Auckland Bike Challenge welcomes e-bikes

Electric bike riders are welcome to join the Auckland Bike Challenge 2019, which is partnering for the first time with Variety – the Children’s Charity.

Each year, Variety presents new bikes and helmets to children at low decile schools.

Keen bike rider and Auckland Council planning committee chairman Chris Darby is encouraging Aucklanders to sign up to the challenge.

“More and more people are joining the bike revolution,” he says. “The Auckland Bike Challenge is a great way for people to enjoy Auckland, celebrate with other bike riders and use our cycling infrastructure.”

Auckland Transport walking, cycling and road safety manager Kathryn King says more than 4300 people got on their bikes in February last year and logged rides as part of the challenge.

“Almost 1000 of those were new riders and 499 businesses and organisations across Auckland signed up to encourage their staff to try riding a bike as a healthy and sustainable travel option,” she says.

“By signing up and fundraising through the Auckland Bike Challenge, for every $250 raised Variety will present a child with a new bike and helmet.”

Variety – the Children’s Charity’s chief executive officer Lorraine Taylor will be taking up the challenge herself.

“We know that owning a bike can make such a positive difference in the lives of the children we work with. Just recently we provided a bike to a child who only had a rusty scooter, picked up from the dump, to play with. We also recently provided bikes to a number of children who told us they will use their new bikes for their trip to school.”

Those who meet the fundraising target will be invited to attend the presentation of bikes they have funded to the recipients.

Prizes will also be awarded to the top three individuals who fundraise the most, and the top organisation within each size category.

The Auckland Bike Challenge is part of a national campaign, the Aotearoa Bike Challenge, run by the NZ Transport Agency, Love to Ride, councils, and other local partners around the country.

To participate in the challenge, register online and cycle for at least 10 minutes anywhere, anytime during the month of February.

Visit www.lovetoride.net/auckland to sign up and for more information.