Rider Profiles 2019

Name: Paul Browne
Age: 47
Profession: Planning Manager
Home Town: Auckland
Experience: I used to ride to school
Bike: Van Dessel WTF (Monstercross)
Camping: yes, in my bivvy bag 
Other: I love water: “Now that's what I call high-quality H2O”




Name:  Peter Simmonds
Age:            61
Profession:     Occupational Hygienist 
Home Town:      Christchurch
Experience:     Mountain biking
Bike:           Giant Anthem 27.5
Camping         Entent double layer tent, Sea to Surf Trek sleeping bag
Other:
No image supplied


Rachel Berry
47
Vet
West coast
Specialized jett
KB TA GSB
Tent mat and bag


Name: John Keene
Age: 52
Profession: Stunt double for Poppa Smurf / Civil Servant
Home Town: Upper Hutt
Experience: Limited at best... Brevette Virgin (...be gentle)
Bike: Giant XTC advance
Camping Bivy Bag
Other: I expect tears, I expect tantrums...I expect to be smile'n from ear to ear when finished!


Stu Smith
54
Finance
Auckland
TA and KB
Wilson (photo attached)
Camping - only when needed (pubs are good)
Always looking for an excuse to ride my bike and explore some good country


Name: Sue O’Malley
Age: 60 years
Profession: Medical Specialist
Home town: Christchurch 
Experience: Iceland 3 tours
           Tour Aoteoroa 2018
Bicycle: 29” Surly Ogre

Coming: Yes


Name: Andrew Laurie
Age: 47
Profession: Scientist
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: Mainly longish day rides and races, plus 2018 Le Petite
Brevet and Kahurangi 550 circuit.
Bike: Cube Reaction 29
Camping: Yep, 1-person tent, no cooker


Name: Ken Howat
Age:  60
Profession:  Trades Manager (Building Maintenance)
Home Town: From Hokitika, now living in Mandeville, North Canterbury
Experience:  Recreational cyclist, some touring,  first brevet. 
Bike: Giant XTC 29'er
Camping: Sleeping bag and bivy. 
Other: Thank you to Scott and team for organising this great event.  Looking forward to long days biking, awesome scenery and no cell phone reception! 

Matt Dewes
Age: 33
Profession: Senior Designer
Home Town: Wellington
Experience: Washed up XC racer - 2 x World Champs representing NZ. 1 x TA and plenty of bikepacking and touring adventures over the years 
Bike: Soma Wolverine
Camping: Lightweight tent
Other: See you out there


Name: Randal Phillips
Age: 49
Profession: Dark Beer Specialist 
Home Town: Upper Hutt
Experience: Half a TA
Bike: Avanti Bitza
Camping: Lightweight tent, sleeping bag & pad.  
Other: Why, why, why???

Name: Wendy Griffiths
Age: argh, my maths ain't too good these days
Profession: Scientist
Home Town: Hamilton
Experience: Geyserland Mega Grind '17 and '18
Bike: Niner SIR 9
Camping: Yes
Other: Regaining fitness following injury. Looking forward to new challenges and scenery.


Name : David Moss
Age : 62
Profession: Builder
Home Town: Lower Hutt
Experience: 2018 Geyserland Mega Grind (1450 kms), 2019 GSB
Bike: 2016 Salsa Fargo
Camping: bivvy bag, thermarest mattress, Macpac sleeping bag
Other: frame bag by Stealth, remaining bags by Oveja Negra. 


Name:  John O’Malley
Age: 60
Profession: Photographer
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: TA18
Bike: Surly Ogre with Jones bars, Profile T3 aerobars, Surly 8-pack front rack, SP dynamo with Supernova E3 light, Salsa front racks for water, mixture of Revelate, BBD, and Twin Needle bags
Camping: Planning too…
Other: Riding with Sue O’Malley and Peter Simmonds



Name: Gary Mckenzie
Age: 48
Profession: Crash Test Dummy
Home Town: Alexandra
Experience: Started a couple of events.
Bike: Niner RLT 9 Steel
Camping  Tarp tent, Thermarest neoair xlite, Zpacks sleeping bag, Sea to summit aeros pillow.


