Dave Evans - DMBinS UK Trail Project Manager

I owned and ran Bike Corris, a guiding company which evolved into a mountain bike consultancy undertaking trail development work across Wales.

A fuller understanding of the trails landscape in the UK and the creation of processes to protect our trails for future generations.

There’s a real mixture of meeting people and holding conversations and in-depth analysis of surveys and maps. I hope there will be site visits to see example of great trails. I love the variety in this role.

A mixed curry with lots of little dishes, with a crisp cold beer.

Tea and bara brith cake (a welsh fruitcake served with butter).

Spineology – French Alps.

My perfect day of a van uplift, followed by long pedal and hike-a-bike to access a rarely ridden trail with stunning views and interesting exposure. A great coffee in the Tabac at the bottom completed the day.

Exploring with my kids and restoring my 1991 Subaru pickup truck.

Cotic Solarismax. A steel hardtail I can use for anything from bike packing to technical enduro trails.

Hearing my group of night riding friends described by a local youth as “they look like a bunch of old men, but they ride really hard”.

I was part of the 2007 over-winter team at Halley Research Station, Antarctica.

Original leatherman tool. An 18th birthday gift from my father, it has fixed more bikes on the trail than any other tool.

I was once asked to leave a nightclub due to an incident involving Timmy Mallet. (We defo need more info about this Dave!)

UK TRAILS PROJECT MANAGER TAKES UP POST

Exciting times for mountain biking and mountain bike trails across the UK as the new UK Trails Manager, Dave Evans, takes up post. This new project has been created to support the mountain bike community, governing bodies, and land managers/owners to share knowledge, discuss issues and opportunities for greater collaboration, and improve the sustainability of the mountain bike trail network across the UK.

Scottish Cycling, through Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS), will manage the post, and project, and will be supported by a steering group including British Cycling, Cycling Ireland, Welsh Cycling, Forestry and Land Scotland, Forestry England, and Natural Resources Wales, Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland along with the project funders, SRAM.

Graeme McLean, Head of DMBinS, said:

“We are delighted that Dave has accepted the role and joins our team, bringing a vast amount of practical knowledge in trail building and trail advocacy. Dave is well respected across the mountain bike community in Wales and brings a passion for bikes, trails, and working as part of a community.

This new project is incredibly valuable and comes at a time when the number of mountain bikers is increasing. It is important that we support the mountain bike community to come together with governing bodies to work with land managers and owners to sustainably develop an exciting and varied trail network, at all levels.”

The first step of the project will be to develop a UK wide ‘Right trail, right place, right people, right time’ report which will help understand the current position of the trail network in each country and a deeper understanding of the opportunities to improve the long term sustainability and security of the trails. The report will also take cognisance of the pressures in supporting the trail network, particularly, for land managers/owners.

It is anticipated that following this report, the projects focus, objectives, target audiences, KPI’s, and messaging will vary depending on each nations needs and current situation.

Dave Evans, DMBinS UK Trails Project Manager said:

“I am excited and delighted to join DMBinS as UK Trails Project Manager. This is a massive project which will allow us to take stock of the mountain bike scene in the UK and help create a sustainable future for mountain bike trails right across the UK. I look forward to working with the steering group, riders, trail associations and land managers to improve understanding of the right trails, right place, right people, right time principles.

“I think the key to this project, and my role, will be the ability bring people together, to share knowledge, to understand common issues and opportunities, and further develop relationships at all levels across all the UK home countries.”

“I am extremely grateful for the enthusiasm and passion of my new team at DMBinS, the members of steering group, along with the project funders and partners, SRAM. I am really excited to see the impact this project will have.”

Over the next month, Dave will be delivering workshops virtually and across Scotland, Wales and England to the MTB Community & Land Managers/Owners. Dates and locations to be announced soon.