Actually, we’ve already seen just about everything there is to see when it comes to mountain biking—and how riding skills can be showcased in videos. But then along comes Brandon Semenuk with yet another clip that leaves you speechless, at least for a moment.

The forest where the Emser Bike Park in Rhineland-Palatinate is located has caught fire three times in one week. But the club faces another problem: its own crawler dumper is broken and needs an expensive repair. The trail is open again, but riders will have to bypass the burned-out Northshore section until further notice.

The report has generated a great deal of interest and has also sparked protests and objections: Between 2022 and 2026, the number of people who regularly ride mountain bikes in Switzerland has dropped by a quarter. Is that a problem? Does it even matter? To whom? Here are some background details and thoughts on the study’s findings.

It’s not just single-track biking that’s facing challenges in Appenzell Innerrhoden. Currently, a paved road near the popular St. Anton hill is the scene of a conflict between cyclists and a farmer. A long-forgotten driving ban has been marked with new signs. Of course, this hasn’t resolved the conflict.

The good news: Mountain biking remains one of the ten most popular sports among people in Switzerland. The bad news: The number of regular mountain bikers has dropped by 25 percent since 2022. This is shown in the latest edition of the federal government’s sports study on the Swiss population’s sports habits.

There were three separate fires at the Emser Bikepark near Bad Ems, close to Koblenz. Among other things, large sections of the Northshores were destroyed by the fire. The operator is collecting donations for the reconstruction.

The harder the climb, the sweeter the descent. This rule may not apply to everyone. For me and anyone else who enjoys a good hard ride, here are a few thoughts on a tour in Liguria that was far too grueling.

Want to do something with mobility? Then just add an "E-" to the front of something that already moves. For example, a handcart. And there are also bike trailers with motors—and what a variety there is.

Gee Atherton took a hard fall while filming his latest movie in the “Ridgeline” series. It’s not the first time. The Brit isn’t revealing exactly what happened, but it seems he may have been lucky again despite the accident. Hardly any other mountain biker has suffered more broken bones than he has and is still riding.

Since 2026, the canton of Zug has had an official mountain bike network. Mountain bikers have had to give up some of their favorite trails. This makes it all the more shocking to see what has become of the Felsentrail, which is part of the network. The canton is now retroactively conducting a building permit process. But the damage has already been done.

The Heilbronn Regional Court has ruled that the hunter, who repeatedly strung wires and eventually even steel cables across trails in his hunting grounds, is guilty of attempted aggravated assault. He has been sentenced to one year and three months, suspended. He may still appeal the verdict.

Uber offers a ride-sharing service in the Lugano area for people with mountain bikes. Rides depart from three starting points to the trails in the region and back to Lugano; two bikes can be loaded onto the bike rack per car. 

It used to be said: If Hans No Way Rey can't ride it, nobody can. At 60 years old, the MTB trial pioneer is still tackling tough terrain on his e-MTB. And as he demonstrates in a post, he doesn't always succeed.

A network of trails is set to be built on the Lindenberg, a range of hills on the border between the cantons of Aargau and Lucerne. Mountain bikers initiated the project, which is now supported by the federal government and the municipalities. Opposition is coming from elsewhere.

Enduro, currently the problem child of mountain bike racing, is coming to live TV. The Swiss free-to-air channel Blue Zoom will broadcast the World Cup race at the Aletscharena Bellwald this coming weekend. According to the organizers, this is a world premiere.

Harry G manages the feat of presenting the hackneyed stereotypes against e-mountain bikers in a way that somehow makes the whole thing funny. Maybe it’s his dialect, maybe it’s his acting skills. One thing’s for sure: the arguments don’t hold water from start to finish—anyone who wants to can use the video for a debate sparring match. Or just tell Harry G what he thinks.

Schweizmobil and the BFU have revised the signage for Swiss mountain bike routes and trails. In doing so, the agency has also redefined the difficulty levels. The new scale has five levels, with “very easy” and “very difficult” as additional levels. But there are also changes within the scale itself.

In Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, a hunter is on trial for repeatedly stretching steel cables across an unauthorized bike trail. The prosecution has charged him with murder.

The dry conditions are increasing the risk of fire. A fire has broken out at Cima della Trosa above Locarno, and firefighters are still battling it on Tuesday morning. The area affected is Cima della Trosa, through which a Ride Tour also passes.

Bikers who enjoy riding the Hart-Lines near Bad Kreuznach (Rhineland-Palatinate) will likely have to do without them for a while. The reason is a forest fire—in an area where there is still a lot of ammunition from World War II buried in the ground. There is a risk of explosion.

Genoa is a hidden gem for enduro riders, not far from the hustle and bustle of Finale Ligure. Participants in the Red Bull Cerro Abajo race ride the port city’s most exclusive trail—a city downhill course that winds through narrow alleys, over staircases, and flies right across entire streets. It’s pure spectacle on paths that are otherwise unrideable.

Lend a hand with trail maintenance in exchange for room and board in a biking paradise—that’s the deal at the trail-building camps. Adelboden-Lenk and Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis are hosting the next round this summer.

