Where: Hastings Community Arts Centre, 106 Russell St South, Hastings
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm.
When: From Monday June 14 to Saturday June 26
The National Bike Shed of New Zealand will be displaying a number of interesting and unusual bikes from their own and other private collections. This "Sneak Preview Show" is part of the build up to the official opening of The National Bike Shed of New Zealand to be held in Napier this October.
Geoffrey Clark, an Auckland businessman and philanthropist, who has spent a life time collecting bikes from around the world, is the driving force behind this exciting new attraction. Geoffrey, who has recently returned to Hawkes Bay, has commissioned a soon to be completed, purpose-built site that will be the home for New Zealand's most extensive collection of bikes which will cover the full history of biking in New Zealand. Bikes from around the world will also be displayed. The National Bike Shed of New Zealand will perfectly complement the other many exciting bike related developments happening in the Hawkes Bay, especially the new indoor Velodrome that Hawkes Bay is currently in a strong position to win.
The Sneak Preview Show includes the world's first production mountain bike, a Dutch cargo bike used to transport children around and a locally produced Morrison Raleigh Twenty. Also on display is a Cyclaid cyclemotor, originally purchased in Hastings in 1952 together with a gent’s double top bar 28 inch wheel Pashley and a step through 26 inch wheel Pashley. Both Pashley cycles were handmade in Stratford-upon-Avon. New Zealand road racing cycles are well represented with a display of early cycles together with a good range of cycle memorabilia and historic cycling shirts. One of the highlights is a 1950s Olympic Track bike.
The Bike Shed’s manager, Adrian Thornton, a cycle historian and enthusiast, is looking forward to hearing the public feedback on the displays. Adrian is particularly interested in finding more information and display material relating to the Morrison Bike Factory that was operating in Hastings during the 1970s and 1980s. Adrian is also very interested in any bike related photos or memorabilia from family collections or albums that people are able to lend or donate to The National Bike Shed for display.
For more information, please contact Adrian Thornton on 878 9336 or 027 3522 630 or adrian@theflyingwheel.com
