Cycle Touring in New Zealand

Self touring, independent touring or freedom rentals – call it what you wish, it is a great option for seeing New Zealand. With plenty of free space, great roads and a very diverse variety of terrain, there is something for every cyclist.

Hire a bike and the touring gear from Natural High then with the help of the information below, you are set to enjoy a New Zealand biking holiday at your own pace, be it mountain biking or road cycling.

Books

There are several books we recommend and sell in our shops.

Pedallers Paradise by Nigel Rushton. At $15.50 for either the North Island or South Island version, it’s the cheapest cycling information you will ever get. It’s small, light and has everything you need to know about touring in New Zealand – http://www.paradise-press.co.nz. It’s distributed throughout the world so you can probably find it at your local bookshop.

Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides by the Kennett Brothers at $39.00. The Kennett Brothers are an integral part of mountain biking in New Zealand and produce a great book that is constantly being updated and covers in detail all the great rides throughout New Zealand.

Classic New Zealand Road Rides also by the Kennett Brothers at $39.00. A selection of 100 of the best recreational road cycling routes in New Zealand. Includes maps, altitude graphs and european climb categories.

Maps

There are many maps of New Zealand but make sure you have a good map. It doesn’t need to have every back road in New Zealand but be sure it’s detailed enough that it doesn’t have Australia in it! We sell several maps in our shops that complement the Pedallers Paradise for all you need to know.

Touring Basics

Where do we start? Well, that’s easy, we plagiarize from somebody who has all the info on tap (thanks Nigel!) We have inserted some useful websites to look at as well.

LENGTH OF STAY: New Zealand is a relatively small country but there is a lot to see. It may sound a long time but a month on each island may not be enough, especially if you plan to have a good look round, walk some of the tracks, linger in the special spots or just sit out the bad weather. If you are unable to manage so long, then consider visiting one or two areas rather than attempting to do too much.

WEATHER: NZ has a predominantly maritime climate which means we sometimes get a lot of wind and precipitation (rain). That is why it is so clean and green! As with anywhere, weather has a major influence on the enjoyment of cycling so come prepared.

In the South Island, the strongest winds usually come from a west. These often happen after the spring & autumn equinox and can blow on and off for weeks. When they do, the West Coast has the deluges for which it is famous and some areas have up to 8 metres annually! At the same time, east of the Southern Alps has strong dry blustery winds that have been known to overturn cars.

The North Island also has similar westerly windy seasons, but not to the same extent. Instead they have occasional storms drop in from the north and these are accompanied by rain and winds. The storm season is between January and May.

Care needs to be taken with the strength of the sun. During the height of summer, it is recommended to wear a hat and use sun cream, even on cloudy days. The burn time can be as short as 15 minutes.

Website: New Zealand’s National Meteorological Service http://www.metservice.co.nz

WHEN TO COME: Most people come during the warmer summer months of November to April to the South Island and October to May to the North Island. February and March often have the most settled weather, but not always!

Temperatures sometimes fall below 5 degrees celcius at night even in summer on the South Island. The North Island is generally a few degrees warmer. If you’re planning to camp, then bring a good sleeping bag!

Although temperatures are usually lower during the rest of the year, touring is worth considering in the cooler months for the well equipped. Being well equipped means having layers of warm clothing sandwiched between wool or thermal underwear and a windproof outer shell.

Autumn colours and crisp calm winter days can make for a rewarding journey. Days are shorter in the off-season but accommodation is less crowded. Snow may fall on the high country and on some coastal South Island regions during these times, but it’s rare even for alpine highways to close for more than a few days.

WHEN NOT TO COME: When the weather is really BAD! But unfortunately this is so unpredictable that it is senseless to even try to guess. Probably the least suitable time to come is Christmas/New Year holidays (26th December to about 7th January) unless visiting friends and/or rellies (relatives). All of NZ heads off on holiday so the roads can be busy and many of the popular destinations are competely booked out. With careful planning a great holiday is still possible though!

ORGANISED GROUP OR INDEPENDENTLY: This depends on the individual. Natural High offers guided cycle tours from 1 to 25 days. Unencumbered by a laden bike, you don’t need to be super fit and there is the option of using the “sag wagon” (support vehicle) when tired. New Zealand is such an easy country to travel round that its also easy to go independently. Indeed, in the more popular areas such as the North Island’s Coromandel Peninsula and South Island’s West Coast, one may sometimes think there are too many people on bikes!

