Cyclists dress smartly for the Rotorua Tweed Ride

Bike riders were looking smart as they gathered at the Lakefront for the Rotorua Tweed Ride today. The ride started at the Bike Tree at the Village Green and had been shortened to about 8km due to weather over the weekend, with about 23 people taking part.

Rachel Doelman, Rotorua Lakes Council sustainable transport officer, said she had been looking forward to seeing how many people would turn up.

She said the aim was to get people out on their bikes, trying new things and having a good time.

The council has hosted Frocks on Bikes events which were popular, but it wanted to host something men could feel more comfortable getting involved in, Ms Doelman said.

Jess Caulfield is all dressed up for the Rotorua Tweed Ride. Photo/Ben Fraser

Rotorua's Catherine Rose said she decided to take part in the Tweed Ride because she had seen them overseas and it looked like fun.

She said it was another nice way to get people out on their bikes and that there were some interesting looks which had turned up for the event.

She enjoyed biking because it was free and easy, she said.

Judy Hayes said she had heard about the Tweed Ride through the council.

Rotorua Tweed on Bikes. Photo/Ben Fraser

She was involved in lots of riding and this was an event she had heard about in England and had seen people doing it, she said.

"We thought it is quite a cool thing to do on a Sunday afternoon and had some gear we thought we could utilise."

She said she enjoyed biking because she loved being out in the fresh air and combining it with exercise.

"We have so much in Rotorua with our forests and cycleways, it's fantastic."