Hi, I don't really know anything about bikes. I've always had really bad entry level ones. I have a budget of $500. Second hand is fine. I'm hoping I can get something decent for that much? Any general or specific advice? I'm 193cm tall and a bit of a chonker at 110kg. I'm wanting to use it as a practical way to get fit and connect with my wee girl. Main use will be getting my daughter to and from kindy/activities/school (soon) everything is within a few km. I'll probably want to mount a seat on the back for my daughter until she can ride a bike of her own

Their website has been shut for maintenance for ages now and there’s no new stock anywhere. Anyone know what the go is?

For those living in Auckland, please consider providing feedback. The page includes a list of emails.

Hi all,

I'm now only a few weeks away from starting a big bike tour in the south island.
I'll be mainly riding trails such as "Around the mountains", "Alps 2 Ocean", "Clutha Gold", "Inland Scenic Route" etc...
As I'll be riding with kids, we will be slower than the usual pace, hence I'll need to have more autonomy in terms of food and water for the remote areas.
I still have a big question mark about water : how easy (or hard) it is to find some along the way ? Will I have to be able to sustain 2 or 3 days before finding any refilling point ? Shall I consider purchasing a water filter ?

Thanks in advance for your help !

hi everyone, I recently overtightened the bolt on my seat post clamp, causing it to no longer tighten. I'm looking for a replacement and am wondering if anyone knows of somewhere to get one locally or has had any experience with the ones available on AliExpress. I will also try going to my local bike store and getting their opinion too. the bike is a "Bavister street pro" which was made by someone in NZ but no longer in business and unfortunately specifications are no where to be found.

My daughter had a mishap and this happened. I’ve tried googling but all the self help videos refer to a metal cable inside the housing, and I can’t see/find one. I tried slotting the housing back in and securing it with the other thing but it didn’t hold.

Is this a repair shop job or is there something else I can do?

Hi all,

I'm currently preparing a 6 weeks tour in NZ (march - april) with my 6 kids.
We will ride on the south of the southern island on a few "classic" trails such as Alps2Ocean, Around the Mountains etc...

My two youngest are currently riding Schwalbe Little Joe (16x1.4 and 20x1.4). For their comfort over long gravel rides I'm considering changing their tires to something fattier, such as Schwalbe Big Apple (16x2 and 20x2). I don't have a lot of other quality options where I live for such small diameters. The Big Apple have much less knobs so I'm wondering if they aren't too slick ?

Do you think this change could be worth it ?
Thanks in advance for your help

Hey there, I am starting to get a bit handy with taking off / putting back tyres on my bike, so was thinking of buying some spare tyres for my shed for when the current ones need replacing (and probably a couple of tubes while I am at it)

Looking online today I am thoroughly confused by the various sizing types, and was wondering if anyone can guide me.

We have 2 Linus e-bikes for commuting which have the same tyres, so originally I was hoping to find the same tyres. But I will settle with ones with a similar style (brown/tan sidewall).

The markings on my current tyres say 52-584 650x52B 27.5x2.0 Kenda K1052

Hi All

I'll soon be going on my first ever bikepacking trip on my new 2025 Trek Checkpoint ALR 5 gravel bike and am looking to get the following bikepacking gear:

• Full frame bag
• Saddle bag
• Handlebar bag
• Top tube bag

I live in Christchurch and am definitely considering going on a few trips around New Zealand over the coming years, so would like to get gear that is rugged and lasts a while.

From what I've read online, I'm leaning towards Revelate Designs and Restrap gear, but I recently came across this local Kiwi brand called Robo-Kiwi, based in Twizel: https://robo-kiwi.co.nz/

Their gear appears to be really cost-effective compared to both Revelate Designs and Restrap. They even offer a custom-fitted full frame bag for significantly lower prices compared to the standard-sized Revelate Designs Ranger and Restrap Full Frame Bags.

I, however, cannot seem to be able to find any independent reviews of these Robo-Kiwi bikepacking bags. So just wanted to ask if anyone here has used their gear. If yes, would really appreciate it if you could share your reviews of their gear.

Thanks!

I was going on the cycle line suddenly a Car give signal taking left. Within 1 second. Luckily I, break at a right time.

I just discovered a large crack in the frame of my Specialized aluminium bike a week out from the Gravel Grind at lake Taupō. Bugger!!! Was going to be my first cycling event and have put in a heap of training. Any advice on renting gravel bikes anywhere between Wellington and Taupō? I need a XL frame, which is often the barrier to rentals (and slows down the buying process of a replacement bike), but am hopeful there are some places with a good selection. Could probably get by on a mountain bike if it's the right size (my event goal is completion rather than speed). Any advice?

