More Posts – Cycling in Christchurch

Further Post Listings

Have your Say on the Park Terrace CyclewayLennyBoy1 Jun 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasAs was posted last week, there is a new pop-up cycleway installed along Rolleston Ave and Park Tce next to Hagley Park. The main motivation was to alleviate active mode travel congestion while the museum is being redeveloped, but the opportunity was also taken to extend the cycleway further north to improve safety there as … Continue reading “Have your Say on the Park Terrace Cycleway” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Münster – Germany does Cycling tooLennyBoy26 May 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeEarlier this week, I ran another Cycle Planning & Design industry course here in Christchurch. While increasingly it showcases some of the good practice cycling to be seen around NZ, we also include a few nice examples from overseas where necessary. One such example shown was from the German city of Münster, which I was … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Münster – Germany does Cycling too” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Money galore for cyclewaysLennyBoy19 May 2023Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructure / FlashbackThe Government’s latest Budget was just delivered; given the current political environment it was no surprise to see it focus on “the basics” and cost of living. On the transport front, there were lollies for public transport services and fares, and a greater focus on building more resilient transport networks (hint: invest in more cycling…). … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Money galore for cycleways” [...] Read more...

First Look: Rolleston Ave / Park Tce CyclewayLennyBoy16 May 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesAs mentioned briefly the other day, Rolleston Ave and Park Tce in the central city have had a bit of a rapid makeover in the past few weeks, creating a new interim separated cycleway while major refurbishment works are underway for the next few years at the adjacent Canterbury Museum. I went along to have … Continue reading “First Look: Rolleston Ave / Park Tce Cycleway” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Rolleston Ave Shared PathLennyBoy12 May 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayAnyone who has recently been along Rolleston Ave near Canterbury Museum and Christ’s College will have noticed a bit of roadworks there. Due to the major refurbishment of the Museum over the next few years, they’ve had to shift the walking and cycling routes over and so they’ve taken the opportunity to create a temporary … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Rolleston Ave Shared Path” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Cycle Planning & Design TrainingLennyBoy9 May 2023Cycle-centric ideas / Events / Photo of the DayIt’s a measure of just how crazy-busy I was last week that I didn’t even realise that I’d forgotten to do a Flashback Friday – oh well, onto another one this week… So, what was occupying my time? Well, I was up in Auckland doing a bit of university teaching and industry training, all of … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Cycle Planning & Design Training” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in Houten – a triumph in PlanningLennyBoy28 Apr 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / FlashbackThere’s a growing group of people within Christchurch looking to meet regularly in Christchurch to discuss urban transport and planning issues, including good sustainable transport practices like cycling. Tonight was another meet-up and, amongst the many topics discussed, was some reminiscing about the wonders of cycling in Houten, Netherlands. That called to mind the time … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in Houten – a triumph in Planning” [...] Read more...

Autumn Biking Events 2023LennyBoy26 Apr 2023Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideas / EventsThe start of some cooler temperatures around town (at least in the morning) tells us that summer has ended (as has daylight savings) and we are now headed towards winter. While that might dampen the enthusiasm for getting out on your bikes, there are actually quite a few (mostly free) cycle-related things coming up during … Continue reading “Autumn Biking Events 2023” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Summit Road Opportunitycmih221 Apr 2023Cycle-centric ideas / FlashbackI’ve always enjoyed getting up and about the Port Hills, be it on foot, or bike (or running even if I’m feeling stupidly enthusiastic…). Along the top, the Summit Road is great for doing all of these activities while also enjoying spectacular views down below. Pre-quake the route was also a favourite driving haunt, which … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Summit Road Opportunity” [...] Read more...

Have your Say: Westburn Reserve Learn-To-Ride Track RenewalLennyBoy19 Apr 2023Cycle-centric ideas / People riding bikesAs mentioned the other day, the celebrated Westburn Reserve junior bike park is planned to have a much-needed overhaul of its cycling circuit and associated play equipment and other facilities. Consultation is currently open and you have until Mon Apr 24th to get your thoughts in. My kids just loved going to the Westburn Bike … Continue reading “Have your Say: Westburn Reserve Learn-To-Ride Track Renewal” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Adelaide Cycle Training ParkLennyBoy14 Apr 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasIf you weren’t already aware, the City Council is currently consulting on an upgrade to the famous Westburn Junior Cycle Park – submissions close Mon 24th Apr (I’ll blog more about this soon). It brought to mind when I came across an even fancier junior cycle skills park while visiting Adelaide 9 years ago for … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Adelaide Cycle Training Park” [...] Read more...

