Welcome to the U.K. Mountain Bike Museum

I walk into the well lit entrance of the UK Mountain Bike Museum. I get a feeling of warmth and belonging, because mountain biking is ‘my thing’, and has been since 1994, when I got my first ever mountain bike (MTB), a Kona Cinder Cone.

The UK held its first ever MTB National Championships in 1987 and saw the emergence in this new cycling industry of some iconic MTB manufactures including Muddy Fox, Pace, and Orange Bikes. These are all represented in this museum, as are many others. This museum is in a forest park in the county of Yorkshire. This county alone, which is the largest in the UK, has a population 5.5 million people, and who can all reach this forest park within a 2 hour drive. Crucially, approximately 43% of this population have access to a bicycle, and this county has also turned out some of the highest performing cyclists in the world as well. This forest park opened in 2007 and has 350,000 visitors a year, of which most are using the cycling trails, and from novice to expert levels. Enough statistics? Well, this is why the location of the UK Mountain Bike Museum is here.

The building that houses the museum is in a courtyard that has a great cafe that sells amazing coffee, cakes and meals. There is also a great mountain bike shop, of which the hire of ‘electric’ and ‘acoustic’ MTBs is a healthy revenue stream. They also hire out bikes for those that can’t ride either on their own, or have a disability. The shop carries pretty much anything that somebody would need to go mountain biking and has a good workshop. The welcome that customers receive in this shop, the cafe and the museum is both engaging and inclusive, as you would expect in Yorkshire.

The museum set out to realise some simple outcomes, which are:

• To recognise and celebrate the mountain biking history and heritage of the UK, including brands, businesses and rider heroes.
• To provide an engaging journey through time through an amazing display of MTB technology and bikes.
• To be financially self-sustaining.

The trails around the forest park cater not just for the capabilities of the riders, but also of the bikes. Whether it be a modern, vintage or even a single speed MTB, this forest park has trails to suit. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention those more recent and 21st Century marketeer’s bikes, the gravel bike. The museum, in partnership with some other national organisations and local businesses, runs events for those wanting to get out on their vintage MTBs. I guess that these events are similar to the events like L’Eroica Britannia, which is for the vintage road rider communities. These events generate income for the forest park, the museum and usually, a chosen charity like the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. This also benefits local hotels, Airbnbs and campsites in the area, of which there are many.

Getting back to the museum, it’s a cornucopia of MTB life, which couldn’t be found anywhere in the UK. The trigger for the museum came about as quite a few people had amassed collections of restored MTBs, didn’t really ride them and were getting to the point of having a chaotic shed(s). There was also the economic factor in that the vintage bike market has seen huge drop in restored bike values, and even in the price of parts. As owners don’t want to give them away for the price that they paid for a single part 4 years ago, these collections start to gather dust. Some collectors are starting to sell bikes just to make space, and therefore at a lower value, or instead, auction them so that the money goes to charity. This last option is emotionally easier for a collector as regardless of the final amount, the cash is going to a great cause. This means that the collector feels that he/she hasn’t been ripped off financially, or in any loss of the (very enjoyable) restoration time. Anyway, my point is, the museum provides another route to relocating parts of people’s collections, either by gift or loan, and importantly, for their owners to be proud to see their bikes make up part of a specific, MTB museum.

For the museum to be financially sustainable, it does need to cover costs, which in the basic scheme of things is; building rental, insurance, heat, electric, water and some minimal marketing. Entry through the museum is through a donation, which can be done online or on the day of a visit through a simple QR code. Buying content for the museum is obviously not possible, so instead, the museum has its’ bikes and parts and kit either donated or loaned. There is always great recognition for the people that support the museum in any way. Additionally, anyone who has loaned something to the museum, automatically becomes a key ambassador for it and will inspire others to contribute or visit.

The museum is run by a small Operating Board, who manage and oversee the running of the place. There are also some famous MTB personalities that ensure that they are the ultimate (& unpaid) ambassadors for museum. Sponsorship from the private and public sectors is also part of the income generation. This UK MTB museum also works closely with other MTB museums in countries like the USA, the Netherlands and Australia, as well as the UK’s National Cycling Museum in Wales. There are speaker events held at the location that are made by MTB heroes as well as industry experts. Going to any museum can inspire people to want to know more or join in with the subject, and this is exactly one of the outcomes of this museum. Local schools and community groups will attend to learn about the joys of being out on a bike in the countryside, and this also promotes health, wellness and exercise. 

Walking around the museum is a feast of shiny and amazing things, with some very special pieces of MTB heritage, as well as music and fashion from the different MTB decades. A lot of visitors will also make return visits as the collection evolves, or to attend an event, or even to create their own event with a weekend away on vintage MTBs, and whilst also sampling Yorkshire hospitality, food and drink. This makes the museum much more of a hub for MTB life and culture, which goes way beyond what a bike shop can do. Social media feeds are regular as this is a key part for building and growing the community. There is also an annual sale and auction weekend that sees some pretty special stuff going under the hammer, as well as lots of tables of bike stuff for sale.

I’m sure that by now, you’re really excited to visit this museum and would like the website link and address so that you can support it and visit it. Well, here’s the downer! This place, bizarrely, doesn’t exist, which I find a bit disappointing, because all of the reasons for it to exist are written above. Wouldn’t it be cool if it did exist though?………….🤔