The 2017 National Cycle Participation Survey has been released, with the Tasmanian report finding that 16% (95% CI: 13.8% - 18.3%) of Tasmanian residents ride a bicycle in a typical week. More than one third (34.9%, 95% CI: 32.3% - 37.4%) had done so in the past year. 

The Blue Derby Pods are now open, offering a three-day, two-night guided ride with a unique accommodation – custom-made ‘pods’ that have been designed to give the occupier the feeling of being suspended just above the ground.

The Warrawee Mountain Bike Master Plan is part of an overall world-class $4.1 million Wild Mersey Mountain Bike Development that will enable mountain bike riders to traverse between Latrobe and Sheffield in relative safety, however one of it's iconic features - a flying fox across the Mersey River - now seems in doubt.

The Hobart City Council agreed to set aside $400,000 to construct approximately 400m of the cycleway from McVilly Drive to the boundary of the Macquarie Point development site at their meeting of 24 July 2017.

The Premier of Tasmania has announced a contribution of $1.86 million to fund a new Coastal Pathway between Cooee and Wynyard, bringing the vision of a pathway across the North-West Coast a step closer to fruition.  The other half ($1.84 million) of the funding for the $3.7 million project is being jointly funded with the Waratah-Wynyard and Burnie City councils Coastal Pathway to Link Wynyard and Burnie.

Visitors undertaking some form of mountain biking activity in Tasmania rose another 15.3% in the March quarter of 2017 to an estimated 21,400 compared to the previous year. 

The June 2017 Greater Hobart Mountain Bike Master Plan Implementation Update has been released including a note that a detailed feasibility study is being undetaken by World Trail on the Big Bend to Junction Cabin Downhill Track, the shared use status of Middle Track (Radfords to Reservoir Trail) has now been made permanent and much more.

Mountain biking is booming in Tasmania, you just have to head up to Derby to see that, however there are a number of claims being made about vistior numbers that just aren't really supported by the source they come from ... if you dig into the data a bit.

The Wellington Park Management Trust has extended the trial of Shared Use (for cycling and walking) on the Pillinger Drive Track from Fern Tree Park to Pillinger Drive until the end of June 2017.

The North Eastern Advertiser is reporting that the North-East rail trail is another step closer with the tabling in Parliament of a draft Corridor Notice for the section stretching from Coldwater Creek to Tongonah.

The Maydena Bike Park is another step closer, following Dirt Art's signing of a lease and licence agreement under the Tasmania Government's EOI process.

TBug has produced a new cycle map for Launceston. For the first time, all the off and on road bike trails and bike lanes are displayed in one simple and easy-to-read map.

Mountain Bike trails in the Trevallyn and Kate Reed Recreation Areas are set for a major upgrade thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Hodgman Liberal Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

One of the pains of travelling interstate or overseas with a bike is organising the car hire.  The number of times I've turned up at the airport to pick up a five door hatchback (which I've found is usually the most convenient way of transporting a bike with two or less people and two bikes), and found myself upgraded into a 'luxury car' which can't fit a bike ... grrr. Anyway, good news in Tassie is that Autorent Hertz Tasmania is now offering campervan with quality (thule) bike racks.

The Tasmanian Government has released a Draft Cycle Tourism Strategy for comment.   The Strategy identifies three priority areas to support the growth and development of cycle tourism in the State out to 2020: consolidating trails and routes; marketing trails and events in Tasmania; and providing the supporting infrastructure and services to provide the right experience once cycle tourists arrive.

The number of visitors to Tasmania undertaking some form of mountain biking activity has climbed to 19,447 (range 18,400 - 20,500) according to the June 2016 release of Tourism Visitor Statistics, an increase of around 75% since the same time last year.

The Wellington Park Management Trust has considered the results of the shared use trial of upper Middle Track and Pillinger Drive Tracks and had resolved to permanently convert the upper section of Middle Track from Radfords Track to Reservoir Trail to shared use for cycling and walking and to extend the trial of shared use on Pillinger Drive Track to the end of 2016 while it discusses how best to address user concerns with the City of Hobart.

The Tasmanian Community Fund is seeking to fund a range of projects (up to $50 000) that build or improve community infrastructure and this includes improvements to existing bike tracks/parks, construction of new bike tracks/parks or the development of infrastructure to support community use of bike tracks/parks.

Seasoned mountain bike journalist and guide book writer Travis Deane and Jane Deane have launched the “Tasmanian MTB Guide Book”.