UNOFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CYCLING REVOLUTION
History on the Heaphy
The Heaphy Track is a multi-day backcountry ride
with no equal in New Zealand - 78 outrageous
kilometres of benched singletrack snaking its
way across the top of the South Island. Originally
it was one of the routes used by Golden Bay
Maori to travel to the West Coast where they
collected pounamu. A century or two later
in the mid 1800’s gold prospectors (clearly
nascent mountain bikers) built the current pack-
track. After the gold rush the Heaphy became
overgrown and seldom used until the North
West Nelson Forest Park was formed in 1965.
In 1936 Wilf Broughton and Noel Pope
completed the first known Heaphy cycle trip
as part of a 21 day tour around the top of the
South Island. Hard men. Fast forward to the
80’s and 90’s and the track became a must-do
mountain bike adventure. Around 2000 cyclists
are estimated to have ridden it in the last year
prior to its closure in 1996 - when the Forest
Park became Kahurangi National Park. Legislation
precluded bikes on the Heaphy and a lengthy
campaign began to regain access. 15 long years
later in 2011, a three year trial will commence
allowing mountain biking on the Heaphy each
winter.
Few trampers bother with the Heaphy in the off-
season so although bitterly cold at night, it’s a good
time to be there. There’s also less rainfall and as it
was originally built for pack horses, the track has a
hard surface and is mostly well drained.
Fit parties need a couple of days, overnighting
at James Mackay or Saxon Huts. Budget on 6-9
hours riding each day. In winter 9 hours is about
all the daylight available. It’s worth taking your
time anyway - the riding is sublime and the
ever changing landscape stunning. Recreational
groups should allow three days and two nights
- and bigger packs for the extra food. Terrain is
mostly intermediate Grade 3+. It does get trickier
in the wet or cold, so is quite a step up from
say the Queen Charlotte or Otago Rail Trail. Add
remoteness to the cocktail and you’ll want to be
a good boy scout when planning your trip.
As a coast to coast traverse, the logistics can be
challenging. The easiest and most cost effective
option is to pair up with a team travelling in
the reverse direction and swap keys halfway.
Alternatives include a long bus trip or speedier
and pricier shuttles by plane or chopper.
UnderGround is published by Ground Effect, PO Box 4536, 10 B Tussock Lane, Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone +64 3 379 9174 ernie@groundeffect.co.nz www.groundeffect.co.nz
Issue 66 February 2011
by Guy Wynn-Williams
The trip is equally rewarding travelling in either Heaphy Hut is provided by two resident horses
direction. By virtue of a coin toss it’s described who cunningly push an outside tap with their
here starting in Collingwood and finishing in chins then drink from the basin.
Karamea. Heaphy Hut to Kohaihai
Brown Hut to Perry Saddle Hut 16.2 km, 3-4 hours
17.5 km, 2.5-3.5 hours This stunning section of track weaves through
The day starts with a gentle but persistent climb, nikau palms with native bush on one side and
winding through beech forest to Perry Saddle. the Tasman Sea thundering on the other. A
highlight of the journey and great way to finish.
Perry Saddle to Saxon Hut
12.4 km, 2-3 hours
A rough ‘n’ tumble downhill on quad-
bike track to Gouland Downs. At a
little over halfway you pass the historic
Gouland Downs hut. A quaint hang out
with a huge open fireplace.
Saxon to Mackay Hut
11.8 km, 2-3 hours
Boardwalks and groomed singletrack
climb to the James Mackay Hut with
its commanding view of the Heaphy
River and West Coast. Count on it being
desperately cold if you spend the night
here.
Mackay to Lewis Hut
12.5 km, 1-2 hours
A technical but invigorating and
sustained descent to the Lewis Hut.
It can be soft in places, so jump off
and walk any dodgy sections to avoid
damaging the track or your body.
Lewis to Heaphy Hut
8 km, 1.5-2.5 hours
Swing bridge city. If the rivers are low
and it’s a warm day the first two can be
avoided by diagonally crossing the two
rivers in front of the hut. Otherwise deploy
the approved swing bridge crossing
method: flip your bike on its back with the
rear wheel angled away from you at 45°,
hold the stem with one hand and propel
