A wicked coffee stop along the way on a recent Thursday ride

Recreational cycling group becoming very popular

April 2nd, 2014

What began as the gathering of a few buddies for occasional cycle rides has grown into a sizeable group of recreational cyclists exploring the relaxed Tasman countryside.

The Thursday Cycling Group now has 56 people or couples on its weekly email list and has even built its own website, The Cycling Mob, to share their enjoyment of rambling in the ourdoors.

"Some are active regulars and some are occasional and few just get the weekly email and never appear," says Ian Miller, the founder and co-ordinator of the informal group, who also plans most of the rides.

"During the fine weather we get a turnout of around 15 - sometimes more and sometimes less. People turn up when they want to so we never know how many will come along until the morning. There are no membership fees, it's not a club so no office holders.

"We try and plan a different ride every week and roam between Nelson and around Motueka. I think we prefer away rides as the local rides are fresher then when we do them over winter and on days when the weather is doubtful."

He says local rides are planned to appease any guilt of their carbon footprint, "but usually the lure of coffee in faraway Wakefield, for example, is overwhelming".

"It is difficult to accommodate everyone as there is a variety of fitness levels and some are more tolerant of distance, gravel roads and hills than others.

"I try and have an easier option on most rides but the problem is that after a few weeks people find they are fitter so start doing the harder rides. Thus sometimes there might only be one person turn up to do an easy ride.

"I'm not ashamed to admit that we have some electric bikes in the fleet. They are great machines for people with health issues as they can get out and enjoy the countryside and pedal as they see fit. Sometimes us treadlers are envious when faced with a long steady uphill haul."

Rides are usually no more than 30km. They have been close to 60km on away trips to Blenheim and Golden Bay but as these are overnight trips they have had all day to tootle along.

They stop regularly along the route to allow everyone catch up and have a spell. They also visit places of interest on the way.

To join the group, turn up behind the Information Centre on Decks Reserve just before 9.30am on a Thursday. They are usually back around 2pm. Better still, email your name and email address to so you get the weekly email and will know where you are going.

As for costs, it's just a donation to the driver if you share transport to an out-of-town start. Then there is obligatory but not compulsory coffee somewhere along the way.

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