Find All Your Favourite MTB YouTube Channels in the New Trailforks Directory
Trailforks has a new feature to help you find quality video content about trails and to give more exposure to mountain bike YouTube creators. There is a growing number of people creating trail riding YouTube channels with great quality video content. We think these videos are often the best video content for a trail, so we want to promote them first when a Trailforks user looks up detail on a trail or a region.
To accomplish that, Trailforks now has a directory of the top mountain biking YouTube channels focused on riding trails. Channels added to this directory have all their videos auto-imported to Trailforks every hour. The YouTube creators can add Trailforks trail & region URLs to their video descriptions and we will scan them to auto-associate the video with the trail. Videos from these channels receive priority listing when viewing trail videos on the Trailforks website or mobile app. This creates a great new organic source of video views for YouTubers and new way to attract subscribers! And provides Trailforks users looking for trail beta hopefully the best video content.
Directory
View our directory of YouTube channels, and compare channels:
Prioritized Videos
When viewing video lists on Trailforks, videos from these top YouTube channels will be listed first with a special red badge. Same goes for viewing videos in the app.
View details about a channel, where they are from, do they use a gimbal, and a link to support them on Patreon:
When you view a video on Trailforks, along with the linked trail, the Channel info is shown on the right and other recent videos from that channel below.
Sometimes a video contains multiple trails, so a video can be added to multiple trails using the timestamp URL variable from YouTube. When a user clicks the video from the trail page on Trailforks, the video will start at the specified point.
Check out the portal page listing recent videos from these YouTube channels.
Mountain Bike YouTube Videos
Do you run a YouTube channel and want to be included? We require a minimum of 500 subscribers before your channel can be considered. More info here.
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Must Read This Week
I often hear the pros (and others) complain that "_________ youtuber is such an awful rider, why are they so popular? I'm such a better rider. Making videos isn't hard, I should do it and blow him out of the water." Unless you've tried to run your own YouTube channel, you'll have NO idea how much work, planning, money, and time goes into each of these guys' videos. They are working their tails off. They don't claim to be the world's best riders, and frankly, you get something out of the videos that you can't get from the uber-polished, pro video shoots where guys are clearing 40 foot gaps. Those videos aren't relatable to the average rider.
I'm glad we have pros, and I'm glad we have YouTubers. They both give me something to watch in the winter when I'm not able to ride my bike. They're better than most of the trash on TV these days, and there's room for both of them in the sport. I don't think most MTB companies have the slightest clue how influential these YouTubers are with their viewers.
If someone really wants to stand out purely for their riding, they should race or compete in events. Thats really the only venue that rewards on pure riding talent.
YouTube isnt just a contest about being the best rider. Viewers have a choice who to follow and who to watch. Just like any marketing, you have to appeal to your audience and what they want. I have a non mtb channel. I realize what some of my viewers want (drama, clickbait titles, daily vlogging, etc.) and I have zero interest in producing that. My channel numbers suffer because of it, but that's ok to me. I'm using YouTube to express myself, rather than to make as much money as possible. For some people it's art, for some people its 100% business, but for most people it's a blend of the two.
YouTube is a storytelling platform, not a riding contest. If you can't tell a good story, or have a personality that people are drawn in by, your viewers aren't going to come back week after week to watch the latest videos, no matter how good you are.
The good news is that even though its a saturated market, there is still room for unique channels. But if you dont give the viewers what they want, they wont subscribe.
The other tricky part about running a YouTube channel is that (unless you have huge sponsors and a media crew) you wear many many hats. You're not just the subject of the video (rider/personality), you're also the writer, promoter, web designer, graphic designer, editor, videographer, personality, community relations, and music selector/editor. When you have ALL those things to do well, simply being a fantastic rider isnt (usually) enough.
Different types of videos get different viewers hooked on the sport. Some people want to just watch jumpsand jibs. Others want how-to vis. Others only want to watch racing. Others want cheap hacks. Others want to see novices entering the sport and relate to them as fellow novices. The point is, the viewers want what they want. If you make videos they dont like, no matter how good the riding, dont expect huge subscriber counts. The one thing all the big channels have in common: they know what their audience wants and they give it to them.
One can always manually add their Youtube video to a trail on Trailforks, you've always been able to do this.
We also have a limited number of Youtube API calls we can use to automatically check each channel for new videos every hour. So need to be mindful of that.
As far as the Youtube view vs spectators at a race, If 20,000 people who take the time and effort to travel to a venue and watch thier favorite riders that's not the same as 20,000 people watching on Youtube. Those 20,000 people are most likely sharing social media so that number also grows exponentially. At Fort William this year 34,000 people payed for tickets to watch, those are die hard fans who are core enthusiasts. In addition to the spectators on site Red Bull coverage of that race was 850,000 live views which doesn't replays. Finally every core MTB Publication covers these races which is millions of more impressions.
When you calculate all the numbers, top Youtubers aren't close to top pro racers with regards to reaching conumers who are "likely to make a purchase". This is where it effects "MTB companies" specifiacally, for non endemic companies the value might sway to Youtube. Unfortunately people compare top Youtubers to average pro riders who aren't top of thier class. Times are definitely changing and there are more ways than ever for riders to provide value. At the end of the day, its exciting that new riders have so many opportunities to learn about mountain biking and that's a good thing.
Wont stop me from subscribing, just a little feedback on how I actually watch your guy's videos.
Nate Hills: Bartlett Wash Slickrock, Moab Utah | Published 12-9-16
Singletrack Sampler: MOUNTAIN BIKING ON THE MOON!!! (but with gravity) | Published 4-19-17
I have nothing against Nate. I love his videos, too. The difference is Nate is a pro mountain biker doing YouTube. Alex is a pro YouTuber who rides mountain bikes. I guarantee you Alex didn't just luck into more subs. He's put in the work, studied, learned, and put in more work. Not only that, he's a great guy. He deserves all of the success he's had.
It's Bush. Australian DH racer
www.downtimepodcast.com/josh-bryceland at 1:23:30
"With growth comes vloggers and stuff like that, but like I said, I’m sure there’s room for everyone.”
"It's really tough man, I feel like #1, be true to yourself. Get in where you fit in, do your thing. If that means making a living, f*ckin' great to you. And if not, it's probably gonna cause a bit of bitterness for people who feel you don't deserve it."
"I don't think there should ever be any tension. If someone's doing something your not happy with, stop focusing on em, and do better at what you do."
“Welcome to the party pal!” - John mclane
Two of the top ones make a living of riding illegal stuff and then not taking the videos down if asked to...because "clicks"
He's on 7.5 k subs and an awesome Aussie who races enduro and xc.
Newer channel but wicked trail content, and legit rider. Keeps me going when the weather sucks! Phil is ramping it up now too
www.youtube.com/channel/UCsfdJz0N2z02xBg-nQiWDMw
My is Ride Alongside.
While I rarely do POV vids, providing honest product reviews of products I was trying/comparing/interested in have gotten me to almost 1400 subscribers. Its all about uploading regularly and having search terms dialed. Don't worry about being injured. Post up a basic vid about a product you have used or one you plan to use and what application it is/might be good for. We all like to know what works for others and why. Not all of us have time or money to try everything out there so it helps to hear from someone else's experience.
Heal up quick!
-Nick
www.mtbscotland.bike