New Zealand Cycling Guide
OUR EXPERIENCE: We cycled on both the North Island and the South Island from mid-December 1999 to mid-April 2000. It was a terrific experience. Comments and prices are based on that experience.
THE NORTH ISLAND: We rode down the west side from Auckland to New Plymouth and out to the central region. We also rode up from Taupo and Rotarua around the Coromandel Peninsula. The Coromandel was excellent. The rest of the North Island was okay and a little tricky to avoid the busier roads.
THE SOUTH ISLAND: Excellent riding throughout (other than Highway 1 with its moderate truck and car traffic). There are plenty of cycle tourers especially along the West Coast and Wanaka-Queenstown areas. There are relaxing coastal areas (Nelson-Marlborough, Otago Peninsula, Catlins), classic passes (Harris, Arthur, Haast, Lindis, Crown), the lush West Coast, mountains and lakes of the Southern Alps.
WHEN TO GO: The conventional wisdom is that February and March have good stable weather (that was our experience too!); the days are relatively long and evenings are mild. January is also nice though the beach areas are busy from Christmas to mid-January (school holidays). We found December and April to be OK with cooler temperatures. Other times of the year are definitely possible with shorter days and cold nights & mornings and more rain becoming increasing constraints which should limit touring to hard-core cyclists in winter (June-August).
TOURIST OFICES: An extensive network throughout NZ offers a friendly, informative free service. They provide pamphlets on everything you can think of including free town maps, camping guides, hostel guides, etc.etc.
GUIDEBOOKS: "Pedellars' Paradise" cycle touring guides (one for the North Island and another for the South Island) provide elevation profiles, facilities information (accommodation and food), and general comments about NZ for about NZ$12 in NZ bookshops. Excellent value and highly recommended. Our only complaint was the author's lack of concern about heavier traffic on the main highways
Pedellar's Paradise Cycling Guides
We also started out with the New Zealand Lonely Planet Guide but found it unnecessary with the plethora of tourist information, so we sold it to a second hand bookstore. Lonely Planet also produces a Cycling guide to New Zealand.
CAMPGROUNDS: Amongst the best in the world. "Motor Camps" provide kitchens, washing machines, often TV lounges, sometimes barbecues and always an opportunity to meet people. Hot showers are always on the money. Basic cabins are available at most motor camps. "Domain Campgrounds" (owned by the local town) are generally older (sometimes run-down) but often are more atmospheric, quirky, inexpensive and usually offer free washing machines!! Camping costs a very reasonable 7-10 NZ$/person and cabins are usually run double that.
WILD (FREE) CAMPING: plenty of opportunities, often near rivers so that you can jump in and rinse the sweat off. Keep your food inside your tent to avoid middle of the night possum attacks!
DOC CAMPSITES: DOC=Department of Conservation. They are in nice settings and offer more basic facilities (often without showers) and honour system of payment. Get a copy of "Conservation Campsites" from DOC offices or tourist information for a full listing.
OTHER ACCOMODATIONS: there is a huge network of YHA and private hostels (about NZ$16-20/person) throughout NZ. Cabins, self-contained units are at most motor camps. Bed and Breakfasts, hotels/motels at very reasonable prices are available. Cycle touring without a tent is very possible, though calling ahead each day would be a good idea in busier periods.
SUPERMARKETS AND FOOD STORES: Plenty with a good choice of foods at reasonable prices. Most supermarkets are open 7 days a week. The odd town closes down Saturday at noon till Monday morning, but they are the exceptions.
BIKE SHOPS: found in most major towns. We found them very helpful and provided same-day emergency repairs in many cases. Parts and accessories costs are similar to European prices but labour costs are far less.
WIND: Conventional wisdom is that it blows southerly (from the south) on the South Island West Coast and northerly on the east coast (of the South Island). Approaching bad weather reverses the wind direction. Having said that, we did not follow the conventional wisdom and we had as many tailwinds as headwinds. The only advice we can offer is to pay attention to the daily weather forecasts (wind direction) and get off to early starts (the wind seemed to pick-up after 11:00 am).
