With a wide range of mountain biking trails in the area, Methven is a playground for bikers. Options range from an easy loop circuit through farmland around the Methven town boundary to adventurous downhill tracks & cross country trails at Mt Hutt. The nearby Hakatere Conservation Park also provides an array of options for mountain bikers.

Short & Sweet Rides
- Methven Walkway
- Lake Emma & Lake Camp

One Day Rides
- Mesopotamia
- Arrowsmith Station
- Mt Hutt Bike Park Downhill Trails
- Mt Hutt Forest Cross Country Trails

Multiple Day Rides
- Hakatere Conservation Park

Our quiet country roads (with stunning views up to the Southern Alps) also provide great flat riding for road cyclists.

Experience Mid Canterbury is committed to cycle recreation and is driving the development of the Braided Waters Cycle Trail, an “Otago Rail Trail” type concept which when completed will provide a 3m wide trail following some of the district's braided rivers and a network of canals, up to 145km in length. Sections of the trail are already completed, such as a great ride for families from Ashburton to Lake Hood (7km). View the Ashburton Walk & Cycle Map for more information.

Events

Round three of the NZ MTB Downhill Cup will be held at the Mt Hutt Bike Park on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st January 2012. The NZ MTB Downhill Cup is a series of six events, where a riders best five results (any five) will count towards a NZ MTB Downhill Cup title.

The annual Braziers Properties Girls on Bikes event (next held 18 February 2012) sees over 800 women cyclists converge on Methven for the weekend. Two courses (a 37km or 76km circuit) caters for every level of cyclist, first time to elite.

The Mt Somers Jeff Gray BMW Mountain Bike Race (next held 22 April 2012) is a very popular event in the district which offers three different track options through the iconic Mt Somers Station.

For more information on biking in the Methven region
contact the Methven i-SITE Visitor Centre.

   Big Al's, located in the centre
   of Methven, provides bike
   rental (full suspension x
   country and XC hardtrails),
   retail (including a good range
   of spares, tyres and tubes)
   and workshop facilities thanks
   to Shimano and Sram certified
   mechanic Richie.

   Make sure you pop-in to see
   the team for trail-maps, riding
   tips and information on all the
   local trails.

   Bike Methven holds several
   Mt Hutt Bike Park Shuttle Days
   each year, where for a small
   fee you can be ferried up the
   access road - as many times
   as your body can handle it!

   2011/2012 Dates:

   - 13 November 2011
   - 4 December 2011
   - 29 January 2012
   - 19 February 2012
   - 10 March 2012
   - 22 April 2012