More Than Just a Website

We hope this finds you well as we head quickly into summer. We know it's nearly summer as Dan has come out of hibernation and looks to be getting back into biking. After a big ride in the Wharfedale Forest last weekend, he is bruised and tired but ready to ride in the Pub to Pub Gutbuster this weekend with Matt and Toby.

On Your Bike 2011

It's been a hugely successful month of promoting our Cycle-Friendly Business Partners from around New Zealand. Matt and Mat travelled to the inaugural On Your Bike Expo in Hamilton where NZByBike sponsored the Epic Destinations section.

It was absolutely fantastic to see almost 6,000 visitors through the doors over the course of the weekend; NZByBike were joined by RTOs from around New Zealand, tour operators, R&R Sport, Avanti Bikes and dozens of other exhibitors doing their part to promote cycling in New Zealand.

We answered questions about Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail, and paired keen cyclists up with our directory of 150 cycle-friendly businesses found around New Zealand.

To all our business partners that provided brochures, thanks heaps - we gave out nearly all of them.

More Than Just a Website

Our Sponsorship of the On Your Bike Expo is only a small part of the work we're doing to promote Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail, local and regional cycle trails and NZ cycle friendly businesses. Anna and Dan are currently working to get a number of our Where to Ride Guides available by the start of next year - these feature cycle trails around New Zealand in detail and make planning a trip cycling that much more convenient.

We're well under way in our planning of the 2012 New Zealand Cycle Tourism Conference where we'll all come together to nail out how to best promote New Zealand cycling and cycle trails to the domestic and international market. We all know NZ is a bloody great place to ride, and our aim is to get more New Zealanders and international visitors out on their bikes enjoying our fantastic cycle trails.

NZByBike: Version 2.0

While we are more than a website, it's the crux of our work and the home to over 10,000 monthly visitors looking for information on NZ cycle trails and cycle focused businesses. It's done us well for the last year, yet we're excited to announce we're well into a redesign and redevelopment of NZByBike.com.

We've listened to your feedback and produced a website that is user friendly, functional and (dare we say) hot! We love it and trust it will blow you away too. We will send a whizz bang announcement when it goes live.

Welcome To...

We're delighted to welcome the following businesses as the newest members of New Zealand's Cycle Friendly Network.

• Trail Journeys - Otago Central Rail Trail premium bike hire, transport and self and fully guided tours
• The Paddleboat Company - Bike transport from Mangakino across Lake Maraetai and up the Waikato River Gorge on the Waikato River Trails
• Rive Gauche B&B - Lake Taupo cycle-friendly accommodation
• Hilton Queenstown - Accommodation directly on The Queenstown Trail
• Crowne Plaza Queenstown - Central, cycle-friendly accommodation in Queenstown - bike in bike out!
• Skotel Alpine Resort- Cycle friendly accommodation at the base of Mt Ruapehu - can you imagine a better place to stay before riding the Mountain to Sea Trail?
• Adrift Outdoor Adventures - Guided adventures around the Ruapehu region
• Yeti Tours - MTB transport and tours on the Mountain to Sea Trail
• Liquid Adventures - Mountain bike packages in Queenstown along with central accommodation
• Hells Gate Rotorua - New Zealand Tourism award winning with geothermal mud baths and sulphur spas
• Wai Ora Spa - Soak away the days pains at the spa and fall asleep to luxury, first class accommodation in Rotorua
• The Kai Waho Experience - Mountain biking trips on the beautiful tribal lands of the Tuwhareota iwi
• Woodys Fault Towers - Accommodation and food on the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail
• Good Fun Bike Rides- Offering the essential Hawke's Bay cycle trail experience - trails, wineries, and Hawke's Bay sun at your leisure!

Is your business cycle friendly? Then why isn't it on NZByBike.com? Join NZbyBike now »

Tracking Your Visitors

How cool is the new Google real-time analytics? Sitting here now, I can see that a whooping 6,000 different search phrases were used to reach NZByBike.com last month . Be that, "cycling in New Zealand," "Tasman Great Taste Trail," or "Waikato River Trail," they land somewhere on NZByBike.com.

Read more about it on the Google Blog.