"What kind of trails/trails do you prefer on your MTB if you have the choice?" Mountain bikers who take part in the survey of the canton of Zurich have to answer this and a few other questions. The aim is to determine what bikers in the canton of Zurich need or want in order to be able to practice their sport, explains Sandra Gredig from Allegra Tourism, who is conducting the analysis on behalf of the Canton of Zurich's Cycling and Sports Office.

In addition to the survey, interviews and workshops were conducted and the information obtained was compared with data from Strava. So if all participants in a region state that they only ride on forest roads, but the Strava heatmap shows that a large proportion of the rides go alongside these roads, then the respondents have either lied or the sample does not correspond to the typical biker in the region.

Specifically, the canton of Zurich is looking for answers to the following questions:

• Where does MTB take place in the canton of Zurich?
• How can bikers be grouped and where do they ride?
• Are there any region-specific peculiarities?
• What are the issues of conflict with other uses and where can these be located?
• Where is there a need for action for the current bike path network (trails/routes)? (However, no specific trail and route proposals are being developed.)
• Are there any priorities for action in the canton from the perspective of MTB and/or other user and interest groups?

Need for action does not necessarily lead to action

When many people in the survey express the need for a large bike park in the canton of Zurich or a World Cup-worthy cross-country circuit, this does not mean that the canton will take this as an opportunity to have it built. Rather, the point is that everyone who deals with mountain biking on behalf of the canton is starting from the same foundations.

Allegra Tourism will evaluate the responses and data received by spring 2023. It is not yet clear whether the public will find out what the needs survey has revealed. The canton of Zurich intends to use the results to define processes and develop guidelines that will enable it to respond consistently to inquiries or conflicts.

As a goodie for taking part in the survey, there are bike store vouchers, day tickets and an overnight stay in a hotel as well as various small items to be won.

Click here for the online questionnaire