Name : Bill McSweeney
Age: 60yrs
Profession: retired GP
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: Nil, this is my first bike packing adventure
Bike: KHS 27.5 hardtail
Camping: MacPac 'Bush Cocoon'   tent
Other: Seems like a great way to explore both the Rainbow & Molesworth Roads for the first time.


Name: Nick Scott
Age: 57
Profession: Software Engineer
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: None
Bike: Giant Revolt
Camping Yes
Other: First Brevet(te)

Sorry, no photo. It's my first Brevet!

John Roberston
45
Public Servant 
Paraparaumu
Rookie
Specialized Comp Crave 2014
Yup-Tent
One half of Team Miami Vice with the "man with the beautiful hair" aka Don Montgomery


Don Montgomery
45
IT Guy
Wellington
TA2018 and that’s about it
Trek Checkpoint
Tent, Sleeping Bag and cold meals

Name: Claire Healing
Age: 51
Profession: 
Accountant – I will be counting each km
Home Town: Hokitika
Experience: Lots of experience shopping for new toys/accessories, new to brevet riding
Bike: Specialised Rhyme full susser..
Camping: Yes, when not biking or at the cafe
Other: Anyone else got one of these handlebar accessories ..great for checking the distance as the crow flies.


Thierry Jutel
58
Lecturer
Wellington
Avid mountainbiker. Some bikepacking but not in organised events. Last event I entered (TA 2018), I managed to break a wrist before the start.
Bike: Giant XTC, Jones bar, Stealth bags (including a frame bag not shown in the picture) and other smaller bags. 
Camping: Macpac sololight, just the fly
Other: doing the Brevette and not in a rush to get through the journey


Name: Abe Moore
Age: 46
Profession: Manager (Education)
Home Town: Blenheim
Experience: First timer brevette, mostly Mtb and more recently some cx/ gravel riding.
Bike: Merida 600 cx with power saddle,  aero bars
Camping with 1 person tent and will find places to stay on the way. No cooking gear but a few brevette breakfasts.
Other: will be on look out for swimming spots


Name: Andrew Hall         
Age: 39
Profession: Horizontal lift operator
Home Town: Porirua
Experience: Could always do with more
Bike: 2016 Trek Stache 7 frankenbike
Camping: Yes 

Other: Second part of team Kane and Andy


Name:  Ross Cheesman
Age:  62 – old enough to know not to do this sort of thing
Profession:  Mad scientist
Home Town:  Bogan town- Upper Hutt
Experience:  A wee bit but I don’t seem to have learned much
Bike:  Giant Advanced 29er hardtail
Camping:  Yep, lightweight tent, sleeping gear, no cooking gear
Other:  I seem to be carrying more and more


Name: Tony Little
Age: 53
Profession: Aircraft Engineer
Home Town: Blenheim
Experience: 2x kiwibrevet, long time trail MTBer
Bike: Marin Pine Mountain 2
Camping: Yes, Macpac Sololight, but hotels are good (they have beer & food)
Other: Still the only tandem (with Andy Gilbert) to complete the full Kiwibrevet?


Name: David Williamson
Age: 51
Profession: Beef farmer
Home Town: Maungaturoto
Experience: Kiwi Brevette 2017 and other bits and pieces
Bike: Lynskey Ridgeline 29
Camping : Tent 
Other: The less other the better


Name: John McLaren
Age: 38
Profession: Project Manager
Home Town: Cambridge
Experience: This is my first brevet, but have been riding bikes for years.
Bike: Van Nicholas Zion Rohloff
Camping: Yes Biving
Other: Will be riding with Dee Nagle, when she is not leaving me in her dust


Name: Mark Symons - aka Dinglebob
Age: 54
Profession: Project Manager and aspiring professional bikepacker. 
Home Town: Alexandra
Experience: Hopefully a good one with lots of food.
Bike: Cannondale of some description....
Camping: Yes, minimal 
Other: Anyone for coffee??

Name: Murray (Muzza) McDonnell
Age: 61
Profession: Retired IT dude.
Home Town: Melbourne
Experience: Old school touring cyclist, now mainly looking for great gravel back roads. I have cycled a fair few trails in OZ and NZ South Island. Parts of Munda Biddi, Mawson, Tassie, Rode Canberra to Melb (parts of Hunt 1000) last two years. A2O, West Coast Wilderness, Otago, Clutha Gold, … usual suspects
Bike: Ogre
Camping: Bivy, Tarp for this trip

Other: Happy to walk a hill, stop and take a photo, say G’Day to a local along the way.


