden Trails

-- Using rock to build trails in challenging situations.

Build Short Ups and Downs - An Easy Way to Toughen Trails

-- How to build grade revesals, gravity drops and more.

Build Twists and Turns to Add Challenge to Trails

-- Surfing the contour for the ultimate natrual rollercoaster.

IMBA's Trail Difficulty Rating System

-- A system to rate the relative difficulty level of trails.

Developing Bike Skills Parks

-- Presented at the 2006 IMBA Summit/World Mountain Bike Conference

Success Stories

Oregon's Black Rock Trail System

-- A freeride success story.

Santos, Florida

-- A freeriding success story.

Going Big in Hood River

-- Oregon's Hood River County offers world-class, sustainable freeriding.

Vacouver Riders Soar at Gleneagles

-- West Vancouver's skills park is a model facility.

Stunt Park Opens in Port Moody, British Columbia

-- Photos and story of this innovative urban bike park.

Downhilling at Steeplechase Ski Area near Rochester, Minnesota

-- Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew helps build Minnesota trail.

NEMBA & Trail Crew Build Model Freeride Trail

-- A success story from Lynn Woods Reservation.

Black Rock Freeride Management Plan

-- (2004) Created by the Black Rock Mountain Bike Club and the Oregon Department of Forestry, this plan outlines management of the Black Rock Trail System (.pdf)

Townsville, Australia, Mt. Stuart Downhill Trail Management Plan (MS Word doc)

-- (2005) Created by the Townsville Rockwheelers Mountain Bike Club, this plan outlines the design, construction, maintenance, and management of a downhill mountain bike track for all skill levels.

Freeride Guides

2006 IMBA Freeride Guide

-- A pdf of the 16-page Freeride Guide printed by IMBA in 2006.

2005 IMBA Freeride Guide

-- A pdf of the 16-page Freeride Guide printed by IMBA in 2005.

2004 IMBA Freeride Guide

-- A pdf of the 16-page Freeride Guide printed by IMBA in 2004.

2002 IMBA Freeride Guide

-- A pdf of the 16-page Freeride Guide printed by IMBA in 2002.

The suggestions offered in this and other IMBA trailbuilding articles do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Trailbuilders and landowners are responsible for the safety of their own trails and facilities. Freeriding and dirt jumping are high-risk activities that can result in serious injuries. IMBA's goal is to help land managers and volunteers manage these risks by sharing information.