Cycling in Tauranga: Hits and MissesLennyBoy13 Apr 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesTwo weeks ago I was in Tauranga attending the annual NZ Transportation Conference (which partly explains the relative dearth of posts lately…). It was my first visit back to the Bay City in over 4 years, and over 6 years since I last posted some observations about cycling in the city, so it was interesting … Continue reading “Cycling in Tauranga: Hits and Misses” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Good Cycle Temporary Traffic ManagementLennyBoy10 Apr 2023Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayIt’s easy enough to criticise when things aren’t quite right from a cycling perspective, whether they be permanent features or just temporary ones. But I also believe that it’s important to acknowledge when a good job has been done as well. A few weeks ago I was heading down Waltham Rd near my place and … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Good Cycle Temporary Traffic Management” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – The $69 million question: Sign the Petition for cyclewaysLennyBoy7 Apr 2023Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructureMany of you may know that the Christchurch City Council’s Annual Plan is currently out for consultation. Submissions close this Monday 10th April, so make sure that you have your say! As is often the case, some cycleways are under the gun (despite having already been consulted to death…), so make sure that you register … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – The $69 million question: Sign the Petition for cycleways” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Where should we have lower speed limits?LennyBoy31 Mar 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasDespite some recent disappointing Prime Ministerial pronouncements regarding highway speed limits, many local councils are continuing to crack on with their own local speed management programmes. Christchurch has been one of the most enthusiastic proponents of lower speed limits locally, with an extensive consultation over the summer period, and public hearings coming up soon. A … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Where should we have lower speed limits?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Where could we easily add cycle lanes?LennyBoy24 Mar 2023Cycle infrastructureIt’s coming up nearly 7 years since I changed jobs, and with it my daily cycle commute route. My home location shifted more recently, but the final run into work still traverses Waltham Rd and Fitzgerald Ave, with all the biking challenges that entails. It would certainly be nice to have some improved cycling facilities … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Where could we easily add cycle lanes?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday-ish: Cycle paths – important for keeping our aging population fit and well?cmih218 Mar 2023General A2B by bikeIt says something about the crazy busy week I’ve just had that even managing to do a regular Flashback Friday on time (let alone any other blogpost) escaped me. So as I finally get some R&R time on the weekend, here is a belated offering. This week’s reheat (originally posted a decade ago by Chrys … Continue reading “Flashback Friday-ish: Cycle paths – important for keeping our aging population fit and well?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Yes, there are people who cycle in Christchurch – plenty!LennyBoy10 Mar 2023Cyclivism / People riding bikesThis week there has been a little bit of controversy with the claim that cycling numbers in the city had dropped, with the inevitable resulting grumbles about money-wasting from the naysayers. Turned out of course that it was a glitch in the numbers (especially from one major count site), and in fact many sites around … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Yes, there are people who cycle in Christchurch – plenty!” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: New National Cycle Network Planning / Design GuidanceLennyBoy3 Mar 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikePhew, it has definitely been difficult lately to find the time to whip up some blog posts! The social life has been pretty busy and the work side of things seems to get busier and busier… One of those work things occupying a fair bit of my time is the ongoing updating of national guidelines … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: New National Cycle Network Planning / Design Guidance” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: What are your current Chch cycle safety concerns?LennyBoy24 Feb 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeThis week I’m helping to teach a road safety course at Canterbury University. Road safety was also one of the considerations by City Council when determining this week which local transport projects might get the chop as a result of additional Govt “CERF” funding (more on that in another post soon). The safety of cycling … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: What are your current Chch cycle safety concerns?” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: North Hagley Park cycleway closuresLennyBoy19 Feb 2023Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayHot on the heels of my recent discussion about biking to major events, it’s also worth pointing out that sometimes major events can also impact on people just trying to bike around the city. Case in point: North Hagley Park… I first noticed these signs when leaving an event here a few weeks ago. If … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: North Hagley Park cycleway closures” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Isabelle (necessary on a bicycle?)LennyBoy17 Feb 2023Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideasI was showing someone around the city’s cycleways yesterday, always a fun exercise. There were a few busy sections where pedestrians and riders were mingling together and we had to slowly weave our way through. My colleague was probably better than me during our ride at using his bell to politely inform people of our … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Isabelle (necessary on a bicycle?)” [...] Read more...

Cycle underpasses: the good and the badLennyBoy16 Feb 2023Cycle infrastructureMy new home of the past year means that I have some slightly different ways that I can get to work now. The most direct route takes me in a straight line via the railway underpass in Waltham between Thackeray and Falsgrave Streets, near the old Lancaster Park. While that makes it a very handy … Continue reading “Cycle underpasses: the good and the bad” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling Postcards from AustraliaLennyBoy10 Feb 2023Cycle infrastructureA colleague of mine is about to go on a short holiday over to Byron Bay in Australia; another is planning a trip to Gold Coast in May. I’m also eyeing up a return across the Tasman later in the year (my first since late 2019) and it called to mind a previous family visit … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling Postcards from Australia” [...] Read more...

