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Flashback Friday: Biketober 2018 is here!LennyBoy27 Sep 2024EventsAs we get towards the end of September, some of you might be wondering what has happened to the annual Christchurch Biketober festival this year. Unfortunately, the decision was made to pause Biketober for 2024 (although I see that our colleagues up in Auckland are still doing one…). Being a volunteer-driven event puts a lot … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Biketober 2018 is here!” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling Safety and the MediaLennyBoy20 Sep 2024Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeLast Wednesday, I had the fun of giving a presentation on “Cycleways and Safety” to a Nerd Nite Selwyn gathering out in Lincoln. It covered a lot of bases in a short time and elicited lots of good questions too. One thing I highlighted was how people often perceive cycling to be much more dangerous … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling Safety and the Media” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day – Shopping Mall Bike ParkingLennyBoy16 Sep 2024Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideasI had occasion a couple of weeks back to visit Westfield Mall in Riccarton to do a few errands. It was a nice sunny day and, knowing how fun trying to drive and park at shopping malls can be, I took my bike over there (it’s great that the South Express cycleway is only a … Continue reading “Photo of the Day – Shopping Mall Bike Parking” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Enschede – a pioneer for cyclingLennyBoy13 Sep 2024Cycle infrastructureIn my work, we’re about to start a really interesting project to hopefully trial some small low-level cycle signals at various cities around NZ. The inspiration for this is from several places in Europe that are already using these to make it easier for riders to know when they can cross an intersection. Nine years … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Enschede – a pioneer for cycling” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Anne Scott, Allan Taunt and Fiona BennettsAngela Cassidy8 Sep 2024Cyclivism / General A2B by bikeAmong the many people helping to make Christchurch a great place for cycling are those who put a lot of time and effort into making submissions to improve the cycling environment. Three of those people – often fronting up to present submissions to community boards and councils in person – are Anne Scott, Allan Taunt … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Anne Scott, Allan Taunt and Fiona Bennetts” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Where else should we count bike numbers?LennyBoy6 Sep 2024Cycle-centric ideasThere has been an interesting conversation going around Spokes Canterbury lately about the potential for extra cycle counters across Christchurch in new locations. There is of course a cost to installing (and maintaining) any new permanent cycle counters; fortunately there is also a programme of other short-term counts to help build up a picture of … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Where else should we count bike numbers?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: National’s Transport DystopiaSimon Barnard30 Aug 2024Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasAny day now, we should be getting news of the finalised National Land Transport Programme, which will then inform Councils about what projects they will get funding subsidy for. Not that we should be getting our hopes up too much about cycle funding; the Govt’s GPS on Transport made clear what they think of that … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: National’s Transport Dystopia” [...] Read more...

Cycling in Singapore: A study in contrastsLennyBoy28 Aug 2024Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routes / People riding bikesI was lucky enough to spend a week holidaying with my partner in Singapore back in early August. We did a lot of fun activities around this equatorial island and mostly survived the sweltering heat. Of course, ever the transport engineer, I was curious to see what the mobility options were like around the city … Continue reading “Cycling in Singapore: A study in contrasts” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Separated Bikeways – More Good EvidenceLennyBoy23 Aug 2024Cycle infrastructureThis week I have been delivering some guest lectures on cycle planning and design to engineering postgrad students at Canterbury University. I covered a range of topics, from developing cycling networks to the many different ways you can provide for cycling on streets and at intersections. One type of facility getting a lot more attention … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Separated Bikeways – More Good Evidence” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday Photo: 2020 Winter Solstice RideLennyBoy16 Aug 2024Cyclivism / Events / Photo of the DayI’m back in Christchurch following a week in the heat of Singapore – more about that in a future post… After the temperatures and mugginess of the equator, it’s quite the shock to return to late winter in Christchurch and get used to wrapping up warmly again for rides around town. Mind you, we have … Continue reading “Flashback Friday Photo: 2020 Winter Solstice Ride” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Dave Johnson, sharing his skills and awesomenessAngela Cassidy11 Aug 2024General A2B by bikeCycling in Christchurch is all about regular people riding bicycles. But some of the many people who help make Christchurch a great place for cycling are anything but ordinary cyclists. Dave Johnson, RAD Bikes’ mechanics teacher and workshop manager, is one of these people. Riding bikes, racing bikes, fixing bikes, showing others how to fix … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Dave Johnson, sharing his skills and awesomeness” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Cycling in ShanghaiRobert Fleming9 Aug 2024Bikes & equipment / Cycle infrastructure / People riding bikesGreetings to you, currently on holiday in Singapore! In fact, I was so busy getting ready to head away last week that I didn’t even remember a Flashback Friday… It’s actually Singapore National Day today, so I expect to be watching a few fireworks and other displays later today. I’ve been keeping an eye on … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Cycling in Shanghai” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Jess Smale and RAD BikesAngela Cassidy29 Jul 2024CyclivismCommunity bike workshop RAD Bikes has been operating in the central city for over ten years. During that time, the team has helped over 21,300 people, recycled more than 60,500 bikes and bike parts, provided 4,300 hours of education, and harnessed over 34,400 hours of volunteer time. Coordinator Jess Smale has been part of RAD … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Jess Smale and RAD Bikes” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling Missing in the NeighbourhoodsSimon Barnard26 Jul 2024Cycle-centric ideas / Cyclivism / General A2B by bikeA growing group in Christchurch for discussing key urbanism issues is Greater Ōtautahi; last night they had the latest in a regular series of catch-up meetings. Land use and housing tend to be a big part of the conversations (and next week we might find out about some key planning decisions in that regard…), but … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling Missing in the Neighbourhoods” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: The challenges of turning rightLennyBoy25 Jul 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayMy daily commute to work sees me travelling up Waltham Rd to Moorhouse Ave and then around to Fitzgerald Ave. Mostly OK, thanks to the various cycle lanes, although Fitzgerald Ave can be a bit daunting. But there’s one other location that sometimes creates a few issues for me… At the top of Waltham Rd … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: The challenges of turning right” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Outside the new bus interchange – what’s it like for cycling?LennyBoy19 Jul 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesRecently I did some research on travel mode shift and safety and bus transport came out as the safest road transport mode. That’s probably cold comfort (literally…) for many of the occupants of the bus crashes near Tekapo yesterday; thankfully the outcome wasn’t more tragic. Nearly nine years ago though, a bigger concern vexing some … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Outside the new bus interchange – what’s it like for cycling?” [...] Read more...

