Ok, so just a quick note about our recent research trip to New Zealand.. The girl and I headed across the Tasman a few weeks ago to check out some of NZ’s best riding whilst taking in a bit of a holiday. My first time in NZ, it’s a fantastic place.. A little like Australia in the 80’s in some respects (no-one goes out after dark it seems!) but blessed with stunning natural beauty wherever you look and some of the most friendly people you will ever meet.. and some seriously world class Mountain Biking.

And with NZ only a 3 hour flight away and many airlines like Air New Zealand allowing you to pretty much take your bike for free; Its easier than getting to most Australian riding destinations! In fact, Air New Zealand runs flights from Sydney direct to Rotorua where you can try some of the best trails you will ever find.. anywhere. And if you get bored of the 100+ km of trails in Rotorua, just truck it an hour across to Taupo and the ‘craters of the moon’ for even more great riding!

The Kiwis have really caught onto the idea of Mountain Biking as a tourist attraction too. Most places we went had bike hire and tour companies promising world class trails on top-quality bikes. When we pulled into Kaiteriteri (on the northern tip of the South Island) we passed a huge billboard announcing the small town’s purpose built, up and coming park.

Other places like Hanmer Springs are well established Tourist traps based around adventure sports, hunting, skiing and hot springs. But with such stretches of wilderness, Mountain Biking is a must do to really get a feel for New Zealand. Local shops and individuals have been grooming the trails here for years and there really is something for everybody. The girl and I had just a few hours here to hit the trails, so we wandered around the green trails and worked on some of her skills. Erin (my GF) couldn’t give a rats about skills but wouldn’t stop talking about the forest we rode through as we had a few beers that night.. sweet stuff..

Anyway, we are going back in spring to make the videos so stay tuned.. or get yourself over there in the meantime – you won’t regret it!!