profile and interest of mountain bikers in the makiling forest reserve

7/28/2019 Profile and Interest of Mountain Bikers in the Makiling Forest Reserve

1/120

PROFILE AND INTEREST OF MOUNTAIN BIKERS IN THE MOUNT MAKILINGFOREST RESERVE

PAOLO S. MENDIORO

SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOLUNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BAOS

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FORTHE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF SCIENCE(Natural Resource Conservation)

APRIL 2013


2/120

ii

The thesis manuscript attached hereto, entitled PROFILE AND INTEREST OFMOUNTAIN BIKERS IN THE MOUNT MAKILING FOREST RESERVE, preparedand submitted by PAOLO S. MENDIORO, in partial fulfillment of the requirements forthe degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE (NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION), ishereby accepted.

ROBERTO P.CERENO ELSA P.SANTOSMember, Guidance Committee Member Guidance Committee

________________________ ________________________Date Signed Date Signed

DIOMEDES A. RACELISChair, Guidance Committee

________________________Date Signed

Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OFSCIENCE (NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION)

Dean, Graduate SchoolUniversity of the Philippines Los Baos

_________________________Date Signed


3/120

iii

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Born on December 27, 1985 in Los Baos Laguna, the author was born to

Engr. Luis M. Mendioro and Dr. Merlyn S. Mendioro. He is the eldest of three siblings.

Described as precocious as a little boy, the author repeatedly badgered his parents with

questions about many things in life, and his curious nature continues on until today.

Having a knack for memorization he memorized car brands and models, history dates,

people, events, geographical locations, and license plates of family members, relatives,

and friends. He studied pre-school and elementary days at the Morning Star Montessori

School in Los Baos Laguna, where he was in his element at quiz bees, winning in

Science, Spelling, and Sibika (now Makabayan). He became the Quiz Bee Grand

Champion in Grade 6. He completed his high school education in South Hill School Inc;

and his college education at the University of the Philippines at Los Baos in 2007 with

a Bachelors degree in Forestry. He passed the Foresters Professional Licensure

examination the same year. He also became a CFNR College Student Councilor in 2005

and also a ROTC Non-Comissioned Officer. The author is an avid mountain biker,

hence his topic. He has competed in a few events, namely downhill and four cross

events and somehow ended up in the middle all the time. He has met a lot of friends

from mountain biking, and he made this thesis in gratitude to the people who bike.

PAOLO S. MENDIORO


4/120

iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank God for the strength and will to keep going even if mymotivation wavers, a human can only go so far.

I would like to thank my family for being there for the whole time this thesis was

being made.

To the 4th Light Armor Battalion, I thank you for helping me out with the datacollection and introducing me to the huge mountain bike groups we have in Quezon andin Northern Laguna. You deserve to be called Masigasig.

To the many different mountain bike groups I talked to: TBAC, Haooh,OneIlocos, MAKBOYS, Elbi Bikers, Team Groundzero, and the many others, thank youfor being honest and willing to answer, I remember the overwhelmingly positive reactionwhen I mentioned New Bike Trails once this thesis is complete. I tell you I will do mybest to make this happen. Makilings too good a mountain to let this pass. Thank youagain for all your help.

To Green Planet Bikeshop, Ulyby Bikeshop, and Endless Bikeshop, these shopssell not only good bike parts, and they are also helpful to my thesis. I thank you deeply. Ilearned even a thing or two in organizing an event from Ulybys owner, UlyssesLiquigan. I owe you my future parts purchases

To Dr.Diomedes Racelis, Prof. Elsa Santos and For. Roby Cereno, thank you forbeing patient, with me. I sure need all the help I can get, and the way we organized thethesis last December gave me a clearer picture on what to do. And to Sir Medic thank youfor accepting me on such short notice.

To the Makiling Team Gravity boys: I decided to do this as a way of saying thankyou for the rides, the races, and the alcohol we all shared. We will get a Mudspringreplacement soon, and then some.

To Ybet, who I dedicate all of this to. I decided when I got serious into finishingthis thesis, my mantra was: Do it for her. It was the thing I was looking forward towhen I finally finish this and get that Masters diploma. Not the job, not the money, notthe shiny new bike parts, or that go kart. I did this not for myself this time. I chose dothis for you. I love you Ybet.

For Tita Cecille.


5/120

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

TITLE PAGE i

APPROVAL PAGE ii

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v

LIST OF TABLES vii

LIST OF FIGURES viii

ABSTRACT x

INTRODUCTION 1

REVIEW OF LITERATURE 8

Mountain Biking 8

History 8

Classification of mountain bikes and mountain biking 10

Cross Country and All-Mountain 10

Downhill and Free-ride 11

Peculiarities of mountain biking 11

Benefits of mountain biking 12

The mountain biker 14

Mountain biking in the Asia-Pacific Region 19

The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve 19


6/120

vi

Organization and Personnel 24

Ecotourism in the MFR 25

Mountain biking in the MFR 25

METHODOLOGY 28

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 36

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 91

RECOMMENDATIONS 94

LITERATURE CITED 95

LIST OF ACRONYMS 96

APPENDICES 99


7/120

vii

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Breakdown of respondents from their home provinces 37

2 Age Profile of Mountain bikers 353 Gender Classification and Civil Status of Mountain Bikers 36

4 Highest Educational Attainment of Mountain Bikers 37

5 Chi-square test for civil status, age range, and educational 42attainment.

6 Chi-square test for gender and income of respondents. 46

7 Estimated cost/s of mountain bikes of mountain bikers 46

8 Length of mountain bike riding experience 48

9 Preferred riding discipline by mountain biker 49

10 Mountain biker skill levels 49

11 Racing experience of mountain bikers 50

12 Preferred MTB racing events 51

13 No. of days allotted for mountain bike riding by bikers 51

14 Primary usage of MTB 52

15 Reason for starting MTB 52

16 Chi-square test for rider skill level and primary use of MTB 53

17 Chi-square test for riding days and primary usage of MTB 56

18 Chi-square test for bike configuration, estimated costs, 59preferred discipline

19 Chi-square test for MTB config,, racing experience, and MTB cost 61


8/120

viii

20 Social network of mountain bikers 63

21 MTB orgs willingness to assist in trail work 63

22 MTB orgs method to promote MTB riding in MFR 6423 Chi-square test for MTB org membership, willingness to help, 67

and promote MTB riding

24 Chi-square test for traveling, awareness of MFR 68and what the MFR needs to be a MTB destination

25 Travel to MTB destinations by mountain bikers 68

26 Awareness of the MFR as a MTB destination by MTB riders 69

27 Mountain bikers opinionon what MFR needs to 70be a MTB destination

28 Hazards encountered by mountain bikers in M.Makiling Trail 71

29 Opinion on trail sharing by mountain bikers 71

30 Mountain bikers opinion on new MTB trail 72

31 Mountain bikers opinionon what a MTB trail should have 72

32 Mountain bikers preference to trail exclusivity 7333 Mountain bikers willingness to pay for access 73

34 Accepted price range for access fee 74

35 Mountain bikers willingness to pay for a yearlong pass 74

36 Price range for a year long pass 75

37 Other facilities desired by MTB riders in the MFR 76

38 Chi-square test for traveling, awareness of MFR, and 76what the MFR needs to be a MTB destination


9/120

ix

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE

1 Location map of the MFR 20

2 Conceptual Framework of the Study 31

3 Frequency of single respondents and their age bracket 41together with educational attainment.

4 Frequency of married respondents from different provinces 44and their average income.

5 Frequency of female respondents from different provinces and 45their average income.

6 Rider skill level and primary use of mountain bikes 54

7 Riding days and primary use of mountain bike. 56

8 Association between mountain bike discipline, cost, and the 57

hardtail bike configuration.

