Free pancake breakfast attracts record numbers for Go By Bike Day in Whanganui

Record numbers turned out in Whanganui for the annual national Go By Bike Day.

Volunteers were cooking and dishing up free pancakes at the Cornmarket Reserve on Wednesday morning for people who arrived by bike.

Lyneke Onderwater, of the Whanganui Bicycle Users Group, said 85 people turned up during the two-hour breakfast session.

"I'm very happy," Onderwater said.

People of all ages enjoyed a free pancake breakfast at Cornmarket Reserve for Go By Bike Day.

"We kept a tally of the number and it was a record of 85 people. There was a range of ages - we had students, kids on balance bikes, someone with a kid in a trailer, some electric bikes.

"It was a good morning. It started a bit slow but later we nearly ran out of ingredients for the pancakes.

"We signed up some new people for our newsletter."

Riders could get their bikes checked by volunteers from Green Bikes and also note any problems they had encountered on Whanganui roads. The Bicycle User Group is compiling a list of issues raised by people who cycle around Whanganui and will follow up with the appropriate agencies.

February is Bike Wise Month, with a range of activities on offer in Whanganui to encourage people to jump on a bike and get active.

Volunteer Sarah Hird was on pancake duty.

Bike riders talk with Whanganui District Council's active transport facilitator Norman Gruebsch (second from right).