New Zealand Cycle Touring Route - Masterton to Wellington

This route is important to cycle tourists because it allows them to ride from the Wairarapa to Wellington without the need to cross the Rimutaka Ranges on the main highway. It is also a scenic ride well worth doing.

From Masterton travel on SH2 through Carterton and Greytown to Featherston a distance of 35.7 kilometers. Then use the Rimutaka Rail Trail to ride into Wellington. The rail trail is ideal for touring bikes because the Rimutaka incline was built for the Fell railway engines and is therefore not too steep. There is one small section that is difficult to negotiate. Once you have crossed into the valley on the west side you can use the Hutt River Trail to travel into Wellington. The bike trail is well sign posted. When you reach Petone turn right and cross the bridge and then head south into Wellington.
The Hutt River Trail includes gates that are designed to exclude vehicles but they are not well designed as they are difficult to get through with bike panniers. There is the option of riding on the road rather than the bikeway if this proves to difficult.

Link to further ride Images

 My New Zealand Two Islands Ride 2015

Rimutaka Incline

Rimutaka Rail Trail

Hutt River Trail

The bikeway alongside the motorway into Wellington is not well designed and needs further work to make it more usable.
There are campsites on the Rimutaka Rail Trail after you reach the top of the incline where you can camp rather than riding directly into Wellington.

Cycle Touring Route - Gisborne to Opotiki

It is a journey of 141 kilometers from Gisborne to Opotiki on state highway 2 via the Waioeka Gorge but you can also go to Matawai and ride to Opotiki using the Motu cycle trails. The reward will be that you ride on isolated back country roads and tracks where there are few people or cars.

It is a ride of 70 kilometers from Gisborne to Matawai where we stayed in the hotel after a hard day into the wind. The small settlement of Motu is 13.3 kilometers away from Matawai using the Motu Rail Trail. There is then a significant climb rising from 500m to 750m but the road while shingle is superbly graded.

There is then a choice of riding down the road or using the Pakihi track to get to Opotiki.

Matawai Hotel

Matawai Classic Kiwi Pub

We went down the Pakihi track which is a walking track that is also used for mountain biking. My touring bike was not really suitable for this ride. There are significant drop offs down to the Motu river in the valley below so care needs be taken. It proved easier and safer to walk my bike down the track but this took most of the day.  The option of using the road trail rather than the track may have been a better option on my bike.

Motu Valley

 

Motu Valley

Motu River

Pakahi Track

Cycleways in Auckland - General

January 2020 - Cycleway Update

As at January 2020, the development of the cycleway network is making significant progress. I did a ride that was mostly on cycleways which covered 80 kilometres. The important point was that I was able to link up the cycleways relatively easily although a degree of local knowledge was required.

Central City Cycleway Network Ride



There are now a significant number of cycleways in Auckland although their existence is not well known by the general public. One of the goals of this blog is to provide cyclists with information on these cycleways.
The existing cycleways are not well integrated and one of the challenges for Auckland Transport is to integrate the existing cycleway network which will not be easy but will occur over time with the main obstacle being a lack of funds for these projects. Currently, cycleways are provided mainly as a result of being included in roading projects.


One of the main obstacles to the increased use of bikes for commuting and recreation is the fear of many would-be cyclists that the Auckland roads are unsafe to ride on. My experience is that you can enjoy riding in Auckland if you use cycleways where ever possible avoid busy times and busy traffic roads. As a general rule I do not ride on roads where there are double lanes for cars. As a cyclist I know Auckland well and use a network of secondary roads that are not well known or used by motorists.


The good news is that there are now a significant number of cycleways in Auckland that cyclists can use instead of riding on the busy roads.
The Penrose to Onehunga cycleway is a good example of a cycleway that is of a reasonable length that can be used for recreational riding.

Penrose to Onehunga Cycleway Link

The Government is about to announce that a disused motorway flyover in central Auckland is to become a cycleway. Cyclists will use the Nelson Street off-ramp made redundant ten years ago in a revamp of the Central Motorway Junction (aka Spaghetti Junction).

The former Nelson Street off ramp will bridge a gap in the growing central city cycle network and could be ready to use mid-year.

The off ramp has been idle for nearly a decade, and cycling advocates have been working with the city and Government transport agencies on how to convert it into a cycleway. It will be interesting to see how it will link up with the other cycleways in the city.

Auckland Cycleway - South Western - Onehunga to Mt Eden

When the South Western motorway was constructed a cycleway was included as part of the project. This cycleway links Onehunga with Sandringham Road extension so links Mt Eden with the airport via Onehunga. The cycleway also incorporates bridges which link the community on the southern side with the separated community on the other side which is important to retain the access of the houses on the southern side of the motorway. This allows children from the southern side to cycle to the schools that are located in Mt Roskill. The cycleway is not continuous and local roads are used on part of the route and going west there is a reasonable climb to negotiate.

Cycleway alongside south western motorway

Wide cycleway

Access across motorway to Mt Roskill

Cycleway goes through local parks

Auckland Cycleway - Westgate to Greenhithe

This cycleway connects the west with the North Shore. It is useful if you ride out from the city on the north western cycleway and wish to travel to the north shore. This can make a good round trip from the city to Davenport and then return to the city on the ferry from Devonport. At the end of the north western cycleway ride up Triangle road and Don Buck Road to Westgate and then head north to Greenhithe. This is a reasonable climb on mostly quiet roads but it is busier as you head down to Devonport.

Auckland Cycleway - Mt Wellington Highway to Glenn Innes

This cycleway was opened in 2014 and connects the Mt Wellington Highway with Glen Innes and the Eastern suburbs. The cycleway was built as part of the Panmure roading and rail infrastructure improvements. It is good to see that there are separated lanes for bikes and that bike storage has been provided at the new railway station.

New Cycleway - December 2014

It is encouraging for those wishing to commute by bike that Auckland Transport are incorporating cycleways within their roading projects but in order to be used by cycle commuters the cycleways need to be integrated. In this instance once you get to the Mount Wellington Highway this road is unsafe for cycling because of high traffic speeds and volumes.

Under the new transport centre