9 Association of full suspension bikes, bike discipline and 58estimated costs.

10 Bike configuration, costs, and mtb racing experience. 60


10/120

x

11 Full suspension bikes, racing experiences, and estimated costs. 61

12 Association of willingness to help, promotion of riding, 65and active membership in an MTB organization.

13 Association of willingness to help, promotion of riding, and active 66membership in an MTB organization.

14 Travel to MTB sites, awareness of MFR, and 76

what MFR needs to be a MTB destination.15 Hazards, sharing, and opening a trail in the MFR. 77

16 Hazards, trail sharing and not opening a trail in the MFR. 78

17 Trail exclusivity, trail features and payment for access association. 79

18 Non-exclusivity of trail, willingness to pay, and trail features 80

19 WTP for a year pass and other non-MTB facilities in the MFR. 82

20 Map of the Mariang Makiling Trail. 84

21 Mountain biker visits to the MFR in the year 2012 86


11/120

xi

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX PAGE

I Survey Form used in data collection 72

II List of mountain biking clubs and organizations 76

III List of MTB events organized by clubs and organizations 77

IV List of popular mountain biking destinations 78

V MCME Organizational Chart 79

VI


12/120

xii

ABSTRACT

PAOLO S. MENDIORO. University of the Philippines Los Banos. April 2013. Profile

and Interest of Mountain Bikers in the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve

Major Professor: Diomedes A. Racelis

To determine the compatibility of the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) and

the outdoor recreation activity of mountain biking, this study used basic interview design

and secondary data collection. The results showed that mountain bikers mainly consist of

young (60.54%) to middle aged men, of working and professional backgrounds , have

higher educational backgrounds (96.95% ), a family , and due to the lower costs of entry

of mountain biking in the past decade or so, have one to five years of mountain biking

experience, and most are beginners (44.46%) with no racing experience (71.59%). Cross-

country riding is the dominant form of mountain biking (67.24%). The Mountain bikers

are also aware (80.18%) and willing to help out promote biking in the MFR (77.25%).

Using cross tabulation and using chi-square, there are several strong associations with

mountain biker attributes. The MFR however, is mainly unaware of the mountain biking

phenomenon despite its growing numbers. The only place to ride for mountain bikes in

the MFR, the Mariang Makiling Trail was recently paved leaving mountain bike riders

out in the cold. Also, the Maquiling Quest, despite the use of mountain bikes is advertised

and deemed as an adventure race and is not a mountain bike centered event. Hence, the


13/120

xiii

MFR needs to work with the growing group of mountain bikers to create a different,

mountain bike-centered event and facilities in the MFR.


14/120

INTRODUCTION

Mountain biking (MTB) is growing as a veritable form of outdoor recreation. It is

a popular physical activity on an international scale, with participation rates continuing to

increase (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). Despite the inevitable link to road cycling, mountain

biking has branched off into something more specialized and diverse. This diversity

among mountain bikes and the mountain bikers themselves pose a whole new challenge

to managers, policy makers, and operators of parks and other outdoor recreation areas.

The early 1990s saw an explosion of the popularity of mountain biking and mountain

bikes itself.

A 2010 survey by the Outdoor Foundation indicated that bicycling in the US

creates a major economic growth. Its annual contribution to the economy is worth $133B,

supports 1.1 million jobs across the country, 53.1B annually in retail sales and services,

46.1 B in bicycling related expenditures and provides sustainable growth in rural areas

(American Trails, 2012). In the Rocky Mountain region alone, bicycling contributes

$6.2B annually to the regional economy and supports 60,000 jobs across the region

(Kaliszewski, 2010).

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) estimated around 2.5

million to 3 million avid trail riders in the United States alone (Morey et al., 2002). A

decade or so later, the trail riders in the US reached an estimate of around 14 million

riders, which is around 4-6% of the US population (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). In

Europe, the United Kingdom and Germany boast of high and growing mountain bike use

and purchases. The UK has 11.8 million mountain bike owners with 1.3 million avid trail


15/120

2

users, while in Germany the number is at 3.5 million (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). In

Australia, an approximate 70% of new bicycle acquisitions were mountain bikes

(Tourism Tasmania, 2008).

The Resort Municipality of Whistler in British Columbia in Canada is home to the

worlds most famous mountain bike park, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park; and the

community is more than capable in the handling of tourists (approx. 100,000 visitors

every summer), yet remain highly conservationist. Despite the creation of the park,

wildlife has flourished, as well as mountain bike trails.

The Philippines with its rugged terrain consisting of vast natural formations of

hills and mountains is already well suited for various outdoor recreation activities, and

are located close to major urban centers like Manila. Compared to temperate countries

where most of the riding season is done a couple of months in summer, the Philippines

can truly boast of almost year long riding. Planners, administrators, and even local

government units should be able to recognize and utilize these new partnerships and

markets. Unfortunately, there has been no hard data on mountain bike activities and sales

in the Philippines.

The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MFR) is an interesting case. It is used

primarily as a laboratory for research and instruction of the University of the Philippines

Los Baos (UPLB), but it is also an integral watershed and is also well known as an

ecotourism site. People who hike the trails in the MFR are either there for scientific

purposes, or for tourism. To travel around the MFR, the main path is the Mariang

Makiling Trail. The trail is considered multi-use. For hikers, mountain bikers, and the

people of Barangay Bagong Silang, the Mariang Makiling Trail is the only way of access.


16/120

3

Conflict among trail users can happen when travelling along the Mariang Makiling Trail.

When a mountain biker rides downhill at a high amount of speed meets a group of hikers

standing or walking along in the middle of the trail then an accident can occur.

Trail use and access is a hotly contested issue in foreign countries, where

different interest groups lobby against each other for sole access of trails. Mountain

biking gets a bad reputation among fellow trail users, especially on its supposed

environmental impacts. But the statistics show that though bikes are perceived to be

dangerous, they do not significantly add up to the tallies of accidents listed and known by

managers of such parks (Cessford, 2002).

Statement of the Problem

The study will attempt to look at the state of mountain biking in the MFR, and to

look at mountain biking as an ecotourism activity. Specifically, the study will try to

address the following questions:

1. Who are the mountain bikers?

a. What are their educational background, age, location relative to the MFR,

income, riding experiences and skill level, etc.?

b. What are their bike-related social networks, if they have one

c. What are their motivating factors to ride mountain bikes, specifically in the

MFR?

2. What is the state of mountain biking in the MFR?

a. What attracts bikers to the MFR? What are the things that do not attract bikers

to the MFR?


17/120

4

b. What kind of mountain biking experience appeals to bikers who go to the

MFR?

c. How can it improve the protection and conservation practices in the MFR?

3. What is the capability of the MFRs management system to handle mountain biking?

a. What are the current policies and rules in the management of the MFR, that

cover ecotourism and mountain biking?

b. Is mountain biking being given any attention by MFR management? That the

MFR management is willing to work with bikers in the future for mutual

beneficiation?d. Are there any programs initiated by the MFR management to increase

awareness of mountain biking in the MFR (i.e. contests, marketing, etc.)?

Objectives of the Study

The study was conducted to create a profile of the mountain bikers that travel to

the MFR, know their interest in the MFR according to the mountain bikers point of view

and to assess the level of compatibility of the MFR and mountain biking.

The specific objectives were as follows:

1. to characterize the mountain bikers, their socio-economic standing, preferences

and motivation, and their social networks;

2. to identify the programs and initiatives of the Mount Makiling Forest

Reserves management system that supports or hinder mountain biking, and


18/120

5

3. to recommend management strategies and actions to provide bundled services

in support of ecotourism that incorporates mountain biking.

Scope and Limitations

The study focused on the mountain biking activity in the MFR and the attendant

management system applied by the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME)

to deal with mountain biking.

The qualitative nature of data gathering by means of survey and other primary

data collection may be subject to the resource persons availability and reliability. It may

be biased, and it can affect the reliability and accuracy of the data. Hence, it is proposed

that more diverse group of resource people will be tapped for the surveys and key

informant interviews.

Ideally, a sample needs a sampling frame or a listing for it to be statistically

significant. However, a true listing of all mountain bikers is not feasible due to logistical

reasons and mountain bike organizations, though having membership; do not account for

non members. Therefore, this study uses a non-probability sample and can only use

descriptive statistics. A true listing of all mountain bike owners and riders is needed.

Significance of the Study

Despite the presence of mountain biking in the Philippines, studies about the activity

itself and the people who ride are non-existent. Most studies about mountain biking has


19/120

6

been done in developed countries, where mountain biking is more widely practiced and

common. The mountain biker in the Philippines is still very much an unknown entity.

There have been no studies on the individuals who ride mountain bikes, from the people

who ride them for fun, for work; or for competition and sport; in recent years or even at

any given time in the Philippines. Park managers, especially those who do not offer

mountain biking trails, are clueless on what to do when these tourists arrive. Managers

should have a database on which to plan a course of action to accommodate mountain

biking, be it for trail access and/or access fees.

