Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Tour Aotearoa riders' stolen bikes draw huge social media response

Sue Dudman
By Sue Dudman
News director - Whanganui Chronicle·Whanganui Chronicle·
6 Mar, 2018 08:43 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Don Montgomery (left), with fellow Tour Aotearoa rider Rob Dawson, was devastated when his bike was stolen in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley
Don Montgomery (left), with fellow Tour Aotearoa rider Rob Dawson, was devastated when his bike was stolen in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Don Montgomery (left), with fellow Tour Aotearoa rider Rob Dawson, was devastated when his bike was stolen in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Two cyclists on Tour Aotearoa from Cape Reinga to Bluff had an emotional day yesterday, ranging from devastation to relief, after their bikes were stolen from a bed and breakfast in Whanganui.

The bikes belonging to Don Montgomery and Richard Lindsay were taken from Braemar House in Plymouth St about 3.15am yesterday. After pleas for sightings and information were shared on social media, drawing a huge response, the bikes were recovered yesterday afternoon.

Montgomery and Lindsay, with fellow tour rider Rob Dawson, had checked in to Braemar House about 10pm on Mondayafter a long day's ride.

"We went to bed about midnight and I woke about 3.15am and thought I heard a bike going down the driveway," Dawson said.

"I ran down the drive but didn't see anyone. Then we found some bits and pieces from the bikes on the road.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The bikes still had all their bags attached to them with Don and Richard's property in them."

The bikes had been stored at the back of the B&B and were not locked up. Two of the three bicycles were stolen.

Pleas on social media for sightings or information drew offers of replacement bikes and help from Whanganui residents and people around the country.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There's been amazing support from everybody," Dawson said.

"People have spread the word and the spirit of the reaction has been amazing.

"We called the police after it happened and they were there in about 10 minutes and were really helpful and thorough."

Yesterday morning, Montgomery said the disappointment was not just about the theft of the bikes.

"It's all the effort to get to the start, all the training and taking a month off work to do the event," he said.

"It's a great event. Being denied the completion is the hard thing."

Setting off on the journey on 90 Mile Beach are Don Montgomery (left) and Richard Lindsay.
Setting off on the journey on 90 Mile Beach are Don Montgomery (left) and Richard Lindsay.

However, the bikes were recovered yesterday afternoon after a woman contacted the riders. She had seen the messages and photos on Facebook and then spotted two boys riding the bikes.

"We've recovered the bikes but they have been stripped down and we have a mechanic looking at them for any damage," Montgomery said.

"The people of Whanganui have been fantastic. People have rung to offer us meals and things. It's quite humbling. It's been a very emotional day."

Lindsay, who is originally from Marton and now lives in North Canterbury, said they had appreciated the many offers to lend gear.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Thankfully we've got the bikes back but they're missing all the important ingredients we need to get to Bluff," Lindsay said.

"I guess you could call this an enforced rest day. We hope to be able to borrow some gear and get back on the tour in the next day or two."

Lindsay said he had enjoyed the tour so far, with the section from Whakahoro to the Mangapurua Landing "undoubtedly some of the best mountainbiking in the country".

They had also enjoyed the jet boat ride to Pipiriki and sunset cycle ride down the Whanganui River Road on Monday evening.

To follow the Tour Aotearoa event, go to the Facebook page.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui weather: Cold snap gives way to milder week

09 Jun 11:02 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

New zone to simplify Manawatū-Whanganui tsunami evacuation

09 Jun 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Strong second half powers Taihape to win

09 Jun 05:00 PM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Are Ceramides The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine?
Sponsored Stories

Are Ceramides The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine?

10 Jun 12:00 PM
10 people dead in Austria school shooting
World

10 people dead in Austria school shooting

10 Jun 09:34 AM
'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ
New Zealand

'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ

10 Jun 08:45 AM
'Not giving it up': Wagon battle with state housing rages on
New Zealand

'Not giving it up': Wagon battle with state housing rages on

10 Jun 08:29 AM
'Very stressed': Alleged poisoner disputes claims in court
World

'Very stressed': Alleged poisoner disputes claims in court

10 Jun 07:54 AM

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui weather: Cold snap gives way to milder week

Whanganui weather: Cold snap gives way to milder week

09 Jun 11:02 PM

Whanganui hill country had temperatures drop to -3C overnight on Monday.

New zone to simplify Manawatū-Whanganui tsunami evacuation

New zone to simplify Manawatū-Whanganui tsunami evacuation

09 Jun 06:00 PM
Strong second half powers Taihape to win

Strong second half powers Taihape to win

09 Jun 05:00 PM
'Really shook me': Council calls out abuse from public

'Really shook me': Council calls out abuse from public

09 Jun 05:00 PM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search