"Watimena" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am going to South Island New Zeland in March (Nowhere left to ride in Canberra)
>
> Should be able to squeeze a couple of days MTBing in. Any tips on where I can get myself a bike
> and where to go?
>
> Have seen videos of Wanaka, but would prefer some forest to ride through.
>
> Jeremy
Where to begin? I'm not very familiar with down South - Wanaka and Queenstown and the like. It's
meant ot be good riding though. And the trail systems are pretty well developed. I'm sure that there
will be areas there that have forest to ride through. It'll just be a matter of local knowledge. Try
the Otago MTB Club page. Have a look at this:
http://www.mountainbike.co.nz/clubs/otago/otago_tracks.htm I suppose that the vids you were watching
showed bikers on mountain tops amongst the tussock looking very windswept and scenic...
One of the problems with singletrack in the beech forest is that the forest floor is usually very
soft and wet and more often than not it gets muddy and churned up very quickly. That means that any
MTB trails through beech forest have to have gravel laid on them in substantial quantites to form a
decent surface. Gravel means work and time and money. There aren't a lot of classic beech forest
single track. On the brightside, there are a lot of old logging trails and access roads. Many of
then very overgrown but accessible.
Christchurch is similar to Southland (us Kiwi's with our place names - the land to the South,
Southland. Creative bunch, aren't we?). Some good riding around the Port Hills near the city and
Arthur's Pass to the west but again not a lot of forest. Local knowledge would be best here.
Nelson. Lots of (Radiata Pine) forestry within 5 minutes rideof the town centre. Lots more in the
extended area. Some beech forest. I could talk a bout it, but you're best to have a look at some of
the rides listed here: www.mountainbiking.nelson.org.nz Check out the section "The Big Day Out".
The West Coast. Lots and lots of great stuff around Greymouth and Westport. Largely uncharted
territory. Only downfall is that (the 'coasters will hate me for saying this) is that we're having a
bad summer and a bad summer means lotsa rain on the coast.
If you had a few days spare and lots of energy then the Queen Charlotte Sound Track in the
Marlborough Sounds would be awesome.
Actually, your best bet is to try here:
http://www.mountainbike.co.nz/clubs/index.htm Choose
the area that you'll be in and choose the appropriate club. Email them. They're a friendly
buncha people.
Another thing to check out would the the Kennett's "Classic NZ Mountainbike Rides" ISBN
0-9583490-4-5 www.kennet.co.nz Lots of good rides in this. Well worth looking at.
Hiring bikes shouldn't be a problem. Any of the main centres will be able to hire you a decent bike.
Getting a decent bike anywhere else might be a problem.
Hope that this was some help. Westie
