Hmm, I would be in the same boat if I went. The geared 36 is so large to lug around that I wouldn’t want to bring anything else. I would have to seriously consider putting the hub back into a 29er just to have more versatility…but then I wouldn’t do as well on the 10k and marathon rides.
The Crown Range is a must for road riding. That climb was a lot of fun.
Yip lol. I was suprised Muzzle or Joe didn’t ride them
That’s awesome that you rode at Craigeburn. How did you find out about that track? I haven’t ridden it but should probably go check it out. I’m a member at Mt. Cheeseman ski field which is 3 mountains along from craigeburn and I think the old toboggan track there got made into a DH track. Probably needs a bit of maintainence after winter though lol.
And most of the port hills tracks are easy enough to find. I would show people around but unfortunately I’ll be in Nelson for the week after unicon so I won’t be able to do any muni rides with anyone except maybe in Nelson. Also, if you’re into DH victoria park is awesome. There’s a map of the port hills tracks and victoria park here although it is missing some tracks: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/gettingaround/cycling/tracksrides/porthills.aspx You’d still be able to find some good rides though.
It’s in the Kennet Brothers book. If you ride muni in New Zealand, you really need that book.
Agree with you about vic park by the way, what a nice place to ride. Bloody good cafe at the top too.
Joe
Before UNICON, I’ll spend a few days in Auckland-Tauranga-Rotorua
Right after the MUni comp of UNICON on January 6th, I’ll take the ferry to the South Island. My main goal is to visit the cities but I also want to make some MUni/trial in Nelson/Greymouth/Queenstown/Christchurch. Since I don’t have a lot of time, I need to find tracks(if there is any) that are close to the hostels where I’ll be lodging… which will probably be the YHA hostels
Nothing is confirmed but here is my plan as I will be travelling by bus:
Picton:6(evening)-7
Nelson: 7-8-9
Greymouth: 9-10-11
Fox Glacier: 11-12
Queenstown:12-13(bungee day)-14
Christchurch: 14-15-16-17
Let me know if one of you guys is in one of thoses cities at those dates. I’ll also try to buy that book for the bike tracks.
Julien, I thought you were going to be doing a unitour? Not anymore?
I may join you at least on part of this.
Yeah, I was suppose too but a few weeks ago, I started training with my backpack of 40L full and I realise that I didn’t have any fun riding with my back straight. Also, with the cold and shitty weather, it is becoming harder to train.
Nathan,I’ll talk to you on MSN for the trip and for the others I’m open to any suggestions.
I recommend taking your time on the Queen Charlotte. The full track is about 70km. Agreed it’s not super technical riding, but that’s not what you do it for. It’s all 100% singletrack through native bush with great views of the Sounds. And if you stay overnight in one of the lodges, you can hire a kayak and do a bit of exploring.
Another one that is not overly technical but a beautiful ride is the Central Otago Rail Trail. We did it on the SINZ tour: www.sinzuni.org
Ken
If you really want the good technical trails, Rotorua is hard to miss. There is a reason they held the World MTB champs there a few years back. Pay a few moneys into the shuttle, you will get a lift to the top of National Downhill for $10NZ ($30 for 5 shuttles up, $200 for 75 rides - can be shared and used for a year), then you ride down them as fast as you can, best idea.
We’ve recently taken 13 unicycles on the shuttle along with the MTB’s, and boy is it the way to do things - use your energy riding down the hill - not up it!
Also Wellington has some good trails too - wonder why it was chosen as the city for unicon? So many things, so close to the city.
+1 rotorua national dowhill is sweet… pays to get the shuttles up is well
For those of you arriving a few weeks early, come and join us for Australasias biggest cycling event, the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge:
Every year we have a few unicyclists cycling alongside 12,000 two wheeled cyclists 160km around the Lake. Get a team together or go solo!
Ken
I might be doing that if I can find 2 or 3 more people to do a 4 team of 40km each should be fun
ok time to give this thread a little bit of a bump. I have until the 20th of Jan and am wondering who is in for a Muni tour and how long they have to travel after Unicon?
Cheers,
Mark
On Saturday the 16th of January there is a Round the Mountain Cycle ride in which the event organiser is trying to attract unicyclists by having an “odd ball” ride option - suggesting that people ride Unicycles, Handbikes, Penny Farthings, and Single Speed Classics 153km around Mt Taranaki.
They have an interesting relay option, the normal relay for 2-9 riders where you don’t ride together, or Bone Collectors where the riders choose what distance to ride, and then the strongest rider starts off and picks up the rest of the team along the way, all finishing together in a group.
It’s a fun way to view the mountain from many angles in a day. I’ve never been forced to wear a helmet- I just wear a sunhat because in the land transport act a bike has two or more wheels.
There is another Round the Mountain Cycle Challenge on the 30th of January 2010, similar with more people and bigger spot prizes but no unicycle category.
Then it’s the Juggling festival the following weekend in Levin, Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th February 2010 (Waitangi Weekend). I guess it’s a long shot if anyone will still be here that long…
if your going to head up that way you might as well come to palmey and do the downhill ride here its nice when wet or dry
So I still plan to do a Muni tour after UNICON, though havnt done too much research other than getting hold of the Kennet mtb book.
Leave for NZ in a couple of days so find me at Unicon if you have similar ideas. I’m Dan from the UK and there arent many of us who are so it shouldnt be too hard.
Maybe I will post my NZ mobile number here too when I get one.
Hey Dan,
That is about the extent of my planning as well so i think it would be great to meet up early on in Unicon and sort some stuff out. Safe traveling to NZ- I’ll see you there.
Mark Lavis
Hey napalm, I can get a lot more time off work now, so I would love to go around nz doing muni. Only thing is I already booked a non-refundable flight home on the 9th, so I would have to ditch it 
Are you planning on camping everywhere you go or staying in backpackers/hotels?
According to the latest edition of the Kennett Bros book the Queen Charlotte WW is closed to bikes from Dec to Feb.
Here’s some photos of the overnight muni trip Joe Marshall and I did on the Wharfedale Track, followed by the Craigieburn track (an excellent track) and some muni in the Port Hills of Christchurch.
Good areas for offroad in NZ are Auckland, Rotorua, Taupo, New Plymouth, Wellington (all in the North Island) and Nelson, Golden Bay, the West Coast, Christchurch Port Hills, Queenstown and Wanaka in the South Island.
Like Ken and Joe said, a copy of the Kennett Brothers’ book is very very useful in finding the good tracks.