Enjoy scenery and go by bike

050216RWbikes VOLUNTEER: Reinder at work at Green Bikes. PICTURE / ROBIN WILLIAMSON

Question: What do Green Bikes and the Slow Food movement have in common?
Answer: Good quality ingredients and an un-hurried process produce an environmentally-palatable result.

As the kitchen-made meal is to fast-food, so is the Green Bike to motorised transport. Slow Food cooking requires skilful preparation and produces a truly tasty and nutritious meal, and the care, skill and knowledge required to recondition a pre-loved bike results in a long-lasting, environmentally-friendly mode of transport.

Green Bikes Whanganui, established in 2007, continues its kaupapa of repairing bikes, teaching bike maintenance and providing reasonably priced, good quality second-hand bikes to people in need.

Right now the guys at Green Bikes Whanganui are calling out for donations of good quality adult bikes. If you have one stashed in your garden shed, please give the WhEB a call on 06 345 6000 or bring it in to 83 Maria Place behind the WRRC. Green Bikes is open on Fridays.

"We sold the last of our reconditioned adult bikes in December," says Reinder, a volunteer with Green Bikes. "Let's say it's been 'memorable' having to turn away six customers in the last couple of weeks due to lack of stock. We have plenty of kids' bikes though - we'd love to get more kids on bikes!"

Biking remains the most energy efficient form of transport. "It is three times more efficient than walking, five times more efficient than using the train and 15 to 20 times more efficient than driving a car." Transport & Mobility Leuven, 2007, (Belgium)."
Cycling is an environmentally-sustainable form of transport - no fuel consumption, no emissions, no noise pollution, less road wear and tear, less parking space, lower maintenance costs - all with a small environmental footprint. Cycling weighs in on the side of more journey to enjoy, more time to appreciate the scenery and notice changes in the neighbourhood and town. Cycling has a social benefit as cyclists often greet each other in passing. Regular cycling also brings health benefits such as reduction in weight and stress, and an increase in fitness.

Green Bikes supportsthese bike-worthyevents:
¦ February is national Bike Wise Month (check it out at www.bikewise.co.nz) with the specific Go By Bike Day being celebrated on Wednesday, February 8.
¦ La Fiesta for the Women's Network. The first event in this year's La Fiesta programme is a Bike Helmet Decorating workshop (on Saturday, February 20) in preparation for the Frocks on Bikes rally (Sunday, February 21). Details in the La Fiesta programme.
¦ BUG - Bike Users Group. If you are contemplating a shift to biking contact Lyneke, our local rep on 06 348 8046.