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Local community organisations, clubs, courses and programmesCycling: Get on your bike
The Season of Cycling is an annual Christchurch City Council initiative to encourage people to use cycles to commute, to get fit and enjoy the wonderful rides on offer in the city.
Bike Wise month, a national programme backed by the New Zealand Transport Agency, is held in February, and includes the popular Go By Bike Day, when cyclists are offered breakfast and entertainment as an incentive to ride to work or school.
Cycling in Canterbury
Canterbury’s mixture of flat plains, challenging hills and beautiful scenery makes it the perfect terrain for cycling of all kinds. Historically Christchurch has enjoyed higher rates of cycling than in other metropolitan cities in New Zealand.
Christchurch has an increasing network of designated cycle ways linking popular destinations such as malls, shops, cinemas, parks and beaches. Off-road cycle tracks and rides through parks, forests or along the banks of the Avon and Heathcote rivers provide space for all kinds of recreational biking.
A variety of cycling events are held in and around Christchurch each year. They include Le Race and the Armstrong Prestige Festival of Cycling.
Cycling Resources
Cycling in and around Christchurch
- Cycling
- links to websites of clubs, organisations and information for recreational cyclists in Christchurch and Canterbury. From localeye
- Cycling (Sport)
- links to websites of clubs, organisations and businesses for sporting cyclists in Christchurch and Canterbury. From localeye.
- Cycling clubs and organisations
- contact information for clubs and organisations in Christchurch and surrounding areas. From CINCH.
- Spokes Canterbury
- A cycling advocacy group.
- Little River Rail Trail
- Rail trail between Hornby (Christchurch) and Little River.
- Cycling
- Christchurch City Council information on cycling in the city - including cycle safety, cycling courses, events, policy, collision reporting and more, including:
- Christchurch Cycle guide [PDF 3.07MB]
- Christchurch Cycling Strategy [PDF 1.8MB]
- Cycle tracks and rides
- Cycling Monitor 2005 [PDF 145Kb] - summary of the 2005 survey of cycling in Christchurch.
Heritage Photos
Our collection of heritage photographs has some great cycling photographs – from the classic Bicycle Band, to penny farthing pioneers to early women cyclists (and their fashions).
Cycling events
- Season of Cycling
- Annual promotion of cycling events in Canterbury over the Spring, Summer and Autumn months.
- Armstrong Prestige Festival of Cycling
- Annual two day festival with events for elite and ordinary riders of all ages.
- Le Race
- Annual race from Christchurch to Akaroa.
- Tour of Southland
- Approved by the International Cycling Union, this multi-stage cycling tour was established in 1956.
- Tour de France
- Official website of the Tour de France.
More Cycling Information
- BikeWise
- Promotes cycling and cycle friendly environments in New Zealand. Information on choosing a bicycle, safe cycling and cycle routes.
- Cycling
- recommended national and international websites from our Internet Gateway.
Library Resources
- Cycling books and other resources on cycling.
- Find cycling magazines in our catalogue.
- Cycling training books on cycling training for competition and fitness.
- Cycling in New Zealand books and other resources about cycling in New Zealand.
- Tour de France books and DVDs about this great cycling race.
- New Zealand cyclist biographies titles in our library
