Hot Rides

Dave Mitchell and Ditte van der Meulen set up camp for a week in the Clarence Reserve near Kaikoura - exploring the river valleys, rocky ridges and historic huts by bike and on foot.

Finn McLachlan - son of Ground Effect Product Designer Fraser - joins his mates for a weekend at the old Ida Valley Railway Hotel, but elects to take the long way via the A2O, Danseys Pass and Otago Central Rail Trail.

Mark Megaughin catalogues the thrills, spills and acquired wisdom from a series of increasingly ambitious bike-based family adventures with his pre-school aged kids.

Dave Mitchell saddles up and heads south to sample the historic Roaring Lion gold mining tracks near Garston, score laps at Te Anau's Perenuku mountain bike park and uncover the myriad of trails behind Alexandra on Matangi Station.

Dave and Ditte double their money, riding the then freshly minted Paparoa Track both ways over two days for 112km of alpine adventure. Cherie from Ground Effect mucked in at halftime in Blackball for orange segments and the return match.