Protect the legacy. Build the future.
Our mission
IMBA Europe works through its network to advance mountain biking as a force for good, improving people’s lives, protecting and enhancing places to ride, and strengthening the policy environment that supports sustainable trail access and development across Europe.
Who we are
IMBA has been the worldwide leader in mountain bike advocacy and trail development since it was founded in the USA in 1988. Built from the framework of IMBA USA, IMBA Europe was founded in 2012 as a collective of European MTB advocacy groups, trail associations, trail builders, MTB regions and bicycle industry partners, spread over more than 20 countries.
IMBA Europe aims to grow mountain biking through promoting our sport as inexpensive, accessible, inclusive and environmentally sustainable . We want to see more people discovering the joy of mountain biking in natural spaces, and the associated mental and physical benefits this can bring to their lives. Supporting cycling friendly communities through the development of sustainable MTB infrastructure has proven to boost local & regional economies, reduce climate impact and encourage an environment conscious lifestyle. Access to sustainable mountain bike and shared-use trails for all people across Europe is fundamental to getting more people on bikes. We are advocating for more trails close to home, which is key in inspiring more people to be outside and active on an everyday basis, as well as unlocking mountain biking to a more diverse audience.
IMBA’s global affiliates are IMBA Europe, IMBA Canada, IMBA Argentina, IMBA Espana, IMBA Italia and IMBA Schweiz. All affiliates are separate legal entities. IMBA Europe is registered in the Netherlands as a non-profit association with full legal capacity.
Contact details
IMBA Europe
Deventerweg 2a
3843 GD Harderwijk
The Netherlands
Registration number (KvK): 55346847
VAT: NL851664866B01
info@imba-europe.com
Vision
A Europe where mountain biking is accessible, inclusive, and recognized, supported by sustainable places to ride, diverse and thriving communities, and strong policies that enable more people to experience the benefits of riding.
“We create, enhance, protectgreat places to ride mountain bikes”
Our focus
Trails close to home
Meet our Board & Staff
Get to know the people behind the organisation! IMBA Europe comprises of employees and board members from diverse backgrounds in management, trail building, environmental engineering, marketing & communications, advocacy and European policy.
Our values
- Community – Our work supports communities, health and wellbeing, economies, and public lands for present and future generations. We support mountain biking communities to bring people together, to keep them healthy, to strengthen and sustain economies, and to protect and expand outdoor spaces
- Access – We work to ensure responsible trail access for every rider, making entry into the sport easier. We recognize that a strong mountain bike community must be reflective of the whole community. We encourage, embrace, and celebrate all riders.
- Stewardship – We share a responsibility to protect nature for intrinsic value so communities and future generations can enjoy the outdoors. We ensure that mountain biking is a low-impact activity that helps protect our natural spaces. We promote sustainable trails to minimize impacts on the land, natural resources, and wildlife.
- Partnerships – Collaboration and partnerships are vital to our success. We are inspired to work collaboratively with members, partners, and supporters on shared values and common goals to ensure our efforts are positive and lasting.
- Responsibility – We ride, build, and advocate responsibly and respectfully, and encourage and teach our community to do the same.
A refreshed Strategy for 2026-2030
IMBA Europe’s previous Strategy 2025, “a better Europe through mountain biking,” has guided our work as an umbrella organization over the past 5 years. A period in which many new initiatives and projects were launched. Some will be successful while others will need more time and resources to achieve the intended impact. In a broad sense, we’re proud to see how IMBA Europe and our member organizations have made a significant impact for mountain bikers in their countries.
The refreshed Strategy 2026–2030 is partly a continuation of the priorities from the previous period, with new emphases and refinements informed by lessons learned in recent years.
What remains is our ambition to keep and make mountain biking accessible to a broad group of people. To continue developing high-quality recreational trail infrastructure and facilities aligned with a broad spectrum of sustainability principles, while also working to better embed and recognize the value of mountain biking and trails at the policy level.
The structure of this refreshed strategy, from high-level goals to objectives and strategies, requires some explanation.
- High-level goals: for IMBA Europe as a non-profit organization, our goals focus on mission-driven desired outcomes.
- Objectives address intended community impact, are more specific, and define measurable steps. Each high-level goal is paired with 3 objectives.
- Strategies outline the approach to achieve objectives. Some strategies can be used to achieve multiple objectives and are cross-cutting.
Finally, tactics are specific actions taken to implement strategies. Within IMBA Europe, tactics are outlined in our annual working plans. It could be a specific EU project, campaign, coalition, or partnership; a training program; an expert group; a policy paper; a type of research; an event; or even storytelling.