Name: Kane Thornburrow
Age: 41
Profession: RNZAF
Home Town: Palmerston North
Experience: 2017 Kiwi Brevet, 2017 Geyserland Mega Grind, OGR-Heaphy Loop, 25+ years of MTBing
Bike: Charge Cooker steel HT 29er, 2x10, aerobars, bar ends, Brooks B17, Stans Crest rims with Race Kings
Camping: Wild Country Zephyros 2 Lite tent, Exped inflatable mat, SOL Escape Bivvy Bag, silk liner, minimal cooking gear
Other: Full Revelate bags, Garmin Etrex 20x, Exposure lighting, Ground Effect cycling kit. Riding with Andrew Hall as team Kane and Andy



Name: Brendan McGrath
Age: 46 
Profession: Works Planner, Dad, Cyclist 
Home Town: Grew up in chch, 13 years in Auckland, 3 in Wellington
Experience: Um.. 24 years of road racing, first vechicle license at 33.. all the about the bike.
Bike: Trek Stach5 Rigid.. 3'  tyres.. riding a couch! 
Camping : yes, far from the maddening crowd, Tent,Matteress,Bag, kitchen sink..
Other: Been racing for decades, riding since 5years old .. pausing for a year or two to smell the roses (back to work fulltime since dec...eeekkk)... choosen going slow & heavy.. lots of coffee.. stopping early and starting late.. taking picutres..you might be in them or a video ;-)


Name:  Jamie Woods
Age:  60
Profession:  Environmental Compliance
Home Town:  Rangiora
Experience:  I've enjoyed doing several multi-day bike packing trips throughout Aotearoa at a fairly relaxed pace, so I am looking forward to the new experience of the Brevet culture in this part of the country!
Bike:  Old school, Specialized 29 HT triple ring Stumpjumper
Camping  Macpac Solo fly
Other: Local fare, coffee and pies

Steve Bilton
IT Consultant
Torbay, Auckland
KB15, TA16, several gravel grind events and other personal bikepacking trips.
Specialised Stumpjumper Pro HT
Freedom Mono tent, sea2summit mat, MEC sleeping bag, all ultralight


Name: Leonie Smith
Age: 43
Profession: Police Detective
Home Town: Rotorua 
Experience:  Reasonably new to bike packing.  I’ve done a lot of Endurance events, Southern traverse, 24 hour races, Ironman etc.  I did the Gravel grind and Mega Grind in 2017, and a few other 3 day trips in 2018 / 2019.  Have never done longer than 3 days on the bike before so this will be interesting!  
Bike: Giant XTC 29er hardtail.
Camping:  I hate camping, have not yet mastered the art of falling asleep in a tent. I’ll be looking for camping grounds or Hotels wherever I go!  I do have an Active Intent tent that I hopefully won’t have to use..
Other: I’m super excited about seeing new parts of the country and meeting lots of other crazy people like me.


Name: Gareth Gregg 
Age: 46 
Profession: Dentist 
Home Town: Tauranga 
Experience: Geyseland Gravel Grind 2018, a couple of Gravel Grovels organized by me for a few mates, lots of road biking including Taupo Enduro and K4 
Bike: Velo Orange Piolet with a mixture of bags, Revelate Designs Terrapin saddlepack and Gas Tank, Oveja Negra handle bar harness and an awesome custom frame bag made by Paula from Dragonfish 
Camping : Nordisk Telemark 1 Tent 
Other: Just going to try and survive....... 


Name: Chris Shaw
Age: 44
Profession: Part time builder/full time Dad
Home Town: Wellington
Experience: Randos and some bike packing
Bike: Mason Bokeh
Camping: Yes, as often as possible and with a pillow too (74g)
Other: No rush for me, my mother in law kindly offered to have the kids for the week.