Biking to Events: Summer 2023 Progress ReportLennyBoy9 Feb 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasIt’s been a fun last few weeks around Ōtautahi Christchurch, with plenty of great events to attend and enjoy. As much as possible, I like to bike to things if I can – usually the whole drama of travelling to/from the event and finding a place to park is so much less hassle by bike … Continue reading “Biking to Events: Summer 2023 Progress Report” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Guest Post: Statistics, Dollars, and the Intangible (Priceless) Benefits of CyclingRobert Fleming3 Feb 2023Benefits of cycling / Bikes & equipment / General A2B by bikeWe’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 temporary Govt fuel tax discount being uplifted will have had some wondering how they would … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Guest Post: Statistics, Dollars, and the Intangible (Priceless) Benefits of Cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Matai Cycleway Rail CrossingLennyBoy27 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DaySomeone asked the question the other day about what is happening to the South Express railway crossing near Old Blenheim Rd, which is currently still a tight maze layout. As with a number of crossing upgrades in Christchurch (e.g. the planned improvements further north on the Northern Line) the short answer is: “we’re waiting on … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Photo of the Day: Matai Cycleway Rail Crossing” [...] Read more...

Hidden Treasures: The South FrameLennyBoy26 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructureWe hear a lot about the various Major Cycle Routes around the city, and also the nice central city corridors like the Oxford Promenade and the East Frame. But another cool little route has been slowly making its way across town too and is now completed – the South Frame. The South Frame was part … Continue reading “Hidden Treasures: The South Frame” [...] Read more...

Chch Cycle Counter update 2022: Lockdown jittersLennyBoy21 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasIt’s time again to have a look at the cycle counts around Christchurch to see what’s been happening to cycling numbers lately. You will recall that we first did this exercise at the start of 2021, and then a year later at the start of 2022. What started as a pretty encouraging pattern of good … Continue reading “Chch Cycle Counter update 2022: Lockdown jitters” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Not-so-hidden Treasures: Hagley ParkLennyBoy20 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesWe’re seeing some lovely summer weather around Christchurch at the moment, which is a great opportunity to explore some more parts of the city by bike. So why not make some time to visit (or revisit) the lovely splendour of Hagley Park? Your timing will be good, as further pathway upgrades have just been completed … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Not-so-hidden Treasures: Hagley Park” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Cycling and the Law: Where can you Ride your Bike?LennyBoy13 Jan 2023Cyclivism / General A2B by bikeAs we roll out more cycleways and other facilities around the city, it’s probably timely to remind everyone where you can and can’t bike and the Road Rules around them. Mind you, that could all change before we know it; there are a few proposed transport legislation changes still going nowhere fast on the Transport … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Cycling and the Law: Where can you Ride your Bike?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday Photo: More new Cycle Lane SeparatorsLennyBoy6 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DayThe Major Cycleway programme continues apace and that includes heaps of separated cycleways, off-road pathways and quiet neighbourhood greenways. But that shouldn’t overlook the role of the humble painted cycle lane to fill in some of the gaps cost-effectively. And they work even better when some “light separation” is provided at the same time, in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday Photo: More new Cycle Lane Separators” [...] Read more...

Touring Chch Cycleways: the Good, the Bad, the InterestingLennyBoy4 Jan 2023Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasHappy New Year! One of the fun things I like to do in my spare time is to hop on my bike and go and explore some part of the city that I haven’t visited lately. Inevitably there are some new developments that have popped up since last time, and that often includes new transport … Continue reading “Touring Chch Cycleways: the Good, the Bad, the Interesting” [...] Read more...

Cycling in Chch 2022 in Review: Sure and steady progress…LennyBoy31 Dec 2022Cycle infrastructureAnother year in the can, so it’s time to cast my mind back over what has happened cycle-wise in our fair city since 2021 ended. Here’s what I observed (and tried to report on) this year: As is the case every three years, the city has had its local elections and we have a new … Continue reading “Cycling in Chch 2022 in Review: Sure and steady progress…” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in Chch 2016 – The cycling city continues to buildLennyBoy30 Dec 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasWe’re coming to the end of another year and, as is my tradition, I’ll do a year-in-review blogpost for you tomorrow. As part of that I like to look at how our city’s cycling network is growing and present the latest additions to our cycle routes – once again, it’s looking pretty impressive for the … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in Chch 2016 – The cycling city continues to build” [...] Read more...

Hey world, have you heard of Christchurch?!LennyBoy26 Dec 2022Bicycle politics / Cycle-centric ideas / CyclivismWe all love a bit of healthy rivalry, whether it’s which is the bigger “second city” in NZ or even which is the “shittest town in NZ”. Bike-friendliness is another metric by which many people seek to answer “where is the best place to cycle?” But curiously, when it comes to the cycling credentials of … Continue reading “Hey world, have you heard of Christchurch?!” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: The pub run – by bikeLennyBoy23 Dec 2022Cycle-centric ideas / Photo of the DayCompliments of the season! I hope that most of you will enjoy a well-deserved summer break and perhaps get out on those lovely new cycleways sometime too (I’m going to do some scouting of them later today…). Our workplace finished up for most yesterday; I had been working at home but I came in to … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: The pub run – by bike” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Lincoln Rd Bus/Bike LaneLennyBoy19 Dec 2022Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DayThere’s been a lot of transport activity happening around the city lately (and more to come). The other week I showed you some developments to major cycleways in the south-east; meanwhile, heading towards the south-west there has been another recent upgrade too through Addington… Lincoln Rd recently had new peak-hour bus lanes installed through Addington … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Lincoln Rd Bus/Bike Lane” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: The business benefits of bikewaysLennyBoy16 Dec 2022Benefits of cycling / Cycle infrastructureIt’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 be a great windfall, but many of them still believe that almost all of their … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: The business benefits of bikeways” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: What a Safe Passing Rule MeansLennyBoy9 Dec 2022Bicycle politics / Cycle-centric ideasIt was eight years ago now since I was involved in the national Cycle Safety Panel that made various recommendations to government, including a number of Rule and policy changes. One of them that got a bit of attention was related to minimum distances when overtaking someone biking. Despite the hype, it was proposed in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: What a Safe Passing Rule Means” [...] Read more...

