Events will be taking place from Whangarei to Invercargill during February, with plenty of activities for everyone to get involved.
Last year, more than 56,000 Kiwis took part in Bike Wise Month in more than 370 events. This year even more Kiwis are expected to take part .
Bike Wise is a national cycling programme run by the NZ Transport Agency that promotes cycling as a fun, healthy and safe way to travel..
NZ Transport Agency’s National Cycling Manager Dougal List is looking forward to seeing more people out and about on their bikes.
“We are dedicated to making cycling a bigger part of the way Kiwis get around, Bike Wise is a fantastic way for Kiwis to enjoy fun and safe cycling, so we’re really looking forward to seeing the country get involved.
“We have a target of more than 10 million more cycling trips by 2019, and we’re hoping that Bike Wise will encourage more people jump on their bikes to help us reach this milestone.
“Cycling is a great way to bring people together, something you can do with family, friends or work colleagues. It’s the 14th year of Bike Wise and we know more and more Kiwis are on board so we’re hoping it’s the biggest one yet!”
Steve Stannard, Professor of Exercise Physiology at Massey University says that cycling is a fantastic mode of transport that not only saves you money, but provides health improvements at the same time.
“A real benefit of cycling is that you’re within the environment; you’re not in a shell. If you’re riding your bike or walking, you smell the smells and see the sights. You’re going at a pace where you can absorb what’s going on – that’s an important thing about cycling.”
Sarah Ostergaard, head trainer for RPM, an indoor cycling workout class at Les Mills, raced at a competitive level for five years, and represented New Zealand overseas. Ostergaard says that cycling from work is a fantastic way to let all the daily stresses go.
“Out on the road, just feeling the sun on your back or wind in your face is best feeling. My favourite ride is along the waterfront in Auckland. We’re so lucky to have such beautiful spots to cycle in New Zealand!
“We’re looking forward to supporting Bike Wise Month this year, and are excited to encourage more Kiwis to take up cycling as a mode of transport.”
The full calendar of cycling events across New Zealand for Bike Wise Month, includes National Go By Bike Day on 10th February 2016, when Kiwis are encouraged to ditch their cars, cycle to work or school and in some regions enjoy a free breakfast on the way.
“The calendar of events can be found at http://www.bikewise.co.nz/events.
Before getting on your bike, download the official New Zealand code for cyclists for a comprehensive guide to safer cycling, and also consider these key tips for sharing the road safely. With more than one million* cyclists on our roads, it’s important that both cyclists and motorists look out for one another and share the roads safely,” Dougal List says.