Chote is consistently out riding up to five or six times a week and often found with other Rambler cyclists, every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and is at every cycle race on Saturdays, according to Ramblers co-captain Marg Porter.
She said he was known as an opportunist, stemming from his actions in the Air NZ cycle tour, which went from Auckland to Whangārei and back.
Chote had been dropped by the main group of riders, but found his way back to the front of the race by putting his hand on the handle of a wheelbarrow on the back of a passing ute and holding on.
David Marett, who joins his friend Chote as a life member, has also played a huge part in the Napier Harrier Club, before a medical condition forced a change to cycling.
Fellow rider John Hambleton said of him:
“It speaks volumes in terms of David’s passion and commitment to sport that he has served so selflessly while also competing.”
Marett is known for being resourceful and has been known to keep dry when it rains, by cutting the sides out of a black plastic rubbish bag to put his arms through.
Hambleton said the switch to cycling was quite challenging for Marett as changing sports later in life wasn’t something he had contemplated.
“As someone who has known Dave across two sports in some ways, I think he became a better cyclist than he was as a runner.”
In 2024 he was knocked off his bike and ended up in the hospital.
It could have been the end, but after some rest and recuperation, a brand-new bike appeared in the garage and he was back out there doing what he loves, riding and racing.
