After a stellar debut in 2022, NZ’s first e-bike festival, Cyclorama returns to Arrowtown October 21st and 22nd 2023 featuring eight exciting rides for e-bikers of all interests and abilities.
The Festival's debut saw 300 riders enjoy six different curated rides around the majestic region. With overwhelming positive feedback from attendees, the event returns this year with three new rides alongside first year favourites such as Tour de Gourmet, Hop Trail, Pedaling Pinot and Ride to the Sky.
“We were thrilled by the response to our debut festival,” says festival director, Dave Gibson. “We are excited to increase our programme in 2023 with three new rides as well as bring back the return of our most popular rides. With a great range of rides across different interests and for a range of abilities, we look forward to welcoming riders to Arrowtown this October”
Alongside the rides, the popular festival village located on Butler's Green in Arrowtown will also return. The Festival Village will host a wide range of retailers showcasing the latest in e-bike technology, gear and accessories. Food and coffee trucks will be serving across the day, and from early afternoon through to evening there will be live music and drinks.
Bookings for all rides are open now via the website www.cyclorama.co.nz and for those traveling from out of town, links to local e-bike rentals can also be found on the website.
2023 PROGRAMME
RIDE TO THE SKY
Tickle the turbo button for stunning views
Last year local e-MTB guide, Shay Muddle, took riders up Mt Rosa. This year he’s taking the ride to new and different heights – Arrowtown’s Crown Peak.
You’ll ride from the Festival Village in Arrowtown up Tobin’s Track before you reach Glencoe Station and begin the main part of the breathtaking ride up the hill to Crown Peak. At the top you’ll be rewarded with amazing views back to Queenstown and across to Wanaka and beyond.
This ride requires reasonable MTB experience – it will give you a chance to challenge yourself and take your riding to the next level. Ride to the Sky is considered grade 3+ with decent climbs (1426 metres) and epic descents.
CORONET CAPER
Hosted on hard core trails by hard core e-MTB fiends for hard core riders
Let local e-MTB riders show you what a lot of locals already know – there is a lot of adventure to be had if you know where to look.
So if the names ‘Rude Rock’, ‘Zoot & Groot’, ‘Upper Hotrod’, ‘Dan O’Connells’, ‘Pack Track n Sack’, ‘Skippers’ and the ‘Water Race’ conjure up a sense of excitement and anticipation for the adrenaline junkie, then this is the ride for you.
In small groups to maximize your ride time, get to grips with the jewels of Queenstown’s mountain bike trails, with ‘Ride Guide’ Finn O’Conner and ‘T-man’ Tony Moore. Taking into account weather and trail conditions, Finn and T-man will craft three hours of full-on, tech flow trails from Coronet’s arsenal. To start, you’ll be shuttled to the base of Coronet Peak keeping your battery fresh for your imminent adventure; your ride back through Bush Creek to the Festival Village in Arrowtown will top off an epic time in the hills.
This experience is mainly grade 4 advanced with a bit of grade 5 sprinkled in for good measure. The distance is hard to estimate but expect up to 35km with plenty of vertical descent and it’s likely to be 90% flowing, bike specific trail, and 100% stunning scenery.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Artists in Action
This leisurely e-bike ride introduces you to some of the region’s most amazing sculptors.
Embark on a cultural journey of discovery as you visit the studios and workshops of local well-known contemporary sculptors. The ride, which explores the trails around Arrowtown, is led by Fiona Garlick, an Arrowtown based bronze sculptor. She also loves getting on her e-bike so after a look around her studio you’ll continue on your biking adventure with her.
Time in the studios and workshops of Shane Woolridge, Lee van der Geest and Jasmine Clarke will give you an insight into their practices and materials including bronze, stone, metal, bull kelp, willow, wire, bones and driftwood. Ask questions about materials and processes and have the opportunity to play with slate and wire.
Meet the Artists includes a light lunch with coffee and cake in Lee van der Geest’s fabulous straw bale home, as well as studio visits to all four sculptors and brief visits to a couple of in-situ sculptures. This is a grade 2 ride.
NIGHT RIDER
A tour of the night sky
As day turns to dusk, jump on your bike and head along the scenic, cruisy, grade 2 Gibbston river trail to your stargazing destination.