Christchurch edges up in @PeopleForBikes Global city ratingsLennyBoy16 Jul 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / People riding bikesA good sign that Christchurch is starting to do OK cycle-wise internationally is when other parts of the world start to notice us – and rate us. A year ago, I told you how the annual PeopleForBikes City Ratings programme had now included our fair city in its rating system – and with not a … Continue reading “Christchurch edges up in @PeopleForBikes Global city ratings” [...] Read more...

Winter on the Little River Rail TrailAngela Cassidy14 Jul 2024Cycling routesOnce upon a time, before the Major Cycleways programme and before the creation of Te Ara Ōtākaro Avon River Trail, there were few off-road options for recreational cyclists in Christchurch (other than the mountain bike tracks). But there was the Little River Rail Trail. The trail initially started at Motukarara, taking the route of the … Continue reading “Winter on the Little River Rail Trail” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: What do you wear when cycling?LennyBoy12 Jul 2024General A2B by bike / People riding bikesFor the past few weeks, it has certainly felt like winter has kicked in hard in Christchurch – can’t wait for spring to return! When you’re riding your bike to work or other destinations, that has meant some careful consideration of attire – namely, sufficient layers to keep everything warm (and sometimes dry too). Suitable … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: What do you wear when cycling?” [...] Read more...

First Look: High St south redevelopmentLennyBoy9 Jul 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesRiding into town last weekend, I took the route through the southern part of High St to head towards the city centre. For the past few months that has been a bit of a construction zone as the final part of the redevelopment of this street has progressed. But all that has now finished, and … Continue reading “First Look: High St south redevelopment” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Lois Hill and Bike BridgeAngela Cassidy7 Jul 2024People riding bikesMany of us take riding a bicycle for granted. Often, it’s a skill we learn as children and provides our first real taste of freedom to get ourselves around – wherever and whenever we like. And even if we later spurn the bike for a car or the bus, most adults could easily hop back … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Lois Hill and Bike Bridge” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Grocery Shopping by BikeLennyBoy5 Jul 2024Benefits of cycling / Cycle-centric ideas / Photo of the DayBike parking is on my mind at the moment. Last night we went to a concert and some pubs in town and, despite the chilly night, biked there and back. There was some pretty good bike parking at some venues, but we did have to resort to wrapping around a pole at one place. Tomorrow, … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Grocery Shopping by Bike” [...] Read more...

Cycling: the Efficient way to get around…LennyBoy2 Jul 2024Benefits of cycling / General A2B by bikeThe Press have been running a series of articles over the past week or so about transport issues in Christchurch; you might have seen the one last week looking at the hassles of getting our cycleway network completed (by the way, if you have difficulties accessing paywall articles, I find that an incognito browser usually … Continue reading “Cycling: the Efficient way to get around…” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Hidden Treasures: Heathcote River corridorLennyBoy28 Jun 2024Cycling routesMānawatia a Matariki! I hope you are enjoying the start of our latest holiday weekend (although it does feel like so many people around me are struggling with colds and other bugs right now…). The weather is looking nice and fine (if a little crisp) for the whole weekend, so that might be the perfect … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Hidden Treasures: Heathcote River corridor” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – First Look: Rolleston Ave / Park Tce CyclewayLennyBoy21 Jun 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesTonight was the latest annual Winter Solstice Ride around North Hagley Park and nearly 200 punters (and all their lights/bling…) turned up for a fun cruise around! The first section of the ride took in part of the pop-up cycleway running along Park Terrace. Coincidentally I was there last Tuesday doing a post-construction safety audit … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – First Look: Rolleston Ave / Park Tce Cycleway” [...] Read more...

