October is all about the bike. It’s the month we take to the streets to celebrate the city’s annual festival of cycling.

Those of us who love a challenge will lap up the destinations on this year’s Biketober Passport Challenge, which encourages people to cycle to more than 40 destinations across the city, using a unique code to check in at each location. Destinations for the challenge (Oct 1 - 25) can be viewed on Biketober’s website. Share in the spirit of the event on social media, where riders are encouraged to post about their adventures using the hashtag #biketoberchchpassport. Believe us when we say it’s some of the best fun you’ll have on a bike!

A score of epic events will run alongside the Biketober Passport Challenge, allowing people to pick and choose the times and places that suit them. Of course, this is on top of the cycling action the city offers 365 days of the year. Christchurch now boasts over 40 kilometres of dedicated cycleways, meaning there’s a path into town from most parts of the city. The popular Quarryman’s Trail from Sparks Road to the city centre has been extended over the past 12 months. The final stage – from Victors Road to Te Hāpua and Halswell Domain – is due to be completed this year. The Heathcote Expressway has also grown and is now rideable from The Tannery in Woolston all the way into the city.

If you are looking for a bit more adventure, check out the 11km Te Ara Ōtākaro Avon River Trail, from New Brighton through the residential red zone and along the Avon River to Fitzgerald Avenue.

biketoberchch.nz

Events to catch

Coffee Outside Christchurch Action Bicycle Club and Prima Roastery are joining the Biketober fun with a special outing in their Coffee Outside series. Fri Oct 18, 6.45am. For venue, check biketoberchch.nz

Bikes, Beer and Banter Cycle down to The Fermentist to share tales of your cycling adventures (and misadventures) with fellow pedal pushers. Snacks will be provided but don’t forget to bring some dosh for your drinks. The Fermentist, Thu Oct 3 and Thu Oct 17.

Rainbow Rave – Climax Rally your cycle gang and get down to Smash Palace for a night of cranking tunes and dance floor fun. Christchurch’s beloved outdoor bar is hosting the R18 event alongside the good people at RDU, who will be spinning tunes well into the night. Smash Palace, Sat Oct 5.

Post-Quake Heritage Building Cycle Tour Cruise the city’s lesser known heritage listed buildings on this guided cycle tour. The easy ride will get under way at Margaret Mahy Playground before heading to various locations in the central city. Please bring along some koha. Margaret Mahy Playground, Fri Oct 11 and Sat Oct 26.

Halloween Ride Bid Biketober farewell with the spookiest event of all – the Halloween Ride! The 7km night-ride follows the Beckenham Loop, well-known for houses decorated in ghouls, ghosts and goblins, and ends at a mystery bar. Cnr Sandwich Road and Eastern Terrace, Thu Oct 31.

On Ya Bike!

Stuck for reasons to start cycling? Here’s six guaranteed to get you pushing the pedals.

1 – Wind back the clock Regular cycling can protect skin against UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing by optimising collagen production – essentially ironing out the appearance of wrinkles from the inside! Just don’t forget to slap on the 30+ or it’ll all be for naught!

2 – Get smart Cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the area responsible for memory which, FYI, starts deteriorating once you hit the big 3-0.

3 – Beat the rat-race Breezing past gridlocked traffic come 5pm is one of cycling’s greatest joys. Lap up drivers’ jealousy as you smugly move from one green light to the next.

4 – Save the planet It takes around 5 percent of the materials and energy to build a bike than it does to knock out a car, bikes produce zero pollution and then there’s that whole peak oil thing.

5 – Sex it up Cranking up your vascular health will, if you’re a man, help crank up your boudoir performance and, if you’re a woman, help stave off menopause.

6 – Live the high life Cycling helps release feel-good hormones (endorphins) into the frontal and limbic regions of the brain (aka the storage area for emotional baggage).

High Spec

The city’s sleek new cycleways are the perfect place to take a custom-built single-speed bike for a spin. Cue Bespoked Cycles, the Christchurch-based business turning your commuter dreams into a reality. The team at Bespoked pride themselves on putting quality first, utilising Factory Five components including chainrings, Pista cranksets, carbon-fibre forks, and alloy and steel frames. You can design, build and spec your bike from scratch, right down to the colour – they’ve got hundreds to choose from! The highly customisable nature of the bikes means there is a massive number of build options – there truly is a ‘fixie’ for everyone.

bespokedcycles.co.nz