NZ (north island) - two weeks...

[jet-ski]

OK so I have tickets to NZ in November cos of a Virgin sale. Anyway I want to convince my travelling partner that cycling is a good idea. Last thing I want is to spend 2 weeks in a friggin hire car. Anyone have suggestions or blogs? Travelling partner wants to work in some kayaking and perhaps hiking. I just want to see nice quiet countryside

[jet-ski]

no-one been cycle touring on the North Island?? :O

[RonK]

South Island is another story, but no, can't help with the North Island.


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[toolonglegs]

Not touring but I know the north island pretty well.
You want to head north from Auckland or South?.
Base yourself in one general area or do some descent k's?.
Nothing against people south of the Volcanoes and Napier but all the interesting tourist stuff is between there and Auckland.
Quiet roads...Waikato, Taranaki,Coromandel, Northland ... lot of the other areas don't have a lot of connecting smaller roads so you may be on the "bigger" roads more often.
Any ideas of where you want to go and I could maybe comment.

[waramatt]

Maybe you could look for some social rides or events? I was on North Island in Dec and did the 110k TelstraClear Challenge in west Auckland, near the Waitakere Ranges. Nice countryside. Cycling in and around Auckland is nice too. I based myself in Takapuna (North Shore) for a few days and cycled around Devonport, Takapuna and Milford.

Agree with Toolonglegs that from Napier north is best. There's also Waiheke Island - only 30 mins by ferry from Auckland but reasonably secluded. You have to like hills though. Haven't done Great Barrier Island but have heard it's good cycling too, but mainly off-road.

Good luck. My missus is barely talking to me even now for taking my bike on a 3 week holiday over there.....

[scirocco]

I'd say plan carefully, roads tend to be narrower and twistier than in Aus and it's not very comfortable on those that have any significant amount of traffic.

Get off the beaten track tho' and it's brilliant.

[WestcoastPete]

I reckon Northland would be pretty cool - the area north of Auckland. I haven't spent much time there and haven't been too far up, but it was pretty. My favourite place on the North Island was the East Cape. There's a really speccy road that follows the Bay of Plenty and then around the cape to Gisbourne. It's remote (by NZ NI standards) but I reckon pretty picturesque and would be a good escape. There are heaps of little bays and forest etc. It's hilly, like everywhere in NZ. Nothing huge, but lots of steep up and down.

We did it all in a campervan though. We did see a cyclist on a fully loaded Surly LHT grinding up a hill and they waved and smiled when we beeped encouragement - I was jealous.

P.S. - you should get this book. It's pretty basic but provides valuable information and insight, and the author sounds like a dude. I can't wait to use it in anger some time...

[Aushiker]

If you are into mountain biking, you cannot beat Rotorua. Seriously good world championship mountain biking country.

Andrew