About
What is Bike On NZ?
Bike On NZ is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to get everyone in New Zealand to experience the joy of biking.
How does Bike On plan to achieve their aim?
By privately funding a number of different projects (eg Bikes in the School and Teenage Girls on Bikes) and then analysing and assessing their success rate. Funding (private and public) will then be secured via a non-profit Charitable Trust to enable the most successful projects to be offered across New Zealand.
Bike On believe that the return on these high performing projects will be substantial due to the many positive outcomes they will generate.
What are the current Bike On NZ projects?
Bikes In The Schools Project
Teenage Girls on Bikes
What is the main objective of the Bikes in the School project?
To ensure all junior primary school children have an opportunity to experience the joy of biking and the flow on benefits such as increased health and HAPPINESS, increased confidence and self esteem, and increased balance and timing skills.
How will this be achieved?
By providing primary schools with a no-cost “turn-key” solution that provides all junior pupils regular and equal access to a bike and accompanying bike tracks within the school environment.
What is the idea / concept?
To deliver at no-cost to the school, the following -
• A limestone bike track around the perimeter of the school ground.
• A Bike Skills area and a Bike Pump track.
• A fleet of bikes + helmets (30 x kids small, 30 X kids medium, 3 X adult).
• A purpose built secure bike storage facility for the 63 bikes.
• On site support staff member to manage the facilities and associated training programs.
• Signage that communicates the purpose, the rules and the providers (sponsors) of the bikes, the bike track and all supporting services.
What are the benefits of introducing the Bikes in the School solution?
• It provides pupils with a safe environment to develop biking and balance skills.
• It raises the confidence and self esteem of pupils through a fun activity.
• It delivers health and well being outcomes for the pupils (and staff).
• It meets the demand from the teachers, parents and pupils for such a facility.
• It instills the habit of using an environmentally friendly form of transportation.
• It makes the school an even more attractive place to learn and work.
Who is the Pilot School and what is the date for the official opening?
St Mary’s Primary School, Hastings
Friday 19 February 2010
Hello,
Just a quick message when I really should be busy working… Re. getting teenage girls cycling. I know for the past week or so, with the hastings cycle-to-work thing I have stood out for my so unusual cycle style & not wearing lycra. Well, I think that this is part of the reason that some people are not cycling, especially teen girls who are so body consious & don’t want to show their curves in lycra.
One of my fave websites is http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com This is how cycling should be done!! Totally stylish and so chic. Cycling here is seen more as a competitive sport, not a norm to get places and wearing normal clothes.
Anyway, these are just some ponderings.
Must get working again.
Regards
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
Thanks for the support – I agree with your thoughts about the competitive focus in NZ. Paul is very keen to promote cycling to everyone and that lycra does not need to be involved! Hopefully we can get more people riding for shorter journeys / school runs and make cycling a real part of NZ’s culture.
Craig