Editor’s note: this article originally appeared in the January 30, 2025, Singletracks email newsletter. It’s free to sign up, and you’ll receive original content just like this in your inbox each week.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that their mission is, in part, “to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth.” After all, this sounds like it could be the mission statement for a local bike club, or even the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). (IMBA’s mission is in fact similar, though more specific: “To create, enhance, and protect great places to ride mountain bikes.”)
Instead, it’s the mission statement for the Sierra Club, a group that has been known to oppose mountain bike trail access in some communities around the United States.
I can’t speak for all mountain bikers, but to me, the Sierra Club Mission statement sums up why I ride. I love exploring, and rolling on two wheels allows me to go farther and to experience more of this amazing planet.
And as anyone who has ridden a mountain bike knows, it’s fun, and it’s a great way to enjoy being outdoors and connecting with our natural environment.
It’s interesting that the mission statement for a group that sometimes finds itself in conflict with bikers over environmental protection places the very idea third in a list of three, behind exploration and enjoyment. TBH it’s hard to say how I would prioritize the three concepts, but protecting the environment is certainly a biggie for me.
Look, our favorite bike trails are almost exclusively located in beautiful natural spaces that need to be protected from development. No one wants to ride their mountain bike in a parking lot. It’s safe to say that mountain bikers love trees, plants, clear streams, and beautiful vistas as much if not more than the average citizen.
In many conflicts between individuals and groups, there’s a tendency to focus on our differences, rather than to find common ground. For every example of a trail conflict, there are likely just as many if not more examples of groups successfully working together and finding a path forward.
For my part, I’ll keep fighting to protect our natural spaces so we can enjoy exploring them on two feet, or two wheels.
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