Name: Carl Penwarden
Age: 55
Profession: Electrical Engineer, working at Abletech a Wellington based Web and Mobile software development company. 
Home Town: Wellington
Experience: Early 2000s Tandem Cycle Touring with my wife (we still use the tandem), keen mountain biker, Tour Aotearoa 2018 was my first bike packing experience. 
Bike: Singular Swift (2008) with Rohloff Speed Hub, Son Dynamo and Brooks Saddle

Camping : I'm using a Tarptent Moment DW which I'm extremely happy with, lots of room for 1kg.
Other: When I'm not riding I drive my Electric VW Beetle which I converted 2 years ago: https://stories.abletech.nz/etrixie-vlog-617e9fd86a6b

No photo Supplied


Name: Rod Pearson
Age: 44
Profession: Architectural technician
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: Started riding trikes at 3 and the rest is history. 
Bike: Felt Nine 3 
Camping : Tent, no cooker


Name: Caleb Hill
Age: 31
Profession: Business owner, Mortimer Upholstery & Marine Covers. Nelson Shade Solutions. Nelson Bars Marquee & Events Hire
Home Town: Nelson, Lower Moutere
Experience: Brevet none. recreational road and MTB riding.
Bike: Cube Attention SL, 29er Hard tail
Camping : Tent. 1 person.

Other: I am a pretty competitive person by nature so we will see how it goes. For my first multi day bike ride I think it will be a battle against myself


Name: Mark Hastings
Age: 49
Profession: IT Project Manager
Home Town: Auckland
Experience: Not much, some overnighters
Bike: Bombtrack Beyond 1
Camping : Tarp and Bivvy
Other: Inspired  / Pushed / Coerced / Forced…by the Legendary Rob Davidson

Name: Shaun Jackson
Age: 45
Professional: Roadman
Home Town: Arthur’s Pass
Experience: Hopefully will be an awesome experience
Bike: xtc
Camping: Yes please. Camping is great.
Other: Gaiter Class?

Alison Couldrey
60
Osteopath
Nelson
Surley Ogre
Camping

Cycle tours, Tour Aotearoa 2018, Kiwi Brevette 2017


Andy Trevelyan
53
Communication Manager
Christchurch
Been riding bikes since I can remember. Like the longer, slower stuff. 
Member of Kiwi Randonneurs.
GT Grade with mix of bags (pity about 35mm max tyre clearance!!) mix of 
bag.
Exped Hyperlite mattress, Intent Solutions tent. Kathmandu Pathfinder 
bag.


Jo Wilson
Age 61
Physiotherapist (trying to retire)
Alexandra
Munda Biddi,2013 and Mawson Trail  2014 in Australia
XPD adventure race 2007
Giant Trance 27.5"

Joe Sherriff
Age 67
Retired anaesthetist
Alexandra
Munda Biddi and Mawson Trails in Australia,  Tour Aotearoa 2018.
XPD adventure race 2007  Godzone pure 2017.
Scott Spark 29" with BOB trailer carrying all our gear.

Accommodation booked in  Havelock, Okiwi Bay, Mapua and Wakefield. Camping the remaining nights.

Photo to follow

Name - Richard Hiles-Smith
Age - 53
Profession - Project Manager
Home Town - Auckland
Experience - Couple of Brevettes and a few one dayer's like Lake Hawea & St James
Bike - Scott Scale with plenty of insulation tape holding everything on
Camping - Minimum I think I can get away with. Bivvy bag and a liner subject to a study of the weather forecast beforehand
Other - Dreaming about those ruts in the road from the saddle down to Hamner already!



Steve Halligan
 42
 Business Owner/ Retreat
 Hanmer Springs
 3 Kiwi Brevets, Tour Divide, Terra Australis Bike Epic
 Salsa Fargo Ti 
 Z Packs Solo Tent , Sea To Summit Ultra light Mat, Z Packs  Sleeping Mat ,
 Looking forward to another KB ride through amazing scenery 



Name: Bruce Maunsell
Age: 56
Profession: Self Employed bike rider
Home Town: King Country
Experience: Increasing
Bike: Giant Tough Road
Camping: Probably
Other: Yes




Name:  Jared Laverty
Age: 35
Profession: Electronics Engineer
Home Town: Dunedin
Experience: Kiwi Brevett 2017, TA 2018, Part of The Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail)
Bike: Giant XTC Advanced (Carbon Hardtail 29er)
Camping: Tent, sleeping bag, mat
Other:   Sweet as bike packing bags by Robo-Kiwi