A female mountain biker crashes on a red flow trail and sustains serious injuries. In the second instance, the Higher Regional Court of Hamm in North Rhine-Westphalia ordered the association that operates the trail to pay damages. The DIMB fears that fewer volunteers will now be willing to take the risk of maintaining trails. The ruling serves as a prime example of the extent of the obligations of bike trail operators.

The UCI is facing heavy criticism over a controversial jury decision at the World Cup in Leogang. The victim is Mathis Azzaro (FRA), who loses his second-place finish. Jenny Rissveds’ (SWE) more serious rule violation, on the other hand, has no consequences—her victory remains intact. Hardly anyone online supports this interpretation of the rules.

German downhill rider Nina Hoffmann has one too many bikes in her garage and is now selling it on eBay. The proceeds from the sale of her custom-built Santa Cruz 5010 will go toward trail projects and inclusion initiatives in Germany, distributed through the Mountainbike Forum Deutschland and its Bike Spirit Awards.

On Easter Monday, a mountain biker took such a severe fall on the Goldiwheel Trail near Thun that he died from his injuries. Hardly any details have been released since then. Was it a riding error? Did the trail have a safety hazard? The man who found the victim on the trail sheds some light on the matter.

Baden-Württemberg’s new government wants single trails throughout the state. And it also wants the opposite of that: the two-meter rule. Politically active mountain bikers had pinned their hopes on the coalition and are now openly criticizing its platform.

It doesn’t get much more legendary than this. The BC Bike Race is the mother of all mountain bike stage races in North America, Nino Schurter is the most successful mountain bike racer of all time, and Thomas Frischknecht is one of the sport’s first superstars. The two Swiss riders are set to begin this 7-day adventure today for the first time. The Anita and Caro twins are shaking up the field in the Team of 2 classification.

Girlsridetoo Get Out is the classic bike camp for women who love challenging singletrack trails. The formula remains the same for the 18th edition, taking place July 2–5: four days of trail riding in the Upper Engadine exclusively for female mountain bikers, with or without an electric bike. If you want to join, you’ll have to act fast—it’s almost sold out again. 

With the Hoschidays, the Hostettler Group and Intercycle are celebrating cycling with a spectacular event on their own company grounds. Trial legends Danny MacAskill and Fabio Wibmer will perform their "Drop and Roll" show, Flying Metal will put on a jump show, and motorcycles will also be flying through the air. Things are going to get wild and loud in Sursee on May 30 and 31.

Mountain bikers in North Rhine-Westphalia face major restrictions. The draft of the new state forestry law would limit mountain biking in forests to paths at least 3.5 meters wide and official bike trails. The DIMB and the community are mobilizing to prevent this revision.

After the MTB World Championships comes the MTB European Championships—especially for Switzerland, as the continental championships will take place in Ticino, on Monte Tamaro. Swiss Cycling is focusing on the 32-inch debate as part of its preparations.

The new Baden-Württemberg coalition government, made up of the CDU and the Greens, wants to create singletrack trails across the state. Or, more precisely, to support local municipalities in doing so. This is stated in the coalition agreement. How this might happen in practice will be the focus of the German Mountain Bike Congress, taking place June 16–19 in Aalen.

Trailforks is the giant among bike trail platforms. But the app doesn’t show you everything. Unofficial, unwanted, unmarked, or simply illegal trails can be suppressed by admins and will not be included afterward. The Swiss country manager explains how this works.

The Grand Council of the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden narrowly voted against maintaining a general ban on cycling on hiking trails. Voters at the Landsgemeinde see things differently and want the ban upheld. The backdrop to this is the federal Bicycle Paths Act, which requires all cantons to submit plans for trail networks for daily use and recreation by 2027.

Toptrail Tannzapfenland is the name of a trail center in Fischingen, Thurgau. It is the first mountain bike facility built in a forest in the canton of Thurgau. It will officially open on Saturday, April 25. The locals are already flying over the kickers, and Ride went to check it out.

The Thurgau government has approved its mountain biking plan. As part of this, it is submitting a proposal to the parliament to amend the Forest Act, which would allow for fines to be imposed on cyclists who ride off official paths and trails. Interestingly, fines will only be imposed in areas where mountain biking infrastructure exists. The devil is in the details.

The rumor has already caused quite a stir, and now Red Bull has officially announced the Cerro Abajo urban downhill race in Stuttgart. On the weekend of September 5 and 6, the pros will race down into the Stuttgart basin, with the finish line right in the heart of the city. And all this in the capital of the 2-meter rule. 

The district of Miesbach in Upper Bavaria must redefine its landscape conservation areas. Some want to link this to a sweeping ban on single-track trails. But that won’t happen for now; the plan was too legally shaky. Now there is even a risk that all conservation areas will be revoked if new boundaries are not defined by the end of the year.

The Particle Accelerator Bike Parts Flea Market, which has been held in Zurich every spring for decades, will not take place in 2026. The organizers report that, despite an intensive search, they were unable to find a suitable venue. However, they promise that this is by no means the end of the iconic market. They plan to be back in 2027.