Hosted by Brian Boyle, a former professional astrophysicist who was part of the team that discovered the acceleration of the Universe, this special e-bike ride explores the night sky in more ways than one.
This is not your normal astronomy tour. Out in Gibbston in the middle of a vineyard, Brian has built his own ‘roll-off roof’ observatory to house his collection of telescopes and cameras, used to capture his exceptional images. Brian connects the telescopes to screens to show the stars and planets above while enthusiastically explaining the intricacies of the night sky. A photography buff, Brian will help you create your own artistic version of the dark sky.
Brian also brews beer from his own hop plants. You’ll be able to try his cosmic brew alongside a selection of tapas as you listen to his musings about the night sky.
After this amazing session, switch on the night lights for a different kind of ride back to Arrowtown or we can transport you and your bike to Arrowtown.
TOUR DU GOURMET
A progressive degustation experience
This year, we celebrate a new route and some great food from the Queenstown Lakes region.
Cyclorama’s ‘piece de resistance’ – this hallmark ride was very popular with our riders last year. The Tour de Gourmet is a foodie orientated ride that meanders along the trails outside Arrowtown. Soak up the stunning scenery while enjoying some of the best food that the region serves up.
The grade 2 ride includes delicious, locally inspired menus with appropriate beverage matches at each stop. Please advise vegetarian & vegan dietary requirements at the time of booking.
PEDALING PINOT
Meet the Wild Irishmen
Hosted by the godfather of Pinot Noir in Central Otago, Alan Brady, this ultra scenic ride from Arrowtown through to the world famous Gibbston, ‘Valley of the Vines’, to experience the ultimate Pinot wine tasting is not to be missed.
Follow the grade 2 Arrow River Bridges and Kawarau River trails heading to the celebrated Gibbston wine region, taking in splendid sights en route to Kinross Cellar Door and Bistro.
At Kinross meet Alan, who, in his 80s and not ready to retire, just can’t stop making great wine! Having founded Gibbston Valley Winery in 1983, then Mt Edward Winery, he has now been joined by another (younger!) Irishman, Brian Shaw, in Wild Irishman. Wild Irishman now boasts six single vineyard pinots from sites in Gibbston, Bannockburn and Alexandra, bringing to fruition their catchphrase “a journey down the rivers of Kawarau and Clutha”.
Your journey with Alan and Brian will involve tastings from those six vineyards with a discussion of terroir, climate and the concept of ‘hands off’ winemaking. There’ll also be time for musings and questions. After the tasting in the fabulous new, purpose-built Brady room, Alan and Brian will join you in the Kinross Wine Garden for a delicious lunch with an accompanying glass of wine.
THE HOP TRAIL
Brew up an adventure
Traversing land that is not usually open to the public and culminating in a dedicated beer tasting at one of the Queenstown Lakes’ most celebrated breweries, Altitude Brewery, this grade 3+ ride is for those with a love of adventure and liquid gold!
After a good climb up an exclusive farm track with staggering views from the top, head down to Altitude Brewery for a session amongst the vats and paraphernalia that is all about brewing. Hosted by the brewery team, you’ll be let into a few secrets of beer production as you taste some of their favourite beers including their established classics like Mischievous Kea IPA and Sled Dog Hazy, plus a selection of more recent brews like Zen Shiro Sake Pilsner.
After a fortifying pizza lunch with a beer of your choice, ride back to Arrowtown via the Twin Rivers trail or we’ll pick you up and shuttle you back to the Festival Village.
AWAKE WITH THE BIRDS
Be first on the tracks
A ride so lovely it’s unchanged from 2022. Enjoy a leisurely morning e-bike ride around Lake Hayes, pedaling your way to wetlands and the lake shore to check out local birdlife.
October is a great month for bird watching as spring is in full swing, and you’ll be guided by zoologist and experienced nature guide, Petrina Duncan. Keep a look out for crested grebes, black shag, New Zealand scaup, white-faced herons, black swans, kingfishers, waterfowl and coot.
The grade 2 ride includes coffee and pastries back in the Festival Village at a table reserved just for you. Relax after your ride and discuss what you’ve seen. Binoculars are supplied or bring your own.
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