The Mountain Times Courtesy Vermont Adaptive Adaptive mountain bikes roll differently and have a different center of gravity than standard ones, something trail builders need to take into consideration when planning for accessibility.
Always at the forefront of ensuring Vermont’s great outdoors is accessible for all, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the nationally recognized non-profit that provides sports and recreation year-round for people with disabilities, continues to work closely with multiple organizations and groups in the state to build inclusive and to adapt existing mountain bike trails among Vermont networks. This summer and fall, Vermont Adaptive collaborated with Stowe Trail Partnerships, the Killington Mountain Bike Club, Slate Valley Trails, the Burlington Bike Park Coalition, and Millstone Trails Association to assess existing trail networks and determine what modifications and new builds could be done to ensure trails are inclusive and user-friendly for over-sized adaptive mountain bikes. Building off Vermont Adaptive’s work on the trails with Millstone last fall, Millstone kept their momentum going this year by adding accessible parking spots/bathrooms to ensure access to the trails right out the car door.