Better Tomorrow Trailsurfers

Text by Marcel Posa

We at FOCUS are very lucky that our Homebase in Stuttgart is less than ten minutes away from many of our favourite trails. But there is one big problem: most of them are illegal. As part of our "Create YOUR Better Tomorrow" project, Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg got in touch with us. They are committed to the expansion and legalisation of trails. We support them in this.

A first-hand conversation about big challenges, hard work and the status quo of legal trail building.

Especially in the time of the first lockdowns, many people around us discovered cycling for themselves. The forest became crowded. Something we cycling enthusiasts go for firstly, but cannot and should not celebrate unconditionally. Conflicts with the local foresters, public authorities and other forest users lead to ever-increasing frustration on all sides. Wildlife in the forest is disturbed, their habitat is attacked. In addition, there is an increased risk of injury on "wild" trails.

Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg is a club committed to the expansion and legalisation of trails. Since 2016, the members have been working to create a recreational area for mountain bikers, preserve it and promote mountain biking as such. With their public trail concept, organised on a club basis, they are forerunners in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, along with a few other examples. This is because legal trails in Germany are often backed by larger bike parks or other sports facilities.

"This was extremely tough at the beginning. It was pioneering work ."

Steffen Link is the second chairman of the Trailsurfers. We talked with him about the active work of the club at its Season Finale. According to Steffen, the biggest challenge in legal trail building in Germany is to organise the political will. This requires a lot of time, a lot of networking and an extremely high frustration tolerance. In the beginning, the club was practically clueless about their plans. The Trailsurfers knew what they wanted and what was required. But how it was supposed to work was completely unclear.

By now, the Trailsurfers have worked out a safe process for legalising trails. It outlines each step from start to finish and includes many safeguards. It might sound simple at first. However, it can take several years to officially break ground for a new trail in Germany. This is the crucial point. The time scales in which things are thought about and acted upon are too far apart. Currently, a trail approval process can take three to six years. Due to the lack of legal trails, young people who are just discovering the sport for themselves lose sight of it again quickly.

"This is like any other political matter: organise yourselves."

For Steffen, the club's greatest strength is the small sub-groups organising themselves relatively independent. "Decentralised, not autonomous, but very self-responsible", as Steffen describes it. The most powerful tools besides spade and rake are the members of a club. The more members and the bigger the subject is addressed, the more emphasis is put on the matter. "We didn't call ourselves Trailsurfers Beilstein, but Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg. Get people in, network and make yourself big, make yourself visible." Quick successes are also essential. From Steffen's point of view as a business consultant, the two supporting KPIs are the number of members on the one hand and legal trail kilometres on the other. "But to achieve both, you have to make sure people have fun, and that's the main priority."

"You have to know the local community. You have to be visible there."

Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg Season Finale

The Trailsurfers are now eagerly awaiting a big milestone: the connection of the two nearby circuits of Beilstein and Oberstenfeld. For this, the symbolic first groundbreaking was made on the day of our visit. The building phase will begin soon. There is also a discussion of a mountain bike workshop at a large school in the area. Initial talks are to take place soon. We at FOCUS are excited about what future holds for the Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg. We will accompany them.

At Trailsurfers, there is a lot of can-do but no must-do. This is meant to keep the hurdles low. Joining a large holding organisation is out of the question for them. Short, quick decision-making processes have enabled the Trailsurfers to work the way they do: "We believe in this bottom-up approach. You have to know the local community. You have to be visible there. There's no point in me having a head office somewhere." The Trailsurfers are now eagerly awaiting a big milestone: the connection of the two nearby circuits of Beilstein and Oberstenfeld. For this, the symbolic first groundbreaking was made on the day of our visit. The building phase will begin soon. There is also a discussion of a mountain bike workshop at a large school in the area. Initial talks are to take place soon. We at FOCUS are excited about what future holds for the Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg. We will accompany them.

FOCUS Bikes donated 4,500 euros to Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg. This enabled the club to pay for the costs of the last approval process. We want to use our platform and reach to give the club a voice and highlight its power as a role model.

UPDATE - 6th December 2023:
Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg has secured a $20,000 grant for their upcoming projects, thanks to PayDirt!
PayDirt is a funding initiative, but also a vibrant community of visionary people who want to impact the world of cycling positively. We are united by a passion for riding and in 2020 PayDirt was created through the merger of various grassroots funds committed to cycling. Today, 12 bike brands support PayDirt, including FOCUS Bikes.

The partnership between FOCUS and Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg solidifies our dedication to cycling and creating opportunities for everyone. We can't wait to witness the positive impacts of this project and further strengthen the cycling community.

Paydirt

Trailsurfers Baden-Württemberg

Create YOUR better tomorrow