Mount Aspiring College students Tyler Davies, Denim Parker, Henry Coad, Ryan Clark and Huddson Young want the mountain biking community to grow and are encouraging others to give it a go.
With mountain biking events fast approaching such as Crankworx in Christchurch and Rotorua, the MAC downhill champs and Fast Fridays later this month, the group hopes to see more resources go into the costly sport.
The group said they had all been introduced to the sport by friends and family members.
Mother of a teenage mountain biker, Rowena Lee, said mountain biking had created a great community for her son.
‘‘When we first moved here we were worried it might be hard for Tyler to make friends but once he found others that mountain biked, it was easy.
‘‘Mountain biking here in Wānaka is the same as being down at the lake, all the kids just hang out.
‘‘Wānaka is such a great place to be a mountain biker; it’s very relaxed and more inclusive than other places, it’s not always focused on being the best but about the community.’’
Ms Lee hoped the mountain biking community and resources would continue to grow in Wānaka.
Basic bike maintenance, safety, first aid training and a permanent toolkit by Lismore Bike Park could be useful additions, she said.
Teenage mountain biker Henry Coad said mountain biking allowed him to push past his comfort zone and clear his mind.
‘‘I like mountain biking in Wanaka because most people do it and it is easy to make friends and have a good time.
‘‘I also like how easy it is to access and how you can do it after school or on the weekends without having to have a big plan,’’ Henry said.
