(ugh. no trailer. I'm trying to go a light as possible. I hate hauling stuff. :p thanks anyway, though.)
Only a 20"? Wow...alright, I'll take your advice. I think I'll be able to go to the bike shop next week and start sizing...


And no bike fom LLbean!

ibimus what time of the year are you planing on comming as Febuary is the warmest about 25c days and maybe 16c at night and less rain than January
March and April are good too nice warm days no rain ( well nost to much you never know though weather changes very fast here ) I m off rock climbing this weekend and they say its going to pour down but was supposed to today and didn't.

June july august is cold maybe highs of 12 with some much warmer days but our winters can be warmer

As for gravel roads they do exist more so in the south Island than north and also the more of the betteen track you get. I normaly use hybrid with 700c 35 tryes as it goes faster on the seal and at a push can do some gravel.

If you can do a few basic repairs all the better to you can get to a bike shop most larger towns will have one and should be able to help out.

If you want to get good maps then the best are the ones from the AA ( same as AAA in US )
they will sell them to non members and they are very detailed and upto date.
http://www.aa.co.nz
http://www.aatravel.co.nz/main/index.php
and online maps
www.wises.co.nz


if you want some more info on prices and things let me know or maybe a couch to sleep on let me know

soory i double posted

You can delete a post by clicking on Edit on the unwanted post. When the post comes up with the options across the bottom of the box, click on Go Advanced, and the first option at the top of the new screen will allow you to delete. Click the boxes and you're done.

If you are going on a backpacking trip, where are you going to put your pack? It is not realistic to wear a full size (4-5000 cubic inch) backpack while biking. I put my backpack in my trailer and it worked well. I absolutly did not want to buy a trailer, but could come up with no better way to transport my pack.

I've been here for a while, just did a tour of Northland. It's quite nice! Planning on heading north as far as I can soon.

I need to buy a new rain jacket though.

Lots of pictures of the trip here if you're interested.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobbotr...7594469151453/

When I cycled New Zealand I had my full-sized backpack with me. I had my tent, sleeping bag and hiking boots in it, and I strapped it to the rear rack.

Kevin, since I'll be cycling, I'm planning to buy panneirs for the bike so I don't have to lug anything on my back.
I'm currently looking at a 40L pair of panneirs for the back of the bike (20L each...should be enough since I'm going to travel super-light.), and possibly some small, front panniers. I don't know. I'm looking around right now, and will somehow even it all out.

Cdstg - thanks for the help! Actually, I'm already a member of AAA (unfortunatly, I have to drive a car right now.), so I will most definately be checking in with them to get maps and such.
I've been planing to go in October-ish. The seasons are opposite there (from the US) so I'm guessing October is spring/summer weather, right?
(by the way, where in NZ are you located? I may have to hold you to that couch offer. :D)

I was there in October, and it was definitely spring weather. The temperature was in the teens (Celcius), and it was very wet and windy. Of course, I was there during El Nino, so you're experience may differ.

October is spring just the problem is that it will be wet most likley and changable there can be nice warm days but we get a lot of rain and somtimes sking is still going on as there can be the odd snow fall in higher places

I m in New Plymouth its on the west coast of the north island about a 4 hour drive from auckland
there is some info here http://www.taranaki.co.nz and by all means drop in to see me

I will send you some contact details

Paul, how did you attach your pack to your rear rack? That was my first plan as well, but I could not get it to work well. I tried to place it on the rack sitting up, but it would start leaning then fall off after just a few miles. The I tried to lay it across the rack, but then my bike was 3 feet wide and really unstable. Then I thought about making a wood platform to rigidly mount on the rack, that would be slightly larger than the bottom of my pack and try puting the pack on that, but tried a trailer first. The trailer won me over.

Kevin...something I learned after moving so many times: duct tape and bungee cords are all you need.
Tape it! Bungee it!

Hmm...if February is warmer (and drier.), maybe I'll plan the trip for February/March instead.
Ack, so many things to plan. I'm moving next month, and one of the first things on my to-do list is to go talk to a travel agent....

The ideal time to go to NZ is now onwards ! i.e. mid January ( to avoid the busy school holidays ) to end of February.

The first time I went to NZ was mid November - It rained so much Queenstown was flooded and the west coast road closed due to landslides ( so I then went North where it was warm and sunny ).

Using a backpack as pannier might be possible if you get a light 50L+ climbing style pack with an removable internal malleable frame. Once the frame's removed, you could bundle the contents into two lumps and sling it over the pannier rack horse saddlebag style.

I had rear panniers, as well as the backpack, so I had the pack sideways on the rack, supported by the rack and panniers. I had two bungees to secure it. It was just as stable as if I had the tent and sleeping bag without the pack strapped to the rack.