yourself by gripping the top wire with
your other hand. Entertainment at the
The Nitty Gritty
There are plenty out there keen to see the three year trial fail. Prove them wrong by following the rules:
• Stick to the winter season - May through September. Get caught outside of that time and you risk being
prosecuted.
• Watch out for walkers and other track users. In particular, resist temptation and ride with extra caution
down from Perry Saddle and Mackay Huts.
• Keep to the designated track - exploration by foot only.
• Be flexible and delay your trip in bad weather - DOC may close the track after heavy rain.
• Don’t hunt in packs - maximum group size is six.
• No night riding - to protect powelliphanta giant land snails and spotted kiwi.
• Keep the huts and verandahs bike-free.
• Follow the Mountain Bikers Code.
DOC huts are a bargain at $30 per night - with flushing toilets, 4 burner gas cookers and coal fires. Bookings
are essential at bookings.doc.govt.nz
Take the right equipment - you’ll need lightweight tramping style gear. Everything should fit into a 25-30 litre
pack.
Pack a comprehensive first aid and tool kit. A folding spare tyre is good insurance. Treat your bike to some
love before heading off. If you’re still running rim brakes, load some new pads and take a spare set.
www.doc.govt.nz (search ‘Heaphy’) has a swag of useful info. Get hold of the ‘Heaphy Track Map’ too. It
covers the entire track plus has some background notes.
If you can, linger at either end of the track. Other outstanding bike tracks in Golden Bay include Flora Saddle
to Barron Flat, the Rameka and aptly named Kill Devil. All three are open all year round. At least one night
in Karamea is an integral part of the West Coast Experience. Accommodation options include Rongo
Backpackers and the Last Resort. Spend time exploring the environs. The Oparara Arches are extraordinary.
Ernie’s Tech Tips
As one-time coach of the Swedish Nude Beach Volley Ball Team, our
virtual impresario and home-movie director has found himself implicated
in the WikiLeaks furore. He was last spotted waving a large magnet over
his hard drive and incinerating potentially damning correspondence
before going bush to let the situation cool. From a remote hill-top location
on the West Coast he has uploaded notes from his iPlod on essentials for
overnight excursions.
Weight Watcher’s Equipment Guide
For two or three day mountain bike trips the trick is to take the least amount of
stuff that you can safely get away with. This invariably means omitting a few
comforts but is a worthy sacrifice... tackling wonderful singletrack while being
loaded like a packhorse is not a good time.
Play it Safe
If you land in the cactus while in the back of beyond you’ve gotta yell pretty
loud to get help. Travelling light doesn’t mean foregoing emergency stuff and
you do need to make conservative decisions that reflect your ability to deal with
the unexpected. Typically this involves researching the area you’re heading into,
timing the trip with a decent weather forecast, making sure your bike is fit and
healthy, riding a little less on-the-edge than usual, and having the ‘huevos’ to turn
back if things aren’t going to plan. Mobile phones have limited coverage in the
NZ backcountry - but are occasionally useful to holler for help, text your mates or
call for pizzas.
Money or the Bag
Cart your stuff in a lightweight pack - about 25-30 litres capacity. Panniers are
great for off-road touring, but don’t cut the mustard on technical track, grovelling
through undergrowth or when carrying your bike. That said, a Freeload Rack with
a dry bag strapped to it can be an excellent option in open country. Tents and
sleeping mats are millstones best avoided. Plan your trip around huts and survive
the night with a compact 150-300g down sleeping bag (300-500g in winter)
coupled with a lightweight down jacket for stooging around the hut. Not always
a cozy pit, but good enough after a hard day in the saddle.
Toasty Warm
Even in summer it can get cold and wet. Pack a pair of Daddy Long Legs tights,
a Baked Alaska thermal top, perhaps a Submerino thermal base-layer, a Storm
Trooper rain jacket and Helter Skelters over-trou’. Plus a Baked Beanie for ya
noggin’ and some lightweight polypro gloves to wear under your cycling gloves.