New Southeastern Cycleways coming alongLennyBoy6 Dec 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesThe cycleway construction season is in full swing across the city. The other day I got the chance to see how progress is going on two cycleway sections in the southeastern part of the city; the Heathcote Expressway in Woolston and the Rapanui – Shag Rock Cycleway in Ferrymead. First a quick look at the … Continue reading “New Southeastern Cycleways coming along” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Hagley Oval Bike ParkingLennyBoy4 Dec 2022Bikes & equipment / Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DayWhile we’re on a bit of a theme about bike parking, I’ll regale you with my experience last Wednesday at Hagley Oval. As many of you may know, NZ was playing India in a one-day cricket game that afternoon/evening, so I wandered along after lunch to check it out. As is my usual habit, I … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Hagley Oval Bike Parking” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Where would you like some bike parking?LennyBoy2 Dec 2022Cycle infrastructureThe recent consultation about the streets around Te Kaha highlighted a key question in my mind of just how much bike parking they expect to need for visitors to the new stadium (spoiler: I’m not convinced they’ve provided enough…). Elsewhere in the central city though there has been quite the explosion of additional bike parking … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Where would you like some bike parking?” [...] Read more...

Lots of safer speed street consultations out for reviewLennyBoy28 Nov 2022Benefits of cycling / Cycle-centric ideasWe’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 national Speed Management Guide (Road to Zero edition). Christchurch City has been one of the … Continue reading “Lots of safer speed street consultations out for review” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Cycling and the Law: What is a “Cycle”?LennyBoy25 Nov 2022Bikes & equipmentA couple of projects I was working on a few years ago related to potentially changing some of our road rules around cycling, and looking at possible changes to regulations for e-bikes and other low-powered devices. Sadly in both cases we are still waiting for any action on the legislative front, but the work did … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Cycling and the Law: What is a “Cycle”?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Progress on Cycle Safety Panel RecommendationsLennyBoy18 Nov 2022Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeIt hasn’t be a great year for cycling safety in NZ, with a larger than average number of road deaths to date. While there is sadly an element of randomness about whether some crashes become fatal or not, it has caused some people to ask the question of whether cycling safety is making any progress … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Progress on Cycle Safety Panel Recommendations” [...] Read more...

Guest Post: Dogs on bicyclesCycling in Chch (Guest)17 Nov 2022Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideasNo, we’re not talking about some clever circus trick; here is a very practical guest post from Douglas Horrell about the interesting question of how to bring your favourite furry friend along for a ride on your bike… This is an old dogs / new tricks post, and hopefully also a how-to guide for anyone … Continue reading “Guest Post: Dogs on bicycles” [...] Read more...

AA adds new bike breakdown serviceLennyBoy13 Nov 2022Benefits of cycling / Cycle-centric ideasI’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 number of times I’ve needed it), the interesting reading in their quarterly magazine, and the … Continue reading “AA adds new bike breakdown service” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Getting to the A&P Show by BikeLennyBoy11 Nov 2022Cycling routes / EventsHappy holiday! It’s a nice feeling to have the day off while the rest of the country is still working… Some of you might have gone to the Canterbury A&P Show this week – some of you might have even tried to bike there. Ten years ago, the organisers provided some limited guidance on pedalling … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Getting to the A&P Show by Bike” [...] Read more...

Central City street consultations now outLennyBoy7 Nov 2022Cycle infrastructureA couple of central city street improvement projects have been out for consultation over the last few weeks, with consultation originally closing this Monday 7th Nov – although in one case that has changed. Let’s start with the one where feedback is due this Monday. You may recall the earlier High Street improvements consulted on … Continue reading “Central City street consultations now out” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Coastal Pathway makes further progressLennyBoy4 Nov 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesAnyone who has been out towards Sumner lately may have noticed the work underway to finish up the last bits of the Coastal Pathway, both through Moncks Bay and also connecting with the Rapanui-Shag Rock cycleway at Ferrymead. It’s quite amazing to think about the journey that this community-driven cycleway has taken from mere concept … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Coastal Pathway makes further progress” [...] Read more...

