Regular recreational cycling groups are set to become a permanent fixture in Tauranga after successful trials during Play in the Bay's Bike Month.

Back in February, Sport Bay of Plenty, in collaboration with Tauranga City Council's Travel Safe team and Cycling New Zealand, launched the Ride Leader programme with the aim of training up a number of cyclists keen to start up recreational cycle groups.

Regular cycling groups will begin this week, Photo: Supplied.

In total, 21 people attended the Ride Leader training and in the next fortnight, six regular cycling groups will begin. The groups have been confirmed to start from this week.

There will be mid-week groups starting at Papamoa, Sulphur Point and Ohauiti.

An after work group will go from Ride Bikes on Cameron Road on Wednesdays and another group will leave from the Papamoa Sport and Recreation Centre on Sunday mornings.

Sport BOP recreation advisor Jen Riley says cycling groups are a fantastic way to keep active, meet new people and have fun, and it's a great way to discover new places to ride.

Tauranga has an ideal climate for cycling and combined with the large network of off-road trails that link up various parks and reserves, the city is the perfect place to have a network of cycling groups catering for a range of abilities.

They will also have away trips to explore other cycling trails around the Bay of Plenty.

For more information, visit: www.sportbop.co.nz/recreation or contact Jen on: 578 0016 ext 829, or: [email protected]

Tauranga Recreational Cycling Groups:

• Wednesdays, 9am. Meet Sulphur Point, off Cross Road, near Nautilus Restaurant. Suitable for those with a trail or mountain bike. Two levels—faster group and more leisurely group. For more info contact Cam on: 552 4513 or Richard on: 027 474 5122.
• Wednesdays, 5.15pm. Ladies road riding group. Meet outside QV Eatery (opposite Tauranga Hospital), 850 Cameron Road. All abilities welcome. For more info contact Dana: on 0204 347 094.
• Wednesdays, 6.15pm. Meet at Ride Bikes, 394 Cameron Road, Tauranga. Suitable for those with a mountain bike. For more info contact Martin on: 027 294 7394.
• Thursdays. Meet at Papamoa Sport & Recreation Centre, Parton Rd, Papamoa. Suitable for mountain, trail and commuter bikes. Time TBC. For more info contact Jen Riley on: 578 0016 ext 829.
• Thursdays, 9am. Meet at Palmers, Welcome Bay, Ohauiti Road, Tauranga. Suitable for mountain, trail and commuter bikes. For more info contact Andrew or Pam on: 544 3272.
• Sundays, 9am. Meet at Papamoa Sport & Recreation Centre, Parton Rodd, Papamoa. Suitable for mountain, trail and commuter bikes. For more info contact Marie on: 021 111 8620.