Riding Rotorua

outtacontrol

outtacontrol

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I am planning a trip to Rotorua and want to make the most of it. I was thinking March, but apart from the Oceania MTB champs being held, I have also been told it can still be wet.

Can anyone confirm if this is right and if so, what is a good time?

Also considering not hiring a car. How far is all the good riding from accommodation in Rotorua. Did a search and saw a lot about the Redwoods, Whaka forest and The craters at Taupo.
 
outtacontrol

outtacontrol

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Would be interested in hearing from guys that have ridden there. I enjoy technical DH, but not necessarily big death gaps and monster jumps.

I have watched a few vids of some of the trails, as well as the AMB vid awhile ago, and while they look super fun, they all seem very groomed. Are all the treads typically smooth, or do they have some techy stuff with roots and some bumpy bits?

I like going fast downhill, but really like it be techy too, not just smooth ribbon. Just got back from a few days in Cairns. Anything like Smithfield??
 
alchemist

alchemist

Manly Warringah MTB Club
Most of the tracks are very smooth, however they've just put in a new rock garden for the Oceania XC races which is scaring a few people (They wanted something like Hammerhead at Stromlo but harder).

If you like technical riding, tracks like Gunna Gotta (what's left of it), Hot Cross Buns, Tuhoto Ariki (muddy root fest), Hatupatu & No Brains (my new favourite, but a pain to get to) will probably float your boat. I've not ridden the National Downhill track or the one next to it (Fools Gold??)
 
Ben-e

Ben-e

Captain Critter!
There are loads of threads re Rotorua on Rotorburn, just do a google search.

I went last year and the riding there is amazing. Essentially, its a pine plantation forest, so the pine needles fill all the smaller gaps making the trails ultra smooth. There are loads of different trails: a few DH tracks, a few FR trails with jumps and drops, but mostly singletrack. There is something for every skill level.

Best piece of advice given to me was to invest in some suitable tyres!
 
D

debeer

Likes Dirt
outtacontrol said:
I am planning a trip to Rotorua and want to make the most of it. I was thinking March, but apart from the Oceania MTB champs being held, I have also been told it can still be wet.

Can anyone confirm if this is right and if so, what is a good time?

Also considering not hiring a car. How far is all the good riding from accommodation in Rotorua. Did a search and saw a lot about the Redwoods, Whaka forest and The craters at Taupo.
Click to expand...
Mate, I was in Rotorua a month ago and it's so good. We stayed at the Silver Fern Hotel on Fenton st. It's a half hour ride to the trail head from there. It's a nice hotel, free wi-fi and shuttle into town. Not too sure about the weather in March but its a pretty temperate place so even in the hight of summer you'd be able to ride all day.

We rode for 3 days, taking the shuttle on a Sunday. The shuttles only run until 3pm on Sundays so I'd suggest using them for a full day as those trails are unbelievable. We had three days there and I could easily have ridden for three more without getting bored. I took my AM bike and that was more than suffice, I didn't ride the DH trail however.

Enjoy it mate.
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
Just got back from NZ. Whakarewarewa is great. Loads of DH/AM trails with lots of jumps and big drops on anything that is rated red, blue or black - there are chicken out lines on the red and blue trails (unsure about black - I didn't ride any). Little Red Riding Huck and Corner Track are nice and flowy and nothing too serious. The National Downhill looks gnarly. Anything thats up on the main hill serviced by the shuttle gets a fair bit of traffic so the berms are quite rutted in parts. Hot Cross Buns is a good tech XC trail and is off the main line so is relatively free of the crowds. There's heaps of great trails there. Heaps.

Can't help with regards to accommodation as I was staying with rellies.

If you want something different you could always ride the 42nd Traverse. I haven't ridden it myself but my brother recommended it to me as a good day ride.

The Kennett Brothers MTB guide is the guide to NZ trails and they've just released a new edition I think.
 
outtacontrol

outtacontrol

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks for the feedback. Sounds more promising. While groomed trails can be fun (eg Sparrow Hill) they can get a bit tedious without some technical challenges.

My dilemma now is what bike. Slayer (165mm) or Trance.
As stated I am looking for some more of the technical trails, as well as the groomed trails. I was thinking of taking my Slayer (165mm) but even though it climbs well, not sure how much fun it will be slogging back up for a few days in a row.

Looks like I might be riding with a whippet on an Anthem.
 