In the case of the MFR, the MCME has no study and no data on the mountain biking

population that enters the MFR. The lack of information on this particular group of

tourists may slow down any move by the MCME to improve its existing ecotourism

facilities and to plan actions built to the specifications of mountain bikers. Ecotourism is

mentioned in Chapter 11 of the Makiling Conservation and Development Master Plan

(EO 349), in which one of the goals is to establish and provide quality outdoor recreation

opportunities and tourism facilities with the requisite services to the public. Hiking and

camping are already well known, and recently bird watching. The EO 349 listed

ecotourism and outdoor recreation as one of the major management objectives.

In terms of natural resource conservation, ecotourism is a very useful tool to

increase awareness and appreciation towards nature, as well as other benefits. Developing

countries in particular have looked to tourism to help increase national foreign exchange

earnings, GDP and employment rates, and to improve socioeconomic conditions in

peripheral regions (Weaver, 1998, as cited by Stone, 2002). Ecotourism is activity-based,

and one of these activities is mountain biking. Mountain bikers ride because they believe


20/120

7

it is fun, healthy, it provides a physical challenge and it is a social activity (Goeft and

Alder, 2001). The last point is important because social networks can help in the

dissemination of information related to conservation. The goal here is twofold: one is to

provide recreation and physical activities for people, and the other is to educate and to

make more people appreciate nature. Mountain biking as an ecotourism activity can also

be used to help in community development, with spinoff support services that can

provide employment and business opportunities.

In the MFR, stores near the Mudsprings provide food and refreshment not just to

hikers but to mountain bikers as well. However, these stores are the only auxiliaryservices found inside the MFR. Mountain biking provides a different challenge to the

tourism industry, where the biggest and most profitable form is beach-based tourism, but

ecotourism and other nature-based adventure tourism ventures are gathering momentum

and mainstream attention.

This study attempts to link up the mountain biker, the mountain biking activity,

and the area together with its management system to find how these information will fit

in the grand scheme of ecotourism inside the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve and how

these information will be coherent with the existing situation in the MFR and will give

tourism researchers, managers, and conservationists the right product mix, the right

management plan, and especially, the best conservation strategies that can accommodate

mountain bikes and still achieve the overall objective in managing the MFR. For the

stakeholders, understanding and harmonizing the different traits and parameters is critical

if a mountain bike specific product will be introduced in the MFR in the future. For the

mountain bikers, awareness that they are part of the grand scheme of nature conservation


21/120

8

will encourage them and their existing social networks to promote the cause of nature

conservation.


22/120

9

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter will explain about mountain biking, ecotourism, and the MFR. The

history, kinds, and peculiarities about mountain biking will be looked upon in this

chapter. Ecotourism and its peculiarities and potentials will be reviewed, as well as the

current state of the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve.

Mountain Biking

A mountain bike or mountain bicycle (abbreviated MTB or ATB (all-terrain

bicycle)) is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of

rocks and washouts, and steep declines, on dirt trails, logging roads, and

other unpaved environmentsactivities usually called mountain biking. The bicycles

have evolved rapidly through the introduction of different technologies, and have

therefore branched out into several different specialist disciplines.

History of mountain biking

The history of the mountain bike and mountain biking is not as long as other

forms of outdoor recreation, but the origins are earlier than most think. Off-road bicycles

have been referenced a lot of times in the 20 th century, it was a derivative of the road

cycling and obstacle event called cyclo-cross in France, and the Roughstuff Fellowship in

the United Kingdom in 1955 (Griffith, 2010). In Oregon, one Chemeketan club member,

D. Gwynn, built a rough terrain trail bicycle in 1966. He named it a "mountain bicycle"

for its intended place of use. This may be the first use of that name (The Chemetekan,

1966).


23/120

10

In the United States in the 1970s, there are several groups of riders who claim that

they contributed to the sport and hobby known as mountain biking today. In Crested

Butte, Colorado and Cupertino, California, bicyclists got old cruiser bicycles of 1930-

1940s vintage, fitted fatter tires and bigger, improved brakes. To add, gearing and

motocross-like handlebars were fitted. These bikes were called Klunkers, as the term

mountain biking or even the term mountain bike was not invented yet (Amici

Design, 1999). Early forms of racing these klunkers would be downhill, as the riders

would ride down fire roads and use their hub brakes so much they had to repack the

bearings after every run, giving these races the name Repack Races. (Berto, 1998)

In 1978 however, the first bicycle purpose-built for mountain biking was created

by Joe Breeze. The first mountain bikes were basically road bicycle frames (with heavier

tubing and different geometry) with a wider frame and fork to allow for a wider tire. The

handlebars were also different in that they were a straight, transverse-mounted handlebar,

rather than the dropped, curved handlebars that are typically installed on road racing

bicycles. Also, some of the parts on early production mountain bicycles were taken from

the BMX bicycle (Crane and Kelly, 1988). The trend continued on until the 1990s, when

the popularity and technology of mountain bikes exploded. Disc brakes, suspension

systems, and new frame construction has pushed mountain biking to something that is

today.

Classification of mountain bikes and mountain biking

Classification of mountain bikes are dependent on the suspension used,

specifically suspension travel. There are hard tails, mountain bikes with front suspension


24/120

11

but a rigid frame, Full-suspension, where both front and rear suspension are present, and

rigid, which is a mountain bike but with no front and rear suspension. A rarer kind is the

soft tail, wherein their frame allows for some flex to act as suspension. In classifying

mountain bikes and mountain biking, the amount of suspension travel and the preferences

of the rider are the references to look into.

Cross Country and All-Mountain

The most common form of mountain biking is Cross Country (XC). These bikes

have the lightest weights and lowest suspension travel (80-120mm) of all mountain bikes.However, with the improvements in bicycle technology more sophisticated bikes offer

more travel yet has lower weight relative to XC bikes (McCormack and Lopes, 2010). In

XC racing, lightness is paramount, and bike companies are already offering frames and

parts made of carbon fiber instead of the usual aluminum or steel. Trail bikes, being

slightly beefier and heavier than XC bikes, are the next step in the ladder. They offer

moderate travel (110-150mm) and have frame geometries that can handle downhill

terrain slightly better than XC bikes (McCormack and Lopes, 2010). However this is

being blurred by the appearance of the All-Mountain (AM) category. These bikes are

capable of handling downhill trail sections a lot better except the most dedicated downhill

bike, but have the climbing ability of an XC bike. They offer the most variations of

suspension travel (120-170+mm) and most of these bikes suspension travel can be

adjusted by adjusting the existing components found on the bike and its suspension

characteristics (McCormack and Lopes, 2010).


25/120

12

Downhill and Free-ride

Downhill (DH) and Free-ride (FR) bikes represent the extreme spectrum of

mountain biking. Both bikes offer extremely robust frame construction, advanced and

robust suspension systems and travel (170mm- above 200mm), and specific downhill

oriented geometry to handle the most technical of terrain in high speed (McCormack and

Lopes, 2010). Free-ride bikes however, are more diverse as it can include dirt jumping

hardtails to short travel frames with DH frame construction and geometry, to full

Downhill racing frames with slightly shorter travel and modified geometry for better

maneuverability in tight trails (McCormack and Lopes, 2010). In terms of difficulty,Downhill and Free-ride are the most difficult and advanced riding disciplines because of

the terrain features used and technical features like large jumps and drops. In downhill

racing, speed is also the most important factor: a race against the clock from the top to the

bottom.

Peculiarities of mountain biking

Mountain bike riding, by its very nature, is an activity mainly pursued on trails

and similar features like old logging roads or fire tracks (Goeft and Alder, 2001).

Mountain biking is regarded as a form of adventure recreation (Priest and In developed

countries, mountain biking is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreation activities,

with 25 million Americans owning one in 1992, andith an estimated 2.5-3 million trail

users in 1994 (Morey, et al, 2002).

The range of riding opportunities in such settings is one of the main reasons such

natural settings have experienced such biking growth (Cessford, 2002). However,


26/120

13

creating trails solely for mountain bikes is a very expensive affair, so managers opt for

the incorporation of bike use through shared use tracks (Cessford, 2002). This setup

causes conflicts among the trail users because of the concept of recreation conflict (Goeft

and Alder, 2001). The theory of goal interference is the foundation of this theory

(Geoft and Alder, 2001). The theory proposes that conflict arises when the presence

and/or behavior of one group of users is incompatible with the social, psychological, or

physical goals of another group (Goeft and Alder, 2001). User conflict, as a concept, is

fairly well understood and demonstrably real (Sprung, 2004).