What does the new Chch City Council mean for cycling?LennyBoy31 Oct 2022Bicycle politicsIt’s been a few weeks now since the local body elections were held and the dust is settling on the final results around the country. Here in Christchurch we have a new mayor in Phil Mauger and also six new Councillors. So what does this potentially mean in terms of cycling and transport overall in … Continue reading “What does the new Chch City Council mean for cycling?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Help us out – Where can you bike in your suburb?LennyBoy28 Oct 2022Cycling routes / General A2B by bikeWork and life in general has been rather busy lately, making it difficult to get many new Cycling in Chch posts out the door – sorry about that; hopefully rectified in the near future. Another item on my to-do list is to update the information about best cycling options for people in different suburbs around … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Help us out – Where can you bike in your suburb?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: How do you make your bike commute more interesting?LennyBoy21 Oct 2022Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routes / People riding bikesWith the shift to a new house nearly a year ago, my commute to work changed. However, I don’t always takes the same route to or from there; sometimes due to the traffic at different times, sometimes to get in a few extra kms of biking, and sometimes just for a change in scenery. It’s … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: How do you make your bike commute more interesting?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Inside the new Bus Interchange – What’s in it for CyclingLennyBoy14 Oct 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasOn my fairly regular trips out of town I often use a bike-bus combo to get to and from the airport. The central Bus Interchange is a great facility to join the dots here and they really did do a good job of making it work well for people walking and biking there. This post … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Inside the new Bus Interchange – What’s in it for Cycling” [...] Read more...

Biketober 2022: nearly halfway but much more to come…LennyBoy13 Oct 2022Cycle-centric ideas / EventsHard to believe that this weekend we will already be at the halfway point for Christchurch’s Biketober 2022 festival! I hope you’ve had a chance to take part in a few activities already and there’s plenty more to come… For example, I’m looking forward to joining in the socialising at tonight’s Beers, Bikes & Banter … Continue reading “Biketober 2022: nearly halfway but much more to come…” [...] Read more...

Submit on getting a Fringe Benefit exemption for Bikes-to-WorkLennyBoy10 Oct 2022Bicycle politics / Cycle-centric ideasConnor Read (co-founder of the Shutl e-bike rental service) has alerted me to an interesting but troubling development in the world of fringe-benefit tax (FBT). Many of you may know that current legislation in NZ requires FBT to be paid against many “perks” provided to staff by employers but intriguingly gives an exemption for staff … Continue reading “Submit on getting a Fringe Benefit exemption for Bikes-to-Work” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Elections 2019: Why are Cycleways always the Easy Beat?LennyBoy7 Oct 2022Bicycle politicsIt’s coming up to the end of this term’s local government elections. If you haven’t done so already: get out there and vote! You have until midday this Saturday 8th and you’ll have to hand in your voting papers in person now. If you want to know who is standing in your area and how … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Elections 2019: Why are Cycleways always the Easy Beat?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Why Traffic Speed Matters for Walking and CyclingLennyBoy30 Sep 2022General A2B by bikeThis week I have been busy attending the Australasian Road Safety Conference, being held for the first time ever here in Ōtautahi Christchurch. It’s been a fantastic event, with over 450 people attending from the road safety sector in NZ, Australia and beyond. Two topics dear to my heart, cycling and speed management, were both … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Why Traffic Speed Matters for Walking and Cycling” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: A cycleway fit for a QueenLennyBoy26 Sep 2022Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DayToday is the memorial public holiday in NZ to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II – it certainly seems like the end of a significant era with her death. In Christchurch we have our own Queen Elizabeth II Drive (aka SH74) running across the northeast of the city (ultimately connecting to QEII Park). While … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: A cycleway fit for a Queen” [...] Read more...

Biketober 2022 – on the very near horizonRobert Fleming24 Sep 2022Cycle-centric ideas / EventsDoesn’t the time go! Spring officially began three weeks ago and now it is six days until the start of Biketober 2022 – https://biketoberchch.nz. Wow – so fast! Check out the 50 and more events we’ve got in store for 2022, our sixth annual festival. If the event pages seem a little daunting to navigate, … Continue reading “Biketober 2022 – on the very near horizon” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Timely street maintenance is important for cyclingLennyBoy23 Sep 2022Cycle-centric ideas / Cycling routesI was in a meeting yesterday where a discussion was held about coming up with a standard national specification for maintenance of cycleways, now that quite a few of them are appearing around the country. It’s one thing to find the funds to build cycle facilities, it’s another to find some more money to keep … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Timely street maintenance is important for cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – End of Tour: Reflections on Cycling in EuropeLennyBoy16 Sep 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasEarlier this week I reported on the recent draft Chch Transport Plan, which has some great proposals in it. It’s stated that many of the ideas in it came from looking at best practice elsewhere in the world; many of those best practices can be found in what is happening in various parts of Europe. … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – End of Tour: Reflections on Cycling in Europe” [...] Read more...

