Jonathan, Simon and Paul Kennett and Patrick Morgan: Classic New Zealand Mountain BIke Rides

By HRAVEY CLARK

What a way to see the country! Fresh air, no petrol fumes and a clean-living lifestyle - you can't ride 100km over mountains if you get on the turps the night before.

This, the fifth edition, includes 58 new riding tracks since the last revision in 1999. Bikers now have 404 tracks from Cape Reinga to Bluff.

The guide, indispensable for experienced riders as well as beginners, covers all terrains, grades the tracks according to difficulty, and the authors have listed their favourite 50 scenic and adventurous rides. Maps outline each ride and there are sections on bike set-up, equipment, night riding and back-country protocol.

This 336-page guide is compact enough to fit in your hip pocket while you cross the Volcanic Plateau, explore the remote Catlins, ride the Southern Lakes country or explore the Urewera forest.

Kennett Bros

$29.95