Free bikes: Mountain Bike Rotorua gives back to those in need for Christmas

Owners of Mountain Bike Rotorua owners Tak (left) and Tu Mutu. Photo / Supplied

Up to 10 lucky Rotorua people could be treated to a free bike and helmet for Christmas with "no strings attached" as a local business gives back to the community.

Mountain Bike Rotorua, owned by brothers Tak and Tu Mutu, has decided to give away up to 10 free mountain bikes and helmets to those who need them most this Christmas.

Tak told the Rotorua Daily Post that they had four brand-new mountain bikes that they had "over-ordered" and up to six old rental bikes that they were doing up to give away.

He said so many families had experienced such a "bad year" and it was their way of "making someone's day" on Christmas.

This year more than others had taught so many how "privileged" they were and how important it was to give when you were in a position to do so, he said.

He said he had got his family involved in the giveaway as he wanted to teach his daughter how important this life lesson was.

"It was an easy decision to choose to give back."

The team had put the call out on Facebook asking people to nominate friends and family who deserved to be gifted a bike.

Tak said they had been "inundated" with some "beautiful messages and nominations".

Some included parents who had lost jobs as a result of Covid-19 and were "doing it tough" at such a stressful time of the year, he said.

Others were single parents who only just had enough money to put food on the table and pay rent with Christmas not being an option for them and their kids financially, he said.

"A lot of people can't afford the luxuries."

He said others that really "tugged on the heartstrings" were those from friends and family of people struggling with mental health.

They were reaching out as they thought a bike may help their loved one kick their mental health problem by getting out in the forest, he said.

"I'm a big supporter of anything to help with mental health. Getting out in the forest and being healthy is a big part of being happy."

The winners would be drawn on Christmas Day.