Name: Anders Waiker
Age:  48
Profession: Bike frame builder. Crucial Custom Cycles
Home Town: Wellington
Experience: 2018 Tour Aotearoa
Bike:  Custom steel monster-cross with Schmidt SL dynamo hub
Camping:  Only under duress
Other:  1/3 of team Cee Three

Name: Marcus Baguley
Age:  48   
Profession: Software Developer
Home Town: Wellington
Experience: TA2018 
Bike: Custom Hardtail Ti 29er, Rolhoff, beltdrive, Son dynahub 
Camping:  Maybe
Other:  

Name  Brett Burns
Age:     51
Profession: Civil Servant
Home Town: Blenheim
Experience: 1st real Brevet (or in this case Brevette) Heaps of biking experience over the years
Bike: 2018 Merida Big Nine 700 Hardtail chosen specifically for Brevet's and the like.
Camping:  Marmot Titanium single tent, Kathmandu Sleeping bag, usual other equipment.
Other:  Ground Effect Limousine shorts, Brooks Cambium C17 seat, Stealth bags everywhere on bike. Alternative footwear (Jandal's) stored in the spokes 
Just got to hope this wind blows out cos it has been long enough now.
Name: Andre Galbraith
Age: 45
Profession: Village Idiot
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience: Lots of Spectating 
Bikes: Salsa Fargo
Camping: Yes please!
Other: Many thanks to the organisers
Name: Denise Thorne & Geof Blance aka Muurtle Tuurtle
Age: 110
Profession: Business Person and Government Employee
Home Town: Sunny Alexandra 
Experience: Some pie and ice cream eating and went for Mexican once. 
Bikes: Two; one Orange and one Gold
Camping: Yip a well used Cuben Fibre one.
Other: Keen to see the scenery and sample some ales. 

Name: Cliff Clermont
Age: 49
Profession: Civil engineer
Home Town: Carlsbad, CA and visit Wellington often. 
Experience: KBs, GSBs, TAs, SCs and an AZT.  Not always successful, but still learning.  
Bike: Trek Fuel EX
Camping  My sleep system is in constant development.
Other: 


Name: Graham Collis
Age: Just started the 70th year
Profession: Semi retired "carer of the soil"
Home Town: Christchurch
Experience:Comes with age
Bike: Stevens Carbon Cyclocross
Camping : Yes
Other: Photo is attached. I have replaced the rear carrier with a bag, just because I can !!!!

My name is Debbie Ardern
Age-52
I live in Richmond we have lived here for 18 months bofore that i lived in Hamilton for  about 21 years
I did my first cycle tour in 2002 up around Coromandel on gravel roads. I carried panniers back then with tents cookers etc.
I have been cycle touring off and on since then with my husband
We wont be camping this trip.


Name: Grant Timlin
Age: 64
Profession: Home maker
Home Town: Porirua
Experience: Once, behind the bike shed
Bike: Surly ECR with Rohloff Hub
Camping 3 person Tarp Tent 1.5kg, Exped full length matt, MacPac Escapade 150 sleeping bag. MSR Pocket rocket. Revelate bags, mostly.
Other:  ACL reconstruction four months ago. Doing this for rehab.....and fun.


Name: Andy Chalmers
Age: 30
Profession: Improvement/High Performance
Home town: Christchurch 
Experience: Contact Epic x2, McLeans 6hr Solo, ATCC, a couple of adventures by bike
Bike: Trek Checkpoint ALR5, 45mm Wtb Riddlers, Apidura kit.
Camping: Sleeping bag, mat and small fly. No cooking gear
Other: USB lighting system, cues and cycle computer. 


Name: Tom Burleigh
Age: 30
Experience: Tour Aotearoa 2016 and 2018, plus some shorter trips
Camping gear: tent
Bike: rigid 29er with a mixture of bikepacking bags
Home town: Palmy North
Other: representing the swamprads bike gang



Name: Bryce Lorcet
Age: 45
Profession: Chief coffer maker and floor sweeper at Cyclewerks
Home Town: Paraparaumu
Experience: More than some, less than others
Bike: Salsa Timberjack Ti
Camping: Absolutely, but with minimal stuff
Other: