CANYON AND PINKBIKE LAUNCH SEARCH TO FIND GLOBAL TRAIL BUILDING HEROES

Call for applications to Trail Builder Exchange programme. Goal is to raise standards for trail building around the world.

Koblenz, Germany, 17:00 CEST, 5 June 2026: We’ve all been there: flowing through a series of perfect berms, navigating a demanding technical section of trail that requires extra concentration, but how many of us have taken the time to think about how that trail was created? Or about the people who spent their evenings and weekends wielding pick-axes to make those moments possible?

Today Canyon and Pinkbike are teaming up to change that. We’re looking for four of the world’s best amateur trail builders to step into the limelight and be the stars of the first-ever Trail Builder Exchange program.

What is the Trail Builder Exchange?

This multi-part documentary series will bring together a crew of unsung heroes from different corners of the globe, celebrating their trails, creating learning opportunities to give back to the trail building community, and ultimately collaborating on a brand-new trail build.

Whether those builders hail from the loamy, root-filled tracks of British Columbia, the steep, rocky singletrack of the Maritime Alps, the rugged natural terrain in the wilds of Scotland, or anywhere in-between, we want to share their regional experiences and trail crafting knowledge to ultimately raise the bar for trail building worldwide.

The Pinkbike audience will get to see the application process and meet the chosen trail builders before they put their collective wisdom together to build a completely new trail. Along the way we’ll see the effort they put in and discover the pitfalls they uncover as they try to complete their challenge.

"Without quality trails to ride, it would be very hard for mountain biking to exist," says Daniel Oster, Canyon’s project lead. "Yet very few of us appreciate what goes into making a trail, let alone how that’s funded. We want to make sure the global cycling community recognizes these unsung heroes and has the opportunity to pick up some tips along the way."

We’re Looking for the Visionaries of Dirt

Think you’ve got the eye for a great line? We want to hear from you. We aren't necessarily looking for the person with the most expensive power tools or the longest trail; we’re looking for the builders who understand the soul of a trail and the physical graft required to bring it to life.

The Criteria:

• The Portfolio: Show us what you’ve built. We want to see those crisp lips, sustainable drains, and technical masterpieces.

• The Story: Who are you, and why do you spend your free time moving rocks?

• The Willingness to Learn: You’ll be working alongside three other experts. Be ready to share your wisdom and pick up some new tricks along the way.

How to apply:

If your hands are permanently calloused and you have a preferred brand of shovel, this is your call to arms.

Applicants are invited to submit a short bio and examples of their work (photos/videos) through the link below. Canyon and Pinkbike will be hand-selecting the final four who will head out this summer to start digging. 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO THE TRAIL BUILDER EXCHANGE 

Is there a local legend in your area that deserves a spot on this program? Please send them this link.