Track Chit Chat with Ian Gray – September

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.

Give it a go for the 2017/18 Track Season

I have as part of recording the history of successes of Manawatu riders in national Championship have produced a document recording all the medal winners.
It can be seen since year 2000 we have had phenomenal success of riders who all started their track cycling career on the Feilding track. This is a testament of the organization of racing at Feilding and the quality of the coaches we have here in the Manawatu. I would like to acknowledge Megan Blatchford in the processing of this word document.

Riding a “Fixy” on the track (or on the road for training) certainly makes a big improvement in riders sprinting ability and peadlling skills. Any road rider can get immense benefit by riding the track and a days race programme is great form of intense interval training.
We have track bikes for hire that have been very popular in past seasons for new under 15 and under 17 riders to try track racing. Details on hire age to follow.

The Beginning if the Changing of the Guard!

Although it is still only September and we are just starting to come out of winter we need to start thinking about the organization of the coming track season.

The annual track racing committee meeting will take place on Sunday September 24 at 4pm and is scheduled to take just one hour.
If you are interested to come along to the meeting and be prepared to take a position of responsibility to help run the track programme we would be very pleased to have you along. If you would like to be apart of the track committee, or just volunteer at events for the season please get in contact with Kate Stewart (k8.stewart@hotmail.com or 0278139922).

Kate Stewart has done a wonderful job of keeping everybody informed through Facebook, but she will be leaving us in January 2018 to take a position up at DairyNZ in TeAwamutu. So we need somebody to take that very important job now, and you will have time to learn what is required.
I have been involved in organizing track cycling for sixteen years and I would like less responsibility for the coming season.

Bike Hook Racks

There are real good bike hook racks (professionally made) available from out if the old Pedal Pushers/ Animates building.
The hooks arte attached to strong piping and ideal for hanging your bikes up in the shed if you have several bikes, and these racks are real strong.
Peter Shelton the new owner of the building has taken them all down from the mezzanine, and will sell at $5 a meter and will cut to size. He has agreed to give 50% of the money to BikeManawatu. Text or ring Ian Gray, 0211205751 if interested.

-Ian Gray