Are You Up For The Challenge?

There are 164 workplaces and over 1000 riders registered for the Aotearoa Bike Challenge across the Waikato.

Go Eco (Waikato Environment Centre) are taking part in the challenge, with a team goal of 500 km for the month. To help them reach their goal, they’re collaborating with Bike Waikato to host a 52 km ride this Saturday the 17th of February for anyone who wants to join them.

“Bike Waikato are excited to support a ride along the Te Awa River Trail for Bike Month. It is a great opportunity to support cycling in Hamilton, celebrate the great cycling infrastructure that we have, as well as have some fun on two wheels (or more!)” says Chair Melissa Smith.

Starting at the River Riders Hub, Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens, the Ride to Ngaaruawaahia (& back) will have push bikes, e-bikes and trikes starting off at 10am. Event coordinator Kelli Pike expects it’ll be an easy ride for those with e-bikes, but much more challenging for others. “We’re encouraging people to just give it a go, and are posting approximate times we’ll be passing key sites along the trail, into our facebook event, so people can join and disembark to reduce the length of the ride”.

River Riders have jumped on board, offering a discounted rate for those who want to hire an e-bike and / or catch a shuttle bus home from Ngaaruawaahia.

The Te Awa trail is one of the most accessible and scenic cycling routes in New Zealand, winding from Ngaaruawaahia to Lake Karapiro. “I really enjoy the section from Mangaharakeke paa (behind Fonterra) to Ngaaruawaahia - it’s 18km return and completely off-road. If you’re new to biking, or have kids, I recommend joining there”. (Access from the end of Meadow View Lane). “Yes, there are some hills, but there’s no shame in pushing a bike up-hill if you need to, I do it all the time!”. We’re encouraging people to bring lunch, or visit Durham Precinct, across the road from “The Point” in Ngaaruawaahia - before riding home.

Go Eco operate a Bike Hub, which is a community education space open 10-12pm Thursday to Saturday. It’s free to drop in to learn how to fix or maintain your push bike. In the last financial year they worked with bike owners to repair 250 bikes and rehomed 49 bikes which had been donated. Their aim is to support low carbon, low cost modes of transport in the city.

Bike Waikato is member led, and run by volunteers, they campaign for safer places to ride bikes, and empower people to get on a bike, and gain more freedom.

Riders are being asked to register with more information on

Go Eco’s website

, or the facebook event.

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