I survive on a single riding top and pair of shorts. Washing your nether regions in
the evening helps avoid saddle sores.
Feed Me
You’ll need a lot of space for food. Choose wisely - check out the ‘Art of Food
and Bikes’ in Tech Tips at groundeffect.co.nz. Pre-cooked avoids the need for a
billy and stove but is a bit austere. If you’re in some dodgy place overseas, then a
water filter is good insurance. It’s worth paying extra for a high capacity model.
First Aid
Apart from the standard trail tools, it pays to pack some spare parts. Depending
on the terrain carry a few spokes, a folding tyre, rear hanger and/or derailleur. A
headlight and flashing tail light are handy if be-nighted, or suffer an after-dark
road-bash back to the car.
Surprisingly, your body is even more precious than your bike. Pack some heavy
duty painkillers, arnica, anti-inflammatory and antihistamine tablets, plaster and
dressings for nasty falls, a crepe bandage and survival blanket. You can score a
ready-made kit from St Johns Ambulance or aideport.com. If you haven’t done
so already, shuffle along to a basic first aid course.
Getting Lost
At the risk of stating the obvious carry a map, compass and the skills to use them.
If your route crosses private land then ask the land owner’s permission first... and
try to glean local knowledge from them. A GPS is a useful toy to know exactly
where you are, how far you climbed, how you got there and all sorts of other
train spotting data. For the paranoid or on truly death defying trips take an EPIRB
or Spot Tracker like they use in multi-day adventure races. Setting one off is like
blowing a whistle that the whole of the Southern Hemisphere can hear.
The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council regularly holds Outdoor Safety
Courses in First Aid, Navigation and even Risk Management. All handy tools for
your resumé.
Have fun and be careful out there.
Trail Tales
Accessibility
• Auckland Point Primary School in Nelson have begun
work on a new pump track in their grounds. They’ve signed
up Damian Stones, expert dirt sculptor, to build it. Having
a world class pump track right in the heart of Nelson will
be a huge boost for the local riding scene. The Slush Fund
paid for a pile of clay. Pump track laps for lunch - school
just got a lot more fun.
• Manning-Great Lakes Tip Riders is a newly formed
mountain bike club on the Mid North Coast of NSW.
They have been busy creating and restoring over 40km
of singletrack in Kiwarrak State Forest, 7km from the Taree
CBD. The Slush Fund bought a brush cutter to ease the
burden. The Club along with State Forests of NSW and
the Greater Taree City Council aim to promote mountain
biking in Kiwarrak and put the region on the map as a mtb
destination. www.mgltipriders.asn.au
• Bike Wanaka have recently completed work on the Albert
Town-Dublin Bay loop. 11.5km of buffed singletrack,
ideal for short races and day-night events. The Slush Fund
helped out with some digger time - essential for cutting
though winter permafrost. www.lakewanakacycling.com
• In 2009, Wellington’s PNP Cycling Club along with the
Outdoor Participation Trust created a new singletrack
descent from near the Alexander Road Saddle down
to the Hataitai Velodrome. Now complete, the Zig Zag
track provides a much longer and enjoyable route into
Mt Victoria. The Council were so impressed, they agreed
to extend the track so it now starts at the actual saddle.
Ground Effect helped cover the costs of a bridge and
boardwalk. Work is ongoing, volunteer by emailing
mtb@pnp.org.nz
• Whitianga Bike Park has had some issues with people
missing their entrance on SH27, leading to some dodgy
ABS braking moments. Rules and regulations prevented
a decent sign next to the highway. The entrance has now
been redesigned to allow a safer approach with a larger
sign. The Slush Fund bought the timber.
www.whitiangabikeclub.co.nz
Ground Effect has always supported initiatives that
improve the lot for cyclists. If your club or organisation
has a worthy project that needs funds to make it real,
bang a note to slushfund@groundeffect.co.nz.
Gig Guide
• The Bike Buller Mtb Festival, 5-6 March. Mt Buller, VIC.
Catering for the recreational rider to committed racer. A
two day stage race including XC, Super-D, live music &