A lot to like about the draft Chch Transport PlanLennyBoy10 Sep 2022Cycle-centric ideasIt may have been an attempt at a political stunt but, whatever the motivations, the Christchurch City Council decided a couple of weeks ago to publish the draft version of its Christchurch Transport Plan currently in development. There was subsequently a lot of hype about its aim to “lure” people from their cars but, in … Continue reading “A lot to like about the draft Chch Transport Plan” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Bus-Bike Workshop a SuccessLennyBoy9 Sep 2022Cycle-centric ideas / EventsMixing with heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses while biking can be a daunting prospect to say the least. As was evidenced by the controversy just last week about a close-passing truck in Wellington, we still have some way to go to get all parties to understand the issues faced in these encounters. With … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Bus-Bike Workshop a Success” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Vauban and Rieselfeld, Freiburg: Suburbs for CyclingLennyBoy2 Sep 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasLast week I reminded you about my time visiting the German city of Freiburg and some of its transport-friendly aspects that the similar-sized Christchurch could emulate. Another feature that Greater Chch could do well to consider is how Freiburg develops new subdivisions – or repurposes existing land uses for neighbourhoods. This blog (originally from Aug … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Vauban and Rieselfeld, Freiburg: Suburbs for Cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Freiburg – Cycling and SustainabilityLennyBoy26 Aug 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasThis week has seen a flurry of discussion locally by City Council about whether to release or not the draft future transport plan. In the end, the Council decided to publish the 30-year draft plan for the public to have a look at now. The plan is a bold one, aiming to tackle the twin … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Freiburg – Cycling and Sustainability” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in the WetLennyBoy19 Aug 2022Administration / General A2B by bikeIt’s been a wee bit damp this week around the country… No-one was really spared too much, although obviously some places like Nelson, Northland and the West Coast copped it more than most. There’s a little bit of the wet stuff still to come, so if you need some advice for biking around in this … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in the Wet” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Wellington interim cyclewaysLennyBoy13 Aug 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayI mentioned that I was in Wellington recently, as I’m helping to review some planned cycleways. The Council there are looking at ways to roll out some “transitional cycleways” quickly, using various low-cost products to do so. Already they have got underway with the first section, which I was able to have a look at … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Wellington interim cycleways” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Nobody Rides Bikes in Winter! Right?Cycling in Chch (Guest)12 Aug 2022General A2B by bike / People riding bikesSo I gather that it’s been a bit chilly in Christchurch and surrounds lately. I say “I gather” because meanwhile I’ve been enjoying some slightly warmer temperatures in Rarotonga… (I did try to grab some e-bikes to explore the island with while we were here, but evidently I was too slow and their growing popularity … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Nobody Rides Bikes in Winter! Right?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Return to Chch: Cycle lane separators on curvesLennyBoy5 Aug 2022Cycle infrastructureThe growing concern about addressing climate change is seeing various people look at ways of rolling out infrastructure for cycling faster than the usual laboured full consultation/design/construct process (Harewood Road anyone?). Nationally that is meaning things like the Streets for People tactical urbanism programme and I was recently involved in some interesting research about “quick-build” … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Return to Chch: Cycle lane separators on curves” [...] Read more...

Shutl brings e-bike subscriptions on demand to ChristchurchLennyBoy3 Aug 2022Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideasThere’s a growing number of people in New Zealand who are liking the benefits that e-bikes can bring to their lifestyle, especially if they have to contend with hills, longer distances, or just poor health/fitness. But owning an e-bike doesn’t come cheap, especially as an upfront purchase cost, so many may still be put off … Continue reading “Shutl brings e-bike subscriptions on demand to Christchurch” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Cycling in Zürich: An uphill challengeLennyBoy29 Jul 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasThis week I have been spending time in Wellington, looking at some proposed cycleway routes and observing bike behaviour in our capital city. Although similar in size to Christchurch, Wellington suffers from having a lot of hills that limit the enthusiasm of many to jump on their bike. Given that I was observing 6-9km/h un-powered … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Cycling in Zürich: An uphill challenge” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Return to Christchurch: Cycling works underwayLennyBoy22 Jul 2022Cycle infrastructureWhen we haven’t been pondering our own cold/wet weather lately, much of the focus this week has been on the incredibly hot weather over in Europe (climate change, anyone?). Seven years ago, I had just returned from three months in Europe and feeling the definite drop in temperatures; however, what I was also noticing was … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Return to Christchurch: Cycling works underway” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: First Count Data for New CyclewaysLennyBoy15 Jul 2022Cycle-centric ideas / People riding bikesCycle counts in Christchurch were in the news this week, with some concerns about stalling bike numbers (at least the Press article was somewhat more measured and factful compared with some other misleading dross elsewhere…). We’re lucky to have built up about six years’ worth of cycle count data in Christchurch now at numerous sites. … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: First Count Data for New Cycleways” [...] Read more...