Most of these conflicts are centered on the perceived negative impacts of

mountain bike riding, and it is peculiar that most people regard mountain biking as one of

the worst, if not the worst offenders. In developed countries, lobbying from hikers and

environmental groups have caused some land managers to ban trails to mountain bikes

because of that perception, though studies have demonstrated that all forms of outdoor

recreation cause impacts to the environment (Sprung, 2004).

Benefits of mountain biking

Like other forms of outdoor recreation, mountain biking can prove to be a wise

investment for the communities in which they pass, as it can stimulate local economies

by attracting fellow mountain bikers and other outdoor recreationists to an area. Opening

trails and facilities attracts and revitalizes businesses, creates jobs, and increases public

revenue. In the United States, many people prefer to visit places such as greenways and


27/120

14

trails that are safe, yet offer scenic recreation and transportation. Businesses that can

thrive and succeed with a trail or trail network include: restaurants, convenience stores,

bicycle shops, campgrounds and bed-and-breakfast establishments.

Traveling and access fees also contribute to the economic gains of having

mountain biking. The study of Loomis and Fix in 1998 showed the potential economic

impacts of a mountain biking trip to a well-known place for mountain bike riding, Moab,

Utah. In 1998, a mountain biker has an estimated per trip value of $197-$205. And with

an average number of visitors totaling 158,681 people yearly (Loomis and Fix, 1998), the

estimated annual impact is around $8,422,800- $8,770,300 (Loomis and Fix, 1998).Adjusted for 2010 inflation, the single bikers estimated per trip value would be $262.19-

$272.84, and the total annual economic impact would be $11,209,947-$11,672,436. In

one year, the site; Moab, Utahs Slickrock Trail has produced a very good amount of

income, considering that riding in temperate countries is more limited by the seasons.

Bike trails and other related facilities improve the quality-of-life among

individuals as these places are meant for outdoor recreation, as well as encouraging

people to use non-polluting transportation alternatives when it comes to short trips. This

change of mindset among people improves the local environment and a healthier

population. In some cases, it can be a source of local pride among the community, as the

case of popular resort towns such as Whistler, B.C. in Canada, as well as Los Baos,

which is already well known for other tourism activities. People who live close to these

trails also benefit the same way as tourists, and more people living in suburban and urban

areas want to have these kinds of recreation facilities nearby.


28/120

15

The mountain biker

Perceptions

In developing a mountain bike-specific ecotourism product, the mountain biker

has to be taken into account. Particularly important are bikers motivation and

preferences when riding. Multi-use trails where hikers, bikers, and other users have to

share the road can be a mistake for land managers, due to the concept of perceived

crowding (Cessford, 1995). Mountain bikers tend to get a bad reputation for other trail

users, and these perceptions remain. These perceptions are listed as the following:

perceptions of environmental impacts, perceptions of safety hazards, and the perceptionthat mountain biking is inappropriate (Cessford, 1995). For environmental impacts, this

perception would come from several factors, such as tire tracks, which are distinctive,

which may lead to a conclusion that mountain biking is causing the most damage without

objectively looking at the other important processes taking place in the trail (Cessford,

1995). This can also be looked upon as scapegoating, where perceived conflicts were

disproportionately attributed to particular groups (Cessford, 1995).

When it came to the perception that mountain bikers are safety hazards: There

were safety concerns about mountain bicycle use on trails, first would be cyclists going

too fast for the conditions, cyclists not slowing down when going to blind corners, and

mountain bikes move quietly and fast, surprising other trail users (Cessford, 1995). In a

widely cited study in 1989 known as the Los Padres Study, the safety issues came from

the habit of a few rogue bikers that go to the top of the trail and go downhill as fast as

possible. Education (in the form of a brochure) and supplementary trail design dealt with

the few rogue bikers, but out of the 1400 trail users surveyed, most of the mountain


29/120

16

bikers they saw were polite and not safety hazards (Cessford, 1995.). To add, familiarity

with mountain bike riding and cumulative experience with off-road encounters with bikes

can change the perceptions of non-riders (Cessford, 1995).

The third perception is the complex claim that mountain biking is inappropriate,

even wrong. The earlier two concerns mentioned may be in part reflections of an

underlying feeling that mountain biking should not be permitted in this area (Cessford,

1995). This third main type of conflict perception is based upon assumptions by walkers

and also managers that personal characteristics, motivations, behavior types,

environmental attitudes, and activity styles of mountain bikers are fundamentallydifferent from their own (Cessford, 1995). To add, conflicts arose when the presence and

behavior of other users was perceived to be disruptive to the physical and social

components of recreational experiences (Cessford, 1985). How conflicts arise between

outdoor recreationists depend on their individual and/or group interpretation of the

actions, motivations, preferences, and appearance of others. Simply put, the perceived

conflict depends on how different others are perceived to be (Cessford, 1995).

Profile

Visually, mountain biking appears to be very different, the difference mainly is in

the use of bicycles and associated equipment (Cessford, 1995). The difference in

equipment can or is the basis of the perceptions of difference between people of different

activities, or perceptions of different experience levels and commitment within the same

activity (Cessford, 1995).


30/120

17

1.1 Age

Though very generalized, mountain bikers are over represented by males and

younger age groups more often than all but the most extreme walkers (Cessford, 1995).

Although stereotypical, this descriptive difference has been associated with the wild

teenager image of mountain biking in many comments and commentaries (Cessford,

1995). The average ages though would be around 30-38 years old, and with a wide range

of ages, from 15 to 39 years of age (Green, 2003; Morey et al, 2002; Goeft and Alder,

2001).1.2 Personal assessment of experience

When it comes to riding experience, mountain bikers tend to categorize

themselves as intermediate to advanced, and would claim that they are mountain bikers

(Green,2003; Morey et al, 2002). An average cost for a mountain bike would be $831,

and would be 2-5 years old (Morey et al, 2002).

1.3 Income and education

In the market study by Donna Green in 2003, fifty percent of the riders she

interviewed are earning more than $75,000 a year in their respective households, which

makes them part of the upper middle class in America, which are mostly white collar

professionals most of whom are highly educated, salaried professionals whose work is

largely self-directed. Many have graduate degrees, with educational attainment serving as

the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed

$100,000 (Thompson and Hickey, 2005). In the same study, most of the respondents own


31/120

18

multiple bikes. Canada, particularly the British Columbia region has similar numbers in

the income and educational brackets, though the Canadians are much younger (18-34)

when it comes to their American travelling counterparts whose majority of ages range

from 45-54 (Tourism British Columbia, 2009).

1.2 Social networks

Social networks in the form of clubs are also noted, and the people who joined

clubs tend to be more competitive and join more races compared to non club members(Goeft and Alder, 2001).

Preferences

The various styles of mountain biking gives a very confusing picture for managers

who would want to offer a mountain biking specific product, as these various styles

would also have different preferences. The range of riding opportunities is one of the

main reasons why natural settings have experienced such biking growth (Cessford, 2002).

2.1 Criteria for site selection

People do travel to certain areas just to ride their mountain bikes, a significant

trend in developed countries (Green, 2003). When it comes to trends of choosing a

mountain biking destination, word of mouth and existing reputation deliver the strongest

recommendations, and travel agencies are the least likely to help (Green, 2003).


32/120

19

2.2 Trail feature preferences

As mentioned earlier, mountain bikers prefer the variety of terrain and difficulty

found in a destination, with downhills, curves of various radii, slopes, jumps, rocks, roots

and some climbing sections (Green, 2003; Goeft and Alder, 2001). The number of trails

are also important, as well as scenery (Green, 2003).The reputation of the area for riding,

as well as the mountain biking community scored also quite high (Green, 2003).

Mountain bike riders would also prefer to see wildlife, and avoid mechanized

transportation (Goeft and Alder, 2001). Muddy, sandy, and paved surfaces areundesirable to mountain bikers, as well as overhanging branches (Goeft and Alder, 2001).

