AUSTRALIAN ADAPTIVE MOUNTAIN BIKING

GUIDELINES

A detailed guide to help land managers, trail builders, event directors,

mountain bike clubs, charities and associations develop inclusive mountain

bike trails, events and programs for people with disabilities in Australia.

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Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

AUSTRALIAN ADAPTIVE MOUNTAIN BIKINGGUIDELINESVersion 1.0.0

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of the Author.

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and resources at no additional cost and can be obtained from:

www.breaktheboundary.com

Hard copies can be obtained from: www.mtba.asn.au

COPYRIGHT 2018: © BREAK THE BOUNDARY INC.

This document is copyright protected apart from any

use as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act

1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without

prior written permission from the Author. Requests and

inquiries concerning reproduction should be addressed

to the Author at www.breaktheboundary.com

Proudly supported and published by:

Mountain Bike Australia

Queensland Government

Acknowledgements:

The authors of this document acknowledge the

contribution of volunteers in the preparation and

development of the document’s content. The

authors would also like to extend their gratitude

to the following contributors: Denise Cox

(Mountain Bike Australia), Talya Wainstein, Clinton

Beddall, Richard King, Cameron McGavin and Ivan

Svenson (Kalamunda Mountain Bike Collective).

Photography by Kerry Halford, Travis Deane,

Emily Dimozantos, Matt Devlin and Leanne Rees.

Editing and Graphics by Ripe Designs

Graphics by Richard Morrell

Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

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Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

CONTENTS

1. DOCUMENT PURPOSE 10

1.1. Purpose 11

1.2. Disclaimer 11

1.3. User Groups 11

2. HISTORY OF DISABILITY 12

SPORTING ORGANISATIONS

IN AUSTRALIA

2.1. The Paralympic movement 12

2.2. Handcycling on the 13 world stage

2.3. Sports Running Sports 13

2.4. Developing Adaptive MTB 13 in Australia

3. DISABILITY AND INCLUSION 14

IN AUSTRALIA

3.1. General 15

3.2. Disability Groups 15

3.3. Participation in sport by 16 people with disability

3.4 Participation challenges for 17 people with disability

3.5. Inclusion spectrum 18

4. ADAPTIVE MOUNTAIN BIKING 19OVERVIEW

4.1. What is Adaptive Mountain 20biking?

4.2. Inclusion of people without 20 disability

4.3. Adaptive MTB Categories 20

4.4. Handcycling 22

4.5. Adaptive leg-cycling 24

4.6. Tandem 25

4.7. Modified mountain bikes 26

5. AMTB DISCIPLINES 28

5.1. General 28

5.2. Cross-country (XC) 28

5.3. Gravity Enduro (GE) 28

5.4. Downhill (DH) 29

5.5. Touring 29

6. ADAPTIVE RIDER TIPS AND 30 EQUIPMENT SELECTION

6.1. General 30

6.2. Balance 30

6.3. Strength 31

6.4. Flexibility 31

6.5. Endurance 31

6.6. Pain 31

6.7. Severe medical conditions 32 and limitations

6.8. Moderate medical conditions 34

6.9. Cognitive function 36

7. SUPPORT-RIDER TIPS 37

7.1. General 38

7.2. Assistance while riding 38

7.3. Assistance as a carer 38

8. ADAPTIVE TRAIL-RATING (ATR)

SYSTEM 39

8.1. Current rating systems 40

8.2. Existing shortfalls 40

8.3. Intent of the ATR system 40

8.4. Components and criteria 41 overview

8.5. Hierarchy of trail 44 ratings information

9. TRAIL AUDITING USING THE 47 ATR SYSTEM

9.1. What is an adaptive trail 47 audit?

9.2. Auditing Process 47

9.3. Requesting an audit 50

9.4. Trail segments 50

10. TRAIL RATING SIGNAGE 51

10.1. General (trail component 52 only)

10.2. Title 52

10.3. Ratings and general 52 descriptors

10.4. Coloured bars 53

10.5. Use of signage with IMBA 53 and local classifications

10.6. Display 53

10.7. Printing and use 53

11. TRAIL-DESIGN FOR 54

INCLUSION

11.1. General 55

11.2. Trail width 55

11.3. Turning Radius 57

11.4. Gradient 57

11.5. Camber (in or out-slope) 58

11.6. Berms (banked corners) 59

11.7. Log rolls, drops and 59 rock-gardens

11.8. Jumps, table-tops, rollers 60 and undulations

11.9. Tread surfaces 60

11.10. Demarcations 61

11.11. Alternative lines (b-lines) 61

12. TRAIL AMENITIES 62

12.1. General 63

12.2. Designated parking 63

12.3. Designated toilets 64

12.4. Pathways and wayfinding 65

12.5. Transition and surface areas 66

12.6. Cycling directional signage 66

12.7. General information signage 68

12.8. End-of-trip facilities 68

12.9. Auxiliary facilities to 68 amenities

13. EVENT AND RACE 69

ACCESSIBILITY

13.1. Racing vs recreation 70

13.2. Adaptive MTB categories 70

13.3. Decision process for 71 established MTB events

14. COACHING 79 [TO BE CONCLUDED]

14.1. General 79

14.2. Level 0: Introduction 79

14.3. Level 1: Beginner skills 79

14.4. Level 2: Discipline-specific 79 skills

15. REFERENCES 80

Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

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Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

FIGURES

FIGURE 1. Disability type and 15 participation in sport.

