Keen cyclists Kevin Price and Jenny Pike commute on their e-bikes whenever they can. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Keen cyclists Kevin Price and Jenny Pike commute on their e-bikes whenever they can. Photo / Michael Cunningham
It's fun, it's good for the body and the environment and it's easy on the wallet - cycling.
But while bike riding for leisure has grown in popularity across New Zealand, many Kiwis prefer to hop in their car to commute, run errands or do the school runs.
The AotearoaBike Challenge encourages motorists to swap their four- for a two-wheeler this month, and some commuters, including Whangārei council staff, have come on board.
More than 12,000 people travel to Whangārei Central for work or school every day from 53 different areas around the district, the largest share being Kensington (five per cent of arrivals).
The most common way to arrive at work or school is driving, which makes up 58 per cent of commuters, with an additional 15 per cent of people being passengers.
Seven per cent take the school bus and only one per cent cycle.
The district's keenest cyclists live in Ngunguru: six per cent of commuters ride their bike to work or school.
This is followed by people from Riverside, Woodhill, Vinetown, Kensington, Whau Valley and Kamo, of which two per cent bike. All other areas hover around one per cent or less.
For Jenny Pike, cycling has become an essential means of transport over the past five years.
The 69-year-old from Parahaki bikes whenever she can: for leisure, to run her errands or simply to get from A to B.
"Of course I learned cycling back in the day but then it got too hard and life too busy."
Picking up the bike again has made a huge difference to Pike.
"For a start, you feel 10 years younger. For me, it's a joy to ride on my bike. It saves the joints, it's good exercise and I get to explore."
She and her husband Kevin Price both acquired e-bikes, and while they were ridiculed initially, Pike said, people eventually "realised that cycling is not so stupid".
Pike picks up groceries from the markets and transports them in panniers, bags that you clip on the side of the bike – unless she's bought "a tonne of pumpkins".
Jenny Pike says she always rides with a smile on her face. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Equipment is practical, but it doesn't mean you have to overdo it:
"I wear my normal clothes. You don't have to look like an advert for the Tour de France."
Pike has fallen off her bicycle twice during wet weather conditions.
"It was painful and slightly embarrassing but it was my fault and I've learned from it."
To ride more risk-averse, Pike and her husband try to avoid motorists and stay off busy or narrow roads with little space for cyclists.
While parts of Whangārei, including the shared path in Kamo or along Riverside Dr, facilitate for cyclists they often remain unlinked and don't extend into the suburbs.
Next to better connectivity, Pike would like to see more bike storage to lock bicycles safely in public places.
The Whangārei District Council published a cycling strategy plan in 2018 and is aware of the challenges cyclists face in their district.
The strategy identifies missing connectivity as the major issue of the cycling infrastructure.
To provide a safe network, WDC vouches to build cycling paths to schools, separate cyclists from road users, install more storage facilities and connect the cycling network with other modes of transport – which becomes essential in a district where many people cover large distances to commute.
"WDC walking and cycling strategy contains a mix of current and proposed facilities (on-road cycle lanes, buffered bike lanes, shared paths and neighbourhood and commercial slow streets) to create a complete cycling network appropriate to the environment," Nick Marshall, WDC team leader for road safety, said.
A major disruption to a safe cycling network are State Highway 1 and State Highway 14 which connect north with south Whangārei as well as the western part of the district.
Both run right through central suburbs, including Maunu, Avenues, Kensington and Kamo.
There is no concrete solution on the cards yet.
"WDC, working in collaboration with Waka Kotahi, are continuing to explore opportunities to provide safe crossings for cyclists of all ages and abilities across the state highways," Marshall said.
The Kamo shared path is part of district's cycling network. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Meanwhile, the district council is looking to allocate over $10m funding, partially subsidised, for their walking and cycling programme for 2021-24.
The money would go towards the Kamo shared path, the Tikipunga shared path, the next stage of the Bream Bay coastal trail, on-road pedestrian improvements, secure bike parking facilities and a strategy review.
"WDC will review e-bike charging as part of the secure bike parking project in the Whangārei CBD. There are some options available which provide free e-bike charging facilities which will be investigated," Marshall added.
Tracey Hale is the council's sustainability adviser and she has taken on the Aotearoa Bike Challenge this month ditching her usual carpool ride into town for her bicycle.
"I haven't done this challenge before but I have been aware of it for a few years now.
"Being fairly new at WDC and in my role, I thought it would be a great way to engage staff to help shift how we all move around town, to be able to try a new way to commute and dust off my bike."
Hale usually prefers exploring trails on her mountain bike rather than venturing to town but lately, she has been cycling into work one day a week as a new way to commute which is approximately 8km or 20min each way.
This month, she wants to cycle five days a week – limited by occasional days that she will have to work from home as part of the council response to Covid-19.
"While WFH means no commute into work, it does mean I need to get out for a cycle during lunch or after work, but I plan to complete 20 days of cycling by the end of the challenge.
"If we all cycled into town (those who live within a 10km radius of work), then we could reduce our carbon emissions from commuting to work by 20 per cent," Hale said.
"It's such an easy change but the impact is quite significant."
