‘I loved cycling in Whanganui’ - Rob Rattenbury

Cycling forms a way of life for many. Photo / Mark Mitchell

OPINION

I rode bikes all my life - until I couldn’t.

As a family, we really got into it when we arrived in Whanganui. I was involved in cycling’s three main codes, road, track and mountain biking as a rider, official and administrator.

From the late 1980s until about 2000, I spent hundreds of hours on training rides during the week, usually before or after work, to get fit for the Whanganui Cycling Club’s racing on Saturdays.

I was a humble class two rider. We raced between 25 and 40 kilometres on open roads. Flat out, all the way. No sitting up to look at the scenery.

I was no gun bike racer but I had my mates at my level, my bike and the quiet country roads around our huge district to ride on in peace and quiet or to go hell-for-leather on in a race. A wonderful way to keep fit and to keep weight under control.

I often used to wonder how the heck road-racing riders managed to train in our larger centres with all the traffic around them.

When I began training, I’d often ride on State Highway 3 from Whanganui towards Palmerston North or New Plymouth. We used to race on that highway too. Also on the Paraparaumu highway, the class one riders all the way up to where the old Ministry of Works depot was, even further. That’s a long way uphill but coming home was fun.

As traffic increased over the years, I decided it was just too dangerous to train or race on the main roads, too many huge trucks and close calls for me.

Racing generally decreased on those highways a bit anyway. Never mind, we have no shortage of road courses here that are safer.

I didn’t ride track on the velodrome other than for fun. Same as mountain biking. Off-road riding is brilliant; the most relaxed cycling discipline unless racing. Then it’s just hard all the way, like any cycle-racing.

I still have my bikes. I don’t ride anymore, can’t. But I’d never get rid of my bikes. I just like looking at them and remembering all the fun, all the places I’ve ridden in New Zealand, around Lake Taupō, around Mount Taranaki, the Otago Rail Trail, the Remutaka cycle ride and many others. Always with Jen and cycling friends.

We didn’t have many cycle lanes on our roads back then. Even now, the flash cycle lanes are of limited use for training and of no use for racing. Too confined and dangerous to other users, usually commuters or children. A bit soft too.

Road, track and mountain-bike racing are gnarly, tough, hard sports no matter what your level of fitness and ability is. Accidents are common and hurt a lot. But it is also exhilarating. Competitive cycling is way harder than any football code I played. Up there with rowing as just rugged. Once a race starts, that’s it. Second is the first loser.

I like seeing the new cycle tracks around town, mostly shared with walkers and runners. I even like the idea of cycle lanes. It can be dangerous out there for all riders on our streets. A moment’s inattention by a driver can be life-threatening for a bike rider.

Cycling forms a way of life for many. It did for us, before it became really trendy. I rode to and from work. The kids rode to school. We rode often as a family. Jen has her own bikes as well. A strong rider when she rode.

As children way back when, we all rode bikes everywhere. Everyone did. Cars were not as common as nowadays.

It’s a shame that it seems the Government isn’t that interested in continuing the cycle lane projects in our larger towns but realistically the projects are horrendously expensive.

Of course we need cars and good roads, no matter what form of propulsion is used. In fact with the weight of EV vehicles, better roads and road maintenance is more important than ever.

Getting New Zealanders away from their cars is a forlorn hope for those who decry such behaviour. We have to be able to travel and, sorry, riding a bike from Whanganui to Hawke’s Bay is a bit of a stretch even for the keenest bike rider.

There will always be a place for cycling though. It works so well as an alternative to cars in and around town on most days. It is also so much fun. But I’d rather use the car on wet, cold days.

It’s all about balance.