Record numbers cycle Hawke's Bay's Big Easy

Record numbers donned helmets, cycling gear and took in the sights of Hawke's Bay during the annual Big Easy on Saturday.

Nearly 2000 people entered the sixth 42km cycle event from Black Barn Vineyards to Church Road Winery.

Hawke's Bay Tourism general manager and organiser Annie Dundas said she didn't know the exact figure but a record number of between 1800 and 2000 people would have cycled the route.

The perfect weather helped, with early morning fog clearing near the beginning of the event, she said.

The ride was full of locals who had come to support it as well as many people from out of town who wanted to enjoy the scenery, she said.

"It's just a really easy, fun way to see a whole bunch of Hawke's Bay."

Puketapu resident John Kingston said he enjoyed the cycle, which he had done before, but he hadn't done any training so he was feeling exhausted afterwards.

He planned to come back again next year and loved the fantastic route, he said.

The weather was a bit cool to start off due to the fog but really warmed up throughout the ride.

Hawke's Bay has a number of wonderful cycle tracks and an event like this was great way to enjoy some of them, Mr Kingston said.

It was a family affair for Samantha, James and one-year-old Annabelle Newman, who joined the trail near Pakowhai.

Mrs Newman said the trio had done bits of the route before and most enjoyed riding through pretty Ahuriri.

Participants as well as non-riders were able to enjoy a concert at Church Road from 2pm with local talent IRIS and Sweetwater followed by special guests The Magnificent Seven.

The headline act featured well-known Kiwi musicians Peter Urlich, Jordan Luck and Eddie Rayner of Th' Dudes, The Exponents, and Split Enz respectively.

Along with Brett Adams, Dave Gent, Bryan Bell and Patrick Khutze, The Magnificent Seven brought the legacy of their celebrated groups back to the stage - and with it a basket of iconic Kiwi songs which delighted the crowd.

The Little Easy Central Hawke's Bay was held on Good Friday with 200 people on the 12km family-friendly circuit along the banks of the Tukituki River.