Cycle crashes are more than just with Motor VehiclesLennyBoy16 Jun 2024Cycle infrastructure / People riding bikesWhen people are thinking about getting into cycling, understandably they are often particularly worried about the danger faced by motor traffic. Certainly when you look at the cycle crash stats, there have still been plenty around Christchurch. But it’s important to appreciate that sometimes risks are also faced from the places we ride as well. … Continue reading “Cycle crashes are more than just with Motor Vehicles” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: 2022 Winter Solstice Ride in PicturesLennyBoy14 Jun 2024EventsIt’s less than a week now until this year’s Winter Solstice Bike Ride in North Hagley Park next Friday 21st starting from 5.30pm. Hopefully the weather won’t be as miserable as it has been today; at this stage it’s a little unclear whether things will have cleared up by then. Ah well, just rug up … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: 2022 Winter Solstice Ride in Pictures” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Recent cycleways in AucklandLennyBoy7 Jun 2024Cycle infrastructureBy the time this gets published, I will have hopefully made my way up to Auckland for a little weekend holiday. I don’t imagine that I’ll be having a detailed look at too many cycleways while I’m in town this time, but on previous work-related trips I have certainly taken the opportunity to see what … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Recent cycleways in Auckland” [...] Read more...

First Look: Northern Line – northern sectionLennyBoy3 Jun 2024Cycle infrastructureThe Northern Line (sometimes still referred to as the “Railway Cycleway”) has been a mainstay of Christchurch’s off-road cycle network for many years. Plans have been afoot for some years to extend it further north and south along the railway corridor; we’re still waiting on the southern bit, but just recently the last few sections … Continue reading “First Look: Northern Line – northern section” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – First Look: Uni-Cycle completionLennyBoy31 May 2024Cycle infrastructureIn the past week I’ve had to head over to Canterbury University three times to deliver some guest traffic engineering lectures (one of them on cycle planning/design…). The ride to get there has taken me from town via the Uni-Cycle major cycle route, which has now been in place for over six years. Back in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – First Look: Uni-Cycle completion” [...] Read more...

In the Spotlight: Steven Muir, showing us the wayAngela Cassidy26 May 2024Benefits of cycling / Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideas / CyclivismI wasn’t sure where to start when I talked with Steven Muir. With his Sunday afternoon cycling church (and the book he wrote about it)? With his role in setting up community initiatives like ICECycles and, more recently, the Aranui Bike Fix-Up? With his small business making cycle trailers and low-cost bike accessories (child seats, … Continue reading “In the Spotlight: Steven Muir, showing us the way” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Big Bike Film Night 2019LennyBoy24 May 2024Cycle-centric ideas / People riding bikesTonight is the second Christchurch screening of the 2024 Big Bike Film Night; I’m looking forward to seeing what is on offer this year. Unfortunately, if you haven’t got tickets yet for it you’re out of luck as it’s a full house. So while you wallow in some FOMO, perhaps I can appease you with … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Big Bike Film Night 2019” [...] Read more...

Winter 2024 brings lots of Cycling ActivitiesLennyBoy22 May 2024Cycle-centric ideas / Cyclivism / EventsAs the days get shorter, and the temperatures drop, the urge to get out on a bike may be waning (although, as the saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”…). But there’s actually several cycling-related activities still ticking along in the next month or so: The Big Bike Film Night … Continue reading “Winter 2024 brings lots of Cycling Activities” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Christchurch wins big at 2018 Bike to the Future awardsLennyBoy17 May 2024Cycle-centric ideas / EventsI’ll continue the Palmerston North theme of late, by mentioning one of the successful outcomes from the 2018 2WALKandCYCLE Conference there – a couple of big award wins for Christchurch-based projects, as first reported back in Aug 2018. The Uni-Cycle continues to be a much-used connection from town out to Canterbury University. And Biketober has … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Christchurch wins big at 2018 Bike to the Future awards” [...] Read more...

Interesting Bike Stuff in Palmerston NorthLennyBoy15 May 2024Cycle infrastructureAs I mentioned last week, about six months ago I visited Palmerston North for a meeting of the Active Modes Infrastructure Group. Although I’ve made a couple of other visits there for work trips, I hadn’t had the chance to look around the city by bike since I was there for the 2WALKandCYCLE Conference back … Continue reading “Interesting Bike Stuff in Palmerston North” [...] Read more...

In the Spotlight: Don Babe, advocating for Canterbury cyclistsAngela Cassidy12 May 2024Cyclivism / General A2B by bike / People riding bikesDon Babe is a busy man. He works as an accountant, helps his wife run their Prebbleton blueberry farm, is long-time chair of Spokes Canterbury, and takes every opportunity to contribute to planning processes to create a better environment for everyday cycling. Until recently, he was also chair of the Little River Rail Trail Trust. … Continue reading “In the Spotlight: Don Babe, advocating for Canterbury cyclists” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Solutions to traffic queuesstevenmuir10 May 2024Benefits of cycling / Cycle-centric ideasI’ve had two occasions recently where I had to bike to locations across town right at the peak start and end of the day when commuters are trying to get to or from work, mostly in their cars. Often I miss the brunt of this on my normal bike times in and out of my … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Solutions to traffic queues” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Cycleway SweeperLennyBoy8 May 2024Bikes & equipment / Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bike / Photo of the DaySix months ago, I was in Palmerston North for a site visit as part of the Active Modes Infrastructure Group (AMIG). As well as our usual meeting, we also took the opportunity to bike around the city looking at the various walking and cycling facilities they have been working on (which is a prompt for … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Cycleway Sweeper” [...] Read more...

