Opening new cycling trails is always something to celebrate. But even more so when those trails are not only new opportunities but bold statements that the future of trail building will be focusing on expanding those opportunities to so many more people. 

Right now, the trail building team from Next Level Mountain Bike, supported by Glen Potter of the Dirt Syndicate, are putting the finishing touches on two highly anticipated new mountain bike trails at Fox Creek Bike Park – one green and one blue. They are expected to be opened in spring and will dramatically increase the trail length, quality and diversity at Fox. 

They are adaptive trails - wider than conventional trails and designed for two, three and four wheeled cycles, accommodating riders unable to use a standard mountain bike. This is the same philosophy as used for Allen’s Orange Whip, but these will be much more like a turbocharged AOW, according to those who have already enjoyed test runs down the new blue trail, B-rad.

“It’s awesome,” said elite adaptive MTB rider Renee Junga. “A fun, flowy, wide-open trail with lots of different side hits for people to play around on. It’s the kind of trail we don’t have yet in Adelaide. You can just carry speed the whole way down. 

“It’s adaptive-friendly, so everything is rollable, but it can be as chill or as gnarly as you want. It’s Allen’s on steroids - like if Whip was extended to 2km. Similar, but four times as long.” 

The green trail, Phoenix, has more work still to go, but enough has been done to show its character and the tremendous opportunities it will deliver. 

“The gradient on Phoenix is a lot less than B-rad and the shapes are a bit more passive, so we don’t scare people off, but there’s something there for everyone,” Glen said. “There are so many switchbacks. This is the track for anyone who wants to get good at cornering.” 

This development is being funded through the government’s Community Recreation and Sports Facilities Program – through the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing - following a successful grant application by long-time Fox Creek MTB club, the Human Projectiles. 

Forestry SA supported the HP’s grant application and also provided its own funding for the new aMTB trails. FSA chief executive Tim Ryan said the organisation was “committed to including and providing access for people living with a disability, and our commitment to aMTB trail development at Fox has been a crucial part of this journey”. “We’re proud that all riders can get their adrenaline hit at home in South Australia. The aMTB movement is continuing to gain momentum nationally and internationally and we’re proud to be leading from the front here at Fox Creek Bike Park!” 

Tim said the new trails would not only provide opportunities for novice and intermediate aMTB riders to hit the trails with confidence and develop their cycling skills but would also provide a venue for aMTB competitions and other events, helping people living with disability break through social boundaries and engage with their community. 

AOW opened in 2021 to rave reviews, particularly from its namesake, Paralympic MTB legend Grant Allen. But at 554m before it narrows into Blue Groove it is only one quarter the length of B-rad. 

The two new trails both branch off from the start of AOW, giving riders – adaptive or not – an abundance of choice from the same start point. And both new trails will give riders a full top-tobottom Fox Creek experience. B-rad will merge onto Blue Groove about 200m before it exits onto The Guts fire track while Phoenix – after 2200m of fun – spills out onto The Guts just around the corner from the finish of Fox Fast for a quick roll down to the bottom car park. 

Renee said the blossoming trend of expanding trail networks was heartening and exciting for the adaptive cycling community. “Adaptive trails are expanding across Australia. Trail builders these days have adaptive access in mind when they’re building new trails, but adaptive support also covers a lot more than that. 

“Fox has facilities like accessible toilets now as well. Not many trail networks have accessible facilities even if they do have accessible trail networks, so that’s great that Fox has thought of those things as well. “We are stoked to be thought of these days and it’s so great to see the sport expanding like crazy. Seeing new people out all the time is just wicked,” she said. 

With the support of Forestry SA, the Human Projectiles also secured funding from Bendigo Bank and Adelaide Hills Council to upgrade the Fox Creek Trail Hub area to a safe and accessible space for all users. That funding also helped to pay for new interpretation signage and the installation of the hub’s entrance arch. Club president Peter Obradovic said the work to secure the grant funding to make all this year’s work happen was the highlight of the Human Projectiles’ 30 years of engagement at Fox Creek. 

He said they relished the idea of expanding access to mountain biking to more and more people but that the trails themselves stand out as triumphs, regardless of their other qualities. “I think it’s great if we can have fewer barriers in society, but just being able to make Fox Creek a real destination for everybody and maximise useability on these outrageous trails is an achievement too,” Peter said. “If a trail is suitable for adaptive riding, it’s suitable for everyone. 

“The impact on Fox of these new trails will be huge and, really, everything that’s happened since the (2019) bushfires has been a massive boost. The biggest thing that I’ve seen since the fires is the booming number of kids. You go to Fox any weekend now and there’s just carloads of kids getting into the sport and that can only be great for where the MTB scene is heading in SA. 

We might unearth a few more world champions.” Glen backs that impression of the impact the new trails will have. He says B-rad, in particular, will surprise for its three-dimensional thinking, where corners are not just sweeping sideways but diving or climbing at the same time. “It’s like nothing else in Fox Creek or anywhere in Adelaide. I think it’s really going to shock people, how far we have taken it,” Glen said. 

“The trails are better than I thought they’d come out to be. It feels almost like you’re on a roller coaster and that’s the feeling everyone wants, isn’t it?” “We’re really trying to exaggerate the shapes so you can get that feeling out of it while still being safe enough so new blue riders will be fine on it. “And it’s still entirely rollable and appropriate for adaptives. 

I’ve ridden down it with Renee (Junga) and Grant (Allen) and, riding behind them, it’s phenomenal to see what they can do with the terrain.” Weather – getting enough rain and then waiting for it to stop – will be the key determining factor for when the trails are officially opened once spring has sprung. But keep an eye out for announcements on Bike SA’s social media pages while Forestry SA is also sure to announce developments via its pages and the Fox Creek Bike Park pages as the work is finalised. 

For the safety of riders and trail builders, do everyone a favour and stay off these new trails until they have been declared safe to use and officially opened. 

But, once you do, get ready for the ride of your life. 

Article Published in Cycle Issue #203 August-October 2024