An Examination of the Motivations, Needs, and Demographics of Mountain Bicyclists in the West Cuesta Ridge Area of the Los Padres National Forest

Mountain biking has become an increasingly popular sport over the past couple of decades. Despite its popularity, some land managers struggle to understand and keep up with the evolving and heavy use of mountain bikes on their trails. The purpose of this study was to examine the motivations, needs, and demographics of mountain bicyclists in Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires on site, at two different trailheads. From a sample of 36 subjects, findings included their demographics and preferred trail qualities. The key qualities were reported to be single-track, natural scenery, variety, flow, and technicality. Also researched were the differences in motivational factors between different riding types and skill levels. Overall, the most