Cycling is an excellent way of appreciating the countryside, especially if you're reasonably fit and keep your time on the main highways to a minimum. Disadvantages are dealing with unsealed roads , which become irksome if you're on them all day and wreak havoc with your tyres (fat tyres limit the damage).

Contrary to what you might think, cycling in New Zealand's mountainous South Island is easier than in the North Island. The South Island's north-south alpine backbone presents virtually the only geographical barrier, while the eastern two-thirds of the island comprise a flat plain. By contrast, in the North Island you can barely go 10km without encountering significant hills - and you have to contend with a great deal more traffic, including overbearing logging trucks. If you do get sick of pedalling, you can always hoick your bike onto a bus, shuttle or train for around $10-12 per trip.

Most people seem to prefer using mountain bikes but since the majority of riding is on roads, touring bikes are just as good; helmets are required by law. If all you want to do is explore locally, some hostels and guesthouses have pre-loved bikes you can use for a nominal sum, or even for free. Renting bikes for more than the odd day can be an expensive option, costing anything from $15-35 a day, depending whether you want a bike with little more than pedals and brakes, a tourer, or a state-of-the-art mountain bike. Specialist cycle shops also do economical monthly rental for around $200 for a touring bike, $300 for a full-suspension superbike.

If you plan on any long-distance cycle-touring, it's generally cheaper to buy , though you have to factor in the cost of transporting the bike by bus or train if you shirk the longer hauls. Hostel noticeboards are the place to look for bargains (between $150 and $300 is a reasonable deal), often accompanied by extras like wet-weather gear, lights, helmet and a pump; some cycle shops will guarantee buy back at the end of your trip for about fifty percent of the purchase price.

It is possible to bring your own bike to New Zealand by plane and if you intend to cycle a lot this is the cheapest option. On most airlines, assuming you prepare and package them appropriately, bikes simply count as a piece of luggage and don't incur any extra cost so long as you don't exceed your baggage limit. It's easy enough to find spares in cities and larger country towns but in the more out-of-the-way places you may have to wait some time for spares to be delivered.

Visitors with extensive cycling in mind should get in touch with Adventure Cycles (tel 09/309 5566) or Cycle Xpress (tel 09/379 0779), both in Auckland. If you're bringing your own bike they'll let you store the bike box you transported your machine in, help you organize an emergency package of spare parts and extra clothing to be forwarded at your request, and give your bike a final once over before you set off, all for around $20. They also operate buy-back schemes , which are good value for anything longer than a two-month tour.