Why parks are popping up everywhere – and whether growth still means progress.
Published by Radical Life Studios / MTB Report
Europe is in full bike-park fever.
From Norway to Italy, new parks open every season.
It’s a tourism gold rush – but also a question of balance.
Are we building progress or just more parking lots for bikes?
The Numbers Behind the Boom
Over 120 new parks have opened in Europe since 2020, driven by ski resorts searching for summer income.
Tourism studies show an annual 8–10 % growth in MTB travel.
Yet not every park survives – maintenance and insurance costs crush small operators within two seasons.
Copy-Paste Parks
Too many look the same: same berms, same hashtags, same hype.
Real success now comes from identity – parks like Trysil, Petzen or Verbier mix trails with local culture and nature.
Authenticity is the new luxury.
The Sustainability Question
Every shovel leaves a mark.
Tree clearing, erosion, transport – trail building isn’t carbon-neutral.
Smaller, community-built networks could be the future: less show, more soul.
The bike-park boom shows passion – but also saturation.
Europe doesn’t need more parks.
It needs better ones.
Because the best ride isn’t built with machines –
it’s built with meaning.
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