Mountain bikers also tend to perceive that there are not enough mountain bike trails and

that mountain bikes should be allowed in all trails. Single track trails were desirable for

recreational riders who race, and they also consider plantation forests to be desirable

settings. Plantations are also desirable for purely recreational riders but dont prefer

single track trails compared to others Recreational riders are more open to where they

ride, be it on plantation forests or natural settings, and stay away from artificial,

plantation forests (Goeft and Alder, 2001).

2.3 Riding style preferences

Preferences also vary with age. Younger riders aged twenty four and below

preferred downhill racing and freeride, while older riders aged fifty-five and above liked

riding on cycle paths and touring, and the middle range of 25-54 prefer cross country and

all-mountain riding (City of Kelowna et al., 2007).


33/120

20

Mountain biking in the Asia-Pacific Region

Asias biking routes are constantly redefining itself to cash in on the demands of

visitors. Here you will find not only the highest mountains in the world, but isolated tribal

regions, lush jungles, and dense forests. The terrain in Asia is very diverse and could be

tapped for mountain biking, not to mention major bicycle and bicycle component

manufacturers like Shimano and Giant Bicycles are founded and based in Asia, the

former in Japan and the latter in Taiwan. Most European and American bicycle

manufacturers have factories based in Taiwan or China or in Shimanos case, Malaysia,

to outsource their manufacturing duties. Unfortunately, there has been no clear cut studiesabout mountain biking or the mountain bikers in the Asia-Pacific Region aside from

Australia and New Zealand. Though mountain bike tours based in Asia have arrived and

are now offering tours in various places like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and many

other countries.

The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve

Located in Luzon and is 65 kilometers south of Manila, Mt. Makiling is an

inactive volcano 1,090m in height (Figure 1). Regarded as one, if not the most well

known biological area in the Philippines (Lapitan, et al., 2010) Mt. Makiling is well

known as the home of the University of the Philippines Los Baos as well as other

important offices and facilities like the ASEAN Biodiversity Centre headquarters, a


34/120

21

Figure 1. Location map of the MFR (photo from MCME)

geo-thermal energy resource, a watershed and water source of industrial, agricultural, and

residential sectors of the CALABARZON region and as a major ecotourism site (Lapitan,

et al., 2010). The mountain also serves as an important catchment area for SE Asias

largest freshwater lake, Laguna de Bay (Lapitan, et al., 2010).

Landscape

The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve has a total land area of 4,244.97 hectares,

and is delineated by law to have a buffer zone (1,652 ha) to protect the existing forest

reserve inside (Lapitan, et al., 2010). The buffer zone is located from the areas with 0%

slope to the maximum of 18% slope. Any higher than 18% makes it part of the forest

reserve itself. Prior to the 1998 declaration of the buffer zone however, fringe areas of the


35/120

22

reserve have already been encroached either by farming or real estate (Lapitan, et al.,

2010). Generally, the MFR is rugged and mountainous.

Being a watershed, the MFR is further divided into 4 subwatersheds, each of them

located in a municipality inside the MFRs borders. These are the Molawin-Dampalit,

Tigbi, Greater Sipit, and Cambantoc subwatersheds. All of these subwatersheds provide

water for many purposes among the populace of the 4 municipalities in 2 provinces

where the MFR is located: Calamba, Los Baos and Bay in Laguna, and Santo Tomas in

Batangas.

Climate

Mt. Makiling has 2 main seasons: A rainy season starting from May to December

and dry months are from January to April. Wind patterns are dry, and it causes the lower

elevation areas to be dry but the higher elevation areas wet due to continuous light

density precipitation and vapor condensation (Lapitan, et al. 2010). During the wet

months, the southwest monsoon will provide most of the rainfall in the area due to its

circulation of cyclonic winds (Lapitan, Fernando et al., 2010). Temperatures in 2006

show a mean temperature range from 26.2 to 28.8 degree Celsius. April is the warmest

month, with a maximum of 36.1 and low of 22.2, while January was the coldest with the

lowest at 20.4 and a high of 31.8 degree Celsius (Lapitan,et al., 2010). The

measurements were taken in the National AgroMet Station in UPLB.


36/120

23

Rainfall

In 2006, the annual rainfall recorded by the National Agro-Met Station in UPLB

was 2,299mm. According to the CDM-SSC-PDD study of 2007, the reading for 2006 was

lower than the average taken from 3 areas in UPLB which was 2,397mm in the 1990s

(Lapitan, et al., 2010). The same study also mentioned that the MFR got a total of 188

rainy days in 2006, with the heaviest rains falling in September, and the most number of

rainy days a month is July, with 22 days of rain. Extreme events have yet to happen in

these areas, according to the study.

Soils and Geology

Mt. Makilings soil belongs to 4 series: Lipa, Macolod, Gulugod, and Makiling.

Macolod is the dominant series in the area, which is a clay-type of soil (Lapitan, et al.,

2010).

Legal Framework

Under Republic Act 6967 of 1990, the MFR is under the control, jurisdiction and

administration of the University of the Philippines Los Baos (Lapitan, et al. 2010). The

law stipulates that the reserves primary role is to be a training laboratory for scientific

and technical knowledge on the preservation, conservation, and development of the forest

and natural forest therein, including the flora and fauna (Lapitan, et al. 2010). Another

source of information is the MFR and Laguna de Bay Master Plan created in 1996

through EO 349 of then President Fidel V. Ramos (Lapitan, et al. 2010).


37/120

24

Another legitimizing action is Presidential Decree No. 705, or the Philippine

Forestry Reform Code. This law governs forest management in the country, while

Proclamation 1257 of 1998 sets the guidelines on the activities inside a buffer zone to

ensure the integrity of these areas from further damage and encroachment.

Biodiversity

Flora

There is an amazing amount of flora present in the MFR. Both endemic and

foreign, it has been estimated that 2,038 vascular plant species are present in the MFR

(Lapitan, et al. 2010). Dipterocarp species are found here, even IUCN-listed as critically

endangered ones like Parashorea malaanonan, and Myristica philippinensis, and

vulnerable species (Diospyros blancoi, Diplodiscus paniculatus, Artocarpus rubiovenius,

Celtis luzonica, Macaranga bicolor, to name a few). Undergrowth species found in all of

the MFR include Arenga pinnata, Donax cannaeformis, Neotrewis cumgii, Selaginella

plana, and Strombosia philippinensis. The Rafflesia manillana, thought to be extinct in

the MFR was found again in 2002 (Lapitan, Fernando et al., 2010)), but it is only found

in Molawin-Dampalit and the Greater Sipit subwatersheds only.

Fauna

The MFR also boasts of impressive numbers of fauna. Prior to 2004 it was

reported to be home to more than 45 species of mammals, 181 species of birds, 65

species of reptiles, and 22 species of amphibians, together with at least 7,000 species of

insects (Lapitan, et al. 2010). A survey done in 2004 in just the Greater Sipit Watershed

yielded a surprising amount of endemism: 62 species in this subwatershed are known to


38/120

25

be only endemic to the Philippines, with 14 only endemic to the Greater Luzon faunal

region (Lapitan, et al., 2010). Some species found are considered rare or threatened: the

Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippinensis), the Philippine Warty Pig (Sus philippnensis)

is considered endangered, and the Philippine Pygmy Fruit Bat (Haplonycteris fischeri)

(Lapitan, et al., 2010).

Human

The MFR has its own share of people living inside its borders, and it has been

legitimized by the municipality of Los Baos by giving it official status as a barangay.

Ecotourism is also seen as a tool for development, and an activity such as mountain

biking can give these people different means of income to supplement whatever they

have by means of services to mountain bikers and the maintenance, construction and

improvement of trails. There is a caveat however; especially in the case of the MFR.

Protected areas (like the MFR) are important destinations for a growing tourism like

ecotourism given that it uses diverse nature, landscapes and biodiversity as major

attractions. In these protected areas, there might be a potential threat to, and an

opportunity for conservation of natural resources.

Organization and Personnel

The Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME) is the specific unit of

UPLB to handle the responsibility of managing the MFR. It was designated in the

meeting of the Board of Regents in 1998 (Lapitan, Fernando et al. 2010). Aside from

management of the MFR, the MCME aims to conduct research and demonstration


39/120

26

programs on mountain ecosystems development, and to develop and execute plans of

sustainable management of the MFR. MCME is also partially responsible to generate

resources and income for its continued operations and management of the MFR. The 4

subwatershed divisions are MCMEs doing. They have 50 people working in the

institution (Appendix V).

