Simon Setephano-Parekura (left), Colin Leitch, Selwyn Lilley, and Teau Aiturau. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
Māngere locals are on a mission to promote cycling in the south Auckland suburb - aiming to make the area the cycling capital of the pacific.
A new cycleway was in the works in the area, which would connect Māngere town centre to the Māngere bridge township and over the Manukau harbour.
The local cycling hub hopes once that is finished it will get even more people using two wheels instead of four.
The Māngere Bikefit Community Hub helps fix up bikes, and then donates or lends them to people who need them, and organises group rides.
Teau Aiturau, or Mr T, runs the hub and has seen cycling grow in Māngere since he first started his charity TTT, or Time to Thrive, in 2014.
"More people are wanting to get on a bike. A lot of kids are riding. Just need to get their parents riding too."
One of the biggest hurdles in getting people biking was their concerns for safety, Aitarau said.
That is something volunteer Selwyn Lilley can attest to - he had now mostly given up biking after a nasty accident last year.
Worker Simon Setephano-Parekura fixing a tyre at the Māngere BikeFit Community Hub. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
"As I was rounding the roundabout on Robinson Road, as I was coming around the corner this car came out of Bader Drive, didn't even see me and collected me. Spent four days in hospital and three weeks on crutches."
That is why cycleways - like the one under construction connecting Māngere and Māngere Bridge - were important, Aitarau said.
"When they complete all these cyclelanes then you'll see the network coming. You'll see everybody wanting to get around on the bike."
People felt safer in numbers when they were all out riding together, Aitarau said.
Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
When passersby saw them out and about in their hi-vis vests, it got their attention, he said.
"People laugh at us but it's all good. We'll just laugh back. We're laughing riding past them - we wave out 'keep the wheels spinning'. It's great fun man ... that's what it's all about - having fun."
It was not just about getting people from A to B.
Nelly Hakiti is the pest-free activator for Māngere East Family Services, and had made use of the e-bikes at the hub and the keen young people involved there.
Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
"I thought it would be a really good idea to collaborate, use the bikes, load up our resources and head out into the community to deal with invasive pest plants."
Some Māngere bridge locals have been complaining about the construction of the new cycleway online, saying the community do not want it and it is a waste of money.
But Mr T was not fazed.
"Keep complaining man, because it's not going to stop. We just gotta keep pushing forward, we're making a change in Māngere - making an impact instead of seeing the same old road."
Construction of the new cycleway will be completed in three stages between now and the end of October.
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