Graeme Simpson: Gear up for fun at bike festival

The first Rotorua Bike Festival will be launched in just over a month.

It's exciting news for cycling and also the city. Mountain biking's economic impact on Rotorua has  annual benefits of $10 million.

Add road cycling races and BMX events and you are talking serious money that flows to all sectors.

With a long roster of annual events spread across the year, you could say the city is always in Bike Festival mode. However, concentrating a comprehensive programme of events into 10 days will be a  boost to the sport and city.

It can only work if you support it, so check out the programme on the website _ www.rotoruabikefestival.com.

You can enter the Cateye Moonride, the Giant www.cancernz.org.nz2W Gravity Enduro or the World Shweeb Championships _ they are real people's events. Or have fun at the Coast or Bike Speedway or take the kids to Tykes on Trykes.

Or get their bikes (or yours) pimped for the big parade.

And if you don't want to ride, get out and have a look at some of the events. There were big crowds at the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike Worlds, 2010 Singlespeed Worlds and Oceania Mountain Bike Champs last year. The atmosphere was loud, colourful and very impressive.

The MoreFM Bike Expo at the Convention Centre will be an opportunity to just enjoy bike stuff. As part of the expo, on Friday, February 15 there are screenings of a special film for a special cause. Ride the Divide is a movie about an epic journey: the 2011 race down the continental divide of the United States. Thanks to Mike Dion, the Colorado-based producer of the film, and Events & Venues

Rotorua all proceeds will go to the local branch of the Cancer Society.