Wellington event marks launch of Aotearoa Bike Challenge

The Aotearoa Bike Challenge, an annual New Zealand competition running for the duration of February, encourages people to get on their paihikara/bike and ride – to get from A to B, to enjoy time outside with friends or whānau, and to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Wellington City Council has come together with a range of local businesses and organisations to host a Go By Bike Day breakfast on Thursday 1st February – to mark the launch of Aotearoa Bike Challenge in Pōneke.

This year the annual free breakfast event, which has been running in the city since 1996, on Queens Wharf coincides with the launch of the Aotearoa Bike Challenge. People are encouraged to wheel to work on the first day of the challenge and enjoy food, hot drinks, and some fun activities to start off the day.

When you ride a bike in the Aotearoa Bike Challenge you’re not just riding towards prizes and leaderboard wins, you’re helping to make a difference. Every ride logged on the site or through an app contributes to anonymised bike data that town planners can use to make your area better for bikes.

Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon says it’s great to see so many Wellingtonians embracing pedal power and shares “Thanks to the advances of e-bikes, better connected bike lanes and shared pathways, and a genuine concern about emissions and climate change, we are witnessing significant uptake in bike and scooter usage around the capital.

“Events like Go By Bike Day and the Aotearoa Bike Challenge contribute to showcase all the benefits of cycling – whether it be for physical or mental well-being, it’s economical, easily accessible, better for the environment, and just plain fun.”

There are spot prizes for representatives from workplaces that have high sign-up rates ahead of the challenge, and people who sign up on the day will go in the draw to win an ebike for the month from Switched on Bikes.

Last year 2618 Wellingtonians took part in the challenge, from 264 workplaces and organisations. Collectively they rode 450,291km across the month, saving an astonishing 28,756kg CO2.

To take part, riders simply need to register online and then ride a paihikara for 10 minutes, anytime, anywhere during the four-week challenge period. It’s free, it’s fun and there are loads of prizes to be won – including a Velectrix ebike worth $3499.

No bike, no problem. Join us at the Go by Bike Day breakfast to find out all about the range of options available to Wellingtonians who don’t have access to a bike, including short- and long-term bike hires and public share e-bikes, Beam and Flamingo.

Wellington City Council thanks Belén Vegan Bakery, Mug Cycle / Tuatua Cafe, EkeRua ReBicycle, My Ride Wellington, Cycle Wellington, Switched on Bikes, Beam, Flamingo, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Bicycle Junction, among other local organisations, for making this event possible.

More information on the Aotearoa Bike Challenge 

Image. Credit: Wellington City Council