Adaptive Mountain Biking Update
August 2026
AT A GLANCE
👏 Adaptive MTB is back! (Modified interim solution, but back nonetheless!)
📅 Bookings are open – for buddy rides and skills sessions, with social rides to return once we’ve had a chance to reconnect with riders.
✅ We have lawful authority to ride the trails. DBCA has approved our adaptive bikes on specified DBCA-managed land and trails.
🚦 The road crossing is the remaining hurdle. DTMI is progressing short-term permits that would allow our bikes to legally cross between the Hub and trail network, but they’re not ready yet. So- we’re restarting rides from The Black Stump Car Park in September, using our new trailer to bring the bikes and equipment directly to the trailhead.
🌏 In other news, we are presenting at the 2026 World Trails Conference in Perth in October! We will be representing adaptive riders and help educate the international trails industry about adaptive trail access.
🤝 We’re looking for partners! After nearly six months without regular MTB income, we’re actively seeking Gold, Silver, In-Kind, Adopt-a-Bike and World Trails Conference partners. If you know a business or organisation that could support us, please share our Partnership Package or make an introduction.
💚 Most importantly: we have three solid months of riding ahead of us – and we can’t wait to see you back on the trails. More details below!
Let’s catch you up!
Where we’ve been.
April 2026
Earlier this year, Break the Boundary paused all adaptive mountain biking activities after becoming aware that there were questions around the lawful operation of our adaptive bikes.
Once we became aware of the issue, we needed to stop and make sure we properly understood the legislation, that our activities were lawful, and importantly, that our insurance remained valid while we operated.
Since then, we have been working closely with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) to find a way forward.
Our Wins- Trails are IN!
April- August 2026
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions - we have lawful authority to ride the trails
DBCA acted incredibly quickly to provide Break the Boundary with lawful authority to operate our adaptive mountain bikes on specified DBCA-managed land and trails.
This was a huge first step and means we have certainty around our ability to use our bikes within these approved parks and trail networks.
We are extremely grateful to DBCA for their support, responsiveness and willingness to help us get our community back outdoors.
What remains - We can’t cross the road… yet!
September 2026
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure – the road is the remaining hurdle
Our Hub and some of the Kalamunda trail network are separated by a public road. Because adaptive mountain bikes don't currently fit neatly within WA's vehicle classifications, we can't lawfully ride them across the road yet. DTMI is working closely with us on interim and longer-term solutions.
In the meantime, we've found a way to get you back on the trails!
Our new custom trailer allows us to transport the bikes, hoist, matting and equipment directly to Black Stump car park, where we'll meet riders and start directly from the trail network.
We've trialled it, it works, and while there's a little more logistical faffing about – we'll happily take that if it means we can ride!
Rides will look slightly different
[Our Adaptive-Adaptive MTB season]
There is no toilet at Black Stump, so some participants may need to use the facilities near the Hub before meeting us at the trailhead. This can mean additional transfers before and after riding.
For that reason, our rides will initially be approximately 90 minutes rather than our usual two hours.
We'll also initially focus on buddy rides and skills sessions rather than social rides.
It's been a long time since we've seen many of you on your bikes, and a lot can change over 12 months. We want our leaders to have an opportunity to catch up with each participant, make sure your bike setup is still right for you, check that you're feeling comfortable and healthy, and have a look at your bike handling and controls before returning to larger social rides.
Once we've had an opportunity to ride with everyone again, we can look at bringing social rides back.
We have three solid months of riding ahead of us, and we intend to make the most of them!
Coming Soon: Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure: Short Term Permits
Our Black Stump arrangement gets us riding now, but we're also working towards getting back to our normal operations.
DTMI is currently progressing short-term permits for Break the Boundary's adaptive mountain bikes, which would allow us to lawfully cross the public road between our Hub and the trail network.
Our insurers have been involved in this process and have been supportive of the proposed pathway, ensuring that the way we return to operations continues to appropriately protect our participants, volunteers and organisation.
The current expectation is that this interim pathway will support our operations while the broader legislative work progresses.
We'll keep you updated as the permits move through the process.
And then – the bigger picture!
Getting Break the Boundary operational again has been priority number one.
But this issue is bigger than BTB.
There are adaptive riders who independently own their bikes, and ultimately we want a regulatory environment where adaptive mountain bikes are properly recognised and people with disability can understand where and how they can lawfully use their equipment.
The work being undertaken with Break the Boundary is helping establish the first pathway through this process.
Once our permits are finalised, we hope the work done with BTB can provide a template to help DTMI consider pathways for individually owned adaptive bikes.
