After a slight false start, spring has been returning to the garden city, and the daffodils (and cyclists) are certainly out in growing numbers around the city. I had the opportunity to have a look around town the other day, …
Category: Flashback
Identifies those posts that have already been featured in a Flashback Friday
Photo of the Day: 2020 Winter Solstice Ride
We’ve just had the shortest day of the year, and with it the annual Winter Solstice Ride. So it seems appropriate to share a pic from the evening, just before everyone headed away…
The cooler weather kept a few …
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 …
Biking and COVID-19 in Christchurch
What a difference a week makes… this time last week, we were all discussing how to limit our interactions with others as we got on with our daily lives in a COVID-19 world, then suddenly: lockdown upon us and …
Vale, Keith Guthrie
For those who have been around the cycling scene in Christchurch for a while, the one retail institution that has outlasted them all is the Cycle Trading Company, currently in Elgin St, Sydenham. And the long-standing institution behind that …
Feb 2020 – Time for Aotearoa Bike Challenge again!
A new month rolls over, but of course February is no ordinary month in NZ – it’s Aotearoa Bike Challenge time! Yep, it’s that time when workplace organisations and other groups battle it out to see who gets more of …
Hidden Treasures: Rapaki Track
I suspect that cycling fans in Christchurch fall into two camps: those who love all the flatness of Christchurch and avoid the hills, and those who like to get a bit of exercise by slogging up their favourite bit of …
First look: Quarrymans Trail Stage 2
As mentioned recently, the final section of the Quarryman’s Trail, from Hoon Hay to Halswell (3.5 km), is now completely open. We previously provided an overview of the first stage of the cycleway, so it’s time to provide a …
Cycling solo – useful “Alone Time”
“I thought of that while riding my bike” is the oft-quoted response from Albert Einstein as to how he came up with the theory of relativity. And while most of may not have a world-changing idea floating around our head, …
What the recent elections told us about support for cycling in Chch
So the local body elections are over for another 3 years. In Christchurch, that has seen six new City Councillors, plus the return of the remaining ten incumbent Councillors and Mayor Dalziel.
So what does that mean in terms …
“No-one bikes into town, it’s not practical…”
With the news the other day that cycle numbers in Christchurch are continuing to climb, it was inevitable that the naysayers would jump onto social media and grumble about how cycling is not at all practical for a certain …
Elections: Why are Cycleways always the Easy Beat?
It’s local election time! Chances are you have your voting papers by now and are pondering which boxes to tick. Simon Barnard has provided a useful summary of some of the punters who have put their hand up. I also …
Council Rates and MCR’s 101
With the local elections the issue of rates has been raised. What raises or lowers rates? What impact have the Major Cycle Routes(MCR’s) had on rates. Councillors Mike Davidson and Vicki Buck have offered some information.
Mike Davidson FB post …
Passing in cycleways
When I visited the cycle-friendly city of Portland (Oregon US) nearly a decade ago, I remember being intrigued to see a “bike overtaking lane” on the climb up to a bridge. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised for a route …
More dodgy bike and car parking
Since our recent posts about dodgy bike stands and car parking, I’ve received quite a few other pictures and stories from other readers about similar things observed around town. Thanks to the many contributions received! I thought I would …
New Central City cycling projects aim to fix the little things
By now we were meant to be enjoying an enlarged public bike-share scheme around the city; instead we have none (but plenty of e-scooters…). The story behind that is for another day, but at least there is a silver …
What do you wear when cycling?
One of the pervasive myths about cycling in New Zealand is that you can’t do it without wearing lycra, hi-vis, cleated shoes and the like. It has helped fuel the image of the “MAMIL” and has even been cited as …
Guest Photo of the Day: Theory and Practice of Wheel-Bender Cycle Parking
Jan Jakob Bornheim sent in this interesting photo from his recent travels around town. Jan Jakob says: “I noticed the following when going shopping recently (at the green grocery store at Northlands). Note that there are seven bicycles, but only …
A Regional Cycle Node Network
Guest contributor Jan Jakob Bornheim has been thinking beyond Christchurch…
The Christchurch Major Cycle Ways are a success in moving people riding their bicycles around Christchurch. But in the last few years, it seems there has been another, quieter evolution …
Review/Preview: Big Bike Film Night 2019
Last night, Christchurch played host to the 2019 Big Bike Film Night. Another fairly full Charles Luney Auditorium audience watched a diverse collection of eleven short films about all manner of biking. More on them in a moment…
If …