Australia - New Zealand - Information on bike co-ops or similar organisations in New Zealand

Hello people,

Does anyone know of any bike co-ops or similar organisations in New Zealand that I might be able to get involved with. I plan to spend six months in NZ from around October time. Around Auckland would be great to start with as thats where I will arrive.

Also is anyone aware of what the second hand bike market is like in Auckland?

And tips or recommendations for cycling in NZ. Anything bike, touring, community and NZ related I would be interested in!!!

:o)

Prepare for rough chip seal.

Prepare for rough chip seal.

Lots of rough chip seal.

I can't help you with bike co-ops or even good cycling routes up in Auckland ('cause I have the good sense not to live there).

Ebay never took off here but there is a local equivalent, TradeMe (http://www.trademe.co.nz/) which will have plenty of bikes for sale, both Road and MTB. There are bound to be plenty of bikes available in Auckland.

Ridestrong (http://www.ridestrong.org.nz) is an reasonably new initiative that aims to make a combined approach to advocacy and also has details of cycling events and other cycling related information.

So rough chip seal, is that somewhere between a dirt road and a tarmac road? I have never ridden on it as far as I know, or if I have, not for any appreciable distance. Would I be right to think that a road bike would be unsuitable for touring New Zealand as I do not want to restrict myself. I would be happy enough with a mountain bike set up for the road...?

Many thanks.

Most dirt roads at least have smooth tire tracks. Chip Seal is most closely related to black colored boulders.

With regard to your choice of bicycles: I would let your intended route and expectations dictate. There are plenty of miles of lightly used chip seal/ asphault. There are also a fair few gravel logging or farm roads. Once you've come up with a plan about where you want to go and by what route, the frame choice will be a no-brainer. There is a book with routing suggestions for touring from the North tip of the North Island, Cape Reinga, to the exteme South of the South Island. I believe it is mostly pavement oriented. If you're based in Auckland for the extent of your stay there is little reason to consider anything but a road bike. Unless you're going to go to one of the near by mountain biking parks. If you're going to be touring through Rural New Zealand there may be some routes that would lend themselves to a mountain bike. However, they will probably be slightly out of the way when compaired to the paved route from town to town. Once you're a couple hours "drive" away from Auckland there really isn't much road traffic beyond the occassional dairy truck, stock transporter or lonesome farmer heading into town.

us kiwis need to HTFU. chip seals aren't really that bad...once you get use to it.

For info on Chip Seal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_seal). It does give a lot more vibration or road buzz that hot-mix or pure asphalt.

BigFred's advice on deciding on what type of riding you will be doing and then getting a bike to match is good. What type of budget will you have to purchase a bike and gear?

Currently here is a selection of bikes that I consider suitable for touring on TradeMe:
A NZ made Bosomworth Touring bike (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Road-bikes/Medium-53-56cm/auction-226896379.htm)

A Trek 7.3fx hybrid (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Road-bikes/Medium-53-56cm/auction-227390916.htm)

A Kona touring bike (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Road-bikes/Medium-53-56cm/auction-227645504.htm)

A more road orientated Trek (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Road-bikes/Medium-53-56cm/auction-227689955.htm)

Any bike that you can put at least a rear rack on will be fine for touring. You may want a triple rather than a road double for loaded hill climbing. I have seen people touring on everything from low end MTBs, still with knobbly tyres to dedicated touring bikes, to road bikes with next to no gear. I've done a couple of tours by recumbent and one on a c1920s single speed racing bike.

(Hijack)

Gnome,

It's Friday night, why aren't you out enjoying a beer or something? At least I have the excuse of being a broke unemployed bum that has to ask his mrs. for pocket money. Oh, and I have plans for tomorrow morning that involve being "not" hungover.

(Hijack over)

Aren't that bad....once you get used to it?

As Just Another F'''in Expat I can assure you that your Kiwi chip seal is something unique and deserving of it's own grading scale. Scerw HTFU, how about we just convince the road authorities to use something less than 15mm gravel?

No idea of intended route and I am likely to mostly make it up as I go, it is a practice that has served me well in Europe. I am one of those you see touring on all manner of bikes as I pick up what I can when I can, or build something. I have been touring earlier in the year on a Specialized Hardrock which has given me a nice balance.

Budget? Well I cannot say at present as it would just be an arbitrary budget as opposed to something based on what is available. I am still watching TM and getting advice people like yourselves...then I shall decide. I would rather pick something up that needs a bit of work and get to know the bike, does not need to be pretty. I am a miser at heart so it will certainly be a lower budget, not at the expense of quality and comfort though.

I hope to tour all over, not just stay around Auckland. I want to see the country but also really cannot wait to get back in the saddle proper so I will be covering the distances as well, North and South islands.

Really should look at some routes though to give me some ideas.

Im really appreciating your advice guys, and if you know of anywhere else I might find bikes advertised once I arrive, papers of message boards (retro, I know), please let me know. Many thanks!!!

(Hijack)

Gnome,

It's Friday night, why aren't you out enjoying a beer or something? At least I have the excuse of being a broke unemployed bum that has to ask his mrs. for pocket money. Oh, and I have plans for tomorrow morning that involve being "not" hungover.

(Hijack over)

I have no life.

AS everyone has said the roads are rough and have a lot of vibration, the other thing is the amount of glass so your best bet is to go for something like the Continental Top Contact, Gatorskins, or Geax Evolutions if running a 26 for tires. I cannot stress how important it is to get a decent set of tires, unless you want to be fixing flats every few hundred km, also get in the habit of going over the tires with a penkife and picking out the bits of glass that are burrowing away into the tire.

I've found a "take a look" helmet mirror invaluable over here. I don't know why the drivers are so poor over here but they are so be vigilant!

For the bike co-op I've no idea but you could try Vorb or CAN websites. http://can.org.nz/ http://www.vorb.org.nz/