Mountain biking's popularity has increased but accessibility still remains a problem

It's not the average description for most mountain bike riders but it's how Mr Clarke partakes in the sport as a paraplegic man and an adaptive rider.

He caught the mountain bike bug three years ago while visiting Sargood on Collaroy, a resort that caters to people with paraplegia.

"I ordered a bike and I was hooked," he said

"You come out here, you ride and you're just one of the boys.

You don't think about your disability."

Mr Clarke isn't alone with mountain bike clubs across the Mid North Coast reporting to have seen an increase in memberships over the past few years.

The Macleay Valley Mountain Bike Club president Kylie Stewart said that she had noticed interest in mountain biking has had a huge increase.

"Mountain biking has improved so much that ski resorts have changed so that in summer they become mountain bike parks," she said.

"We're trying to get further funding to improve and enhance our trails and our facilities...to attract more people and it's not only to our trails but it attracts more people to the community as well."

Mr Clarke goes on his weekly social rides with his mate Brett Secombe who requires a support worker to ride alongside him.

Mr Secombe used to ride motocross in his youth but when he was diagnosed with epilepsy, he had to move on from the sport.

"14 years ago I was thinking that I wouldn't mind getting something...that was similar to motocross and this was the closest thing I could get to it," he said.

"I love it. It's just an addiction that once you get going, you can't stop."

Both men credit the hobby as having a positive impact on their overall health.

"Because of my epilepsy, I've got anxiety and riding out here you don't think about that stuff," Mr Secombe said.

"It helps quite a few ways with me with fitness and mental health so I've just loved it ever since I started."

Despite the benefits of the hobby, many adaptive riders have trouble accessing trails.

Many trails are too narrow for Mr Clarke's bike and often competitions don't have an adaptive class available for competitors to compete in.

It means that riders like Mr Clarke don't get to take part in the same amount of competitions or variety of trails as able bodied riders.

"It's just a matter of opening up those barriers to saying 'Well I'm here and I want to have a go," Mr Clarke said.

"Just give me a go.

[Riders] will soon tell you if [a trail] is doable or not doable."

Mr Clarke said that the Macleay Valley Mountain Bike Club had helped by making alterations for adaptive riders.

"Full marks to the club for recognising the people with disabilities and providing the facilities and the tracks for us," he said.

"I don't expect clubs to make every trail accessible but if they [can] make one trail that's a 10 kilometre loop and then you just say that's the adaptive riders course."

Despite the restrictions, both men encourage others to take up the sport by joining a local club to help with the maintenance of trails and get insurance.

"I'd love to get more people out there with disabilities," Mr Secombe said.

"I'd especially love to get more people riding out here with epilepsy."