A Wellington cyclist has come up with an unusual solution to keep his bike safe after thumbtacks were found strewn along a popular cycle route in Newtown.
Marcus McShane has attached a broom to his bike to sweep away any tacks his tyres come in to contact with, and clear the way for other cyclists.
"It's quite easy to ride and works quite well. So it's just a very strange bike-based street sweeper I guess," McShane said.
"It only sweeps an area about this size where your wheels go, but it does fire everything that goes under them into the gutter."
The Wellington City Council said it's still trying to find those responsible for the thumbtacks but warns offenders can be prosecuted or fined.
"We are seeing mums and kids biking along Newtown so our main concern is around health and safety, people getting hurt, if they fall off, or if they get a puncture," the council's manager of city design Vida Christeller said.
The Cycling Action Network's Patrick Morgan said tacks on a cycleway are not just a nuisance, but could be dangerous.
"It could lead to a puncture or loss of control and injury," he said.
"These attacks will not succeed because cyclists are harder than nails. This will not deter people from riding bikes, we are here to stay."
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