Cycling in New Zealand

New Zealand is a beautiful country with so many reasons to visit, it's impossible to list them all. The towns, the beautiful scenery, the culture, the list can go on and on. It's no surprise then, that a lot of cyclists make it one of their goals to cycle in this beautiful country. One of the greatest things about New Zealand is the many tours you can take that will help guide you through the country. But, you can always go it on your own as well.

Before you go, you need to make sure you have what you need when you are out on the road or the mountain side. First things first, you need the proper attire. Make sure you have the proper shorts that are comfortable and that you are okay with wearing for quite some time. A jersey will help you be seen, and one with pockets so you can put whatever you need in the back pockets. Since the weather can change pretty easily, having tights and a jacket are also a good idea. Make sure you have comfortable shoes as well.

You'll also want to make sure you have some tools, such as a pump, to make minor repairs if necessary. Also, remember minor things such as sunblock.

Now that you have everything you need, where do you want to go? There are tons of places to go in New Zealand, so I've compiled a couple websites that you can check out to help you decide exactly what it is you want to do when you get there.

http://www.cyclenewzealand.com/IndependentCycleToursNewZealand.html

This company provides either group or individual tours. What's great about this is that they provide support gear and assistance if needed. They also list the company's different tours, and how easy or hard each one will be. You can take a trip through the West Coast of New Zealand down to Queenstown, and you can decide how many days you want to take doing it.

http://www.advsouth.co.nz/cycle/The_Great_West_Coaster.tour

Another southern tour, this one is more for advanced cyclists. It's a 13 day trip that will take you through many different types of scenery, and this one has a support vehicle as well. This trip will also end in Queenstown.

If you decide to take your own trip, you want to make sure you do a lot of planning in advance. So here's another resource to help you in your planning:

http://www.roadcycling.co.nz/

This online magazine will give you all the latest news, tips and important information about cycling in New Zealand.