A recent accident has meant a few months off cycling for me. As you might expect, it has been enormously frustrating, and dented both my confidence and my mood. It also got me thinking about how important cycling is to …
Category: Benefits of cycling
economics, health, fitness etc.
Cycling is on the Up in Chch – and even the World is recognising it…
Last week, the Chch City Council released the latest cycle count stats showing that cycling numbers in the city are continuing to climb, up 6% from the same time last year and 30-40% up since 5+ years ago. As the …
Confessions of a Newbie Cycle Commuter from Jafa-land
What’s it like to take up cycling to work when you’ve never done it before? That was the interesting test when my partner Tracey landed a new job at Christchurch Main Hospital and decided that commuting there by bike was …
Flashback Friday – Guest Post: Statistics, Dollars, and the Intangible (Priceless) Benefits of Cycling
We’re all becoming a bit more acutely aware of the cost-of-living crisis, as inflation keeps pushing many prices hard. For many people heavily reliant on their motor vehicles, the recent fuel prices haven’t helped – the impending prospect of the …
Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: The business benefits of bikeways
It’s that time of the year when everyone is getting a bit busier doing their final arrangements for Christmas gifts and gatherings as well as also enjoying various parties and other end-of-year celebrations. For retail and hospitality businesses that can …
Lots of safer speed street consultations out for review
We’ve mentioned before the importance of lower speed limits for improved encouragement and safety of active modes like walking and cycling. Around the country, we’re starting to see more of this happening, especially on the back of the new 2022 …
AA adds new bike breakdown service
I’ve been a member of the NZ Automobile Assn for many decades. While I don’t always agree with their policies in some areas, I appreciate the support when my car has broken down (could probably count on one hand the …
Flashback Friday: Bikes on Buses
I’m back home again in Christchurch after a long stint away, although ironically I’m heading out of town again this weekend, so back to the airport I go… As mentioned previously, my short jaunts away typically involve a combination …
Flashback Friday: Do the economics of Chch’s cycleways stack up?
Expenditure of public money sometimes brings out some very odd understandings of how the system works. For example, recently one local Councillor (ironically a chartered accountant) was claiming that scrapping a $20 million local cycleway would enable some petrol tax …
Flashback Friday: Cycling and making sense of life
Mental health seems to be getting a bigger airing these days, with more and more people realising that we don’t all have good days (or weeks, or months…) and sometimes we need to talk to someone about that or find …
Flashback Friday: The sanity of cycling
Nearly seven years on from this Mar 2015 post, and a new job later, but the crazy-busy-ness in my life is still there – and I have been feeling a bit sniffly again this week (not Covid fortunately…). That’s …
Flashback Friday: Show me the money – The Economics of Cycleways
Happy New Year! I hope you have been enjoying some of the lovely weather over the break to get out and enjoy a few of the new cycleways around the city. As reported the other day, the price-tag for …
Flashback Friday: Thoughts from Velo-City Global 2014 Adelaide
It’s hard to picture while Covid currently rages across Australia, but back in 2014 hundreds of people from around the globe descended on Adelaide to take part in the first instance of a global cycling conference happening down under. …
Photo of the Day: Grocery Shopping by Bike
Apparently in many people’s minds, biking is still something you can only do recreationally “for fun” (some people still tellingly refer to it only as a “sport” or “hobby”…). And as for doing something practical like shopping – …
Flashback Friday: Biking – Easier on the Body
Some recent heel niggles while out running have reminded me of how much easier it is when I can just hop on my bike and knock off a few kms that way instead. Similar thoughts were going through my head …
Flashback Friday: Xmas Shopping by Bike
With the crazy season upon us once more (or does that just describe the entire year in 2020?!), it seems an appropriate time to remind you of the practical benefits of getting around on bike when traffic is at a …
Flashback Friday: Cycling and Health
It almost seems to be a given these days that most people recognise the health benefits of physical activity like cycling. But that hasn’t always been the case (especially when people overinflated the “danger” of cycling vs the danger of …
Chch cycling continues to rise
Another little piece of good news came out from City Council in the last day or so: the latest cycle count surveys back in March (pre-lockdown) showed very strong growth in the past year.
A regular annual survey of peak-hour …
Flashback Friday: Cycling and making sense of life
What a difference a week makes… My week has been fairly busy out of town (hence the lack of posts), but it may well be the last trip away for a while, thanks to a certain virus cancelling things everywhere… …
ECan Forgets about Bicycles
ECan’s Annual Plan is up for consultation until 25 March.
Spokes Canterbury has their draft sub up for those with an interest. http://www.spokes.org.nz/2020/03/ecan-annual-plan-2020/
With the new elected ECan Board there is the chance to get cycling back into their consciousness. …