Help with this Survey: The impact of cycleway design on usageLennyBoy10 Jul 2022Cycle infrastructureMany of you will know City Councillor Mike Davidson, who is one of the cycling champions around the Council table. Mike is also undertaking a degree via the Open Polytechnic and, as part of that, he is doing a research paper examining the impact of cycleway design on the uptake of cycling in Ōtautahi-Christchurch. “I … Continue reading “Help with this Survey: The impact of cycleway design on usage” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: How to Deal with Cycling on Social MediaLennyBoy8 Jul 2022CyclivismAnother day, another news item somewhere about how cycleways are the cancer of the world… Actually, lately I seem to have been more stuck on dealing with the chatter around stories on speed limits, stadium costs, and bus lanes – although even then it’s surprising how often someone in Christchurch will throw in a snide … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: How to Deal with Cycling on Social Media” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in Nantes and #VeloCity2015 ConferenceLennyBoy1 Jul 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideas / EventsLike many parts of the world, Europe is starting to attempt some semblance of post-lockdown normality (even despite the ongoing Covid infection numbers…). In the cycling world, that meant another recent Velo-City cycling conference two weeks ago, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This annual fixture is a fascinating gathering, bringing together all kinds of cycling culture aspects … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in Nantes and #VeloCity2015 Conference” [...] Read more...

2022 Winter Solstice Ride in PicturesLennyBoy27 Jun 2022EventsAnother year, another successful Winter Solstice Matariki Night Light Ride under our belt! Last Tuesday saw the latest incarnation of this popular event, with lots of enthusiastic people and their bikes decked out in all manner of colourful bright flashing paraphernalia. Sadly the numbers were down a bit on recent years, with an estimated 179 … Continue reading “2022 Winter Solstice Ride in Pictures” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Night-time CyclingLennyBoy24 Jun 2022Cycle-centric ideas / People riding bikesHappy Matariki! As the first occurrence of our newest public holiday comes towards a close, I’ve returned from enjoying some of the fun light displays in town at Tirama Mai – do get along if you haven’t already, before it finishes on July 3rd. Earlier in the week we also celebrated our 11th Winter Solstice … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Night-time Cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Christchurch – The City that… Cycles ??Robert Fleming17 Jun 2022Bicycle politics / Cycle-centric ideasAs New Zealand reopens to the world (despite the lingering Covid numbers…), and we start to see more international visitors to our shores, it’s an interesting question as to what impressions they will take away from the various places they visit. I’m involved in organising a big Australasian conference here in Christchurch later this year, … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Christchurch – The City that… Cycles ??” [...] Read more...

Time for another Winter Solstice Ride – Tue 21 June 2022LennyBoy16 Jun 2022Cycle-centric ideas / EventsIt’s hard to believe that a simple fun idea dreamed up 10 years ago would turn into a much-loved institution in the Christchurch cycling calendar. But that was the concept started by Ian Wells all those years ago, with the Christchurch Winter Solstice Matariki Night Light Bike Ride now in its 11th year next Tuesday … Continue reading “Time for another Winter Solstice Ride – Tue 21 June 2022” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in Amsterdam – does it live up to the hype?LennyBoy10 Jun 2022Cycle infrastructure / People riding bikesPay attention to some of the debates that occur in the media comments sections about cycleways and at some point a naysayer is invariably going to say that “[NZ town X] is not like Amsterdam!” Ignoring the fact that a few decades ago, Amsterdam wasn’t like Amsterdam either, what is the mythical cycle-heaven of the … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in Amsterdam – does it live up to the hype?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: A Presidential BikewayLennyBoy3 Jun 2022Bicycle politics / Cycle infrastructureHappy World Bicycle Day! This week, New Zealand was in the limelight over in the US as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern got to meet President Joe Biden in Washington DC. Meanwhile, back here in NZ, some quick-build trial cycleways in Wellington have been put on hold thanks to a legal challenge. It’s with those two … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: A Presidential Bikeway” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in the ColdLennyBoy27 May 2022Administration / Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeI don’t know about you, but this week has suddenly felt decidedly nippy out there. For some people, that’s when they give up on cycling for a while until spring returns, but for others it’s just a case of applying a few extra layers. So it was with that it mind that I offered a … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in the Cold” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: The Orthodoxy of the HighwaySimon Barnard20 May 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cyclivism / General A2B by bikeIt’s been an interesting week for transport policy, both nationally and locally. For a start the Government’s first Emission Reduction Plan was finally released on Monday, which personally was a bit underwhelming but at least makes some signals about further investment in cycleways and support for people buying e-bikes. This week there were also a … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: The Orthodoxy of the Highway” [...] Read more...

New 529 Garage site aims to tackle bike theftLennyBoy19 May 2022Bikes & equipment / Cycle-centric ideasTackling bike theft is a perennial problem globally; it’s a particular issue in places where biking is increasingly popular – like Christchurch. We’ve talked about other attempts to address the problem before, but often the challenge is getting sufficient buy-in by both bike owners and the relevant authorities to make them work. There’s a new … Continue reading “New 529 Garage site aims to tackle bike theft” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Pathway Leaves – A Menace for Cycling?LennyBoy13 May 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routes / General A2B by bikeAutumn is a lovely time of year as the leaves on the trees turn into golden shades. But it’s also the time when those leaves eventually start dropping off. I was reminded of this when cycling along one of the new cycleways last week – while it was great to see it completed, it was … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Pathway Leaves – A Menace for Cycling?” [...] Read more...

