Mountain Biking is Recreation, Not Exercise Says Scotland’s National Clinical Director

A government official in Scotland says mountain biking is not a valid form of exercise under stay-at-home guidance, while a mountain biker near Los Angeles is rescued after sustaining an injury on a remote trail.
photo courtesy Graeme McClean, Mountain Biking Scotland.

The National is reporting that mountain bikers in Scotland are being told that mountain biking is not a valid reason to leave home for exercise.

National Clinical Director Jason Leitch says, “You can leave home for the four reasons that you now know well.”

“Can I just emphasize that exercise is exercise, not recreation, not your hobby. It’s not the time to go mountain biking. You need to just use it for 30, up to 60 minutes from your home to exercise to stay healthy and then stay at home.”

Some have pointed out that Scotland’s current stay-at-home regulations do not specifically define what constitutes exercise, nor do they stipulate a time limit. Mountain bike Scotland sent the following tweet in response.

In other news, a mountain biker was rescued this weekend after suffering a facial injury in a remote area of the San Gabriel mountains outside Los Angeles, California. A helicopter transported him to a trauma center for treatment.