In the Spotlight: Robert Fleming and the Wednesday WheeliesAngela Cassidy6 May 2024Cyclivism / People riding bikesRobert Fleming has been involved in cycle advocacy for well over a decade, having first gone along to a Spokes Canterbury meeting in early 2013 after being knocked off his bike. He says he sat quietly for the first year and learned a lot, later taking on the role of organising Biketober (which he did … Continue reading “In the Spotlight: Robert Fleming and the Wednesday Wheelies” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Vienna: Cycling on the RiseLennyBoy3 May 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesIt’s starting to get a little bit cooler and for many Kiwis they might be thinking of travelling to warmer climes. Indeed, two of my children are planning to head over to Europe in the next few months. So I decided to dig through some posts from my last time over in Europe back in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Vienna: Cycling on the Rise” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday Photo of the Day: Playcentre Bike ParkingLennyBoy26 Apr 2024Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bike / Photo of the DayThe other day while riding to work, I saw a Dad riding in front of me with two youngsters sitting behind him on his long bike, presumably heading off to drop them at school. Increasingly, that is not an uncommon sight around Christchurch for parents to be ferrying their children to pre-school or school via … Continue reading “Flashback Friday Photo of the Day: Playcentre Bike Parking” [...] Read more...

New cycleways in Wellington are making a differenceLennyBoy21 Apr 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesAs mentioned a few weeks back, I was in Wellington for a holiday with my partner and we took the opportunity to jump on some bikes and have a look around the city at some of the more recent additions to their cycling network – and in the past 2-3 years there have certainly been … Continue reading “New cycleways in Wellington are making a difference” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Hidden Treasures: Knights Stream cycle skills parkLennyBoy19 Apr 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasIt’s school holiday time again, a good chance for families with youngsters to get out and do a few fun things. For those who are fans of cycling, there are a growing array of family-friendly cycleways around the city to enjoy, but also some great cycle skills parks scattered around the city. A relatively new … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Hidden Treasures: Knights Stream cycle skills park” [...] Read more...

Submit now on Chch Draft Long Term PlanLennyBoy15 Apr 2024Cycle infrastructureEvery three years, Councils around the country are required to review and update their 10-year Long Term Plans (LTPs), which sets out what they propose spending on over the coming decade (and where the money will come from), based on the community’s desired outcomes. Christchurch City Council is currently consulting on its draft LTP for … Continue reading “Submit now on Chch Draft Long Term Plan” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Coffee, Cycling and CultureRobert Fleming12 Apr 2024Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeLast night I caught up with a few people to chat about transport and urbanism topics over a few drinks. We’re keen to make it a more regular thing, and will probably mix it up between cafe and bar catch-ups. Cycling socially (like the Wednesday Wheelies) lends itself to opportunities to chat about these topics … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Coffee, Cycling and Culture” [...] Read more...

A loop ride to Tai TapuAngela Cassidy7 Apr 2024General A2B by bikeTai Tapu has long been a popular destination for road cyclists. It’s close enough to Christchurch to be easily reached, yet distant enough to provide an opportunity for smooth uninterrupted cycling away from the city traffic. And, of course, there are several good cafés in the area. With many of Christchurch’s major cycleways now complete, … Continue reading “A loop ride to Tai Tapu” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Council Long Term Plan brings some good cycleway newsLennyBoy5 Apr 2024Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructureIn case you haven’t noticed; the Chch City Council is currently consulting on its 2024-34 Long Term Plan (with feedback due Sun 21st Apr). This important exercise every three years sets out the key priorities for the various Council activities, including transport and cycling, so it’s important to get your feedback in. The potential power … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Council Long Term Plan brings some good cycleway news” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in the WindLennyBoy29 Mar 2024Administration / General A2B by bikeThis past week has been notable for quite a few decent breezes in Christchurch (and a week ago in Wellington there was also a pretty strong northerly while riding around). Even as I write this, I can hear the wind gusting loudly outside. That can certainly make it a challenge sometimes to bike into it … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in the Wind” [...] Read more...

Submit on Govt Policy Statement on Roads – I mean, Transport…LennyBoy28 Mar 2024Cycle infrastructureAs mentioned a few weeks back, the new Government has released its revised Govt Policy Statement (GPS) on Transport for consultation and, to no huge surprise really, it represents a huge shift away from sustainable transport options like walking and cycling (not to mention rail) and puts all the focus back on mega-road projects. The … Continue reading “Submit on Govt Policy Statement on Roads – I mean, Transport…” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Meg Christie, getting communities cyclingAngela Cassidy24 Mar 2024CyclivismMeg Christie is an active transport health promoter for Canterbury’s community public health service. Her job is about finding ways to make it easier for people to walk and cycle places. This involves influencing public policy (for example, by making submissions and presenting at local council meetings) and working with communities to reduce barriers to … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Meg Christie, getting communities cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling projects around WellingtonLennyBoy22 Mar 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesAs I mentioned last week, I missed attending the just-finished 2WALKandCYCLE Conference in Wellington, but I’m actually now up in our capital city for a little holiday. I guess you could call it a “busman’s holiday” as I’ll be jumping on a bike to have a look around at some of the recent cycling developments … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling projects around Wellington” [...] Read more...