Website: Cycle New Zealand guided tours http://www.cyclenewzealand.com/biking/guided-cycle-tours/

BIKE RENTAL OR BYO: There seems little value in bringing a bike all the way to NZ if coming for only a week or so. Additionally, the risks of travelling with your bike and the decreasing airline luggage limits all add to the stress. If you decide to leave the bike at home, short and long term rental is possible from Auckland, Taupo, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, Nelson, Queenstown and Dunedin from Natural High. Also worth considering if touring for longer than two months or more are our ”buy back” schemes. This is where half the purchase price is refunded if the bike is returned in reasonable condition.

Website: Bicycle Rentals Website http://www.bicyclerentals.co.nz/biking/bike-and-equipment-rentals/touring-bike-rentals/

DAILY DISTANCES: Daily distances are up to each individual, from 20 to 200kms, but it is important to avoid overdoing it, especially at the start. You’re on holiday and this is supposed to be fun! The first four days are usually the hardest on the, er proverbial bottom, and allow a week to acclimatise. Unfit people should allow longer.

Website: New Zealand distances http://www.discovernz.co.nz/driving/smlcalc.html

TERRAIN: New Zealand road builders had little time for the niceities of finding the easiest gradient. Straight up and over was the order of the day. Consequently there are no long all day climbs as found in the European Alps, but most of the NZ alpine passes have steep sections.

Overall, gradients tend to be easier on the South Island, which is surprising considering the number and height of the mountains. The South Island is said to have most of the mountains to look at and the North Island has most of the hills to cycle up and down! Do not under-estimate North Island hills!

POPULAR PLACES TO VISIT: The following are considered the most popular places to visit, I’ll get into trouble for those areas I didn’t name. Having said that, try to find time to go to the less touristified places as they are often more rewarding than going with the herd. Often these places are still quite scenic when compared to the less scenically endowed countries. The lists are not in any order of priority.

North Island: Northland; Coromandel; East Cape; and Rotorua – Lake Taupo – National Park – Whanganui River – Wanganui.

South Island: Everywhere really but particularly Queenstown – West Coast – Nelson – Picton; Christchurch – Mt Cook – Oamaru – Dunedin – Queenstown; Picton – Chch.

BIKES ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Most trains, ferries and long distance buses take cycles, usually for a fixed charge regardless of the distance travelled. Sometimes the bikes may not be on the same bus due to space constraints. If travelling on a tight budget it makes sense to take one longer journey rather than two shorter ones.

Websites:

Transcenic Train -  http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/
Intercity Bus – http://www.intercitycoach.co.nz/
Atomic Shuttle -  http://www.atomictravel.co.nz/
K Bus -  http://www.kahurangi.co.nz/
Airport Shuttle -  http://www.supershuttle.co.nz/

BIKE SHOPS & SPARES PARTS: Bikeshops are found in most locations with over 5,000 people between Kaitaia and Invercargill. Unless your bike is a rare breed then spares shouldn’t be hard to get and are readily available in larger centres but you may have to wait for it to be delivered at smaller centres. Local car mechanics may be able to help with temporary repairs where no bikeshop exists.

RELEVANT TRAFFIC LAWS: NZers drive on the left, as in Britain, Australia and Japan, although in some places this may not be apparent. Cycling is illegal on National Park tracks and most motorways. Helmets are compulsory. Cyclists should give way to cars and trucks… or you may be run over!

New Zealand might be a Pedallers’ Paradise but it isn’t Utopia! So it might be worth investing in a mirror to keep an eye on the moronic drivers approaching from behind.

If you have a bad experience try to record their details, such as registration number, date, direction and distinguishing features and report to the police.

Website: Road Rules  http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/01.html

MOUNTAIN BIKING: Most parts of New Zealand have suitable terrain for mountain biking. Many visitors on mountain bikes combine off and on road touring. Bring or buy a set of smooth tread tyres to reduce vibration on tar-sealed highways. “Great NZ Mountain Bike Rides”, written and published by Kennett Brothers, Wellington, is useful for off-road enthusiasts.

ROAD CONDITIONS: All major highways and many secondary roads are tar-sealed (paved). If you plan to stick to highways and occasionally use gravel roads then a hybrid bike may suffice. Usually the unsealed (gravel) secondary highways in popular tourist areas are well maintained.