The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA)

While VMBA is the voice of mountain bikers here in Vermont, IMBA speaks for mountain bikers at the national and international level.

Here are a few things that IMBA does to improve mountain biking opportunities around the country:

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew. This project is in its fifth year with two crews traveling the country educating land mangers, public officials and mountain bikers on the impacts of mountain biking and on how to build sustainable trails.

IMBA works with the Federal Government (BLM, Forest Service) to open our Federal lands for mountain biking. Recently IMBA got the BLM to not group mountain biking with motorized recreation. IMBA did this by having members send over 10,000 comments in under 30 days to the BLM.

In 2001, IMBA members built and opened over 1,000 miles of new trails.

IMBA and Ben & Jerry's support the Sprocketkids Program that has clubs around the country teaching kids proper riding techniques and helping them build self esteem.

IMBA has formed a National Mountain Bike Leadership Fund to strengthen the voice of mountain biking in Washington, D.C. and has forged written agreements and partnerships with federal land agencies to provide more riding opportunities.

IMBA Epic Rides. For the last three years, IMBA has sponsored a series of Epic Rides around the country. IMBA members can attend Epics and ride great trails in other parts of the country. East Burke, Vermont hosted an IMBA Epic in 2000.

IMBA's work supports local mountain bikers and our advocacy efforts. It is important that we support our local VMBA club and IMBA to insure that we will have a place to ride our bikes in the years to come.