Chch cycle counter update Mar 2024: The only way is up…LennyBoy17 Mar 2024Cycle infrastructure / People riding bikesIt’s been a little over a year since I last had a good look at how cycling numbers have been tracking across the many cycle counters in Chch. At that time the picture was a bit murky, thanks to a couple of years of disruptions from Covid lockdowns, worker illnesses, working from home, and the … Continue reading “Chch cycle counter update Mar 2024: The only way is up…” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Highlights from #2WALKandCYCLE Conference AucklandLennyBoy15 Mar 2024Benefits of cycling / Cycle infrastructure / Cyclivism / EventsNext week sees the return of the 2WALKandCYCLE Conference, hosted in Wellington. Partly due to lockdown disruptions, it’s been three years since the last one in Dunedin – quite the wait. Unfortunately I won’t be attending this one – interestingly the first NZ cycling conference that I’ve missed since 2000. Back in 2016 I was … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Highlights from #2WALKandCYCLE Conference Auckland” [...] Read more...

In the spotlight: Glen Koorey, championing safer roads for cyclistsAngela Cassidy10 Mar 2024Cyclivism / People riding bikesIn the coming months, I’d like to post a series of short pieces on people who are actively involved in making greater Christchurch a great place to cycle and encouraging everyday cycling. I’ve got a few ideas about who I might talk with, but let me know in the comments if there’s anyone (or a … Continue reading “In the spotlight: Glen Koorey, championing safer roads for cyclists” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – The GPS: Govt Pro-roads Statement on transportLennyBoy8 Mar 2024Benefits of cycling / Bicycle politicsSo, after much bluster and talk, the new Government has released its draft GPS on Transport and it’s perhaps not surprising that it’s mostly roads, roads, roads. I’ll make some more comments on this in a future blog, but it took me back to early 2017, when the previous National Govt released its last GPS … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – The GPS: Govt Pro-roads Statement on transport” [...] Read more...

Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail: Scenery meets DistanceLennyBoy4 Mar 2024Cycling routesAs I foreshadowed a while back, my partner and I recently completed the Alps 2 Ocean Great Ride in early February with a couple of friends. This cycle trail is the longest of the Great Rides in the country at a bit over 300km, which people typically take between 4-8 days to complete it in … Continue reading “Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail: Scenery meets Distance” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: New northern cycleway to Waimakariri comingLennyBoy1 Mar 2024Cycle infrastructureSo, if we’re to believe the intentions of the new Government, get ready for a lot more roads, roads, roads in the coming years. That also seems to be reflected in the recently consulted on Regional Land Transport Plan, which is looking to prioritise things like the SH1 Northern Link Woodend Bypass, Brougham St corridor, … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: New northern cycleway to Waimakariri coming” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Roger wants cycling in the city too…LennyBoy23 Feb 2024Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bikeThis week, we’ve just had the 13th anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck Christchurch back in 2011 – it really does seem a lifetime ago now. In the first few years afterwards, a lot of discussions were had about what the rebuilt city should look like – and that included the new transport network. … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Roger wants cycling in the city too…” [...] Read more...

Taking the bike on the train: completing the Hurunui Heartland RideAngela Cassidy18 Feb 2024Cycling routesI’ve written before about cycling the Hurunui Heartland Trail between Waikari and Christchurch. If you can get someone to drop you along the way, it’s a good day out. There’s hills, gravel, sealed roads and off-road cycleway. There’s rolling countryside, limestone valleys, mountain views, river crossings and rural townships. Over the summer break, I finally … Continue reading “Taking the bike on the train: completing the Hurunui Heartland Ride” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Are new cycleways OK for existing cyclists?LennyBoy16 Feb 2024Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructureI had an interesting conversation earlier this week with a reporter, talking about how people are getting used to using our cycleways as they get ever busy, including lots of passing each other and queuing at intersections. It’s a nice problem to have, and evidence that the Major Cycleway network is doing its job of … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Are new cycleways OK for existing cyclists?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Book Review: Short Easy Bike RidesLennyBoy9 Feb 2024Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routesLast Sunday I completed the 300+ km of the Alps to Ocean cycle trail with my partner – pleased to do it (more on that in a post soon) but it made for some long days of cycling, often up to 70-80km a day. Since our return, we’ve decided to keep cycle trips to much … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Book Review: Short Easy Bike Rides” [...] Read more...

