Biking in New Zealand (and the best cycling tour around...) 
An abundance of exciting options, diverse terrain and breathtaking scenery is what attracts keen cyclists from all over the world to New Zealand.
What you'll find is that your enthusiasm for biking is shared by those who live here, both on a recreational and competitive level. New Zealanders are known for embracing sport and cycling is one of them, events are held year round with streams of cyclists filing through small towns to the cheers of encouraging locals. This enthusiasm towards the sport has led to international triumph. The most successful New Zealand cycling team won six of a possible 11 gold medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. More recently cyclist Sarah Ulmer brought another gold medal home to New Zealand after winning the 3000m individual pursuit at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. This year we have a new batch of cycling enthusiasts hoping to pedal their way to Olympic gold in Beijing.
However, most people pedal powering their way around New Zealand are not in training for medals but experiencing the wonders of New Zealand at a relaxed pace. This compact country is a cyclist’s paradise; the landscape is diverse, the air is clean and the scenery is beautiful. Adding appeal is a lack of crowds, good roads and a suitable climate, it’s not too hot or too cold. Steep terrain is abundant if you crave exertion but there are plenty of more mellow alternatives. Opting for a vehicle-supported trip is a hassle free way of cycling New Zealand, you can bike as little or a much as you like and there is no chance of being stuck in the middle of no where with a flat tyre. It is not only mechanical problems that will be taken care of. You will be guided through the countries most impressive scenery, meet local characters and stay in picturesque locations.
Cycling in New Zealand you’ll experience beautiful beaches, hear waves pounding against rocks, pass sleeping seals, wind through lush rain forest, see spectacular glaciers, gain insight into history, spot your reflection in mirror lakes and climb to the top of mountains. From Cape Reinga at the tip of the North to Bluff at the tail of the South, biking options, both on and off road, are endless and exhilarating. Keen mountain bikers can find extreme downhill challenges, winding forest tracks or peaceful tree lined paths. The Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds, Sticky Forest in Wanaka and Skippers Canyon in Queenstown are all awesome mountain biking areas just to name a few.
Whatever cycling experience you seek, it’s not difficult to find adventure in New Zealand!
Here at ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND, we have a strong background in cycling, and our cycling tours are a very special adjunct to our hiking and multi-activity trips. So much so, that we have a special team dedicated to making our bike trips as good as they can be! Our New Zealand cycling department members are all keen cyclists in their own right, from enjoying the amazing road and mountain biking opportunities that exist in New Zealand, to competing in full on multisport and cycling races. Our most avid cyclist though, would have to be ACTIVE's founder Andrew Fairfax. With several long distance rides under his belt, including riding 3920km (2435 mile) from Istanbul to London, 2200km (1367 miles) traversing the length of New Zealand and 2500km (1555 miles) from Casablanca to Paris. It's no surprise that we have such a focus on biking! Of course, we won't make you do anything quite as hard core as Andrew's epic journeys on own trips - but you will have the chance to explore incredible places, see amazing scenery and wildlife and cycle some of the most beautiful roads and trails in the country. Our local knowledge and passion for biking means you'll get the best of all worlds! |
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| Our cycling people | Client feedback |
| Cycle tour | Photo gallery |
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To my fellow cyclist, I’ve had thousands of miles of solo tour cycling to contemplate what makes the difference between a fabulous cycling trip, and one you’d rather forget. I’ve often found sanctuary in cycling and my passion for long distance rides has taken me to some very interesting places, both physically and psychologically. Being closer to the terrain you’re passing through, I find it’s much easier to meet interesting people than if you’re just cruising past in some motorised manner. For me, the spirit of cycling is in exploration – both of yourself and of the world around – and it’s one endeavour where the cliché is very true – on a bike, it really is as much about the journey as the destination. My exploration has admittedly taken me further than most. After a flying accident seven years ago, my first serious rehab mission was to turn up at Istanbul’s airport, re-assemble my bike and head west, riding exactly 3920 kilometres ‘til London showed up in front of the handlebars. I remember sitting on my bike on London Bridge, playing the Clash’s “This is England”, with tears of joy streaming down my face. Leaner, fitter, far healthier… and with some incredible memories of the people I met, the countries I saw, the phrases I’d picked up (ever tried ordering a chocolate éclair in