Cyclist draws bizarre ‘laser kiwi’ on Strava

Months of work for a New Zealand cyclist have paid off, as his bizarre ‘laser kiwi' Strava art became a reality.

Carl Wells said he spent three months planning his 28km creation, which he executed while riding with friends on his birthday last week.

His creation, the laser kiwi, is a reference to a recent campaign to find New Zealand a new national flag.

Wells told The Sydney Morning Herald: “I feel like the laser kiwi will always be with us.

“It represents the powerful kiwi, not just a flightless bird.

“The hardest part to find are rounded roads, that’s where to start.

“I found the shape of the body and filled in the details from there.”

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The history of the laser kiwi dates back to 2015, when the New Zealand government announced it would consider designs for a new national flag to avoid confusion with the Australian flag.

As part of the search, the public were able to upload their designs to a public gallery, and among the more bizarre was the laser kiwi by James Gray.

Thus the inspiration for Wells’ Strava tribute was born.

He used the latest piece to raise funds for environmental charity Cool Earth, which aims to prevent the destruction of rainforests.

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Wells’ other creations include a penis shape from September, with which he raised money for prostate cancer research.

While it is one of the most striking, the laser kiwi is not the biggest Strava art undertaking we’ve ever seen.

The New Forest Bicycle, an ode to David Millar’s 2012 Tour de France stage win, and a Strava wedding proposal are among the creations over the years.

In 2017, cyclist Anthony Hoyte created an intricate design around the streets of Cardiff.

Hoyte, who also won an award for his creation ‘Fowl Play’ in the Bristol Cycling Festival, needed to ride 126.5km to create his piece of work, taking more than nine hours to complete.