Sun, surf and cyclingAngela Cassidy4 Feb 2024Cycling routes / General A2B by bikeThere are lots of great places to cycle around Christchurch. But at this time of year, with beautiful sunny days and warm temperatures, I am particularly drawn to rides that take me to the beaches and rivers. There’s something special about the combination of clear blue skies, a coastal breeze, and the sparkle created by … Continue reading “Sun, surf and cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: A Regional Cycle Node NetworkCycling in Chch (Guest)2 Feb 2024Cycling routesGreetings from somewhere down the Waitaki Valley! Yes, I’m currently busy biking the Alps2Ocean cycle trail; will give you a full rundown about it on my return. The A2O is part of a growing network of off-road and on-road cycle touring routes around the country; as this network expands, people will have more options for … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: A Regional Cycle Node Network” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: East Frame Pump TrackLennyBoy26 Jan 2024Benefits of cycling / Cycle-centric ideas / Photo of the DayIt’s always nice biking through town using some of the cycle-friendly corridors like the East Frame and the Avon River. Nearing Margaret Mahy Playground from the south, it can be fun to take in a little diversion via the pump tracks created on the corner of Armagh and Manchester Sts. This post, originally from Jan … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: East Frame Pump Track” [...] Read more...

First Look: South Express Part TwoLennyBoy20 Jan 2024Cycle infrastructureLast week I started introducing you to the first section of the South Express Major Cycle Route, as far as Upper Riccarton. That section of the cycleway has been mostly in place for well over a year already, but many of the bits further west have only been installed in the past month or two. … Continue reading “First Look: South Express Part Two” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: High St revitalisationLennyBoy19 Jan 2024Cycle infrastructureThose of you who travel through the southeast part of the Central City may find that part of your route along the bottom end of High St will be impacted soon by works starting to complete the last section between Tuam and St Asaph Streets. The original plans for upgrading High St were developed over … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: High St revitalisation” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: New Brighton Kite Day bike parkingLennyBoy14 Jan 2024Events / Photo of the DayWhat a fantastic summer weekend! And just perfect yesterday for the Kite Day out at New Brighton Beach; lots of sun and the right amount of wind. My partner and I jumped on our bikes to go and check out the fun (also the markets along New Brighton Mall). And it was clear that we … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: New Brighton Kite Day bike parking” [...] Read more...

First Look: South Express Part OneLennyBoy13 Jan 2024Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bikeWhile there has been a lot of fanfare recently about the opening of the Heathcote Expressway and Coastal Pathway cycle routes, another cycleway has been quietly just rolling out has in the opposite direction… The “South Express” is somewhat oddly named, heading mostly west as it does (then again, the same could be said about … Continue reading “First Look: South Express Part One” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Passing in cyclewaysLennyBoy12 Jan 2024General A2B by bike / People riding bikesI was having an online discussion recently about the pros and cons of having a cycle lane on the traffic side of parked cars versus the alternative of simply swapping them over so that the (now protected) cycle lane is on the kerb side of the parking. Good in theory except that a standard width … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Passing in cycleways” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: New Central City cycling projects aim to fix the little things…?LennyBoy5 Jan 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasSummer is a great time to be enjoying activities in the central city, and it’s definitely easier to do that by bike – no traffic or parking hassles. It’s always nice though when there are even more little touches that make it easier to get around and park in the city. And so it was … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: New Central City cycling projects aim to fix the little things…?” [...] Read more...

Temporary Traffic Management for Cycling – Little Steps…LennyBoy3 Jan 2024Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasHappy New Year! I’m currently enjoying a bit of a break before getting back to work (if you can call still writing CiC blogs a “break”…). Thought I’d start the new year with a positive story that I’m starting to see more often. Many of us are are familiar with the cliché of seeing a … Continue reading “Temporary Traffic Management for Cycling – Little Steps…” [...] Read more...

Cycling in Chch 2023 in Review: The Good, the Bad, the in-BetweenLennyBoy31 Dec 2023Annual Review / Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructure / Events / General A2B by bikeAnd just like that, another year is over and we ponder what has happened since we last reviewed the state of cycling Chch at the end of 2022 – suffice to say that it seems like a mix of things… Who would have guessed at the beginning of the year that arguably the most contentious … Continue reading “Cycling in Chch 2023 in Review: The Good, the Bad, the in-Between” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: West Coast Wilderness Trail: a great tourLennyBoy29 Dec 2023Cycling routesHappy Holidays! I hope that you have been having a lovely break; I certainly have, as I haven’t even managed a blog post in the past two weeks… Well, let’s rectify that for starters with something to cast your mind to potential cycle touring holidays – like the one I did over five years ago … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: West Coast Wilderness Trail: a great tour” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in the HeatLennyBoy15 Dec 2023Administration / General A2B by bikeThe weather has been a bit up and down the past few weeks, but maybe summer truly is starting arrive. It was a lovely 27 degrees in Christchurch this afternoon, with every likelihood that it might be even hotter on Sunday. So how do you cope with biking when the mercury is rising? Fortunately, I … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in the Heat” [...] Read more...

