by Vaughan Hunt | Nov 6, 2025 | News
For all you riders who have ben out on Bike Manawatu Sunday rides, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mike for all the behind the scenes organising and route planning he has done on our behalf. Mike is handing over responsibility to Austin and Gary.
Mike writes:
The time has arrived where my time organising the BM Sunday Rides from Memorial Park has ceased as of last Sunday.
Over the past 10+ years I absorbed and enjoyed an immense amount of friendship being associated with BM Sunday Rides in the company of great people. First, as a cyclist was most fulfilling, and secondly, over the past 4 years just emailing weekly and about once a month meeting at Memorial Park on a Sunday to interact with the cyclists and announce that mornings notices and the cycling routes.
Over the past 2 – 3 weeks Garry Buys, Austin Smith and with assistance from Vaughan Hunt we have made plans for a seamless hand-over to Garry and Austin to carry on organising BM Sunday Rides from Memorial Park starting this Sunday. Austin has taken on responsibility for the weekly emails with Garry assisting with his many years experience.
Wishing only the best for everyone looking forward and see you for a last time when making the announcements on Sunday at Memorial Park.
by Bike Manawatu | Nov 5, 2025 | News, Road Results
Beautiful evening for racing last night! It was nice to see Toshi and Tyler return to racing in the B grade. Big shout out to our volunteers Sam and Laura Richardson, Helen Mumby and Tim Lloyd!
Results can be found HERE
Next up are a couple of very exciting events:
A new Criterium event at the CET Arena on Thursday 13th November: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=410960
Manfeild Circuit Race on Tuesday 18th November: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=409918
Entries for both events are open and we encourage you to enter early to help us with the planning. Due to the low numbers of entries at our events it has become very difficult to run quality graded races. Therefore, the Manfeild Circuit race will be a Handicap Race, and both the Criterium and Manfeild events will see a separate Women/Girls Only category.
by Bike Manawatu | Oct 22, 2025 | News
Race 2 of the Trust House North Island Teams Series was a day that many riders wished they had stayed in bed. Weather conditions were terrible with high wind with rain showers.
Palmfeild Motors / Bike Manawatu Cat 4 team fronted up with 5 brave riders, the race started and on the first climb 5 kms in Brendon had attacked however a puncture put paid to that effort. We changed the front wheel and he caught the peloton within a couple of Kms.
The second climb on lap one put paid to the peloton and it broke up into about 4 different groups with Dan McKay from Tank Guy Team riding off the front and winning the race. Palmfeild Motors / Bike Manawatu managed 2nd, 3rd and 4th place with Graham Hall, Brendon Clark and Shane Chadwick securing a team win again.
Hats off to them for enduring the conditions!
Big shout-out to Pat Johnstone, who finished an impressive 4th in his age group at the UCI Gran Fondo World Champs the following weekend over in Melbourne!
Race 3 of the series is this Sunday 26th October in Carterton.
by Bike Manawatu | Oct 8, 2025 | Kairanga ITT Results, News, Road Results
We commend the nine hardy riders who braved the wind and the rain at last night’s time trial at Kairanga!!! Highlights include Annemarie, Aylish and Andy pushing through 2 laps in tough conditions, and the fact that the majority of the field were female riders, with three of them from the Peel family.
A huge Thank You goes out to our volunteers on the night: Jonny and David Peel, Ross O’Dea, Sam and Laura Richardson for running the timing, and Tim Lloyd for setting everything up.
Results can be viewed HERE
Next up is a Graded Road Race on the A1 Loops circuit, to be held on Tuesday 21st October with entries opening later this week.
by Bike Manawatu | Oct 1, 2025 | News
The North Island Team Series kicked off over the weekend in Alfredton, with Bike Manawatu riders lining up across teams and categories.
As is the usual for NIS races recently Cat 1 and 2 were combined to have a viable field of riders. Wheelworks fielded a strong team of Cat 1 riders and were effective in dictating the race, frequently sending a rider up the road while controlling the peloton. WCNI riders were active in trying to get to the front of the race. Philipp Vranek animated the race early, repeatedly attacking or trying to tow a team member across to the head of the race. Chris Hansen impressively crossed solo to Jack Polley on the second lap. In the final lap things did not fall WCNI’s way with Blair Christian finishing 6th just out of individual points and Chris paying for his second lap effort and finishing 9th. The old man of the team Glenn Kirk measured his effort well and finished 12th, securing 2nd place points in the team’s competition.
In Cat 3, Team JTcoaching BM lined up well represented with seven riders, despite losing two during the week to sickness and a crash at Schools Nationals. The 68km race started off at a steady pace, but the calm didn’t last long. Around 15km in, the racing lit up when Cody Clark launched a strong attack. With blustery winds scattering the peloton, riders were battling to hold wheels as the attacks and counters came thick and fast. Cody showed his strength, riding clear and opening a gap that stretched out to 2 minutes 30 seconds on the chasers. Behind, the race split into two chase groups. The first included Cliff from JTcoaching BM alongside four iRide riders, with the remaining JTcoaching riders a further three minutes back.
In the final stages, Cliff attacked his chase group, while Cody powered on solo to the line, securing a brilliant win with a minute to spare. Cliff’s move sealed second place, giving Team JTcoaching BM an impressive one-two finish to start the series on a high.
Race 1 was a great start to the series for Palmfeild Motors / Bike Manawatu in Cat 4. With 5 riders in the top 11 places they secured the win for the team and for the GC. A super tight finish with .03 second between first and third place. We had Graham Hall coming first with another Manawatu resident, Dan MacKay second, Brendon Clark 3rd, Pat Johnstone 5th, Shane Chadwick 7th, Darren Murdie 11th. Great team work!
The teams look forward to Race 2 on the same course, scheduled for 12th October. Also remember that you don’t have to be registered in a team to compete in this series.
by Vaughan Hunt | Sep 27, 2025 | News
We received this lovely thanks form Kapiti Cycling club:
Hi Mike
Thanks once again for organising last Sunday’s interclub ride. The Kapiti guys really enjoyed riding the route, particularly the rolling Valley Road section after the climb.
We all agreed that section was the most fun we’d had on a bike for a very long time.
Kapiti are keen to return the favour and host you guys on the Coast early in the New Year.
Best wishes
Gary