Mathieu van der Poel shows us his home in Belgium and his home in Spain. Naturally, the video from the “This Is Home” series often focuses on the road and cyclocross. But the Dutch powerhouse still has a major goal ahead of him, particularly in mountain biking. 

Bad news from the Thunersee Bike Park. A person whose identity has not yet been officially confirmed fell on the Goldiwheel Trail on Easter Monday and died as a result. 

I bought these gloves years ago, and their grip is still unmatched by any other gloves I've ever owned. The model is called Grippp; the manufacturer, Hirzl, usually makes golf gloves.

Arc’teryx is now catering to mountain bikers as well. With a minimalist collection, the Canadian brand aims to bring its reputation for delivering high-quality apparel for demanding conditions to the trails. And to keep it nice and exclusive, the Rhoam Capsule is available in a limited edition.

Hans Rey and GT seemed inseparable, and it took the post-COVID bike crisis to end their legendary partnership after 38 years. Now Hans Rey, who turns 60 in two months, is introducing his new bike sponsor: Santa Cruz.

Berne's forest owners caused a stir with their hefty compensation demands. A year later, Vice President Ernst Wandfluh is putting those claims into perspective, calling it a misunderstanding. He is still demanding payment and has an idea for how it could be collected. 

Pinkbike VJ Charlie Coquillard likes to compare himself to professional downhill riders to show just how fast they are. Now he’s tried to keep up with 16-year-old Australian Tilly Boadle. While he’s gasping for breath, she comments on the current trail conditions and keeps asking, “Where’s Charlie?”

Yes, this is an original VW T1. But instead of the rattling combustion engine in the rear, it has a modern electric motor. Behind this project is the U.S. automotive company Kindred. It rebuilds authentic VW buses and other classic cars with electric or gas-powered drivetrains. And it’s swamped with orders.

The delegates have voted: Luana Bergamin, a member of the Graubünden Grand Council representing the Center Party, is the new president of Swiss Cycling—the first woman to hold the position in the association’s 142-year history. Her opponent, Marisa Reich, who ran against the executive board, lost the race for the presidency but will remain on the board.

The blog posts about retirees riding e-bikes have generated some interesting reader responses. One comes from Christian Großmann from Hesse, who has been a mountain biker for nearly 50 years. The tirade against seniors on e-bikes really upset him. After all, he is one of them.

There is cause for optimism. The worst is behind us, and the gravel segment is growing strongly. Velosuisse highlights the positive aspects of the 2025 sales figures. From a mountain bike perspective, the trend continues to decline, albeit at a less steep rate.

The turmoil at Swiss Cycling continues. Marisa Reich, who was excluded from the presidential election and the board, has appealed and won her case. This means that she can still be elected president at the delegates' meeting this coming Saturday. As a result, there are once again two women standing for election. The grassroots continue to be in turmoil, with Swiss Cycling CEO Thomas Peter coming in for particular criticism.

Netflix is withdrawing from the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), leaving Paramount to take the field. Because Paramount, unlike Netflix, wants to acquire WBD in its entirety and not just parts of it, MTB World Cup broadcasts could continue unchanged. For now.

The politician and sports manager from Graubünden is constantly striving to reach the top. Following the exclusion of Marisa Reich, Luana Bergamin is the only remaining candidate for the vacant presidency of Swiss Cycling. In an interview, she explains how she intends to take the cycling association forward.

Two weeks before the presidential election, Swiss Cycling has dismissed one of two female candidates from the board and excluded her from the election. The reason given is an article in the statutes that has been ignored for years. Another board member has also been dismissed and a candidate for the vice-presidency has been excluded. In addition, the Mobility and Politics department is now without staff following another departure.

Ride editor Thomas Giger complains that mountain biking is no longer wild and rebellious. He blames this on a flood of retirees, triggered by the e-mountain bike. This allows untalented, uncool people to dominate the image of a sport that was once a lifestyle. Ride editor Stefan Michel does not stand for this senior bashing.

Where do you ride, how much do you earn, and do you take your mountain bike with you on family vacations? IMBA Europe is trying to find out more about female mountain bikers on the Old Continent with a wide range of questions. Some of the questions are a little strange. The European MTB lobby organization is asking for your participation.

Appenzell Innerrhoden, historically difficult terrain for mountain bikers, rejects a ban on MTBs on hiking trails – with 23 votes to 22 in the 50-member parliament. The cantonal cycle path law will now be put to the vote without a ban on bikes.

Ebay is always good for a surprise. In December, the Canyon race truck was on sale. A few days ago, Rockshox Boxxer Ultimate forks turned up - in a version that is not even on sale yet.

The "Sex-Wäldli" near Kriessern in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley has been a thorn in the side of the local population for years. A trail center is intended to make the meeting point for open-air sexual intercourse unattractive and offer mountain bikers a versatile training ground. The municipality supports the project, but it has not yet been approved.