Ecotourism in the MFR

Ecotourism is present in the MFR. Activities like hiking and camping are the most

popular activities, and recently bird watching has become popular (Cereno, 2010). Peakseason comes during summer months, as many people climb and trek during the Holy

Week gatherings. Another attraction is the Makiling Botanical Garden (MBG), a well

known picnic spot and park. With new and existing facilities built and repaired, the MBG

is a favorite nature viewing spot away from Manila, and a favorite destination of

educational trips. The MFR also has some events that encourage people to come. The

Makiling Challenge, a trail running challenge, and the Makiling Quest, a long distance

adventure race has been a fixture among nature enthusiasts. During the Holy Week

period, an initiative called Make It Makiling is done to encourage hikers to keep the

MFRs hiking trails clean and safe.

Mountain biking in the MFR

Mountain biking in the MFR is present the whole year, as the Mariang Makiling

Trail is multi-use. The only time that it is closed for mountain bikes during the Make It

Makiling event in Holy Week to prevent unwanted accidents between hikers and bikers,


40/120

27

and when typhoons come. XC up to DH riders go to the Mariang Makiling Trail to ride,

so varying speeds and skills of mountain bikers are seen in the trail. With the variety of

bikers coming up and down at various speeds, it is imperative that conflict be managed in

the form of trails that branch off the multi-use Mariang Makiling Trail.

An example of government intervention to develop a trail network for mountain

bikes is the work done by the Hong Kong SAR Government to develop trails for the Tai

Lam Country Park. Mountain bicycling in Country Parks is controlled under Regulation

4 of the Country Parks and Special Areas Regulations (sub. Leg. A of Country Park

Ordinance, Cap 208 of Hong Kong Laws), any person interested in cycling on thedesignated mountain bike trails in country parks can apply for a permit from the Country

and Marine Parks Authority. No permit fee is required. At present, there are about 7,000

valid permits. With mountain biking getting more and more attention in Hong Kong, the

SAR government decided to assess the existing trails at the Tai Lam Park with the help of

the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA).


41/120

28

METHODOLOGY

Descriptive research was used for this study, using primary and secondary data.

The primary data comes mainly from a mountain biker survey and key informant

interviews, and the secondary data coming from records of the MCMEs Botanic

Gardens, Parks, and Ecotourism division. For comparison, foreign based mountain biking

studies coming from journals were also used. A simple survey form is used because it can

provide direct answers to the questions relevant to the objectives.

Data collection was carried out from September 2012 to February 2013. The end

of the wet season is when mountain biking starts to pick up again, and mountain biking

events like races and fun rides come up to take advantage of cooler weather. The most

number of respondents came in the months of September and October 2012. Prior to

this, permission from the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME) was

obtained to check on existing primary data, particularly the visitors log of the MFR from

2012.

Mountain biker Survey

The information taken from the different kinds of mountain bikers in the area was

the focal point of this study. The socio-economic profile and opinions of the mountain

bikers, the future beneficiaries of this study were considered. Their opinions on trail

design, trail facilities and amenities, ecotourism, and willingness-to-pay for these kinds of

facilities were accounted for. No restrictions and criteria to respondents were

implemented, as long as the person has a mountain bike. Riding style was also not a


42/120

29

restriction, as mountain bikers tend to follow different riding styles and disciplines, each

of them requires a certain mountain bike for the task. To ensure better participation of the

mountain biker population, grouping them by riding style was not done.

Survey description

Survey research is a commonly used method for collecting information about a

population of interest and to describe its characteristics. It is mainly used for its

versatility, efficiency and ability to generalize data. For this study, the group of people

who is the focus of this study are the mountain bikers. These people were found in social

areas like rest stations and eateries like in Baker Hall in UPLB, bike shops like Green

Planet Bikeshop in San Pablo and Los Baos, Laguna; and Ulyby Bikeshop in Manila.

To characterize mountain bikers and mountain biking; a questionnaire with open ended

questions was given to the respondents (Appendix Table I). Survey forms were also

distributed through mountain bike related events like the Nuvali Dirt Weekend in Santa

Rosa, and the Spyder Downhill Cup in Binangonan, Rizal. Social media sites like

Facebook and mountain biking forums like Philippine Mountain Bike Forum

(www.philmofo.org) was also used to distribute survey forms and get feedback.

The mountain biker survey was designed to assess and look at the different points

and views and opinions of the different mountain bikers that travel within and inside the

MFR. Their choices and preferences were considered, together with: possible future trail

design, features, and access (Goeft and Alder, 2001) to the MFR. It also assessed the

awareness and possible cooperation of the mountain biker to possible current, and future


43/120

30

MTB-centered activities like trail building and maintenance, and MTB-related nature

advocacy.

First, the survey tackled the demographics of the different mountain bikers, such

as their name, age, gender, and address. Their cycling experience, bicycle type; and

number of bikes can tell a lot on how a mountain biker takes this activity seriously. Their

experiences in mountain biking competitions were looked upon, as well as their favored

events (Morey et al.,2000; Goeft and Alder, 2001).

The estimated cost of their bicycle/s and their average yearly income were

considered for this information can tell on how much mountain bikers want to pay for an

additional mountain bike specific facilities and amenities in the MFR. Mountain biking

can be prohibitively expensive, especially with the amount of sophistication of modern

and contemporary mountain bikes, and people who can pay for such bicycles can also in

theory pay for such facilities. Also a direct question on the mountain bikers willingness

to pay by the means of a price range was used.

Another question set tackled the awareness of the mountain biker on his/her

known riding areas. A mountain biker will have knowledge of trail networks that he/she

can use, not just travelling by bicycle to a certain location by road (disparagingly called

XC-road by some). Is the MFR a well known enough place for mountain bikers? And if

mountain bikers are aware of the MFR as a mountain bike destination, do they think the

existing Mariang Makiling trail is enough for them, or do the mountain bikers want

something for themselves? Opinions on what mountain bikers want in a trail were also

considered.


44/120

31

A trait of mountain bikers is a presence of a social network; many would band

together to form a club or organization. A question set delved into the social aspect of the

mountain biker. The name of the MTB groups and organizations was listed, together with

the activities done by the said groups and organizations, if there are any. The survey also

asks these groups opinions on assisting the MFR in creating and maintaining a mountain

bike trail inside the MFR, and how these groups will promote MTB riding in the MFR.

Key Informant Interview

People who work inside the MFR have the best sources of information on how the

situations unfold in the field. Therefore key informant interviews were done to know the

workings of the MFR and how can a future manager worked on this to cater to mountain

biking inside the MFR and provide these services to their target audience. Interviews with

the Botanic Gardens, Parks, and Ecotourism Division head, For. Leilani A. Castillo and

For. Roberto P. Cereno were conducted. Their opinions and experiences with mountain

biking were noted. For. Castillo also has access to the logbook of entries to the Mariang

Makiling Trail, and the entries of mountain bikers in the logbook are also duly noted.

Secondary data collection

Together with the mountain biker survey, the records of the MCME especially

mountain bike related visits was checked and analyzed. The time frame was from January

2012 until December 2012. The number of mountain biking visits provided information

on existing traffic of mountain bikers to the MFR and their potential earning to the

MCME and the MFR. There was a 100% increase in the access fee of the trail, from 5

pesos to 10 pesos starting in 2011, and its effect on mountain biker visits was looked into.


45/120

32

Conceptual framework

Based on the general objective to create a profile of the mountain bikers that

travel to the MFR, the study will look into the side of the mountain biker, and the side of

the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve. The mountain bikers characteristics l ike age,

income, and the various preferences will be examined together with the characteristics

present in the MFR which is divided into two: physical features, which comprise of the

trail, the terrain, the access to the trail, the trail users and their perceptions; and the

administrative features, which comprise of existing policies, amenities, organization and

management, and partnerships. These two sides will be analyzed to create a working

definition and profile of the mountain biker in the MFR, as well as to propose new

policies, strategies and management schemes to accommodate mountain bikers in the

overall scheme of ecotourism and outdoor recreation in the MFR (Figure 2).