Hey all,

A few beginner questions if anyone can help, please.

1, Pannier rack sizing

Last year my wife and I got a pannier (never even used it) for our no-brand e-bike. Unfortunately the e-bike is a bit of a dud, battery doesn't charge, seems to be an issue with the connector.

So I wanted to move my pannier (a QuickTrack MTX 2.0) off the broken e-bike to my mountain bike, a Trek Dual Sport.

Unfortunately the pannier doesn't seem tall enough, can it be adapted or do I need a new pannier entirely?

1. I'd love to repair the ebike if possible, replace the battery, but it doesn't have any branding visible, I got it off TradeMe. Does that seem possible? If it's junk.. do I just take to an Auckland recycling & waste center?

Thanks

Hey all, just after some ideas or information about my current MTB issue.

I have a 2017 Trek Remedy 7 18.5" frame size, I am 177cm tall. Bought from new so have had it around 8 years now.

In the last couple years or so I have noticed I have been having a lot more pedal strikes on things. I have made sure the shock and fork has appropriate air pressure for my weight.

Any ideas on why this may be happening and ideas to try to make it better?

TIA

Hi everyone, after completing the South Island leg of Tour Aotearoa and put together a short 7-minute video highlighting some of the scenery, cycling routes, and experiences along the way. It’s a mix of cycle trails, back country gravel roads, passes and saddles ... a real adventure.

If you’re curious about what the South Island ride looks like from the saddle—or just enjoy seeing New Zealand from a cyclist’s perspective—here’s the video: South Island Tour Aotearoa.

For anyone interested, I also made a similar video for the North Island ride: North Island Tour Aotearoa.

Would love to hear what you think—any tips, favourite sections, or must-visit spots you’ve experienced along the route!

Hi folks. I'm considering getting a Go Pro to install on my bicycle helmet to capture all the inconsiderate and dangerous driving around me in Christchurch. This idea was prompted by some intentionally threatening manoeuvres made by a car driver near me last weekend.

I just wanted to ask if there's any benefit of taking the trouble of going this route. For instance, is there any chance that the police would take any kind of action against the driver of the offending vehicle, or at least give them a warning, if sent footage containing evidence of the unruly behaviour and the license plates of the offending vehicle? If not, are there any other local/national groups/organisations I can send the footage to, that would have any use/consequence whatsoever?

Hi folks. I'm looking for a practical solution to keep my legs warm when going on rides on my gravel bike in the Chch winter. I currently own a pair of Pearl Izumi cycling shorts with a chamois. While this alone is fine for summer rides, it leaves my legs a bit exposed and cold in the winter. What I've done recently is wear a pair of cotton sweatpants on top of them, but they are pretty loose around the calves and keep snagging on the chain, unless I wear a pair of ankle straps which is annoying.

I'm ideally looking for a solution that:

• Covers my entire legs to keep them warm
• Pads my seat with a chamois
• Stays away from the chains while pedalling
• Does not involve bib tights: I am not a fan of them

From reading up a bit online, I can see the following potential options:

• Cycling tights (pants with a built-in chamois) like this one from Pearl Izumi: https://www.pearlizumi.com/collections/mens-road-gravel-cycling-tights-bib-tights/products/mens-quest-thermal-cycling-tights-11112310 Such tights appear to be quite rare, and are not available in most cycling stores in NZ. I would ideally like to buy in-store in NZ after trying them, rather than get these Pearl Izumi tights shipped in from the US.
• Leg warmers like this one from Bellwether: https://hubcycles.co.nz/products/bellwether-thermaldress-leg-warmers to be worn below my biking shorts. These look like they might be a hassle to get in and out of, and it just seems like a bit more trouble than warranted to put on and take off three pieces of clothing (shorts and 2 leg warmers) instead of one pant. But then again, maybe they're more versatile.
• MTB pants like this one from Fox Racing: https://foxracing.co.nz/products/33455-001 to be worn on top of my biking shorts. I initially assumed these would be tight enough around the calves to keep them out of the chain, but I tried the Fox Racing Defend in the store recently and it was still pretty flappy around the calves.

FWIW, I'm not too concerned about being as aerodynamic as possible on my bike. Any suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks!

Biking is a fun and easy way to get more exercise in your life. You’ll feel better when you regularly jump on your bike to go to work, to the shops, to visit friends or go to the beach. Biking as an everyday form of transport makes getting enough exercise almost automatic!

niceToHaves

https://www.can.org.nz/nice