“Absolute Blast!” “Total Ripsnorter!” “Packed full of Japes and Hijinks!” … and that was before we were bugled off at the start of the Third National Tweed Ride, presented by Hendricks Gin and Blackwell and Sons.
REGISTER NOWAlmost 200 well adorned Tweedists completed the 2023 National Tweed Ride on Easter Saturday and, as you can tell, it was full of giggles, mirth and mischief. Alexia Wines, Bicycle Kitchen Gelato, Hendrick’s gin cocktails and delish afternoon tea treats mixed it up with egg and spoon races, prizes, a pub quiz and even more Hendrick’s. Bravo to everyone who travelled nation-wide and locally to flaunt their Tweed. Will we see you again next year? Ra-ther!
Here are some of the key points for peeper-wrapping:
- On the day (Sat 8th April Easter Saturday), registration is held at Truckstop Greytown at 102 Main St. (from 11.00am). This is behind the Blackwell and Sons Workshop. Come and get those all important bits and bobs including your Rosette. You’re then free to roam until 12.45pm SHARP, when we hold a riveting Health and Safety briefing at Truckstop. The Ride commences straight after this
- The ride will take approximately 75 minutes. It’s flat and gentle, and there’s simply no rush. Tweeders promenade, they don’t race. However, if you haven’t swung aboard a two-wheeler in a while, you may want to consider a warm-up ride or two beforehand to keep wheeziness and unplanned guttural expulsions to a minimum.
- You will be riding part of the event on public roads that remain open to traffic. A thorough pre-ride briefing and traffic marshals will keep everything spiffing on the safety front, but a good old dollop of common sense will be in order too.
- The ride ends and the frivolity really beefs up at our final destination.
- Your registration pack will contain extraordinary valuable Blackwell Bucks, which you’ll discover with squeals of delight are redeemable for slap-up picnic treats and to-die-for gin beverage at the conclusion of the ride. They may or may not also be redeemable for poorly-managed dictatorship currencies, but all risk resides with you, poppet.
- Prizes will be awarded for simply topping tweedy outfits and in various other creative categories. Leave all inhibitions at the gatehouse, cupcake, because tweeding is all about hilariousness.
- Professional photographic portraits will be taken of all registered tweeders, and high-resolution copies will be available for downloading on this very website.
One of the many terrific things about the Tweed Ride (yes, yes - we know there are so many!) are the prizes we award to our riders. To us, you’re all winners by merely getting on your saddles and sallying worth with us, but some of you really over index in the winning department, thanks to effort expended on your attire.
Our prizes are famous and this year by golly, we’ve ‘dialled them up’ as the Young Folks say.
Our categories and prizes in 2023 are:
- Most dapper chap (or best dressed brute):
$300 voucher from Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop. - Most gorgeously attired gal:
$300 to spend instore at Greytown’s Designer Clothing Gallery. - Most jaw-dropping bicycle of visual splendour:
$300 voucher from Blackwell and Sons. - Most beautifully adorned bicycle with extra pretty bits:
$150 voucher from The White Swan Country Hotel. - Most staggeringly high impact facial hair:
$150 voucher from Style 101 Barbershop in Greytown
Not a steak knife in sight! But wait - there really is MORE:
This year we’re pleased to be partnering with Hendrick’s Gin. The curious, yet marvellous, infusions of rose & cucumber imbue this spirit with its uniquely balanced flavour resulting in an unimpeachably smooth and distinct gin. And so, this year we embrace The Cucumber, with this new bold category:
- NEW category! Most outrageous use of a cucumber on your attire or bicycle decoration:
Unbelievable BONUS prize from Hendrick’s Gin.
We will leave this with you and your imagination. The prize supplied by Hendrick’s, is so stupendous we doubt it’s legal to detail it here. All will be revealed at the Post Ride Party and Celebration. Thank you.
Frankly, no. Please get yourself organised. Numbers are strictly limited so don’t dally. Or dilly either. Neither-neither Book here
Good grief no! Neither in terms of physical exercise nor financial requirement. The Tweed Ride is not a race, it’s a gentle ride with accompanying gossiping and merriment. All this for a mere $59.90 per rider. One books here
We have a solution. Our good chums at Green Jersey Explorer Tours can provide you with a suitable bicycle. It must be pre-ordered before April 3rd and you will be able to collect it from the carpark alongside Blackwell and Sons Workshop, 102 Main St Greytown on the morning of Saturday 8th April and return it there after the ride. You can book a Green Jersey cycle for the Tweed Ride directly (choose from standard bike or electric option). You will need to bring your own helmet.
If you feel unwell, please stay at home. The only thing that should be itchy is your tweed – not your throat or frankly any other body part. If you test positive for Covid and are unable to attend the Ride, please contact tweed@blackwellandsons.nz and we will endeavour to resell your ticket - we do get people scrambling (like eggs) at the last minute to get their sticky fingers on tickets.
Thank you for that. Since, as you say, your children are so charming, some friend or family member is going to relish spending time with them on Saturday 8th April. Some events are just for adults. The Tweed Ride is just such an event. Children get the Easter Bunny – you get the Tweed Ride. By all means invite them to watch (in amazement!) the beginning of the Ride at 1pm – by the public carpark on the corner of Hastwell and West Streets is an excellent place to do this from .
Thank you for that. Since, as you say, your dog is so charming, some friend or family member is going to relish spending time with it on Saturday 8th April. Please don’t bring your dog to Truckstop at 102 Main St, as this location is not suitable for dogs, charming or otherwise. Some events are just for people. The Tweed Ride is just such an event. Dogs get the Easter Bunny – you get the Tweed Ride.
We bet you were Boy Scouts! Or Girl Guides! Yes, be prepared:
- Please wear a helmet and make sure you always obey all road rules
- Bring a water bottle - water will be available for you to fill your own.
- There will be a Blackwell and Sons van ready to collect you and your bike in case of emergency. Or heaven forbid a puncture!
Very good question. The simply marvelous thing about tweed is that it simply repels damp conditions. We, The Organisers, are made of pretty stern stuff so should the weather prove to be simply mildly inclement, we will soldier on. Should however, thunderbolts or lightning be imminent, we will communicate with you, The Riders, using various modern electronic devices and communication channels.
Greytown is a town rich in parking and it’s FREE. Yes FREE. The ideal place to park is in the public carpark on the corner of Hastwell and West Streets (opposite Fresh Choice). From here you’re simply a pleasant stroll to the registration location of 102 Main St (Truckstop Greytown) which opens at 11am! Yes, fine folk. We’re onto it. We’ve studied event management a little bit – not much - but this is that in action. Marvellous.
Excellent question and we like you already. We have a dedicated person on high alert to watch over your bicycle at 102 Main St while you off and enjoy yourself. Once you’ve registered (anytime from 11am) you can park up and set off to roam knowing Our Chap will insure there are no cycle hijinks or hijacks.
Event goes ahead rain or shine. Should you wish to cancel your booking, no refund will be available, unless applied at our discretion. We may alter the times, dates, and content of this event without notice to you at any time. While we are sorry if this causes inconvenience, we will not be liable for any loss, damages or sadness arising from such changes. We may charge an administration fee to transfer or cancel your booking.
