New Zealand has many great cycling attractions, and Bike North has several members with extensive NZ cycling experience.
Are you thinking of riding there, perhaps on an organised tour? Have you considered doing your own ride there, self-supported? Do you want to incorporate some short cycling highlights in an NZ driving tour?
On this page, you will find some resources distilled from the NZ experiences of some Bike North members. For example, here are some tips on where, how, when and what to ride, provided by Richard Kelly.
Mountain Bike Rides
New Zealand is a mountain bike rider’s paradise, with many MTB Parks, rides from town and return, downhill rides, point to point rides, wilderness rides and bikepacking routes. If you are keen to sample the many MTB experiences, you’ll love this overview, provided by Greg Pointing.
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Cycle Trails
There are hundreds of cycle trails in New Zealand. One good place to start planning is by reviewing the many “Great” Cycle Trails, listed in https://www.nzcycletrail.com. Here is a sample of YouTube videos, one per Great Trail.
NZ North Island ‘Great’ Trails
Twin Coast
Hauraki Rail
Waikato River
Motu
Whakarewarewa Forest
Hawke’s Bay
Great Lake
Timber
Mountains to Sea
Remutaka
NZ South Island ‘Great’ Trails
For more information about the Queen Charlotte Track, see pages 7 and 8 of this excellent resource, provided by Greg Pointing.
For more information about the The Old Ghost Road, see pages 9 and 10 of this excellent resource, provided by Greg Pointing.
For more information about the West Coast Wilderness Tour, see this excellent resource, provided by Ian Meller.
For more information about the Alps 2 Ocean Tour, see this excellent resource, also provided by Ian Meller.
Credits
Thank you, Natalie Cleary, Richard Kelly, Greg Pointing, Ian Meller, Laura Cunningham, Mark Reynolds and Phill Hart for being panellists on our 2022 New Zealand Cycling Forum evening. Thank you Richard, Ian and Greg for providing resources listed above.
Special thanks to Oz-NZ Wanderer, whose undying enthusiasm and energy led to the creation and compilation of these resources.