We don't have that solution yet, and our organisational permits will not automatically apply to privately owned bikes. However, as soon as there is a clear pathway for individual riders, we will let you know and help our community understand the next steps.
There is also longer-term work underway around how adaptive bikes are recognised within WA legislation.
And what happened to EN15194?
You may remember that our previous update talked extensively about EN15194, the standard applying to certain electrically power-assisted cycles.
As the issue has been investigated further, we now have greater clarity that EN15194 is not actually the issue affecting our adaptive bikes.
The relevant EN15194 requirements apply to bikes meeting particular specifications, including a minimum saddle height, which our adaptive bikes do not meet.
So whilst EN15194 doesn’t apply to our bikes, the bigger issue is that adaptive mountain bikes aren't adequately represented within WA's existing transport legislation, and therefore our bikes aren’t lawfully authorised to cross the road.
While that clarification has changed the direction of some of the work undertaken over the past few months, importantly, we now understand the problem much better – and we're working with the right people on the right solution.
What have we been doing in the background?
World Trails Conference
Break the Boundary is preparing to present at the World Trails Conference which is being held in Perth this year! We successful in our application to run a workshop for trail builders and industry leaders from around the world about what adaptive riders see and experience on trails!
We recently completed a fantastic filming day demonstrating side-by-side how trail features and line choices can look very different for an adaptive rider compared with someone riding on two wheels.
We're incredibly excited to share the finished project with you and very proud to have the opportunity to represent our community and the incredible skills of adaptive riders on the world stage.
New adaptive MTB skills sessions
We've also been developing a series of adaptive mountain biking skills sessions.
These will help riders develop and refine skills including bike control, line choice, obstacles, hills, camber and navigating technical trail features.
Our adaptive MTB leaders will be trialling these sessions with you over the coming months, and we'd love your feedback as we continue to develop the program.
Adaptive Hiking hasn't stopped!
Our adaptive hiking program has continued throughout all of this.
We've been exploring and assessing new trails close to the Hub, expanding the options available to our hiking participants and getting ready for another great few months on the trails.
We've also been out in the community, including recently participating in Transcend Trails, with more adventures coming up.
Adaptive Bike Trials
We’ve launched our new adaptive bike trial service for people exploring the purchase of their own adaptive MTB.
These trials give you and your OT or physiotherapist an opportunity to trial our different bikes, explore what works for you, and gather information to support applications to NDIS or other third-party funders.
It’s another way we’re helping create pathways for people to access adaptive mountain biking whether you ride with us or ultimately want a bike of your own.
If you or someone you know is interested in this service, please contact Clint at deputychair@breaktheboundary.com.au
We need your help!
Almost six months without our regular adaptive mountain biking program has meant a significant reduction in income for Break the Boundary, while the costs of keeping our bikes, equipment and organisation safe, insured and ready to ride have continued.
Throughout this period, Break the Boundary has remained strong, dynamic and productive. We have a stable and committed Management Committee, trained and experienced volunteers, strong relationships with government, and continued support from the agencies working alongside us.
Until now, we have been hesitant to actively seek new partnerships while we couldn't confidently tell potential partners when our adaptive MTB program would return. Now we can!
We're looking for great businesses and organisations to partner with us, with opportunities including:
Gold and Silver Partnerships – for organisations wanting to make a meaningful contribution to our programs and community
In-Kind Partnerships – because support doesn't always need to be financial
Adopt a Bike – support one of our adaptive bikes for less than $1,000 per year
World Trails Conference Sponsorship – help us take adaptive mountain biking to the world stage as we present to trail builders and industry leaders from around the world
What we need from you:
Share our Partnership Package!
If you know, work for, or have a connection with a business that might align with what we do, please send them the link below. One introduction or forwarded email could connect us with our next great partner – and help us get more people with disability back out into the bush.
Thank you for helping us Break the Boundary!
We can't wait to get back out there with you.
We know that many of you have really missed getting out into the bush.
Thank you for your patience while we've worked through an unexpectedly complicated problem, and particularly for trusting us to take the time to make sure we get this right.
A huge thank you also goes to Rod Annear and team at Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Alison Bunbury and team at Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, WA Disabled Sports association, our insurers, our volunteers and everyone else who has worked with us to find a way forward.
There's still work to do. But right now, the most important thing is – we're getting back on the bikes!
We have three solid months of riding ahead of us.
We can't wait to see you out there.
The Management Committee
Break the Boundary Inc.
Contact Us
Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with any queries.
