IMBA World Summit Day 1: Trek President John Burke Wants to Transform Mountain Biking
For Immediate Release
06-20-08
Contact: Mark Eller, IMBA Communications Director
303-545-9011
John Burke, president of Trek Bicycles, opened up the 2008 IMBA Summit in Park City, Utah, with an inspiring challenge. In a keynote address Burke told the gathering of more than 400 bicycle advocates, public lands officials and bike industry members that they could help "change the world" by providing better opportunities for on- and off-road bicycling.
In 2007, Trek introduced their One World Two Wheels program with the mission to increase cycling participation worldwide. Through the initiative Trek will donate at least $600,000 to IMBA by 2009.
In his World Summit speech, Burke spoke about the health benefits of bicycling as one of the many important reasons to promote the sport. "There are a number of very concerning health trends happening in the world today," Burke said. He said that between 1960 and the present, the average weight of a 6 to 11 year old child has increased by 11 pounds. The average weight increase of an adult is an astonishing 24 pounds - but the simple, muscle-powered fun of mountain biking can help reverse these troubling statistics.
Burke also discussed bicycling as a component of the energy and environmental challenges. "In 2003, traffic congestion delayed people 7 billion hours worldwide and wasted 5 billion gallons of fuel," Burke said. He noted that IMBA, along with related groups such as Bikes Belong and the league of American Bicyclists, must take leadership roles in bringing new facilities and resources that will invigorate bicycling participation.
Burke stated that a simple solution to many of the maladies the world faces can be found in the bicycle. Citing examples of bike-friendly communities across the America - places like Boulder, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; and many European centers - Burke illustrated the impact that robust bicycle facilities can engender. "It proves the theory that if you put the infrastructure in, people will ride. The same thing is true for mountain bike trails," said Burke.
Burke reminded everyone to "think big," adding that if the entire bike industry followed Trek's lead in donating just $10 for each full-suspension bike sold (Quality Bicycle Products has adopted the measure) IMBA would have an additional $3.5 million dollars with which to build trails. "This is a very achievable figure in the bicycle industry," Burke continued. "If we made more than 3 million dollars available for new trails, we could really transform mountain biking in the U.S." Burke implored everyone, from IMBA staff to individual riders, to ask the bicycle industry to join the cause, noting that doing so benefits us all.