even a kids’ race. www.rapidascent.com.au/bikebuller
• Ground Effect Singletrack Fiesta, 19 March. Living
Springs, Christchurch. Don’t hang up your bicicleta de
montaña for the winter just yet. Join this fun day of racing at
www.singletrack.org.nz/events
• Grape Ride, 2 April. Marlborough. The South Island’s
biggest cycling event loops 101km on the road through
Marlborough’s vineyards and the Marlborough Sounds.
www.graperide.co.nz
• Around Brunner Cycle Ride, 16 April. West Coast. 130km
sealed circuit taking in typically stunning West Coast
scenery. www.aroundbrunner.co.nz
• Dirt Works 100km Classic, 1 May. St. Albans, NSW.
Follows the historic convict trail along the Old Great North
Road. The course includes a unique 60m kayak bridge
across the Macdonald River.
www.maxadventure.com.au/100kmclassic/nsw
• Moonride, 13-14 May. Rotorua. 24,12 or 6 hours of
madness and fun with short laps of Rotorua’s legendary
Whakarewarewa singletrack. Team up or go it alone.
www.moonride.co.nz
• Red Centre Mtb Enduro, 16-20 May. Alice Springs, NT. A
mountain bike adventure over five days at the red centre
of Australia. It’s a multi-day stage race without multi-day
logistics - all seven stages start and finish within rolling
distance of Alice Springs.
www.rapidascent.com.au/anacondamtbenduro
For up-to-date information on all Ground Effect events
check out www.groundeffect.co.nz/events
Inside Out We do due diligence on the business end
of our riding shorts – the Softail pad.
Perfect Padding
Common to all bikes (well, maybe not unicycles) are the contact points between bike and body: the pedals; handlebar; and seat. Stiff shoes,
gloves with plenty of grip and padded shorts are must-haves. Craggy cyclists of yesteryear wore tightly knitted woollen shorts that were cut and
shaped to provide a smooth interface with the bike seat. A thin leather ‘chamois’ pad minimised friction between seat and backside – minimal
padding but less rubbing. That was fine for the pros but not so great for less-hardened recreational cyclists.
Synthetic fibres developed in the post-war era ushered new technology into cycling. Durable, quick-drying nylon replaced wool and the now
ubiquitous lycra provided knitted fabrics with amazing 4-way stretch and recovery. By the 70’s, pads generally combined foam padding with a top
layer of fabric for next-to-skin comfort. Ground Effect joined the timeline in the mid 90’s with our simple ‘Monolithic’ pad – a 3D moulded number
with an anti-microbial finish, no seams and a relatively thick layer of foam. Curiously pads were still generically referred to as ‘chamois’, even though
leather had been supplanted by better performing synthetics.
Sometimes less is more. In this case foam and therefore comfort. In the 00’s, after trialling a broad range of options from the best European
suppliers, we upgraded to our Softail pad. The top layer was textured for improved moisture dispersion but more critically, featured multi-level
foam with thicker cushioning over the sitting bones and thinner where bulk can cause rubbing. Now in present time, the Softail pad has evolved
to its current specification with a few more improvements for 2010. We’re continually testing and evaluating advances in technology used in the
world’s best pads. Many concepts failed to impress when finalising this latest version – gel inserts didn’t breathe, felt squiggy and didn’t seem
to spread the load effectively. Thick foam caused discomfort. With a variety of bums and riding styles on test, we opted for a dual density foam
core (thinner but with more support where it counts), 4-way stretch to match the shaping of modern 10 panel shorts and reverted to an entirely
seamless construction. Women’s and men’s versions share the same features but vary in length, width and moulded shape.
The Softail is a well resolved pad that delivers optimum comfort and performance for most cyclists. Rave reports from customers certainly reinforce
that we’ve got it about right. A final pearl though… your bum’s well-being is not just determined by your choice of shorts. The brand of saddle,
seat height and angle, and how much riding you’re doing to toughen up your nether regions all play a major part. Sounds like a great excuse to
spend more time on the bike. Frase, Ground Effect Product Designer

