Hello all.

I'd like advice on a NZ visit. I'll only be in NZ a short time from about the 19th of December until the 5th of January, visting New Windsor in Auckland. Here in the UK I cycle everywhere. No car. Single speed for daily commuting (flat around here) and cheap road bike for inter-city excursions. Until recently when it was stolen, I rode an old 1979 racer, with friction shifter gears, so am fine with that.

While in NZ I'd like to ride around central Auckland, and also have one ride in the Waitakere Ranges. (Piha? Karekare?)

My options seem to be:

1] Borrow a bike - I'd be concerned about damage or loss. Can I insure something with good insurance for road use for a short time?
2] Hire a bike - it seems that would be quite expensive even for that time. $478 for a road bike that is probably better than I need.
3] Buy a bike - could be a pain finding one in time. I don't know the NZ market, what can be bought, for how much. Clearly there's TradeMe, but are there reasonable 'walk in and buy' places in Auckland?

Any advice/local knowledge/etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to vorb.

Since you're not here long, and you overlap with the holiday period, and you're comfortable with an older bike, Id suggest trying Adventure Cycles in Auckland.
http://www.adventure-auckland.co.nz/adv ... /index.php
They had a range of second hand bikes (I havent been there for years) of variable quality, but given you're comfortable with an older roadie they may well have something that suits. They also have a guaranteed buy back at 50% which will probably be cheaper than your rental.

The other shop in Auckland to try for a bike would be "the second hand bike shop" located at T-Whites bikes on symonds st in the city, he has all sorts of stuff for sale

Thanks for the advice. I've contacted a number of organisations and people, and have arranged to borrow an old steel tourer that should be OK.

Is it possible to cycle over the Auckland Harbour Bridge? On the Wikipedia page it says that there are plans to create a mixed walkway across (or under) the bridge, from 2011. However, I couldn't find evidence that this walk/cycleway actually exists.

If not, what is the standard method of getting from the North Shore to the South Shore? Devonport will be an important location for me, and I'll be based in Avondale. I did go to the University of Auckland in the 1980s, and am used to the route into the city from Avondale.

EDIT: Google maps says either take the ferry, or take a huge detour over the upper harbour bridge that has a scary looking road that would probably have me walking over the bridge footpath.

VisitingRider wrote:Is it possible to cycle over the Auckland Harbour Bridge? On the Wikipedia page it says that there are plans to create a mixed walkway across (or under) the bridge, from 2011. However, I couldn't find evidence that this walk/cycleway actually exists.

If not, what is the standard method of getting from the North Shore to the South Shore?

No to riding over the bridge. Check back in 20 years time - they'll probably still be planning it.
Easiest method would be ride to town and catch the ferry. Although if you wanted to go over the upper harbour bridge there is a dedicated cyclway/walkway over the bridge and next to much of the motorway.

VisitingRider wrote:Thanks for the advice. I've contacted a number of organisations and people, and have arranged to borrow an old steel tourer that should be OK.

Is it possible to cycle over the Auckland Harbour Bridge? On the Wikipedia page it says that there are plans to create a mixed walkway across (or under) the bridge, from 2011. However, I couldn't find evidence that this walk/cycleway actually exists.

If not, what is the standard method of getting from the North Shore to the South Shore? Devonport will be an important location for me, and I'll be based in Avondale. I did go to the University of Auckland in the 1980s, and am used to the route into the city from Avondale.

EDIT: Google maps says either take the ferry, or take a huge detour over the upper harbour bridge that has a scary looking road that would probably have me walking over the bridge footpath.

Don't be put off by the huge detour over the upper harbour bridge. You can cycle relatively safely from anywhere on the shore to Upper Harbour Drive. From there it is a nice ride with a cycle lane (even over the bridge) to massey. Then you have to link up with the Norwestern Cycleway which takes you all the way in to the bottom of town. Awesome inner city riding! If you are pushed for time, catching the ferry from Devonport to the city is easy too.

Thanks for the info. I'd be borrowing my sister's cycle from Devonport, and then cycling to New Windsor. Google maps says it's 40km which is a medium length ride for me, but will take me something over two hours as I'm slow.

Thanks for the info about the bridge. On google maps the road across the bridge itself looks scary. Among my friends here I'm known for plotting complicated routes through tiny twisty roads avoiding any of the a-roads.

I've heard that in NZ being 'doored' is a more serious problem than it is in the UK. (And it's a concern here.) Didn't Don McGlashan have an accident when he was 'doored'?

EDIT: How well respected, by car drivers, are the painted on cycle paths on roads such as Albany Drive, Upper Harbour Drive, and Hobsonville Drive?

EDIT: Eh? Google maps says that I should take the Western Motorway bridge from Te Atatu to Avondale. Is there a cycle path there?