Cycling in Christchurch

Curletts Road Abomination

This is a guest post from Helen Fitt who sat down to write a submission on the Curletts Road options and decided that none of them are acceptable and that we should be telling NZTA that this is the case!…

The flat – part three.

Its a tiny bit of, I assume, steel. I couldn’t find it. The mechanics at the local bike shop couldn’t find it after turning the tyre inside out. I was in town at an appointment, and coming out and finding …

Guest Post: Impressions from a “tourist”

This is a guest post kindly supplied by Prof John Parkin from the UK, editor of the recent book “Cycling and Sustainability” and a recent visitor to our fair city…

Kia ora.

Large and small gems: that will be mine, …

Flat Tyre, Redux.

When I told people that my first post for Cycling in Christchurch was going to be about my never having had a flat they rolled their eyes, and warned me that ‘I’d had it now’. A flat was in my …

Guest Post: How did a 50-year-old get back into cycling?

Here’s another guest blog, this time by a recent convert to riding, Robyn M. Speed:

I blame my son, Andy.

It’s a bit unfair to blame him really, when it all came about because he crashed his bike on the …

Tyres, and an introduction from a newbie.

I’ve never had a flat tyre. Never. There are two reasons for that – the first is I have only been cycling for a couple of years, and until recently my commutes have been pretty short – a couple …

Meerkat Apprehensions and Funny Thoughts

After that Soft Brush with the Law recently, I have had little Meerkat Qualms about riding sans helmet. Meerkats scare easily and after only Two Sleeps, I was a little Bundle of Apprehension.

So imagine my chagrin when I hopped …

Summer Solstice pimp-my-ride

I’m really looking forward to the summer solstice ride around Hagley Park this Friday. For one thing, this time I’ll be able to see where I’m going; I couldn’t see a thing on the Winter Solstice ride! So many …

A Soft Brush with the Law

Ok, it happened. A [soft] brush with the Law.

Cycling into CERA to pick up the new Central City Transport Plan, I was coasting along the footpath on Montreal, I breezed up to the pedestrian crossing, and hit the …

Christmas Shopping

It’s that time of year, Christmas shopping time and I’m looking for the best possible present for an old friend, the city of Christchurch. Yes, she’s had a hard time lately so she deserves the very best present I can …

A near-brush with The Law [Warning: Censored – for Adult Viewing Only]

I’ve decided to experiment: I’m going to ride my bike sans helmet and see what it feels like and what happens.

I was prompted to do so after reading this information about cycling and helmets. Normally a law-abiding citizen, …

My lovely new bicycle

A few months ago, I took 2 old bikes to my Trusty Bike Mechanic, Keith, at Cycle Trading Company and said: ‘Keith, dear, please make me one bike,’ confident in the knowledge that the hybrid would be better than either …

A complete cycling network for 34 cents a year

Am I missing something? The Christchurch Transport Plan says that there’s a golden opportunity right now to create a complete high quality cycling network in Christchurch. The graphs in the plan show a steadily increasing spend on cycling and walking. …

Electric Bikes. Even more reason for good cycling infrastructure

When it comes to publicity about electric power in the transport sector it seems that electric cars get all the kudos. The era of electric cars is apparently just round the corner. Electric bikes get so little coverage there must …

I miss the old Christchurch sigh

Its been 15 months since the big Quake and the council and the heritage people are still debating whether to fix or replace the Antigua Boatshed Bridge – and find money to do it. Needless to say, if it had …

How to Ride a Bike: A Guide for Fat Cyclists

Here is a neat link that a friend sent me. Another perspective of how fattist we as a society is (and yes, my day job is health promotion to combat obesity!) http://www.charlottecooper.net/docs/fat/rideabike.htm

Even though we were active cyclists as kids,

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Author: Cycling in Chch (Guest)