Share the Ride: Rotorua families receive bikes from community initiative

Takurua Mutu and Tuhua Mutu prepare to deliver brand-new bikes to Rotorua locals as part of the Mountain Bike Rotorua and Giant Bicycles Share the Ride for Xmas initiative.

• Mountain Bike Rotorua’s Share the Ride for Xmas will provide 10 local whānau with new bikes.
• The initiative, supported by Giant Bicycles New Zealand, aims to help those unable to afford bikes.
• Since 2015, the programme has delivered over 300 bikes, fostering connection and joy through cycling.

Thanks to a community initiative, 10 local whānau will be getting brand-new bikes this Christmas.

Mountain Bike Rotorua, through its programme, Share the Ride for Xmas, will be putting smiles on the faces of deserving families.

The programme invites the community to nominate deserving individuals and families who would benefit greatly from having a brand-new mountain bike.

Over the past few weeks, dozens of heartfelt nominations have been submitted, sharing stories of individuals facing mobility challenges, enduring chronic pain, or dedicating their time to voluntary work for the community. Despite their efforts and contributions, many nominees share a common struggle: the inability to afford their own bicycles.

In response, Mountain Bike Rotorua’s owners – Takurua Mutu, Tuhua Mutu, Jayne Hendrikse, and Janine Kavanagh – have selected 10 deserving recipients to receive brand-new Giant bikes this Christmas, worth a total value of more than $10,000.

Since its inception, Share the Ride has delivered more than 300 bikes to the Rotorua community. The programme continues a legacy of fostering connection, mobility, and joy through cycling.

“We are always both humbled by the stories and excited to be able to support those most in need in our community through our Share the Ride programmes,” company director Takurua Mutu said.

Tak Mutu. Photo / Supplied

“We wholeheartedly recognise that there are very few organisations supporting grassroots mountain biking in Rotorua.

“Our aim is to lower barriers as much as possible and enable those who don’t have the means to become part of the riding community in one of the greatest mountain biking destinations in the world. We are proud to be leaders in this space, and we couldn’t do it without our amazing bike partners, Giant Bicycles New Zealand.”

Giant Bicycles New Zealand had been a supporter of nearly all the Share the Ride programmes since 2015, becoming official partners in 2021.

This year’s bike recipients will receive their gifts just in time for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, Takurua Mutu, Jayne Hendrikse, and their daughter, Maia Mutu, will deliver the bikes to the selected families.

“Mountain Bike Rotorua is proud to continue making a difference in the lives of Rotorua locals through initiatives like Share the Ride for Xmas,” Mutu said.

“As the year draws to a close, the entire team at Mountain Bike Rotorua, with our wider group of companies including Tohu Experiences and Crankworx, reflects on the power of community and the importance of creating opportunities for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.”