Supersonics
NZ$129
Fabric: ShockWave™ Lycra®
Sizes: S, M, L, XL

Mojos
NZ$129
Fabric: ShockWave™ Lycra®
Sizes: WS, WM, WL

Mojo Rising
New Zealand company Ground Effect has a reputation for producing high
quality clothing at reasonable prices. The Mojos are the women’s version of
their top of the range lycra shorts. On first appraisal they are an understated
and low key piece of kit. Looks deceive though. They are constructed with
Viv negotiates some holiday pay. Photo: Caleb Smith

10 panels and curved, colour contrasting seams. The curves are not only
flattering but also allow the lycra fabric to stretch and mimic your body’s
Our Softail™ pad delivers unparalleled comfort movements. The fabric is soft, comfortable, non-shiny and looks good.
for those gnarly long days in the saddle. This is an area where Ground Effect excels - making kit that women (and
> Differential density, multi-level foam construction presumably men) of all shapes and sizes can wear and enjoy. The Mojos
provides additional padding at pressure points without don’t have leg grippers, so there’s no dreaded ‘stuffed sausage’ effect for
increased bulk. those with less than perfectly sculpted thighs. Despite the lack of grippers,
> 3D anatomical shaping and the shorts’ legs don’t shift or cause irritation, remaining comfortable even
seamless construction hug your on the longest rides. The quick-drying synthetic chamois pad is genuinely
body for a performance fit. comfortable, with different densities of foam where needed and an anti-
> Polyester-knit face fabric bacterial finish. A simple interior lumbar pouch is useful for stashing tissues.
against your skin disperses heat There’s also a reflective logo on one thigh.
and moisture. Verdict: A supremely comfortable and flattering pair of hardwearing lycra
> It has an anti-bacterial finish shorts. Especially good for those who dislike leg grippers.
and dries rapidly after washing. Leonie Jennings - road.cc
 free bandanna Got a couple of mates who are itching to join the Cycling Revolution, and who live at a different
address from you? Scratch down their details and we’ll spring you a free Bandanna.
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Classic NZ Road Rides NZ$39

by Kieran Turner and Jonathan Kennett
An invaluable guide to sport and
recreational road riding. Details 100 great
rides along with maps, altitude graphs,
traffic volumes and colour photos -
catering to the Sunday coffee rider
through to those seeking out NZ’s only
hors categorie climb. Also includes
advice on buying a bike, training,
racing - and on the old age question of
whether to shave your legs, or not.

Back in the post-University, pre-Kahurangi days a gaggle of us

were riding the Heaphy. Climbing up to James Mackay Hut, Daryl
mashed his rear derailleur. We’re hovering around - poking, prodding and offering unhelpful advice when the clouds parted (literally) and a
blond apparition approached the hut. Darryl all casual-like, selflessly announces “She’ll be right guys. You carry on, I’ll stay here and single-
speed back tomorrow. See you in Karamea.” Predictably that was the last we saw of the him. The couple was spotted by another party
walking out the next day. There was a note on the car cryptically advising us he’d make his own way home. Shortly after Darryl followed his
muse to Australia and on to Canada. I on the other hand completed the trip with a bout of giardia - or something disturbingly similar. The
ying and yang of mountain biking. Laurence Mote, Ground Effect

Louise Sutherland: Spinning the Globe NZ$20

The sixth title in the New Zealand Cycling Legends series. Louise
Sutherland’s story of a life dedicated to long distance cycling is remarkable.
On her single-speed and trailer she pedaled solo around the world -
60,000 km through 54 countries. Earlier adventures included cycling over
the then still-incomplete Haast Past Road and up the Greenstone Valley.
She went on to become the first person to cycle across Brazil on the
somewhat inaccurately named Trans-Amazonian highway.

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