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Mountain Biking and Off-road Cycling Risk Assessment — Generated Instantly for £29
Describe the terrain, group and activity — guided ride, trail centre, skills coaching or bike hire. We generate a fully written, UK-compliant mountain biking risk assessment covering trail hazards, collision risk, equipment and supervision in minutes.
Built for mountain bike guides, trail centres, cycling coaches and outdoor activity providers
🚵 Running sessions with under-18s on technical or remote terrain? Mention the group's age and the trail grade — we'll flag where Adventure Activities Licensing may apply and include the appropriate supervision and emergency arrangements.
Legal requirements for mountain biking activities
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a general duty on employers and self-employed instructors to protect the health and safety of participants, staff and anyone else affected by the activity. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3(1), requires a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to be carried out before any guided ride, coaching session or hire operation takes place.
Where activities are provided to young people under 18 on terrain that falls within scope, the Adventure Activities Licensing scheme, regulated by HSE's Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA), may apply. AALA guidance for off-road cycling sets out expectations around instructor competence, group ratios, terrain grading and emergency planning, and these principles form good practice even where formal licensing is not required.
A written risk assessment helps demonstrate compliance to landowners, insurers, parents and HSE inspectors, and should be reviewed whenever trail conditions, group type or activity type changes.
How It Works
1. Describe the activity
Tell us the activity type (guided ride, trail centre, skills coaching, bike hire), terrain grade, group size and age range, and remoteness of the location. If you scout or maintain trails alone, mention it and lone working controls will be included.
2. Let the app take the strain
Anyrisks produces a fully written, UK-compliant mountain biking risk assessment referencing the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and AALA good practice guidance where relevant.
3. Instant download and use
Download as PDF and Word. Share it with landowners, parents, insurers or your governing body, or file it for your own records. £29, no subscription.
What it covers
Every mountain biking risk assessment is written in full — covering the trail, equipment and group management hazards relevant to your session.
Trail difficulty grading and terrain hazards
Collisions between riders or with other trail users
Falls, loss of control and resulting injury
Mechanical failure of bikes and pre-ride checks
Helmet use and protective equipment requirements
Group ability matching and briefing procedures
Weather, visibility and ground condition changes
Remoteness and emergency access planning
First aid provision and emergency evacuation procedures
Instructor-to-participant supervision ratios
Lone working for trail scouting and maintenance
Manual handling of bikes and trail maintenance equipment
Adventure Activities Licensing (AALA) considerations
Participant medical conditions and fitness for activity
Works for
From guided trail centre rides to technical enduro coaching, Anyrisks covers every type of off-road cycling activity.
Anyrisks vs DIY templates
| Anyrisks | DIY / Templates | |
|---|---|---|
| Written in full — not a blank form | ✓ | ✗ |
| MHSWR 1999 Regulation 3(1) referenced | ✓ | ✗ |
| AALA good practice guidance reflected | ✓ | ✗ |
| Covers guided rides, trail centres and hire | ✓ | ✗ |
| Terrain grading and group ability addressed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Emergency and remoteness planning included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ready in under 2 minutes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Instant PDF and Word download | ✓ | Sometimes |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a risk assessment for a mountain biking or off-road cycling session?
Yes. Under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, any organisation running mountain biking, trail centre sessions, guided off-road rides or coaching must assess the risks to participants, staff and third parties before the activity takes place. If you work with under-18s, the activity may also fall under the Adventure Activities Licensing scheme depending on the terrain and supervision level.
Is mountain biking covered by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA)?
AALA licensing applies to certain adventure activities provided to young people under 18. Off-road cycling activities can fall within scope depending on the terrain difficulty and level of remoteness. Even where licensing does not formally apply, a written risk assessment following HSE good practice guidance is expected and should reflect the terrain, group ability and supervision ratios used.
What hazards does a mountain biking risk assessment need to cover?
It should cover trail difficulty and terrain hazards, collisions between riders, falls and loss of control, mechanical failure of bikes, weather and visibility, remoteness and emergency access, participant competence and fitness, helmet and protective equipment use, and group management and briefing procedures.
Does this work for guided rides, trail centres and bike hire businesses?
Yes. Describe the type of activity — guided group ride, skills coaching session, trail centre operation or bike hire — and the terrain grade, and the assessment will be tailored to reflect the specific hazards and supervision requirements of that setting.
Do I need separate risk assessments for different trail grades?
It is good practice to reflect the full range of terrain used, from green/blue graded trails through to black graded technical descents, within a single assessment or as clearly identified sections. Mention the trail grades used and this will be built into the document.
Does it cover lone working for instructors scouting or maintaining trails?
Yes — mention that trail checks, maintenance or solo scouting rides are carried out alone and lone working controls, including check-in procedures and emergency contact arrangements, will be included.
Is this suitable for sole trader coaches as well as larger centres?
Yes. Anyrisks is used by individual qualified coaches running small group sessions through to trail centres managing multiple instructors. The level of detail adjusts based on the activity and group size you describe.
How long does it take to generate?
Under two minutes. Describe the activity, terrain, group type and supervision arrangements, and Anyrisks produces a complete, regulation-referenced mountain biking risk assessment instantly as a PDF and Word document.
Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Risk Assessment · Do I Need a Risk Assessment? · Risk Assessment Legal Requirements · AI Risk Assessment Generator