Last year Chris took a bus to school, but when his brother started this year the combined costs of fares would have nudged toward $100 a week.
So mum Sheryl put the idea to the lads that cycling to school, on a tandem bicycle, would be the solution. "At first I thought she was joking ... thought she was crazy," Chris laughed.
William's response was one of "are you serious?"
Yes she was, because she was aware of Napier Boys' High School's top-notch reputation and wanted both lads to have the best education she could find.
Now, a couple of months down the track, William agrees with big brother that the journeys are well worth it - they are both doing well and enjoy the whole atmosphere of the school.
"It's a routine now - we're used to it and it's okay ... except in a headwind," Chris said.
The decision to use a tandem was out of safety - so they stuck together and stood out.
Which they do when they don their bright safety jackets and hit the road.
"We get a few beeps from people - they see us coming," William said.
They pedal a route along Pakowhai Rd, into Brookfields Rd and over the one-way bridge, into Sandy Rd past the speedway, through Meeanee and into Willowbank Rd and into Chambers St.
A mere 18km ... easy peasy.
"The best time we've done was 35 minutes, but that was a tail wind," Chris said.
The longest?
"The headwind one ... about two-and-a-half hours."
It's only when the rain is really heavy they park it up and take the bus.
Some days they get a bit weary but not weary enough that they don't do their chores for mum when they get home, then their homework.
They set out about 7am and have only been late once.
"Because he wasn't pedalling hard enough," Chris said, flashing a grin at his brother.
"And we only fell off once after he dropped his PE shirt into the wheel."
William, who has the rear seat position, said the advantage for him was being able to quietly reach into the bag on his steering brother's back and help himself to his drink bottle.
The rest of their schoolmates thought they were joking at first when they told them how far they came every day.
But not any more, and among the teaching staff there is admiration aplenty.
"It is so good to come across boys like this who want to be educated and will go to whatever lengths they have to to do that," said teacher Jeff Pinfold.
"It's fantastic"
Chris enjoy maths, PE and music and wants to be a pilot.
William also enjoys maths and PE and said he wants to do "something high paid".
On the weekend they have their own individual bikes to get about on, so the tandem is the school "taxi", although sisters Donna and Maggie like to climb aboard whenever they can.
So do they enjoy cycling?
"Not really ... but it beats walking," Chris said.
