Children encouraged to get pedalling in Rotorua Bike Festival event

Children can enjoy the natural gem of Whakarewarewa Forest and the thrill of biking at a new Rotorua Bike Festival event.

Ashley Williams, iBike 4 Kids Rotorua organiser and Central Kids Rotorua East teacher, says this kids bike event is running as part of Rotorua Bike Festival.

It will be held at the Waipa car park on Saturday October 27, 9am to 1pm, and is aimed at children aged from 2 to 15.

There are four different courses children can choose from depending on how well they can ride - a balance bike course which is about 800m, a short course which is 3km, a middle course that is 5.5km to 6km, and a long course which is 9km.

"Ultimately the goal is to get kids riding in the forest and supporting people to get out there."

Ashley says iBike 4 Kids started in Palmerston North, where it has been running for about four years, and has grown and grown.

She says their kindergarten has had a lot of support from the families and has some cool spot prizes from local businesses.

The kindergarten's children have been practicing their biking at Lynmore School during the school holidays to help their confidence, and some have come off their training wheels.

"They love it. A lot of our families are already keen bikers and the parents have jumped on board."

Finlay Miller, 4, says he enjoys the bike days at kindergarten and likes biking in the forest.

Sometimes he bikes to kindergarten with his mother.

Micah O'Leary, 3, says he likes biking with his father and has been training for the iBike 4 Kids Rotorua event.

The Rotorua Bike Festival is a lovely community event, and with the forest right on the doorstep in Rotorua it is a nice thing to do as a family, she says.

There are medals and goodie bags for children who have entered online, with the hopes there will be enough for those who enter on the day.

It costs $12 to enter online, or $15 to enter on the day. Entries online can be done at www.ibike4kidsrotorua.co.nz.