Commuting by Bike
Did You know?
13,000 children took part in the Walk or Wheel to school challenge last year. If you want to encourage cycling or walking at your school.
Contact our school coordinator.
Our city is mostly flat, so cyclists don’t have to work too hard to reach destinations. Using your bike to commute can bring all sorts of benefits. Cycling is good for your heath and well being, it is also good for the community - if more people bike it can lower the number of road accidents, pollution and congestion. In congested urban areas, often over short distances cycling is twice as quick as driving.
It’s cheaper
Say goodbye to parking fees and petrol costs. Changing to cycling could potentially save you over $1,000 a year – money which can be spent on other things! To avoid getting hot and bothered on your arrival take your speed down a notch or two.
Health and fitness
Cycling on a regular basis has long term health benefits as you can reduce the risk of developing obesity and coronary heart disease. Short term you can expect to firm up, lose weight, and improve your heart rate.
Getting Started
Check-out the following links to the lay of the land on bikes, find a bike type to suit your needs and brush-up on the road rules for cyclists.
Buying a bike guide
Safety rules for cyclists
Get acquainted with the Cycle Network [PDF 750KB]
Programmes to encourage commuter cycling:
Walk or Wheel Wednesday
12,000 children are on the move for the Walk or Wheel Wednesday term challenge. This programme encourages kids to either walk to school or take their scooter, bike or skateboard. Throughout the term there are mini milestones, with a big prize at the end. In term four 2006, thirty schools took up the challenge – more than twice those involved in 2005. Visit Safe Routes to School.
Bike Wise Week
Bike Wise Week is a nationally coordinated week of cycling activities and promotions. The Christchurch City Council promoted the Bike Wise Business Battle programme - a fun inter-business challenge to encourage more people to give biking a go. This year over 4,000 people took part in the Christchurch Business Battle alone (nationally 10,000 took part).
Bike Wise Week 2008 is from Saturday 23 February to Sunday 2 March, visit: www.bikewise.co.nz |