Biking around Napier: Finding and losing yourself…LennyBoy11 Dec 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesSo I was up visiting Napier a few weeks ago (the Robbie Williams concert was great by the way…) and while up there, my partner and I took the opportunity to check out some of the cycleways around the city. We grabbed some e-bikes from Napier City Bike Hire for half a day and had … Continue reading “Biking around Napier: Finding and losing yourself…” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday(-ish): “No-one bikes into town, it’s not practical…”LennyBoy9 Dec 2023Cycle-centric ideasYou know that it’s been a busy week when you don’t even find time to get a Flashback Friday out on time – ah well, Saturday morning it is… It is of course starting to get into the silly season ahead of Christmas, and town is certainly already pumping. I was there last night and … Continue reading “Flashback Friday(-ish): “No-one bikes into town, it’s not practical…”” [...] Read more...

New Walk/Cycle Overbridge planned for Brougham StLennyBoy3 Dec 2023Cycle infrastructureMany people in Christchurch will be aware that Waka Kotahi (NZTA) have been slowly working on some plans to upgrade aspects of the Brougham St (SH76) corridor. In theory that might mean an improvement to the (fairly crappy excuse for a) shared path along some parts of the route. But in the short term, they … Continue reading “New Walk/Cycle Overbridge planned for Brougham St” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Progress on Coastal Pathway Beachville sectionLennyBoy1 Dec 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesYesterday marked a significant milestone with the official opening of the final section of the Chch Coastal Pathway at Moncks Bay – looks like it was great day for everyone there! It’s been a long time coming to fruition, and it’s interesting to think that way back in Dec 2014, plans for the previous section … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Progress on Coastal Pathway Beachville section” [...] Read more...

What cycling means to meAngela Cassidy26 Nov 2023Benefits of cycling / People riding bikesA 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 me. Partly, it’s about having the freedom to get from A to B reasonably quickly … Continue reading “What cycling means to me” [...] Read more...

First Look (and an Opening) – Coastal Pathway final sectionLennyBoy25 Nov 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesIt seems like a long time since the idea of a coastal pathway all the way out to Sumner was first floated – and indeed it was over a decade ago that the idea started to build momentum. Then a draft concept plan was developed and slowly various sections of the route have been rolled … Continue reading “First Look (and an Opening) – Coastal Pathway final section” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Draft Govt Policy Statement is good news for cyclingLennyBoy24 Nov 2023Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructureAfter a fair bit of horse-trading, we finally look like we have a new Government about to be formed. Then it will be interesting to see how much they change existing transport policies, including how much cycling continues to get support. When the likes of Waka Kotahi is already pre-empting potential changes and pausing sustainable … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Draft Govt Policy Statement is good news for cycling” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Canterbury Show Bike ParkingLennyBoy19 Nov 2023Bikes & equipment / Events / Photo of the DayI hope that everyone in Canterbury enjoyed a nice long weekend this Canterbury Anniversary! My partner and I decided to visit the Canterbury Agricultural (or A&P) Show on Friday, and it was a fun few hours looking around at the various animals, entertainment, and other exhibits. Knowing that car traffic and parking would be rather … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Canterbury Show Bike Parking” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Hawkes Bay – Lovin’ the NetworkRobert Fleming17 Nov 2023Cycling routes / General A2B by bikeRobert Fleming has been a regular contributor to Cycling in Chch for many years now, with about 70 blog posts. He’s also just had another birthday, so happy birthday Robert! Last weekend I was in Hawkes Bay and took the opportunity to have a bike around – look out for a post on that in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Hawkes Bay – Lovin’ the Network” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: What price for a cycleway?LennyBoy10 Nov 2023Bicycle politics / Cycling routesMost of the Major Cycle Routes that are being developed around Chch follow either existing streets or through parks and other reserve areas. But nearly 7 years ago, one new route was created through the purchase of a couple of properties – and that made a few people grumpy it seems. Back in Jan 2017, … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: What price for a cycleway?” [...] Read more...

New Chch 2023 Cycle Map Now AvailableLennyBoy7 Nov 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesOne of the recent little promotional initiatives that quietly popped up during Biketober was the latest release of Christchurch City Council’s Bike Map. Roughly 2 years since its last update, the newest version boasts info about some of the latest additions to our cycling network, as well as lots of other handy bits of advice. … Continue reading “New Chch 2023 Cycle Map Now Available” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Do cycleways = extravagance?LennyBoy3 Nov 2023Bicycle politicsChristchurch City Council is starting conversations about their updated Long Term Plan, and already there have been some rumblings about possible financial struggles. Predictably, cycleways are one of the possible candidates for the chopping block, although I’d be surprised if they really get much support for that. Still, it’s interesting how often (in Chch and … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Do cycleways = extravagance?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Guest Post: Just another day on a bike in Christchurch…Cycling in Chch (Guest)27 Oct 2023Cycling routes / General A2B by bike / People riding bikesIt’s well and truly Spring now, and Summer is just around the corner! That’s as good a reason as any to get out on your bike and experience the many different facets of life around Christchurch… Back in Oct 2016, Taylah Mawson contributed this guest post taking in her riding experiences. At the time, things … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Guest Post: Just another day on a bike in Christchurch…” [...] Read more...

