Taupō students have learned how to take their biking up a gear at a Taupō District Council Basic Bike Maintenance course.

Students from Taupō Homeschool Group spent a couple of hours with Taupō District Council road safety coordinator Sarah Wraight, and Hendon Gillies and Braulio Mena from Pack and Pedal Taupō. The workshop taught the students how to keep their bikes in top shape, repair punctures, and perform safety checks.

“The homeschool group was quite neat,” Pack and Pedal Taupō owner Hendon Gillies said.

“Their interest was really high, I think they all went away having learned something. Ultimately knowing how to care for your bike makes the riding experience better. Knowing how to do things like check tyre pressure, or do a safety check before riding go a long way. It lets you enjoy it more, and go out more. A noisy bike that’s playing up is a huge turn-off to going out.”

Feedback from participants and parents included: “It was good and I learned a lot”, “the team from Pack and Pedal were brilliant and communicated so well with the kids”, and “it’s great learning, very enjoyable”.

The Basic Bike Maintenance workshops are held at different bike stores every couple of months and are free to attend. Anyone can sign up, but spaces are limited.

“I’ve seen a huge increase in people getting out on the bike thanks to the Covid lockdowns - they really invogorated riding,” Mr Gillies says.

“Those people thinking about getting an e-bike went for it, making riding more generational. People who might have given up biking for some reason are getting back out there.You see whole families getting out there with parents, kids and grandkids. It’s fantastic.”

See our upcoming Basic Bike Maintenance and other cycling courses on our website: www.taupodc.govt.nz/cycling-courses

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