Are you a paid up member?

Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.

We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.

If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety.

Although funding external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.

Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race.

The Board has become aware that a number of riders are “ bending “ the rules in terms of Bike Manawatu membership and licences around Club organised and club sanctioned events.

Many are not signed up club members. That is not fair.

We as a Board have perhaps not been diligent enough in ensuring that for riders attending certain club events ,their membership is current.

We are attempting to encourage and to be inclusive and to that end have found sponsors to help pay for organising and running these events.eg Feilding Track Nights.

That has proved to be a popular move. But it does not dissolve the need to join the Club.

The events where membership and race licences are mandatory are those with a “race” component namely the Feilding track and the Saturday road races ….and any other events you might want to race eg. WCNI, National Champs, another sister club’s races.

At Bike Manawatu we have a policy where the first three BM race events for intending or existing members are effectively ‘free trials’………but after that a “race licence” is needed if you want to race. Otherwise a club membership.

As an affiliate of BikeNZ anyone who wants to ride or race competitively at ours or another club’s events must have a race licence. That is the rule.

Please note that the licence does not apply to riders who just want to ride or who want to enter our “ other “ events such as the Sunday rides, the Wednesday time trial series , the Manfeild 6 hour, the Feilding Festival of Cycling, the La Femme or other special events including the “yet to be announced secret ride” for our more social members.

If you are not a member of the club then now is the time to register your membership through the BikeNZ portal or through our secretary Glenys.

There are numerous benefits to being a club member.

And members are vital to keeping Bike Manawatu viable and valuable so please make the effort to join….with the appropriate membership category.

Paul H van Velthooven