Kiwi_de (asker) Jul 27, 2011:

Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your opinions. I am sorry that I chose the most helpful answer so late. I have not got any reply from the Japan Mountain Bike Association (日本マウンテンバイク協会), but I think that the answer of Akiko is most helpful.

Akiko Sasanuma Howard (X) Jul 16, 2011:

It is a specific type of bike track It is a "new" term and it is a "specific" type of bike track. Therefore merely "course" or "cycling course" do not suffice. It is a good idea to check with Mountain Bike Association if this term exists in Japanese.

Kiwi_de (asker) Jul 16, 2011:

Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your opinions. I mailed Japan Mountain Bike Association (日本マウンテンバイク協会) and asked about this term. Mountain Bike experts could give us a good opinion. If they reply me and allow me to write their opinion here, I will post it. But I think I should wait for at least several days.

Peishun CHIANG Jul 16, 2011:

トレイル can be used Hi there,
For MTB or BMX...etc., "トレイル" can be used in Japanese.
Please refer to:
http://www.trail-cutter.com/trail.html
http://www.alohabike.com/mtb-trailride.htm
Best,

Kiwi_de (asker) Jul 15, 2011:

Thank you for your suggestions, Mariya and humbird.<br/>
Because “トレイル” is uncommon in Japanese (I think so), simply "コース" or "サイクリングコース" would be good ideas. But isn't "サイクリングコース" nealy flat path (I have such a image)?

MariyaN (X) Jul 15, 2011:

Hmm, maybe simply コース, then? ルート？

Kiwi_de (asker) Jul 15, 2011:

Thank you again Thank you for your further opinion on this term.<br/><br/>
“flow trails” in my context are paths for mountain bikes among mountains. I cannot upload the photo which the agency provided me, but I found similar pictures and videos. Some of them are:<br/>
<A Href="http://www.hansrey.com/flowcountry.html">http://www....
<br/>
<A Href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTKMX5ANYSQ">http://w...
<br/>
<br/>
Furthermore, I found an explanation about “flow country trails” for mountain bikes:<br/>
<A Href="http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-trails/flow-country-tra...
<br/>It may be nearly same with “flow trails”.
<br/>
<br/>
Maybe we can simply translate “flow trails” only as “フロートレイル”.

MariyaN (X) Jul 15, 2011:

Maybe you could post a link to the picture that you have? Is the photo you have just a photo or is it an illustration to this particular term used in your document?

The reason for my assuming that "flow" might mean "lava flow" was googling the word combination "flow trail" (I am not a mountain bike expert) and my considering that simply "flow trail" by itself does not make much sense - riding a mountain bike is all about moving, riding freely, as you said, so "flow" used in the meaning "riding the mountain bike freely" (although that's how it looked like to me, too, before I googled the term) would sound like tautology.
But then again, as I said, I am not a mountain bike expert, that's why it's only a 3. I would not insist on my translation being a correct one, but at least that's what I think it may well be. And I would also like to see what other translations will be posted on the subject.
Also, it would probably help if you post some more context, even if it's a mere list of trails.

Kiwi_de (asker) Jul 15, 2011:

Thank you Thank you for your answer, Mariya.
I have got a photo for this phrase (but I am sorry, I cannot offer it on ProZ.com), but it seems that there is no lava on the mountain bike course. I suppose that “flow” would perhaps mean “riding mountain bike freely”?! But there is a course on which one should go with mountain bike.
I would appreciate your further opinions.