46/120

33

Feedback Feedback

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of the Study

THE MOUNTAIN BIKERS

Age

Income

Location relative to MFR

Riding experience

Preferred trail features

Motivation for riding

MTB design

Current trends in riding

Social networks

THE MOUNT

MAKILING FORESTRESERVE

PHYSICAL

FEATURES

Trail difficulty andfeatures

Trail access

Traffic flow insidetrails

Competing trail users

Perceptions on other

trail users

ADMINISTRATIVEFEATURES

Existing policies

Amenities

Links with private

sector

Mountain bike

related events

Conflicts among trailusers

METHODS

Mountain biker survey

Statistical analysis

Key informant interviews

Purposive Sampling

RESULTS

Creation of a mountainbiker profile for MFR

Assessment of MFRcompatibility withmountain biking

Give suggestions andnew courses of action toMFR to accommodate

mountain biking


47/120

34

Statistical analysis

As mentioned earlier, the lack of a true sampling frame or the total number of

active mountain bikers makes this study use non-probability sampling, specifically

judgmental or purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is used when the researcher

chooses the people to be sampled in the study. This is primarily used when there are a

limited number of people that have expertise in the area being researched, and is

synonymous with qualitative research (Palys, undated). Since this study focuses on

mountain bikers, purposive sampling is used. This study used criterion sampling, where

individuals and cases are selected if a criterion matches the said individual or case (Palys,

undated). In this study focused on mountain bikes, the respondents are grouped into one

specific criterion; which is the use and ownership of a mountain bike. The criterion is

enough for a mountain biker to be involved in the study. Purposive sampling however

is limited to descriptive statistics, so the mean, median, percentage, frequencies and

distribution of percentages are described, as well as contingency tables to describe the

relationships between variables. The computer program IBM SPSS Statistics is used to

calculate the data found from the mountain biker survey.

In order to determine the right sample size the formula presented below was used.

n = z x p x qd2

where : d is the margin of error from unknown true value

p and q are proportions both set at 0.5


48/120

35

n = (1.96)2 x 0.5 x 0.5 z= 1.96 (obtained from the z Table)(.05)2

n = 384.16

In this type of study, what is critical is the sampling size. Hence, the formula

presented above to compute for the sampling size was used. The answers to the questions

in the survey were converted into percentages. The same procedure was followed by

Barry G. Tiedeman in Central Michigan University, where they analyzed the

characteristics of the typical mountain bike enthusiast, and to measure the involvement of

the mountain biker using descriptive analysis. Another study done by Nadia Kaliszewski

in 2010, also used survey forms to analyze the economic impacts of mountain bike trails

in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in the USA. The relevant sample population was composed of

bikers who own mountain bikes or at least have some interest in riding mountain bikes.


49/120

36

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

General Personal Profile of Mountain Bikers

Based on the survey conducted, the total respondents were 389. The most number

of respondents came from the province of Laguna, the most number coming from the

municipalities of Pakil (101), Kalayaan (55), and Los Baos (51) (Table 1). The next

highest number of respondents came from Metro Manila (36), and then Rizal Province

(23) . The close proximity of the MFR made finding respondents from Laguna easier than

other locations. Mountain bikers tend to live relatively close to actual mountains or

ridges, or have places of higher elevation, especially the respondents from Rizal

Province. Pakil, Kalayaan, and Los Baos in Laguna, the three biggest sources of

respondents share the same trend. Mountain bike riders who live in Metro Manila tend to

travel away to places like Rizal and Laguna to get their mountain bike fix.

Age groups of mountain bikers are also defined through the survey. The biggest

numbers come from riders coming from the age group of 31-40 years of age at 31.54%,

then the 21-30 age group at 23.18%, and the 41-50 group 20.49% (Table 2). It paints the

picture of a mountain biker as a young adult or a relatively young adult activity. Cessford

(1995) in New Zealand, and Tourism Tasmania (2008), show these characteristics in age,

majority of active mountain bikers are in ages from mid 20s to mid 40s, with a high

percentage in the mid 30s age group (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). In New Zealand, the

most numerous are found in the under -20 until the 30-39 age group (Cessford, 1995).

The same trend showed up in another study by Tiedeman (2002) of the Central Michigan

University, where 69% of the respondents are from the 20-29 and the 30-39 age groups.


50/120

37

Table 1. Municipalities of respondents

MUNICIPALITY OFRESPONDENTS

FREQUENCY %

LAGUNA

Alaminos 6 1.54Bay 7 1.80Bian 2 0.51

Cabuyao 5 1.29Calamba 11 2.82Calauan 3 0.77Famy 2 0.51

Kalayaan 55 14.13Mabitac 1 0.25

Magdalena 2 0.51Los Baos 54 13.88

Pakil 101 26.0Pangil 3 0.77Paete 6 1.54

San Pablo 8 2.05San Pedro 1 0.25Santa Cruz 1 0.25Santa Rosa 3 0.77

Siniloan 25 6.42Total 296

RIZALAntipolo 5 1.29

Binangonan 6 1.54Cainta 3 0.77Taytay 9 2.31Total 23

METRO MANILAParaaque 1 0.25

Taguig 1 0.25Pasig 2 0.51

Quezon City 8 2.05Las Pias 2 0.51

Makati 6 1.54

Marikina 3 0.77Manila 13 3.34Total 36

BATANGASBatangas City 2 0.51

Tanauan 7 1.80Total 9


51/120

38

Table 1. Continued.

PROVINCE FREQUENCY %COMPOSTELA VALLEY 1 0.25

BULACAN 1 0.25

ILOILO 1 0.25ZAMBALES 1 0.25PAMPANGA 1 0.25

DARAGA, ALBAY 2 0.51CAMARINES SUR

Naga City 2 0.51Pili 1 0.25

Total 3PANGASINAN 1 0.25NUEVA ECIJA 2 0.51ILOCOS NORTE 5 1.29

QUEZONLucena City 4 1.02Tiaong 1 0.25Tayabas 1 0.25Pagbilao 1 0.25

Total 7TOTAL 389 100.00

Table 2. Age profile of mountain bikers

AGE GROUP FREQUENCY %12-20 23 6.2021-30 86 23.1831-40 117 31.5441-50 76 20.4951-60 55 14.8261-70 12 3.2371-80 2 0.54Total 371 100.00

In British Columbia, a hotbed for mountain biking and mountain bikers,

American and Canadian travelers who go to British Columbia to ride mountain bikes are

mostly people who are 18-34 (Tourism British Columbia, 2009).


52/120

39

Mountain biking is totally dominated by male riders (Table 3), with 91.85% of the

respondents are male, with only 8.15% of the respondents in the sample size female.

Mountain biking generally tends to have male dominated populations (City of Kelowna,

Table 3. Gender classification and civil status of mountain bikers

GENDER FREQUENCY %Male 248 91.85

Female 22 8.15Total 270 100.00

CIVIL STATUS FREQUENCY %Single 115 34.43

Married 219 65.57Total 337 100.00

2007). Males thoroughly dominate the sport (Tiedeman, 2002) with his population

set getting an 88% representation rate among males. Males also dominate when the

motivation to travel and have a vacation is related to cycling; however females are more

willing participants in a cycling-based vacation (Tourism British Columbia, 2009). In

Australia, women are much closer to men when it comes to mainstream cycle tourism,

but not for mountain bikes (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). The study also mentioned that

though the majority still consists of men, there will be a considerable gender shift in the

future years, citing the increase of female participation in the US by 33.9% starting in

2002 (Tourism Tasmania, 2008). It will be interesting to note if the Philippines will

follow the trend as shown in foreign countries.

Having a family is a noticeable trait among mountain bikers in the study (Table

3), with 65.57% of the respondents having a family of their own, compared to 34.43% of

mountain biker respondents who are single. There are many cases when one family


53/120

40

member will influence another member to take up mountain biking, if not the whole

family. In the US, particularly in the state of Michigan, the majority of these mountain

bikers live in a household of two to four people (Tiedeman, 2002).

In the study, the sample showed a higher level of educational attainment, with

54.24% of the respondents having college or tertiary education, and 37.28% have

secondary education (Table 4). Having formal education is a trait shared by a lot of

mountain bikers, especially tertiary or at least secondary level education (Cessford, 1995)

(Tourism Tasmania, 2008) (Tourism British Columbia, 2009) (Tiedeman, 2002).