10 Years of “Cycling in Christchurch” – A Decade of Change…LennyBoy12 May 2022Cycle-centric ideas / General A2B by bikeOn this day, 10 years ago back in 2012, a social media developer from Auckland called Jenny Marshall (aka “Unity Finesmith”) first launched a little blogsite called in Cycling in Christchurch, as well as sister sites Cycling in Auckland and Cycling in Wellington. It was a low-key beginning, pooling a few other locals to throw … Continue reading “10 Years of “Cycling in Christchurch” – A Decade of Change…” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday – Book Review: Easy Rider, A Kiwi’s Guide to CyclingLennyBoy6 May 2022General A2B by bikeThe days are getting shorter and cooler, so maybe you don’t feel quite so keen to get out on your bike over the winter months (although we do have advice for those who do want to cycle in the cold…). Perhaps you’d rather curl up with a good cycling bike to read, in which case … Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Book Review: Easy Rider, A Kiwi’s Guide to Cycling” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Another look at Auckland: Shared PathsLennyBoy29 Apr 2022Cycle infrastructure / People riding bikesAnother week, another out-of-town trip limiting my spare hours… This time, the work topic vexing my mind is shared paths (or not shared paths). We’ve touched on the question before and it’s an area of evolving best practice in New Zealand. Is it something that can be resolved using behavioural markings? Certainly it’s one option … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Another look at Auckland: Shared Paths” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Bikes on BusesLennyBoy22 Apr 2022Benefits of cycling / Cycle infrastructure / General A2B by bikeI’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 of biking and then busing to/from the airport, with a small bag in tow. However, let’s … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Bikes on Buses” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling in UtrechtLennyBoy15 Apr 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routesHappy Easter! I hope you’re managing to get in some bike rides to work off all the additional chocolate… It’s been an interesting week, not least because I managed to catch Covid. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that my symptoms have been limited to a sore throat, annoying cough and stuffy nose – perhaps I’ll claim … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling in Utrecht” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Auckland Cycle CrossingsLennyBoy10 Apr 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycling routes / Photo of the DayAs I mentioned the other day, I’m currently in Auckland, and that’s allowed me to check out a few new cycling sites of interest while I’m here. The Northwestern Cycleway is one of the major cycling routes feeding into the city from the western suburbs and at many places it has to connect with the … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Auckland Cycle Crossings” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: A Week in Auckland – Is there hope for Cycling?LennyBoy8 Apr 2022Cycle infrastructureThe blogposts have been a bit sparse lately, as I’ve spent the last two weeks based up in Auckland with a few holidays in between. But my visit called to mind other times when I have visited the City of Sails and looked at their cycling provision. Back in Feb 2014 when I first posted … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: A Week in Auckland – Is there hope for Cycling?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Do the economics of Chch’s cycleways stack up?LennyBoy1 Apr 2022Benefits of cycling / Cycle infrastructureExpenditure 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 savings (rather than just being spent on the next project on the national list, which … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Do the economics of Chch’s cycleways stack up?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Reflections on a Month in the UKLennyBoy25 Mar 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasWith all the recent Govt announcements allowing more easy travel in and out of NZ once more, it feels like the world has suddenly opened up again. People are talking about doing the travel they’ve had to postpone for the past two years, and that includes a number of people I know who are keen … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Reflections on a Month in the UK” [...] Read more...

What do you think of the Ferry Road trial so far?LennyBoy24 Mar 2022Cycle infrastructure / Cycle-centric ideasMany locals will recall the efforts roughly a year ago to install a bright “pop-up” separated cycleway along Ferry Rd, connecting the Heathcote Express at Fitzgerald Ave with the St Asaph St cycleway. In a matter of weeks, a relatively low-cost trial layout was installed featuring a combination of flexi-posts, paint, planter boxes, “wave” barriers, … Continue reading “What do you think of the Ferry Road trial so far?” [...] Read more...

Flashback Friday: Cycling and making sense of lifeCycling in Chch (Guest)18 Mar 2022Benefits of cycling / People riding bikesMental 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 some other way to work through the challenges. I’ve certainly had my own challenges in … Continue reading “Flashback Friday: Cycling and making sense of life” [...] Read more...

Photo of the Day: Avondale Walk/Cycle BridgeLennyBoy17 Mar 2022Cycle infrastructure / Photo of the DayAs lovely as it is to ride along our two main rivers, the Ōtākaro / Avon and Ōpāwaho / Heathcote, sometimes it’s also quite handy to be able to get to somewhere on the other side of them. While the latter has a reasonably frequent number of bridges along it, there are some pretty decent … Continue reading “Photo of the Day: Avondale Walk/Cycle Bridge” [...] Read more...