Danny B

Danny B

Likes Dirt
The climbs at Whakarewarewa aren't too tough. I'd take the bike that is more fun on the way down.
 
loc81

loc81

Likes Dirt
Just got back from 2 weeks in NZ. Everywhere.. We covered more ground than a turf layer!
One thing I noticed was that there seemed to be far less fuss over "what bike to buy/ride for what trails" and the like- these guys just get out and ride whatever's thrown at them!
I reckon your Trance with be fine for a decent chunk of the bike park.
Be sure to shuttle up and then do the small (by NZ standards) climb up to "Billy T" for some intermediate tech XC then link it up with "Split Enz"- you'll have to churn up a fire road but these 2 are brilliant value together!
Even on the Trance you'll have a stupid amount of fun and air-time on the Huckleberry Hound/little Red Riding Huck combo- the more times the better as it is very addictive!!
Have fun!!


Bikes, booze, friends and music.
 
outtacontrol

outtacontrol

Likes Bikes and Dirt
loc81 said:
Just got back from 2 weeks in NZ. Everywhere.. We covered more ground than a turf layer!
One thing I noticed was that there seemed to be far less fuss over "what bike to buy/ride for what trails" and the like- these guys just get out and ride whatever's thrown at them!
I reckon your Trance with be fine for a decent chunk of the bike park.
Be sure to shuttle up and then do the small (by NZ standards) climb up to "Billy T" for some intermediate tech XC then link it up with "Split Enz"- you'll have to churn up a fire road but these 2 are brilliant value together!
Even on the Trance you'll have a stupid amount of fun and air-time on the Huckleberry Hound/little Red Riding Huck combo- the more times the better as it is very addictive!!
Have fun!!


Bikes, booze, friends and music.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up. I am keen to utilise the shuttle, but do you know how often it runs?
 
loc81

loc81

Likes Dirt
Another thing I noticed over there was how generous and friendly anyone MTB associated was- not that things are bad in Oz but folks really went out of there way to give advise, directions, find out who you were, where you were from etc etc. Now or when you get there don't be afraid to ask a local- you really can't stuff up a bike trip to NZ!!
 
D

dirtpig

Likes Bikes
On the accommodation front, I would recommend a place called Thermal Holiday Park they have cabins so you can cook cheap meals and stuff. The best thing is that it is literally a 5 minute ride to the main carpark at the gate. I have stayed there heaps of times and can safely say that it is a good spot. They also have really cool outdoor thermal pools which are the best way to end a days riding.

In terms of weather March will be OK the best time is Jan/Feb, and it can be unpredictable at anytime of the year but more so outside these times- I was there at Easter once and there were puddles frozen in the forest. You can count on the fact that there will be wet days, however the forest is really not bad to ride in the wet, the trails drain really well and the forest protects from a fair bit of wet stuff.

I had a remedy the last time I was there and it was perfect for the trails there. I would say take the Slayer or you will regret it once you are there and see the trails in person. They are not as Buttery smooth as they appear on video.

One last thing, don't try to transpose what you like riding here on there. It is totally different, and it is absolutely amazing, after a couple of it will all click there and you will never look back. Ride what is there and be happy that you have!
 
fleshbone

fleshbone

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I have ridden a lot of Xc and downhill their. Xc trails are fast, fun and at times technical. Some of the downhill tracks are bit of a trek to get to. But when you spend 15 plus minutes getting to the bottom well worth the push. As for the likes of the national downhill track which is insanely fast, hard and big(though achievable at a slower pace) and the track next to it which was once called Huckle Berry Huckle which is filled with I think from memory 85 jumps and plenty of corners to be railed and a lengthy track too. They are accessible via the shuttle bus on weekends.

Keeping in mind it has been a year or so since I've been. Can only hope the track have gotten better :)
 
jrewing

jrewing

Eats Squid
loc81 said:
Another thing I noticed over there was how generous and friendly anyone MTB associated was- not that things are bad in Oz but folks really went out of there way to give advise, directions, find out who you were, where you were from etc etc. Now or when you get there don't be afraid to ask a local- you really can't stuff up a bike trip to NZ!!
Click to expand...
Yeah some fella gave me his spare shuttle pass for the 3 days i was there.
 
S

spiderpig

Likes Dirt
Myself and a couple of friends are heading over for a wedding at the end of jan and keen to get up to Taupo for a ride for a day. We are staying in Palmerston North so will drive up.

Anyone got any tips of a place we could hire some good bikes from and maybe get a guided day tour etc?

cheers
 
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