Community fundraise for a new bike for Mangere's 'Bike Santa'

Teau Aiturau, from the Time To Thrive - To Stay Alive bike workshop in Mangere, has had his bike stolen.

Teau Aiturau's motto is "keep the wheels spinning" and his goal in life is to make Mangere the bike capital of the Pacific.

For years, Aiturau has been changing children's lives one bike at a time via his charitable trust, Time To Thrive – To Stay Alive, but unfortunately the brakes have been applied on his pursuit after his bike shop was broken into and his beloved bike stolen.

Aiturau runs the trust on a shoestring budget from his pop-up bike workshop in Mangere, where he buys and is donated cheap bikes and patches them back together. He then gifts the bikes on to children in the neighbourhood.

Aiturau took up biking in 2012 when his doctor suggested he start some gentle training to lose weight and get healthy.

At the time he weighed 252kg, couldn't walk, couldn't breathe and had sleep apnoea but his doctor gifted him a specially made mountain bike and challenged him to compete in the Rotorua Moonride.

"I needed to make a change for my health and for the community.

My family has a history of obesity and diabetes so I thought I better do something about it," he said.

Five years on Aiturau is 100kg lighter and paying the gift forward by teaching kids to ride and educating them on how to stay healthy.

"I love the smile on the kids' faces when they receive a bike. They are happy as and there are smiles all around which makes me happy," he said.

Teau Aiturau in the Time To Thrive - To Stay Alive workshop with some youngsters from an after-school programme.

Sadly the workshop was broken into a month ago and Aiturau's beloved bike was stolen.

"The bike was a super bike. It was awesome," he said.

"No one else can ride it unless you are a person my size because it was fitted for me.

"I have other bikes, but it just had to be that bike. It got me places and I went all over Auckland on that bike, plus someone special gifted it to me."

In order to keep the business running and help Aiturau get around town, non-profit organisation Bike Auckland has taken to Givealittle to try and source him a new bike for Christmas.

The page, which has currently raised just under $2000, said funds will be used to purchase Aiturau a new bike and accessories.

"Please consider making a donation this Christmas so we can buy Mr T a new bike from Evo Cycles, who have generously offered us a discounted price," the page read.

Aiturau told the Herald he only found out about the page last night and was overwhelmed by the support.

"I am a bit shocked that they would do that," he said.

"When I saw the response I was like, 'wow, man what is going on'. I don't know what to say.

"I have been giving bikes out to people for so long and now I am the one that needs one."

To donate towards Aiturau's new bike go to Let's get Mr T a new bike for Christmas! on Givealittle.