Weington region Events Guide December 2014 - March 2015 Family friendly events Keep up to date at: gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling Cycling in the City 15 Miramar Ciclovia 2 Dec 6 Wellington Wellington WORD Bike-a-Palooza 15 Love to Roll 7 Wainuiomata Wellington Beginners Bike Fix-Up 18 Go By Bike Day 7 Wellington Lower Hutt Summer is the perfect time to dust off your bike and ride to work or 14 Beginners Mountain Biking Grupetto Ride to Work explore the Wellington region’s great scenery. Whether it’s coastal roads, Wellington 20 Newtown rural roads or off road along a scenic trail, you’ll find something to suit. 21 Bike Skills 101 There are lots of opportunities to get out and have some fun at family Beginners Bike Fix-Up Petone friendly events this summer - you’ll find details for events to suit all ages Jan 24 Wellington and abilities inside this guide, along with tips on how to negotiate traffic safely and links to useful cycling information. Pencarrow Bike Ride Mar 1 Bike the Trail 25 Eastbourne Hutt Valley To find out more please visit: Family Bike Skills Intro 7 Karapoti Classic www.gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling 31 Wellington Wellington Cycling in the City 7 Wellington Rimutaka Rail Trail Check out the Feb 7 Upper Hutt Miramar Ciclovia 3 8 Wellington region’s best riding Cycling in the City 7 Wellington 14 Frocks on Bikes Frocknic locations! Wairarapa Miramar Ciclovia 1 8 Wellington 14 Big Bike Fix-Up Wellington Go By Bike Day 11 Wellington Cycling Amongst Giants 15 Wainuiomata Go By Bike Day 11 Käpiti Bike Skills 101 21 Porirua 14-22 Huri Huri Bike Festival Folding Bike Ride Wairarapa 22 Käpiti Advance Stop Boxes Advance Stop Boxes are painted green and are on many Wellington City streets. Use them to position yourself in the full view of traffic at intersections. Be Safe Be Seen When the lights turn green you’ll get a head start on When you’re cruising the streets drivers will be looking out for you. any turning vehicles. Bright clothes and reflective material make it much easier for motorists If there is a row of small diamonds painted on the road, to see you and when the sun goes down bicycle lights are essential. ride over those to trigger the lights. See Greater Wellington’s lights test to find out which lights are best: www.gw.govt.nz/be-safe-be-seen Bunch Riding No Surprises Policy Sudden braking or swerving are common causes of crashes in bunches. Riding a steady line past parked cars, pot holes or broken glass makes it easy for cars to give you a wide berth. A safety margin of 1 metre Group rides work best when riders communicate when passing parked cars is needed to avoid being ‘doored’. hazards and rotate the lead rider smoothly. Riding two-abreast is legal (unless you are passing Bus Lanes other vehicles or holding up traffic). Riding three- Using bus lanes can help to get around quickly but there are a few abreast is never legal. important things you need to know to stay safe: • You may use a ‘Bus Lane’, as long as there isn’t a ‘Bus Only’ sign Sharrow Road Markings A Sharrow road marking is a distinctive new marking on • Be extra considerate of buses – the size of a bus means bus drivers some shared traffic lanes designed to improve cyclist often can’t see cyclists safety. • Vehicles turning left may need to cross bus or cycle lanes. The law The marking - a white bicycle with two arrows above states they must give way to all vehicles using the lanes. But you it - is used to indicate where cyclists should ride to be still need to be careful if a vehicle is turning left just ahead of you most visible and avoid hazards like car doors. as the driver may not see you, or may wrongly guess your speed. The mark also provides a reminder to drivers that they should watch out for cyclists and share the road. For more information: www.wellington.govt.nz/cycling Active a2b Cycling to work Active a2b is a free health and wellbeing programme designed to Fitter, Faster, Cleaner, Cheaper encourage employees to walk or cycle to work. Active a2b is tailored to the individual. You can choose from a list of helpful tools like the desktop calendar, goal magnet, bike buddies Why cycle to work? programme, cycle workshops, reflective gear and more! You can also It’s fun, good for your health and can be fast and convenient! take part in the region wide active commuter challenge a2b GO! th Commuting Tips Active a2b starts 5 January 2015 Find out more at: If you’re new to commuting by bike, check out these helpful FAQs from www.gw.govt.nz/activea2b Cycling