A group of intrepid adventurers from Tauranga are taking on one of the Eastern Bay of Plenty's biggest cycle events, the Motu 160.

Run in conjunction with the premier Motu Challenge multisport event, the Motu 160 has cyclists pedal their mountain bikes 65 kilometres inland from Opotiki up the Old Coach Road today.

Tauranga riders are competing in the Motu 160.

On reaching Motu Village, the fat-tyre mountain bike makes way for a skinny-wheeled road bike for a 95 kilometre haul on the tar back to Opotiki.

'We're a bunch of ‘middle of the pack' triathletes who ride together, run together and drink coffee together,” says Jo Tisch.

She says the Tauranga locals' enthusiasm for entering events might be starting to get the better of them.

'Two of us completed Ironman 2013, three have just completed the Long Distance Triathlon World Champs and four of us are now in training for Ironman 2014. We figured that the Motu 160 would be a good training day in preparation for a 200km road ride around the Coromandel three weeks later.”

Mid-pack riders in the Motu typically turn in times of around 6 and a half hours for the Motu 160; it is a gruelling course, but one that Jo and her group of mates is relishing.

'It's fair to say that since going public with our plan for the Motu, we've received some interesting feedback. We have been told about the weather bombs, the relentless hill climbing, the stunning scenery and the need to spend a bit more time riding our motley collection of neglected mountain bikes.”

Last year's event was unusual in that the wind howled and rain poured down – the weather bomb that Jo is referencing.

Organisers claim to have a hotline to the weather gods and have put in a special request for sunshine this year.

Jo says the group has also received looks of surprise and alarm from some experienced campaigners. Whether that has to do with the weather or the sheer craziness of over 6 hours on a skinny bicycle saddle, remains unclear.

But, undaunted, Jo says the Tauranga team is rearing to go.

'The friendly staff at Avanti Plus Mt Maunganui has put our bikes back into working order. Accommodation is locked in. We have the logistics sorted – a support crew in the van. We are starting to talk nutrition plans, which revolve mostly around organising flasks of coffee in the transition zone.

'In short, it's all go for the Motu 160 and we are looking forward to what will be a challenging and very long day out.”