Turkish? I have!!) and of course the sheer endorphin-ised ecstasy of grinding to the top of the European Alps, soaking in the views, and racing down the road from Chamonix to Geneva, fit, fast and free! Other trips have included the length of New Zealand (a year later), and a challenging longitudinal traverse of North Africa and Europe, which saw me starting in Casablanca, Morocco, discovering to my horror that Spain is entirely mountainous, crossing the Pyrenees, then discovering all the cool things about France before finally fronting up at the Eiffel Tower. It was the fulfilment of a long held dream. I’ve done shorter rides too – but my latest adventure was an attempt to join the long list of people who’ve done the “trans-con” – riding clear across the United States. Starting in New York with my intrepid co-adventurer, Scott Kennedy, unfortunately, I got very sick in Michigan and we had to come home. By the end of this year, though, we’re going to return to Ann Arbor, head west, and pedal all the way to San Francisco. One of the highlights of that trip was meeting some of our ex-clients, and I’m looking forward to catching up with more, somewhere between Michigan and California. I’ve now switched to a touring trike, which is much cooler than it sounds, and I can’t wait. Watch this space! Our ACTIVE NZ trips aren’t as long as my own cycling adventures, because our clients have less time, and probably slightly more reasonable ideas than I do about what makes a great cycling vacation – but the principles remain the same. For me, I reckon there are three components that make a great cycling trip: Attitude, Equipment and Itinerary. At ACTIVE NZ, we take all three, add the fourth ingredient – YOU! – and give you an experience that can only be described as the cycling trip of a lifetime. We know New Zealand intimately, and our many years operating trips here mean that we know which roads have too much traffic to be safe; we know where the best quiet country roads are to be found; and we know how to set up the ultimate New Zealand cycling trip. We may not be one of the huge cycling companies that come down to New Zealand and set up shop here – but we do have the best staff, the best routes, and the best trips. Check out some of the comments on our website, from previous clients who’ve done our bike trips. They’ve discovered that our cycling trips are a fabulous way to see the country, crank up the calorie count, and enjoy an incredible holiday on two wheels. It’s what we do!
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Andrew Fairfax (CEO and founder of ACTIVE ADVENTURES)
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Jodi Narbey - New Zealand Office
Jim's a keen multisport athlete, having completed various adventure racing competitions including the Peak-to-Peak (which he's done 5 times), the Routeburn Classic (finishing first in 2007), the Kepler Challenge, Southern Traverse and the Mototapu Marathon. He's also a very keen mountain biker and cycling guide, having guided ACTIVE trips for three seasons. He's just spent the New Zealand winter cycling around France and is also the winner of our 2007 Guide's Choice awards, designing and running his own trip - the 'Xtreme Rimu'. To read what our clients have said about Jim 
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A cycling trip with a difference, the Weka is testimony to our (some may say excessive) zeal for biking, and years of experience navigating New Zealand’s roads and trails. We’ll take you on our favourite rides from the stunning coastal routes of the West Coast, to the historic viaducts and tunnels of the Otago Rail Trail. The scenery and terrain you’ll cover is as diverse as it is beautiful. Unlike the larger cycle operators in New Zealand, we know the terrain intimately and we’ll make sure you see the best of it! |
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| Complete itinerary | Photos from this trip |
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We also have a number of trips that include cycling along with hiking and kayaking. To see our other trips click here |
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Info on gear
We have selected high quality bikes to suit the varied terrain we cover – we wouldn’t make you ride anything we wouldn’t use ourselves! For more serious mountain biking and gravel roads we use Specialized Rockhoppers with an ultra refined alloy frame, Shimano FCM-341-8 crank set and front suspension forks. On trips where we cover paved roads and gravel, we use the Avanti Pioneer, an excellent lightweight, cross-terrain touring bike with great flexibility. For pure road biking we prefer the Avanti Blade which has been designed for comfort and has an alloy frame with carbon components for strength and lightness. As many cyclists prefer the familiarity of their own bikes, you’re also welcome to bring your own ride and we will help you assemble it at the start of the trip. It goes without saying that our staff are seasoned bike mechanics, so we’ll deal with any minor issues you may have as we go. Jim Hawkridge, our lead cycling guide, is a seasoned competitive cyclist in his own right, but he excels at helping people get the most out of their cycling vacation, looking after anyone from a seasoned athlete to a casual holiday cyclist, and keeping your bike in tip-top shape.