Wellington: www.cyclingwellington.co.nz/2010/08/bike-commuter-tips Bike Buddies Bike Buddies matches experienced cyclists with new riders in their area. Workplaces For those who have been out of the There are a number of easy, free or cheap actions workplaces can put in saddle for a decade…or two or three, place to promote cycling to work. For more information, download the getting back on your bike can be a lot less Cycle Friendly Employer and the Get Your Workplace Moving guides: daunting with a bike mentor to show you www.gw.govt.nz/getting-to-work the ropes. Bike mentors ride with you along the best routes for cycle commuting and offer advice about keeping safe on the road. Find out more and register at: www.gw.govt.nz/bike-buddies Bike Buddies Travel Toolkit Wellington region’s cycling hot spots Käpiti Coastal Cycle Route Wairarapa Valley Cycle Trail Queen Elizabeth Park Masterton Recreation Trails Carterton Mountain Bike Park Karapoti Gorge Rimutaka Ara Harakeke Rail Trail Greytown Rail Trail Harcourt Park Cycle Track Tawa Stream Path Whitemans Valley Hutt River Trail The Wellington region has some great places for riding both on and off road. Whether it’s café and beach hopping along a coastal road, touring country Wainuiomata Trails Project vineyards or taking the scenic route along a river trail, you’ll find something to suit you. Pencarrow Head You’ll find cycling maps for the region at your local i-site and you can find out the best way from a to b using the Walking and Cycling Journey Planner: Wellington City Trails www.journeyplanner.org.nz Makara Loop Wild Coast (Turakirae Head) Makara Peak/Karori Park Miramar Trail Project Great Harbour Way - Miramar Peninsula South Coast Kids’ Track cycling&walking Mt Victoria journey planner 6 Pedal Ready Date: Saturday 6 December Cycling in the City Time: 9am - 12 noon Location: Lyall Bay School December This is Pedal Ready’s urban cycle skills course based in Wellington City. The three hour Cost: $20 workshop for adults will teach you the basics of safe cycling and build your confidence riding on the road and in traffic. It is perfect for all of your on-road riding goals – whether it’s riding to work this summer or riding round the bays on the weekend. The course is designed to cater to all levels of Lyall Bay riding experience. Register for a course on the Pedal Ready website: www.pedalready.org.nz/event-calendar 7 Date: Sunday 7 December WORD Bike-a-Palooza Time: 9am This might just be New Zealand’s best, super Location: Wainuiomata Trail fun, and most rad mountain bike event ever! Project, Waiu Street The trails of Wainuiomata will be taken over by Register: www.word.org.nz 4 -17 year olds on two wheels. Contact: [email protected] With four awesome courses to choose from, there is something for every skill level. Bring on the fun! www.word.org.nz Wainuiomata Photo: WORD Mountain Biking Youth Programme 7 Date: Sunday 7 December Beginners Bike Fix-Up Time: 2pm Dust off your old bike and bring it along for a Location: Wellington TBC check and a tune-up. Learn how to fix a flatty Check the website for and keep your gears running smoothly. location details soon: Note: A limited supply of replacement parts will gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling be available on a first-come, first served basis. Find out more at: www.gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling Wellington 14 Beginners Mountain Biking Date: Sunday 14 December Time: 10am - 1pm Ever wanted to try mountain biking? Location: Makara Peak Come along and have-a-go and meet some Mountain Bike Park, main friendly people in one of Wellington’s best spots. car park Perfect for beginners of all ages. Cost: Koha donation to the mountain bike club For more information please contact: Mat Walsh Ph: 04 803 8608 [email protected] Makara Peak Wellington.govt.nz/mountainbiking Photo: South Coast Kids’ Track 24 Date: Saturday 24 January Beginners Bike Fix-Up Time: 2pm Dust off your old bike and bring it along for a Location: Wellington TBC January check and a tune-up. Learn how to fix a flatty Check the website for and keep your gears running smoothly. location details soon: Note: A limited supply of replacement parts will gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling be available on a first-come, first served basis. Find out more at: www.gw.govt.nz/summer-cycling Wellington 25 Date: Sunday 25 January Pencarrow Bike Ride Time: 10am - 1pm Adventure south on your bike from Eastbourne Location: Burdens Gate, 13.5kms past the Pencarrow lighthouse to Eastbourne Baring Head.