Many people in NZ still perceive “bicycles” as only either a mountain-bike of some sort or a sleek road bike. When that is your worldview of bikes, it’s not surprising that you might struggle to comprehend that they could also …
Category: Bikes & equipment
Reviews of bikes, equipment, gear, etc.
Community Bike Workshop News from Around NZ
I’ve put together some news from community bike workshops around the country – its great to see what is happening all over the country – lots of volunteers doing great work to get more people biking and saving a lot …
Photo of the Day: Wellington Bike Corral
Biking routes around the city are all very well, but at some point you need a place to park your trusty vehicle. Christchurch is proving generally pretty good at rolling out more public bike parking with every new street or …
F3C3 2019 – Fossil Fuel Free Coast to Coast to Coast
The idea of the Fossil Fuel Free Coast to Coast to Coast (F3C3) is to have a fun holiday, and to encourage the use of active (fossil fuel free) transport for as many journeys as possible, particularly those journeys that …
Can e-scooters and bikes co-exist?
In case you have been living under a rock lately, it’s been two months now since Lime e-scooters turned up on Christchurch (and Auckland) streets. Judging by the volume of alarmist news articles and letters to the editor, you’d think …
F3C3 Fossil Fuel Free Coast to Coast to Coast 2019
Would you like to be part of an entertaining outing happening 15-22 Feb 2019? It will be the third time Steve Muir and around seven others will bike from Christchurch to the West Coast and back again towing kayaks behind …
CHOCBAR 2018
The 2018 CHOCBAR (CHristchurch Otautahi Cargo Bike Annual Rally) happened on Labour day 22nd October 2018 and was enjoyed by 25 riders and three dogs. There are an increasing number of cargo bikes seen on the roads of Christchurch …
Fourteen bike trailers constructed at workshop
On Saturday 6th October Steve Muir ran a workshop where fourteen people constructed a bike trailer using up-cycled pallets for the frame, with Steve’s locally made aluminium towbar, dropouts and steel quick release hitch. The workshop was run in …
Set the world record for the number of bike trailers constructed in one afternoon
Ever wanted to set a world record for cycling? There are some described here. All you need to do is ride 56 km in one hour or 942 km in 24 hours. Maybe a more leisurely 139325km in one …
Make your own bike trailer workshop 6th Oct
Its been a very long time since I ran a workshop for people to make their own bike trailers, but the time seems ripe to run another one with a bit of a twist. We are mainly up-cycling old pallets …
Carrying stuff by bike
Apparently you can’t carry a refrigerator on your bicycle. I’ve seen one or two examples where that has actually been done, but I must admit I probably won’t be doing it anytime soon (nor for that matter bringing it home …
Rickshaw Charity Ride Success
Last weekend (24-25 March) Sean Pawson and Josh Geddes took turns pedaling a cycle rickshaw 250kms across the South Island from Kumara Beach, over Arthurs and Porters Passes, crossing the Canterbury Plains, and ending up at New Brighton Beach in …
Fossil Fuel Free Multisport 2018
We have done a few Fossil Fuel Free Multisport outings since 2011, ranging from 20km to 500km. This year we did a smaller version from 16-18 February, biking about 45km with our kayaks in tow from Christchurch, over Dyers …
Cycle Tour NZ with a Surfboard
New Zealand is a great place to cycle tour with a surfboard, but they can be an awkward shape to carry long distances, particularly if the wind gets strong. Now there is a Christchurch made cycle trailer specifically designed for …
A postcard from Melbourne
This post is long time coming; too many other distractions since, like Biketober… I was lucky to head across the ditch in September for a couple of week’s holiday in Australia. We started in Melbourne and then drove the coastal …
Photo of the Day: Auckland Dockless Bike Share
I was in Auckland earlier in the week attending a transport conference. Taking a bus through town, I snapped this shot while stopped at the lights (excuse the reflections from the bus window):
In case you haven’t come …
Photo of the Day: Bus Bike Rack Practice
Bike racks on the front of buses are becoming a familiar sight around the city, particularly now that they are standard on all Metro services. I’m seeing a fairly steady level of usage on the buses travelling around town, …
Fossil Fuel Free Coast to Coast to Coast 2017
The second ever Fossil Fuel Free Coast to Coast to Coast was held in February 2017 and was much more enjoyable than the 2016 outing which got hit by a weather bomb. Five participants biked from Christchurch to the West …
Are you a “one bike” or “multi bike” person?
I’ve been observing people riding to work on my daily commute and looking at what they’re riding on. Increasingly there are some pretty cool commuting bikes, including e-bikes and stylish “upright” city bikes. But it’s interesting how many still are …
Cycling and the Law: Things that can go on or with a Bike
In our earlier legal articles we considered what counts as a cycle and where you can legally bike. Now let’s look at what you can and can’t have on your bike (well you can take it from the earlier …