We have a variety of frame sizes available, and if you have specific requirements let us know in advance. Of course, we also supply cycle helmets, safety vests, rear pannier racks and bike computers. We are perhaps a little more safety oriented than most – we work very hard to ensure all our cycling clients are safe, warm and happy, and you’ll find our safety equipment is second to none. We don’t go overboard – we just do everything within reason to ensure that you go home from your New Zealand cycle trip in better shape than when you arrived!
Bikes
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Avanti Pioneer specifications:
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Specialized Rockhopper specifications:
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Avanti Blade specifications:
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Have a read of what some of our past cycling clients have to say about our bike trips...
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"Would you like to wake up every morning for two weeks knowing that you're about to see some of the most beautiful country in the world, eat and drink in some of the quaintest cafes and pubs, exercise outside to a challenging but not overwhelming degree, then sleep like a baby only to do it all again and again and again -- and your only job is to show up every day? If so, this is the trip for you!" "Well organized, fun, challenging trip with stunning scenery and unforgetable experiences. Best vacation I've been on so far!" |  |
"When I initially booked my trip, I was coming over by myself. By the time I actually left Fresno, I'd convinced three other people to come with me. They all agreed that it was the best cycing trip they'd ever had. New Zealand is a magical country which is best appreciated by bike or foot. It was so relaxing and fun to have absolutely everything taken care of for me. I didn't have to worry about anything. All I had to do was eat, ride, and fill up with fun and adventure. I left all my worries at home and had the time of my life."  |
A letter from a client who joined us on our Weka cycling tour in 2006 to his cycling club... Hey, All the riding was on the South Island, which I think is common. We did four days of non-sealed road riding, which meant that we rode on roads which varied from gravel to dirt to rock. Those of you have ridden in New Zealand know that most bridges are one lane. When you go off pavement most water crossings become fords, which are to some extent prepared, and are rideable, although the water will often be over the wheel hubs. Needless to say I used their bikes, which were front suspension mountain bikes with a tire between a serious knobby and a road tire. The daily rides averaged about 50km, although much more was available if desired. On most days I rode much farther than the group because I was in better shape and would finish earlier than the rest and would then easily ride back to the last rider and ride with that rider back to the finish. We also hiked, light hiking, but the hikes took us places which we never would have reached with our bikes. The West Coast of the South Island is temperate rain forest, just like the Olympic Peninsula. The general pattern is the same, rich greens, lots of water flowing in streams from the hills, etc., but the details are completely different. Without the hiking the differences would not have been so apparent. In fact, it is more like thick jungle, not one plant resembling anything I recognise or relate to. Truly fantastic. On this coast the flora grows thickly to the road's edge. Looked impenatrable and the hiking revealed just how thick it grew. The beauty of New Zealand is that not only is the landscape beautiful and fascinating, but almost every turn in the road brought us into a new one. One minute mountains, the next a river valley, then thick forest. Visually the landscape was stunning. The ride was fully supported with a van, bike racks. We had two guides, Lofty who did the driving and bike repair, and Rachael, who arranged lodging and cooked or provided our meals. They were both great people who made the trip just wonderful. Our lodging, as I mentioned, was provided. For the most part we stayed in places where the building in which we slept was the sole building. Most were "motels", a loose term in New Zealand. All were comfortable, safe, and had all the modern conviences; the beds were good, the showers had plenty of hot water and almost every unit had a small kitchen even though it was not needed and in almost every case we would not have seen a store where we could have purchased food. All in all I had a wonderful time. The riding was spectacular, and challenging. We had the option of riding Arthur's Pass, which nobody did. But some of the off road climbs rivalled anything I have ever done or seen. And in those instances we had the whole "road" to ourselves. And we had sheep and cows all around us as well. Did ride Haast Pass however. The hiking was great, Lofty had an intimate knowledge of the island. Tasted the water of the Tasman Sea! Saw dolphins playing in the surf thirty feet in front of us. Tasted vegemite, ate kumara, and never got enough lamb to eat. The company is called ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND. They can be found on the internet. Happy trails, |