Due to Cyclone Gabrielle's devastation to Hawkes Bay & Taupo MTB Parks, Youth Programmes & Womens Skill Builders will recommence in January 2024. Private coaching sessions, Duke of Ed Journeys, William Pike Adventures and Spirited Womens Clinics will operate as normal.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Bike Craft in conjunction with Afoot (who is an Accredited DOE Award Provider) have teamed up to provide Bronze and Silver Level Mountain Biking Adventurous Journeys. If you are 14 - 24 years of age you are eligible to undertake these journeys.  Journeys take place in HAWKES BAY & TAUPO, however with the devastation caused to these regions by Cyclone Gabrielle we will be running our next DOE in ROTORUA until such time as we can return to our home base. These journeys are open to anyone regardless of your location. 

* Mountain bike trail riding experience is not necessary - you just need to be able to ride a bike. These experiences have been designed to accommodate all levels of riders. Students will learn the skills they need in the training and practice journey. Experienced riders will be given added challenges.  

** Students do not carry their overnight gear on the bike.  This is not a backpacking journey.  Students will only be required to carry a small bag with snacks, a drink and a raincoat/jacket.  All overnight gear will be transported to our accommodation separately if required.

*** Students do not have to be superfit and we wont be climbing massive hills. Biking for 6 hours is not realistic at all for even the fittest of riders. The journey will be a mixture of riding, skill building and time off the bike learning other key skills such as navigation and applying it in a practical sense.

Sign up at:

 https://www.afoot.co.nz/doe-mountain-biking/

Our journeys are "Adventurous Journey Explorations".  These are journeys with a purpose - to significantly improve an individuals mountain bike skill levels in a new environment while planning your own route.  All journeys involve camping and cooking independently in small teams.

Participants must have a suitable bike and helmet. Bikes must have treaded tyres, front suspension and gears (a single speed bike is not suitable). If in doubt please ask. Bike Craft do have mountain bikes and helmets available for hire for the journey.

Participants must complete a training session, a practice journey and a qualifying journey.

Dates of upcoming sessions: LOCATION - ROTORUA

Note: For our next journey, we are running the training session the day prior to the practice journey to reduce travel costs for participants. We will have a zoom meeting approximately 2 weeks prior to the journeys to discuss gear and food requirements more fully.

TRAINING AND PRACTICE JOURNEYS: December 2023

  • BRONZE Training Session & Practice or Qualifying Journey - Friday 1st December (2pm start time) to Sunday 3rd December (4pm finish time)
  • SILVER Training Session & Practice or Qualifying Journey: Friday 1st December (2pm start time) to Monday 4th December (2pm finish time)
  • NOTE: If you have already attended the training session you start Saturday 2nd December at 10am (there is the option to arrive Friday afternoon and stay overnight if it makes logistics easier for parents)

For more information and to sign up go to: https://www.afoot.co.nz/doe-mountain-biking/

Bikecraft are partnering with Afoot for this great initiative