Originally Posted by
observerone
ha, it's not important whether you believe me, but smooth tires and front panniers had been on my to-get list; just double checking before spending $
biking through the night or not, was also just testing the water - would/will depend on how i'm feeling after the first day of riding
these are the perspectives i'm looking for though, thank you. if you think it's a bad idea i'll definitely weigh this opinion after i've done a few practice 50mile day rides
how bad the NZ weather/winter will be late June, and narrow roads? are concerns
Yesterday was June 1 ... the first day of winter down in this general area of the world. So yes, later in June will definitely be the middle of winter.
NZ weather:
http://www.metservice.com/national/index (you can find this sort of information using google)
My NZ friends tell me that NZ is cooler and wetter than the part of Australia where I live, and I live in a cool, wet part of Australia (during the autumn, winter, and spring). Don't be surprised if you encounter temps near freezing during the nights in some places ... and of course, lots of rain.
Have you ever done a 50 mile day ride with a full backpack? Go do it ... and then decide if you want to go that route or if you would rather go with panniers.
EDIT: There's the darkness factor too ... because it is winter down in this part of the world, the days are very short.
Have a look at the sunrise and sunset for Wellington for the month of June:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldcloc...&afl=-11&day=1 The sun rises about 7:45 am and sets by 5 pm.