Only one week of Biketober 2023 to go!LennyBoy24 Oct 2023Cycle-centric ideas / EventsI hope that you’ve been having a good time taking part in some of the many activities for Biketober 2023! As I mentioned at the start of the month, the timing this year has often unfortunately coincided with me being out of town (or currently out of the country…) for much of it, so that … Continue reading “Only one week of Biketober 2023 to go!” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Alps 2 Ocean Cycle TrailLennyBoy20 Oct 2023Cycling routesSomething I’m looking forward to very much this summer is to tackle the Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail from Mount Cook down to Oamaru in late January. It’s been on my bucket list for a while, so it will be interesting to see how it stacks up. Way back in Aug 2015, I visited the area and … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail” [...] Read more...

The Simple Power of a Bit of PaintLennyBoy18 Oct 2023Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bikeA couple of weeks ago I was working at home for a few days, so it was my partner who first alerted me to a quiet little improvement that had been made to her commuting route along Waltham Rd. Some of you may recall that a few years back I opined about a number of … Continue reading “The Simple Power of a Bit of Paint” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Bike Expo 2017 a great successLennyBoy13 Oct 2023Cycle-centric ideas / EventsI hope you’re enjoying Biketober 2023 so far! As mentioned a few weeks back, the first Biketober was held in 2017 and a feature event was the inaugural NZ Bike Expo. The following year the exercise was repeated for 2018, but then commercial uncertainties followed by the joys of Covid lockdowns saw it go into … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Bike Expo 2017 a great success” [...] Read more...

Christchurch Speed Mngmt Plan promises good things for CyclingLennyBoy12 Oct 2023Cycle-centric ideasIt doesn’t seem that long ago that Christchurch oversaw a whole raft of suburban lower speed limits, proposing 30 and 40 km/h streets to many of our neighbourhoods and school zones. Those new speed limits are hitting the streets about now, but now it’s time to consider the wider speed management picture for Christchurch City. … Continue reading “Christchurch Speed Mngmt Plan promises good things for Cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycle-friendly places vs People-friendly onesLennyBoy6 Oct 2023Bicycle politics / Cycle-centric ideasIf you’ve been anywhere near Cathedral Square lately, you might have noticed the works that have been going on in the southeast quadrant (near Distinction Hotel) to improve the look of the area. It’s part of a wider project to upgrade the whole Square area, particularly in conjunction with the Cathedral reconstruction. A few years … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycle-friendly places vs People-friendly ones” [...] Read more...

Election 2023! Who to vote for?LennyBoy3 Oct 2023Bicycle politicsIt’s that time again when every three years we’re called upon to do our democratic duty and vote in the national elections. Official voting day is not until Sat Oct 14th, but early voting is now open. Labour has led the Government for the past six years, but a lot of people are making noises … Continue reading “Election 2023! Who to vote for?” [...] Read more...

Hurunui Heartland: From Waikari to ChristchurchAngela Cassidy1 Oct 2023Cycling routesIt’s a bit of a stretch to consider the Hurunui Heartland Trail cycling in Christchurch. However, because it’s so accessible to the city, cycling part of it makes for a good day out. The trail runs from Kaikōura to Christchurch via the inland road to Mount Lyford and on through Waiau, Culverden, the Pyramid Valley, … Continue reading “Hurunui Heartland: From Waikari to Christchurch” [...] Read more...

Biketober 2023 is Here!LennyBoy30 Sep 2023EventsIt’s the last day of September, which means that tomorrow is… Biketober! Yep, Christchurch’s annual festival of all things biking continues in its 7th year, with another bumper list of activities. Here’s some of what you can expect; for more details, check out the Biketober events calendar: The famous Biketober Passport is back, with great … Continue reading “Biketober 2023 is Here!” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Can e-scooters and bikes co-exist?LennyBoy29 Sep 2023Bicycle politics / Bikes & equipmentPerhaps I should have re-titled this “can e-scooters and pedestrians co-exist?”, as we’ve just heard that Waka Kotahi (NZTA) have decided to renew their Gazette notice declaring that “e-scooters (up to 300W) are not motor vehicles” and are thus able to continue using footpaths, and don’t need to be licensed or registered. Personally, this has … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Can e-scooters and bikes co-exist?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling solo – useful “Alone Time”LennyBoy22 Sep 2023Cycle-centric ideasDid you know that this week is NZ Mental Health Awareness Week? The aim is to raise awareness and understanding of something that affects a lot of NZers either permanently or (more often) temporarily when life throws something at them. Personally I’ve been really glad to see much greater openness about these issues in NZ … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling solo – useful “Alone Time”” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Biketober 2017 is Here!LennyBoy15 Sep 2023Cycle-centric ideas / EventsAs we race through September (or Mahuru or Hepetema if you’ve been following along with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori) you’ll realise that, before we know it, it will be Biketober again! The programme for this year’s activities is now live and there’s lots to do – I’ll cover some of these in a … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Biketober 2017 is Here!” [...] Read more...

A Great Ride for Christchurch?Angela Cassidy10 Sep 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesI am a big fan of Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trails, which form a network of recreational cycle routes in some of the most scenic parts of the country. The concept originated in a 2009 jobs summit, following the success of the Otago Central Rail Trail. It was seen as a way to … Continue reading “A Great Ride for Christchurch?” [...] Read more...