FIGURE 2. Inclusion spectrum. 16

FIGURE 3. Adaptive MTB Category 19 Break-down

FIGURE 4. Recumbent off-road 20 handcycle: rigid frame.

FIGURE 5. Recumbent off-road 20 handcycle: full suspension and e-assist

FIGURE 6. Kneeling handcycle: 21 rear-only suspension

FIGURE 7. Kneeling handcycle 21 (full suspension)

FIGURE 8. Upright handcycle: rear 21 suspension (Photo: Reactive Adaptations, Colorado USA)

FIGURE 9. Wheelchair attachments 22

FIGURE 10. Gravity quad bike 22 (photo: Gravity Quad New Zealand)

FIGURE 11. Off-road tricycle 22

FIGURE 12. Upright leg trike (photo: 23 Reactive Adaptations, Colorado USA)

FIGURE 13. Tandem bicycle 23

FIGURE 14. Recumbent tandem 23 bicycle

FIGURE 15. Recumbent tandem 23 trike

FIGURE 16. Hybrid semi-recumbent 24 tandem Bicycle

FIGURE 17. Semi-recumbent 24 bicycle

FIGURE 18. Recumbent bicycle 24 with side steering

FIGURE 19. Foot and leg supports 24 for riders with limited limb mobility, dexterity or strength

FIGURE 20. Quad-grip for 24 handcycles

FIGURE 21. Custom e-bike with 25 bucket seating

FIGURE 22. Typical power-assist 25 components

FIGURE 23. ATR system - 39 component overview

FIGURE 24. ATR system - 39 element overview

FIGURE 25. Hierarchy of 42 information and user relevance

FIGURE 26. Adaptive MTB rating - 43 short-form example.

FIGURE 27. Process cycle – trail 44 auditing trails for aMTB rating

FIGURE 28. ATR Post Signage - 49 example

FIGURE 29. ATR trail-feature 50 signpost examples

FIGURE 30. Sample ATR post sign 50

FIGURE 31. Minimum width of trail 54 corridor without overtaking space

FIGURE 32. Minimum width of trail 54 corridor without overtaking space

FIGURE 33. Minimum width of 54 trail-tread with adjacent bike and overtaking space

FIGURE 34. Minimum turning radius 55

FIGURE 35. Maximum gradient for 55 ascents (degrees)

FIGURE 36. Maximum gradient for 55 ascents (degrees)

FIGURE 37. Maximum chamber for 56 3-wheeled adaptive cycles

FIGURE 38. Width of trial without 56 and with chamber

FIGURE 39. Larger berm and 57 chamber

FIGURE 40. Smaller berm and 57 chamber

FIGURE 41. Maximum obstacle 58 height

FIGURE 42. Minimum radius of 58 jumps and rollers

FIGURE 43. Line-of-sight 59 comparison between standard and adaptive bike rider

FIGURE 44. Portable accessible 62 toilets (temporary)

FIGURE 45. Pathways between 63 amenities – blow-vac. and talcum powder

FIGURE 46. Directional signage 63 for pathways

FIGURE 47. Temporary transition 64 between path and portable toilet

FIGURE 48. Directional signage 65 for trials - permanent detours

FIGURE 49. Common MTB 65 directional signs (Western Australia)

FIGURE 50. Directional signage 65 for events

FIGURE 51. Inclusion of adaptive 69 MTB in existing events – process overview

FIGURE 52. Inclusion of adaptive 73 MTB in existing events – decision flow diagram

FIGURE 53. Example map-overlay 74 with handcycle detour off main course

FIGURE 54. Point-of-view of 75 adaptive rider for course-preview footage

Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

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Australian Adaptive Mountain Biking Guidelines

APPENDIX 1. Disability Break-Down

APPENDIX 2. Barriers to sports, rec. and leisure participation for people

with disability

APPENDIX 3. ATRS Descriptors

APPENDIX 4. Adaptive trail rating: full trail detail (template)

APPENDIX

TABLE 1. ATR system criterion score rating – description. 42

TABLE 2. Component 1 - trail features criteria 43

TABLE 3. Component 2 - trail amenities criteria 43

TABLE 4. Trail amenities score rating-to-alphabet conversion 43

TABLE 5. Adaptive MTB rating – long-form example 46

TABLE 6. Star Rating Descriptors for aMTB Post Signage 52

TABLES