2021 Memberships & Cycling NZ licences are now open!

by Bike Manawatu | Oct 6, 2020 | Notices

2021 Memberships & Cycling NZ licences are now open!

Get in early, and avoid the end of year rush and have your licence & membership all ready for next year so you can cruise through the holiday season without having to worry.
Please be aware that if you purchase a 2021 licence before 31st December, this is the age category you will compete in for the remainder of the 2020 calendar year.
*2020 licences are valid until 31st December unless a 2021 licence is issued prior, which will then make the 2020 licence no longer valid.

Cycling New Zealand Licences also come with a range of membership benefits – check out their partner discounts and more info on our website here as well as invaluable public liability insurance.
The policy provides licensed riders cover for any damage to a third party property or persons that they are found legally liable for by their actions whilst riding, this is extended to cover whilst competing in races. How great is that!
If you have any queries about licencing, insurance, clubs or general membership, contact the membership team at membership@cyclingnewzealand.nz
We look forward to welcoming you for a great year of cycling!

Click HERE to find the link to Cycling New Zealand Membership Portal & click “Become a Member”
Click Here to find our 2021 Bike Manawatu Social Membership Portal
Click Here to read information on membership on our website

If you are a Schools Cycling Member and want to learn more about how that system works, please click here 

If you wish to take out a Family Membership with Bike Manawatu plus a Cycling NZ licence, please do so via this link first, then we will give you a Promo Code to enter at the check out to waive your Club Membership fee when applying for your Cycling NZ Licence.

Garry’s 3 day big easy–Evo Cycles

by Bike Manawatu | Oct 1, 2020 | Notices

In a post COVID-19 world (or covert 19 if you’re Garry), we were hoping for all the postponed events from earlier this year to take place this spring – as well as the date marked on every cyclist’s calendar – Taupo, which it seems is now off too. 

Luckily Garry Buys from EVO cycles had planned another one of his popular 3 day big easy’s for early September.  This time it was a trip to the Wairarapa with a promised wine tour on day 2 – we’ll get to the wine tour bit later

Saturday saw us depart in 2 groups from the EVO Cycles car park nice and early and travel over to Alfredton via the Pahiatua track, Mangamaire and Rongomai.  Group 1 had a support vehicle driven by local cyclist Gavin York and group 2 were supported by Adrienne Portch’s partner Craig – both did an amazing job all weekend, and we really appreciate their support.

We were met in the Alfredton hall car park by Jenny Bull in Bullie’s campervan with piping hot tea, coffee and morning tea with cakes from Carol Webb, Alice Bailey, Adrienne Portch and other cyclists wives/partners etc

From there we travelled on at a much faster pace to our lunch stop in Masterton where we were again met by Jenny in the campervan – and both groups met for a brief catch up before departing to Martinborough via the scenic route – this, I have to say was spectacular – personally, I have ridden and raced on a lot of roads throughout NZ, including a lot of racing in the Wairarapa – but this one is up there among the best – if you get the chance to ride it – do so – everyone in our group loved it – it’s a truly stunning piece of road with amazing views

Once we arrived at our accommodation we showered, got washing done and enjoyed a drink or 2 before heading off to our evening meal

It was at the evening meal that Garry revealed the 2 routes for Sunday – route 1 was a spirited ride around the lake Wairarapa circuit before joining everyone at Columbo

vineyard – route 2 was a 50 km ride joining group 1 at Columbo – somehow Garry forgot about the promised wine tour – but luckily Alice hadn’t – and came up with a route for those that wanted a more leisurely ride.  both drivers had the day off – Gavin rode in garry’s 50 km group, and Craig did the shorter wine trail ride

Day 3, we all knew the forecast wasn’t fantastic – but one of the things you can’t plan for is the weather – there were high winds and rain forecast.  We set off for home, after no mechanicals all weekend in group 1, we had a puncture coming in to Masterton – after a quick wheel change we were back on the road, but not before Garry’s ‘desert camel’s’ overtook us. Both groups met up at Mount Bruce for an early lunch and as we arrived later, group 1 got roped in to being a part of a challenge for Te Wiki o te Reo Maori which was a lot of fun.  Once we left mount Bruce, the wind had really made its presence known.

The ride back to palmy was definitely very challenging, so challenging that Colin Anderson managed to destroy his rear derailleur between Eketahuna and the Mangamaire turn off.  Luckily, with the support van there, he could jump in and finish the trip off with some heating – as well as left over cake.

All riders met at the coachman in Palmerston North for a post ride drink, and chips – it was here that Garry announced the new branding for group 2 – no longer the turtles, they are just the desert camels and unbeknown to group 1, day 3 was an unofficial race – which the desert camels won, as they had managed to get 2 rounds in before group 1 arrived

Garry’s big easy’s are always a great experience – the riding, the routes, the company and the food and drink – his next one is going to be 4 days, and is planned for 26^th February -1^st March – Garry’s 4 day Euro style big easy is  heading to Napier, then across to Taupo, then via National Park to Ohakune then back to palmy on the final day.

Supported by Evo Cycles for only $389 if you want to be a part of it, make sure you contact Garry at Evo Cycles.