Hi,

Having been to New Zealand a few years back I was hoping to go again this year or next.
Last time it was all self guided biking around the South Island with a friend, but this time I was looking at whether there are any good organised trips.
Looking around the internet I only found a couple of companies that do New Zealand trips lasting 3 weeks or more – Mountain Beach and Ride the World.
Has anybody used these companies or done one of their New Zealand trips? Or can anyone recommend other companies?
It’s a lot of money so I’m keen to get people’s advice or recommendations.

Myhonest recommendation would be to d oit yourself as opposed to an organised trip. What do you actully want to do on your holiday ? Loads of riding or sightseeing or both or ???
Basically i’d get a Kennett book, a hire car a tent and head for some of the more remote spots. Avoid the tourist areas and you’ll find some gems. Although to be fair i’d have a quick visit to Rotorua if I was in the area for the lush trails there.
Personally I’d say you can’t go past the DIY option.

If visiting the North Island, I would also recommend a day or two at Rotorua and if passing Taupo, then riding Craters of the Moon.
Both great fun – possibly the best biking fun I have ever had.

If you didnt ride Wanaka on the South Island thats worth a look as well. Oh and i second the Kennet Bros. Book

Whats the riding around Wanaka like? I’m campervanning the south island in a few weeks time, and may be staying in the area for a few days.

Venus trail just north-east of Wanaka township is smooth, windy, bermed singletrack under the cover or pine trees, popping you out just by the side of the lake. It’s one of my favourites!

Apparently you can get a trail map at the bike shop in Wanaka.

Sticky Forest near Wanaka has some trails, northshore and a lot of sticks.

Uplift at Coronet Peak is fun until you break yourself.

Rotorua trails are good.

Cheers guys,
Hope I can check it out on a morning off from family site seeing. I’ll send them off to puzzle world, and see if I can rent a bike.

Blaggers, the bike shop right infront of the lake are pretty good, thats where i got my map from, they also hire reasonable bikes, i ended up with a Scott Ransom. Ended up going for a ride with a few locals so got shown quite a few trails.

I’m off to NZ on Saturday with the girlfriend, riding isn’t top of the agenda but we definitely want to fit a bit in.

Does anyone have any experience of Heli-biking, probably a bit of a novelty but is something we wouldn’t do here so is it worth a go. I’ve found these guys that do it in the Taupo region, the video on the site doesn’t look particularly exciting.

Rotorua and Taupo seem like the best bets on the North Island, is Wanaka the best bet on the South. We have a camper van and are pretty much free to go where we like for 4 weeks.

Any other recommendations or experiences, we’re looking for something like a Glentress Red standard, and we need to hire bikes…

Cheers

Dave

Ishouldbeworking – we did a similar trip a few years back, and it’s probably sacrilege but I actually preferred Wellington (Makara Peak) to Rotorua – Rotorua is all fine and dandy but you’re just riding through a fairly dense forest and I started to get the feeling that the trails were a bit crammed in there, especially nearer the car park. Fine if you just want to ride some very well graded (levels 1-6) trails, but a bit dull in terms of the overall experience. At Wellington I got a bit more of a feel of achievement, having ridden up something, stopped at the top and then come back down. IIRC for Wellington we hired from a bike shop in Karori which is only a mile or so from the bottom of the hill, and they were great at suggesting trails for the conditions (windy!) and our skill level.

I went helibiking in Wanaka with this crew. It was OK, but a fire trail descent rather than singletrack. Once we reached the bottom, they split the group according to ability and took some of us around more challenging trails near the lake (as referenced above).

When you book group activities, you’re always going to be limited by those with lower skill levels. It was a great experience, though, with fantastic views.

I went heli-biking whilst in Wanaka, just something I couldn’t pass up once I know about it.

Whilst the trails weren’t the most technical or challenging the scenery, both riding and in the heli, was amazing and we had a good old blast down 3000m of decent. We ended up in a small group, two of us experienced riders, an intermediate girl and the guide, he was happy to let us hoon off into the distance and wait at the next gate. This is worth checking as it could be very frustrating if you were forced to ride at the pace of the slowest.

Overall I loved the experience but am not sure I would pay to do it again unless it was on some particularly fantastic trails.

For riding I’d definitely get the Kennet Bros book and then ask around at local shops etc, everyone is very helpful and I had a lot of people offer to take me out around the local trails. There is a load of stuff in the south island I missed and am planning my return! You MUST ride the Queen Charlotte track over a couple of days, the combination of scenery, trail and an overnight stop at one of the lodges makes it the best trail I’ve ever ridden (think there was an article in ST last year).

As said- Kennett book is great. If you are in Christchurch me and some mates will happily guide you about the Port Hills and surrounds.

Lots of trails etc in the Canterbury region to choose from. I have alot of them on my blog http://www.mountainbikingnewzealand.co.nz/ if you are keen.

I’m English- originally from Canterbury Kent- and lived this way (including Australia) for 9+ yrs. Great riding this way aye! 🙂

Happy holidays!

Thanks everyone, anyone one know which issue the Queen Charlotte article was in before I go and search through my pile in the spare room?

Cheers

Dave

Sorry don;t know about heli biking but theres lots of good riding. If you have no bike then you’ll find OK rentals in places like Rotorua, Wgtn, Wanaka/QT and ChCh. Shame though as there are lots of really great rides which are quite unique, for example:
Rotorua as mentioned before is very nice, lots of good new trails built in the last 4 years (BillyT Rude Not To etc) nice loop out to Blue Lake and then hooning singletrack all the way back – great fun. Good camping there as well, good site on the LHS as you drive back into vegas from Whakawerawera, take the old main rd and its immediate left – massive, good hotpools and out of town.
Wellington is fabbo – Makara Peak rocks but I am of course very biased as I live here. Great singletrack, lots of it and more techy than vegas.
My fave rides are Wakamarina, Kill Devil, anything around nelson Dun mtn sort of stuff. QCT is a nice ride in that the views etc are lush, good way to spend a couple of days – water taxi it to Furneaux, ride to Portage and then day 2 ride back to picton. Best bit is anakiwa to mistletoe bay (either way). So you could ride up and back. Watch out though – it will be ‘busy’ this time of year and bikes are banned on the ship cove section just now. The DH from endeavour inlet to Furneaux always makes me giggle, last time we stayed at furneaux we ride it then rode back up and rode it again in the dark with no lights !!
Further south Port Hills are lovely, Wanaka has some nice biking as well as things like the pack track etc which are more out there. Basically theres heaps. although you’d want your own bike really.
Weather at the mo is fantoosh. 25 today and sunny, calm, lovely 🙂

maybe I should just bin the return ticket now and start looking for work in NZ!…

Why not – do it soon because all the ex-pats who have been living in the UK are being made redundant and wanting to come home because the shine has well and truly come off their overseas experiences – job market is tightening up big time.

Do yourslf a favour and get some riding in on the West Coast S.I.Lots of benched singletrack on old historic gold,coal and logging trails.Real back country exploring mountain biking as it was intended.Check the activities page on our web site for some nice pics on what 2 expect. http://www.breakers.co.nz.Tracks like Creosus,Big River,Kerwins,Naploeons,The Mudplug all brilliant and totally unique.

I might take you up on that actually ! Have ridden (and run) the Croesus a couple of times and the the 2004 Traverse in that area but is fantastic.

Hey drop me aline if your over this way