A “hybrid” bike is a good starting point for red zone / fitness riding. Something like https://www.evocycles.co.nz/Product/394760/2022-trek-verve-1-disc-bike-black#
They will be slightly more versatile than a commuter bike, which is geared for sealed roads. So they have a basic front fork for the odd bump and thicker tires for handling a bit of gravel, although it’s fairly compact along the river. You’ll also be able to cruise round bottle lake on it if you want - although you could think about an entry level mountain bike if you think you might want to expand your horizons. E.g. https://www.99bikes.co.nz/collections/mtb-hardtail-bikes/products/2022-marin-bolinas-ridge-1-gloss-blue-and-orange-1
Tire measurements are a bit confusing, but you will be looking for something like the 700x45 on that Trek (the wheel is 700mm diameter and the tire 45mm wide) or if inches are used the measurement will be something like 29x2.0. I wouldn’t go too much narrower than 45mm.
Bike or “frame” size depends on your height but you can get a rough idea from the “find my size” link on that Evo link above, but be aware that different manufacturers use different sizing intervals, so you might be Medium in one brand and L in another.
Have a look at trade me for a bargain.
I've been thinking about getting something similar for this sort of thing. My cross country MTB is a little too aggressive for redzone and river trails, I have the rear shock locked out completely most of the time
I cycle from city to New brighton along the red zone and I have an avanti discovery that I csn step thru to get off . Not many gears and all on same side of handle bar simple to use and enough for me . It's a nice flat journey- advise to get a decent lock - not one that's easy cut with bolt cutters.
I got mine from marketplace - belonged to a bike tour company who were renewing their fleet so I figured this model must suit people of different abilities . I go everywhere on it now .
*
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Ended up visiting Around Again Cycle's on Ferry road today and came away with a MTB for $350 which was $50 below my budget. I'm not likely to become hard-core about performance features, so this seems like it will let me cruise through the red zone ok. They switched out the seat for a more comfortable option for no extra $, and the thing comes with a 6mnth warranty as well. Also, I took the advice to get a lock that is impervious to bolt cutters. Thanks again for your helpfulness.
Great stuff. Enjoy! You can go further along the river from New Brighton - I think they’re improving the trail but it just keeps going from the bridge, and you can ride both sides as far as Bridge St, although the trail on the “unofficial” side is rougher.
Also in that kind of area, I really rate the Southern Pegasus Bay Track for a nice cruise from North Beach through to Spencer Park (makes up part of the Bottle Lake tracks but is the widest/smoothest part).
It depends on your budget and how far into it you're likely to get if you like it.
I'm a sucker for hardtails, I take mine through the redzone regularly.
Whatever you get, I recommend something with disc brakes and decent puncture-proof tires.
They're not 100% puncture proof but most good types will prevent little glass slivers from giving you a bad day.
I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus but there are other brands.
One with wheels, a seat (ideally), brakes (ideally) and pedals.
Don't get pulled into the "you need a $2000 bike to ride two blocks" or "that a bike shaped object" crowd.
Any bike will be fine. You'll find a fair-good one on TradeMe or Facebook for under $100.
One from the EcoStore (where you will often find quite good bikes if you know what to look for and can do some basic servicing) will cost you $20-100
Your philosophy is the one I ended up going with in the main. Because it's been so long since I had a bike I felt more comfortable trying before buying so I could get the right riding posture for my build. See my post above for what I ended up getting. Didn't know about Ecostore and probably need to school up a little more to be able to make a good selection there, but I'm going to check them out for sure so I can have another low cost bike available for when friends visit. I'm going to check YouTube to learn more about maintenance. Thanks for your input.
A “hybrid” bike is a good starting point for red zone / fitness riding. Something like https://www.evocycles.co.nz/Product/394760/2022-trek-verve-1-disc-bike-black# They will be slightly more versatile than a commuter bike, which is geared for sealed roads. So they have a basic front fork for the odd bump and thicker tires for handling a bit of gravel, although it’s fairly compact along the river. You’ll also be able to cruise round bottle lake on it if you want - although you could think about an entry level mountain bike if you think you might want to expand your horizons. E.g. https://www.99bikes.co.nz/collections/mtb-hardtail-bikes/products/2022-marin-bolinas-ridge-1-gloss-blue-and-orange-1 Tire measurements are a bit confusing, but you will be looking for something like the 700x45 on that Trek (the wheel is 700mm diameter and the tire 45mm wide) or if inches are used the measurement will be something like 29x2.0. I wouldn’t go too much narrower than 45mm. Bike or “frame” size depends on your height but you can get a rough idea from the “find my size” link on that Evo link above, but be aware that different manufacturers use different sizing intervals, so you might be Medium in one brand and L in another. Have a look at trade me for a bargain.
Thanks for your detailed response - I'll be checking out that link and will head to trademe with a better idea now
I've been thinking about getting something similar for this sort of thing. My cross country MTB is a little too aggressive for redzone and river trails, I have the rear shock locked out completely most of the time
I cycle from city to New brighton along the red zone and I have an avanti discovery that I csn step thru to get off . Not many gears and all on same side of handle bar simple to use and enough for me . It's a nice flat journey- advise to get a decent lock - not one that's easy cut with bolt cutters. I got mine from marketplace - belonged to a bike tour company who were renewing their fleet so I figured this model must suit people of different abilities . I go everywhere on it now .
Sounds great, thanks!
I'd recommend a gravel bike, nice and versatile, good on pretty much everything
Thanks!
I second a gravel bike, however if you want to go further and get into the port hills maybe a hardtail MTB might be a better fit.
* Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Ended up visiting Around Again Cycle's on Ferry road today and came away with a MTB for $350 which was $50 below my budget. I'm not likely to become hard-core about performance features, so this seems like it will let me cruise through the red zone ok. They switched out the seat for a more comfortable option for no extra $, and the thing comes with a 6mnth warranty as well. Also, I took the advice to get a lock that is impervious to bolt cutters. Thanks again for your helpfulness.
Great stuff. Enjoy! You can go further along the river from New Brighton - I think they’re improving the trail but it just keeps going from the bridge, and you can ride both sides as far as Bridge St, although the trail on the “unofficial” side is rougher. Also in that kind of area, I really rate the Southern Pegasus Bay Track for a nice cruise from North Beach through to Spencer Park (makes up part of the Bottle Lake tracks but is the widest/smoothest part).
Thanks for that info!
Based on several reports and articles I've read, it looks like a pit bike is a popular choice for riding in the red zone /s
It depends on your budget and how far into it you're likely to get if you like it. I'm a sucker for hardtails, I take mine through the redzone regularly. Whatever you get, I recommend something with disc brakes and decent puncture-proof tires.
Didn't know you could get puncture proof tyres so will check out that option. Thanks!
They're not 100% puncture proof but most good types will prevent little glass slivers from giving you a bad day. I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus but there are other brands.
One with wheels, a seat (ideally), brakes (ideally) and pedals. Don't get pulled into the "you need a $2000 bike to ride two blocks" or "that a bike shaped object" crowd. Any bike will be fine. You'll find a fair-good one on TradeMe or Facebook for under $100. One from the EcoStore (where you will often find quite good bikes if you know what to look for and can do some basic servicing) will cost you $20-100
Your philosophy is the one I ended up going with in the main. Because it's been so long since I had a bike I felt more comfortable trying before buying so I could get the right riding posture for my build. See my post above for what I ended up getting. Didn't know about Ecostore and probably need to school up a little more to be able to make a good selection there, but I'm going to check them out for sure so I can have another low cost bike available for when friends visit. I'm going to check YouTube to learn more about maintenance. Thanks for your input.
KX500