Breakfast for bike-related businesses celebrating Rotorua Bike Festival

Local business people enjoyed the chance to celebrate the business of bikes together. Photo / Supplied

The business of all things bike-related was celebrated on Thursday, shining a spotlight on local talent with a world-wide reach and also raising funds for medical responders in the forest.

The first-time event, Business of Bikes Business Breakfast, is part of the Rotorua Bike Festival, aimed at the business community and bringing together the many companies that are based around the biking industry.

The breakfast also raised $1300 for the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's First Response Unit, which employs professional medics to patrol the forest.

Mark Woods, Director Peak Safety, provided an entertaining account of how Peak Safety has grown into the business it is today. Photo / Supplied

The event was organised by Shout Marketing director and festival trustee, Linda

Macpherson, with the aim of supporting local industry and talent based around bikes.

"The bike festival focuses on inclusivity and we wanted to extend that to the business community this year.

"There are so many businesses that are connected to the biking industry, but from the
outside, may people don't fully understand what's involved in running a bike-related
business – that it's not just about riding bikes all day. It's great to give some of those
companies a platform to explain more of what they do.

"There are big opportunities for Rotorua, bigger still for New Zealand, to springboard from

here into global markets. There's so much growth in Rotorua for new and existing

businesses in this industry, with the ability to leverage the global recognition of Rotorua as a destination."

Henry Worsp and Mark Woods of Peak Safety discuss business with Craig Pattle of Velosolutions. Photo / Supplied

Speakers at the breakfast included Craig Pattle from Velosolutions, Peter Laing from Red Stag Investments, Henry and Budgie from Peak Safety, and Barb Jenks, the driving force behind Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's First Response Unit.

Jenks said the funds raised for the First Response Unit was fantastic and helped support its ongoing operation.

"The support we received from the business community today is significant. The money raised will be put towards doing even more to ensure the public know to call 0800 WHAKA1 when they need medical attention in Whakarewarewa forest."

For more information on the First Response Unit see www.mtbclub.org.nz/first-response