| Bicycles in Korea have been around since the late | | | | government announced a program to build about 360 |
| 1800's and up until the mid 1970's was considered a | | | | kilometers of bike only trails in Seoul to be completed in |
| major mode of transportation, especially in the | | | | 2010. The Korean government also announced in 2009 |
| countryside. Today cars have pushed the cycles aside | | | | a study was being conducted to look at the Korean |
| as number one, but you still see people of all ages | | | | cycling industry. The purpose of the study is to see if a |
| riding for work and for pleasure. | | | | government backed plan would be feasible for the |
| Mountain bike riding in Korea is gaining in popularity at | | | | development of a large domestic based cycling |
| an extremely fast rate. With that comes many | | | | manufacturing industry. |
| benefits to mountain bikers in Korea. Trials are opening | | | | Korean mountain bikers take the sport very seriously |
| up to MTB'ers throughout the country and some ski | | | | with the typical rider spending thousands on bikes and |
| resorts are making courses on the slopes for riders to | | | | equipment. It is very rare to not see a rider fully clothed |
| use in the non skiing months. Prior to the explosion of | | | | in proper cycling attire. Cycling shops that have a full |
| riders, mountain trails were mostly used for hiking a | | | | range of quality product is not hard to find at all. All of |
| sport that is extremely popular in Korea. Without | | | | the popular brands are available in Korea and priced |
| dedicated mountain trails to ride, MTB'ers started using | | | | very well. The shops also usually are the home base |
| the hiking trails, not only was this considered rude by | | | | for a riding club. The riding clubs contribute massively to |
| the hikers, it was dangerous to both the hikers and the | | | | the popularity of the sport. There are clubs for men, |
| riders. | | | | clubs for women, clubs for older riders and clubs for |
| As the MTB'ers numbers increased dedicated trails | | | | those who are training for the next big race. If you are |
| started to appear, some even taking over for those | | | | looking to have a good time seek and a find one of |
| that once were hiking trails. Today countless trails are | | | | these clubs they won't be hard to find. |
| available to ride all over Korea. In early 2009, the Seoul | | | | |