‘My body was no longer a problem’: Electric mountain biking, disability, and the cultural politics of green exercise

Abstract

Disability is often overlooked in discussions of green exercise. Consequently, we still know little about how ableist ideologies might play out in the context of nature engagement, or the forms of pleasure that disabled people derive from participation in green spaces. In this paper, we address this gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between electric mountain biking and disability in England (UK). Adopting the work of Bernard Stiegler, we highlight the superficiality of existing ideologies of nature, analyse the myriad ways that e-mountain bikes can challenge ableist attitudes towards outdoor recreation, and explore the freedoms and constraints that accompany the assemblages between e-mountain bikes and ‘disabled’ bodies. Drawing on data from 20 online interviews, we highlight the social contexts and interactions that shape technological choices, adaptations, and outcomes within the disabled e-mountain bike community. Our analysis reveals that, while e-mountain bikes are stigmatised in green spaces, the enhanced level of social interaction that is afforded by the presence of such technology allows participants to de-emphasise their perceived physical inadequacy and, instead, focus on promoting a more empowering image of the socio-technical disabled body that is active, capable and self-determined.