Aotearoa Bike Challenge is back to encourage more people to travel by bike

Register, ride, earn points and be in to win great prizes in the Aotearoa Bike Challenge. Photo / Tom Rowland

The Aotearoa Bike Challenge starts again today with a chance to win prizes just by hopping on your bike and going for a ride.

The Challenge is part of the NZ Transport Agency's commitment to helping people get around by bike, with the agency investing in connected cycling networks as part of a wider transport system.

Last year more than 14,000 people from 1600 organisations took part. Participants made more than 161,000 trips by bike and cycled an impressive 2.1 million kilometres in one month.

"The benefits of cycling are many - healthier people, less congestion, reduced carbon emissions, to name but three," NZTA acting senior manager system design, Kevin Reid, said.

"Businesses and organisations have a key role to play in encouraging more people to choose a bike as a transport choice."

"For employers, having more of your people riding bikes to and from work, or during the day, means a more alert and healthier workforce, and contributes to increased productivity. It's great to see the continued support of so many businesses, who get on board with the Aotearoa Bike Challenge each year."

To take part, people must register and record trips online. You only need to ride for 10 minutes to participate.

Aotearoa Bike Challenge
Who: Workplaces nationwide (and their employees)
When: February 2019
Cost: Free
How: Register here.
Prizes include: Ride the Old Ghost Road and Heaphy Track on a seven-day Mountain Bike Tour with Haka Tours (valued at $4000), winning an e-bike conversion kit (valued at $1400), and many more.

"The Challenge offers organisations - big or small - a chance to get their staff involved in cycling, competing as a team against other workplaces of a similar size," Mr Reid says.

For this year's Challenge, a points-based system has been introduced. Both an individual participant and their workplace team earn points for every kilometre cycled, every day someone rides a bike, and for every person encouraged to sign up. Every point matters and everyone in a workplace can contribute to their team's total points.

Aotearoa Bike Challenge continues until February 28.