ROADS: "Sealed" surfaces are generally very good, though a little rougher than in Europe. Busy roads often have shoulders. "Gravel roads" are variable, sometimes badly corrugated. Beware of freshly "graded" gravel roads that mean plenty of very loose gravel. Kiwi drivers are generally courteous but a small minority of truck drivers do not give cyclists much room and traffic speed increases in the North Island. Cycling single file is the norm; riding two abreast can result in irritated drivers!
WHAT KIND OF BIKE? A mountain bike with road tires would be our first choice because about 5-10% of our riding was on gravel roads. A touring bike with wider tires would do the trick.
COSTS: Other than the cost of getting there, NZ is very reasonable. We averaged about 30 NZ$/day/person (15USD) including ferries, kayak rentals, etc. We did not eat in very many restaurants.
AUCKLAND AIRPORT: We rode our bikes in and out of the airport; straight east (Tom Pierce Drive/Puhinui Road) out to the Great South road and then turned south (2 campsites nearby including the Manukau top Ten are nearby). The Clevedon-Firth of Thames route really is the preferred and best way of riding south from South Auckland.
DON'T FORGET: Your helmet. It is required by law.
ATMs: Automated Banking Machines are available throughout New Zealand.
POSTAL SYSTEM AND INTERNET: It is relatively expensive to post parcels overseas but very reasonable within NZ. Internet is available all over for about NZ$8/hour.
BEST VALUE: Ice cream cones and beef (fillet is divine).
CAMPING STOVES: All motor camps provide stoves and many have ovens and microwaves, so a camping stove is not essential. We bought an incredibly light and compact basic stove for NZ$25 that used propane/butane cartridges. It was useful for the few times that we camped wild or at DOC campsites (about 15 times in 4 months).
EXCELLENT RIDING ON THE SOUTH ISLAND: Picton to Havelock, St. Arnaud to Murchison, Westport to Greymouth, Haast to Wanaka, Glenorchy Road, Milford Road, Beneath the Remarkables (Frankton to Kingston), Lindis Pass, Ranibow Road (gravel), Western end of Golden Bay. We did not ride either Arthur's of Harris Pass but they are also supposed to be good riding.
EXCELENT RIDING ON THE NORTH ISLAND: Waitomo Caves to the East Coast, Stratford to Taumaraunui, Coromandel Peninsula. Whanganui River (gravel) is also supposed to be very good.
SPECIAL AREAS: Marlborough Sounds, Nelson, Abel Tasman, Motueka, Golden Bay, Nelson Lakes, Karamea (Heaphy track coastline), Wanaka and Mt Aspiring, Glenorchy, Catlins, Fiordland, Coromandel.
EXCEPTIONAL CAMPRGROUNDS: Karamea Domain (quirky), Charleston Bay (free camping, ocean swimming, south of Greymouth), Cromwell (lots of space, nice facilities), Manapouri Glade (exceptionally well run), Milford Road DOC sites (Eglington Valley is a beautiful setting), Hanmer Springs Top Ten (grassy, nice facilities), Pakawau (Golden Bay, views, beach, quiet).
CAMPGROUNDS TO AVOID: Queenstown Motor Camp (packed, noisy from returning party goers) Makaroa (Haast Pass road, noisy kiwi Experience buses), Wanaka (in town camp), Te Anau (Top Ten, little space for tents).
MILFORD RAOD; Don't miss it!!! We had great weather and wefelt it was the highlight of our NZ bike trip. Many cyclists ride from Te Anau, overnight it at Lake Gunn, then continue on to Milford Sound and then take the bus back to Te Anau or Queenstown (the bus is a little expensive). We over-nighted at one of the many DOC campsites, rode to Lake Gunn and hid our bikes in the woods (beware the kea birds!), then hitched in and out of Milford Sound and stayed a second night in the Eglington Valley (Smiths Creek and Knobs Flat are both nice DOC campsites). In case of incessant rain, you could find shelter at the Divide (km 83/84; large shelter with tables) or even at the Knob's Flat Information kiosk (km 63, camping at nearby Deer Flat km 62).