Table 4. Highest Educational Attainment of mountain bikers

EDUCATIONALATTAINMENT

FREQUENCY %

Elementary 9 3.05High School 110 37.28

College 160 54.24Post Graduate 16 5.43

Total 295 100.00

A high quality mountain bike is expensive, and a good sized income is necessary

to progress in the activity. But nowadays, a mountain bike of good quality is more

affordable to at least the professional working class and blue collar workers, hence the

proliferation of riders in the sample earning in the Php. 100,000-200,000 range, which is

59.05% of the sample (Table 5).


54/120

41

Figure 3. Frequency of single respondents and their age bracket together withtheir educational attainment.

In Figure 3, most mountain bikers with single status are college graduates and

belonging to the 21-30 year old age bracket (35). The same trend is shown in age

brackets 31-40 (17), 41-50 (4), and 51-60 (3).

The Chi-square test (Table 5) showed that there is strong evidence to support a

relationship between age, civil status, and educational attainment, as shown by the

Pearson Chi-square values of 15.377 and 41.437 for single and married respondents

respectively.


55/120

42

Table 5. Chi-square test for civil status, age range, and educational attainment.

Chi-Square Tests

civil status Value df

Asymp. Sig. (2-

sided)

Single Pearson Chi-Square 15.377a

12 .221

Married Pearson Chi-Square 41.437b

18 .001

a. 14 cells (70.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count

is .04.

b. 19 cells (67.9%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count

is .04.

In Figure 4, college graduates are still the most numerous among the married

mountain bikers (105). Married mountain bikers with a college degree mostly belong to

the 31-40 years old (42) and 41-50 year old (33) age bracket (Appendix Table VI).

in developed countries however, mountain bikers are characterized as high

earners (Tourism Tasmania, 2008) (Tourism British Columbia, 2009) (Tiedeman, 2002)

with a baseline of $60,000 and above. The Philippine baseline is much lower compared

to these numbers.


56/120

43

Figure 4. Frequency of married respondents and their age bracket together with

their educational attainment.


57/120

44

Figure 4. Frequency of male respondents from different provinces and theiraverage income.

Male mountain bikers from Laguna have the highest frequency (86), and they

earn less than 100,000 pesos to 200,000 annually (Figure 4). The same trend can be

observed in the next range of salary (28).


58/120

45

Figure 5. Frequency of female respondents from different provinces and theiraverage income.

In Figure 5, female mountain bikers from Laguna showed the highest frequency

(8), but all are earning in one income bracket. Female bikers from Metro Manila had one

respondent earning around 401,000 to 600,000 pesos a year.


59/120

46

Table 6. Chi-square test for gender and income of respondents.

Chi-Square Tests

gender of respondent Value df

Asymp. Sig. (2-

sided)

Male Pearson Chi-Square 39.306a

16 .001

Female Pearson Chi-Square2.438

b2 .296

a. 17 cells (68.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .29.

b. 5 cells (83.3%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .08.

The chi-square test presented in Table 6 showed that there is strong evidence of a

relationship between income and the gender of respondents with the value of 39.306 and

2.438 for males and females, respectively.

Table 7. Estimated cost/s of mountain bikes of mountain bikers

COST ESTIMATE OFMTB (In PHp)

FREQUENCY %

10,000- 20,000 137 43.63

21,000-40,000 64 20.3841,000-60,000 30 9.5561,000-100,000 39 12.43

100,000 44 14.01Total 314 100.00

As mentioned earlier, mountain bikes are quite expensive. But the trend is that

there are more people riding mountain bikes, mainly because the cost of entry has

become lower the past few years or so. The largest number of mountain bikers on the

sample (43.63%) claims their estimated costs of their bikes close to 10,000 pesos to

20,000 pesos (Table 6). The most expensive mountain bikes (100,000 Php.) are not the


60/120

47

minority in the sample, with 14.01% of respondents claiming that their mountain bike is

that expensive.

The amount that the household can earn in one year is a reflection on what kind of

mountain bike they can afford. Table 5 showed the majority of the respondents earn

100,000-200,000 a year, and the majority of the respondents in Table 6 claimed they

can afford a mountain bike worth 10,000- 20,000Php. The next highest earning range

(201,000-400,000 Php) is the second largest group. This group can afford a mountain

bike in the 21,000-40,000 range.

Mountain Bike Preferences and Experience

The survey also looked at the preferences of the mountain bikers as well as their

experience in using their mountain bikes. The variety among mountain bike riders; be it

on their length of experience, bike design preferences, and motivation were noted.

Table 7 shows that the majority of mountain bikers who took the survey are new

to the sport, or has at most 5 years experience, with 69.37% of respondents belonging in

that experience bracket. It could be that the relatively lower cost of entry to mountain

biking, as well as more places to ride nowadays has encouraged people to try mountain

biking, even at the lower income brackets. There are still long-time cycling enthusiasts

who have spent many years riding, but this influx of new blood the past few of years is

encouraging.


61/120

48

Table 8. Length of Mountain Bike riding experience in years by mountain bikers

LENGTH OF MOUNTAINBIKE EXPERIENCE

(Years)

FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

20 10 3.88

Total 258 100.00

Table 9 shows the favored mountain biking discipline by the respondents. The dominant

discipline is cross country (XC) riding, with 67.24% of the respondents share. Downhill

mountain biking (DH) the next largest group, with 18.08% of the respondents saying that

they prefer DH riding. However, the fairly new All-mountain category is not far behind

with 12.63% of the total respondents. Mountain bikers also tend to choose multiple

disciplines to improve their overall skill set. An XC rider will do some DH riding to

improve his bike handling skills, while a DH rider will do XC to improve his/her

endurance and strength. Age is also a factor in determining a mountainbikers preference

in riding style and discipline. Bikers from Kalayaan, Pakil, and Pangil, Laguna prefer XC

riding because most the respondents came from the aforementioned towns and they travel

long distances using their bicycles.

Younger groups tend to favor downhill and freeride mountain biking and older groups

favor cross country riding (City of Kelowna, 2007) but both age groups enjoy all-

mountain.


62/120

49

Table 9. Preferred riding discipline by mountain bikers

PREFERRED DISCIPLINE FREQUENCY PERCENTAGEXC 197 67.24AM 37 12.63

DH/FR 53 18.08Trials 4 1.37

DJ 2 0.68Total 293

Rider skill is a highly subjective word and a point of contention among mountain bikers,

especially during competition (Table 10). In the sample, the majority of riders listed

themselves as a beginner (44.46%), which also matches the majority of the riders getting

Table 10. Mountain bike rider skill levels

RIDER SKILL LEVEL FREQUENCY %Beginner 137 44.46Novice 84 30.32

Advanced 35 12.64I dont know 21 7.58

Total 277 100.00

one to five years of riding experience (Table 8). Thirty percent of the sample size

consider themselves as novices or intermediate skill riders, and around 13% consider

themselves as advanced riders. Surprisingly there is a small group of riders (7.58%) who

dont have any idea on what their skill level is on a mountain bike. The results in other

countries show that mountain bikers rate themselves rather highly. Tiedeman (2002) used

a scale of 1 to 10 to ask mountain bikers about their skill levels on a mountain bike and

the mean amounted to 6.56, which is, according to Tiedeman is considered as a high-


63/120

50

intermediate. In Canada, skill levels tend to regress when age advances, as younger

riders who prefer downhill and freeride tend to mellow down and enter cross country

and at least all-mountain (City of Kelowna, 2007).

Changes in rider age and gender did occur across different experience levels. In

age, the proportion of riders aged 20-29 increased with experience. However, this may

not reflect a stable pattern, as the activity is very new, and current rider numbers amongst

the young may be maintained into the older age-groups with time. High interest in

mountain biking by women was indicated by their high proportion amongst the

"Beginners" (42%). But their numbers declined to only 7% amongst experts. This couldrepresent reluctance amongst women to acknowledge their experience, a high activity

"drop-out" rate, or a more recent interest in riding amongst women which with time will

translate into greater numbers of more experienced women riders (Cessford, 1995)

Mountain bike racing is an integral part of the sport (Table 11). However, as the

sample shows, the majority (71.59%) does not participate in mountain bike racing or

competitions. When mountain bikers join and compete in races (Table 12), it would be

either in XC or in DH; 42.44% of mountain bikers prefer the former and 40.98% prefer

profile and interest of mountain bikers in the makiling forest reserve

Documents