Spoke and Stone

20/09/2026

A good news post

1.5m past a cyclist will soon be the law, kids on footpath will be ok. Sensible stuff!

🚲 NEW ROAD RULES – SOME GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE ON BIKES

There are a few changes coming to NZ’s road rules from 1 OCTOBER. The new rules better reflect how people travel today, and will improve safety for cyclists on our roads.

The big one for cyclists: THE 1.5 METRE PASSING GAP BECOMES LAW.
🚗 ↔️ 1.5m ↔️ 🚴

From 1 October, motorists passing someone riding a bike must leave AT LEAST 1.5 METRES between them and the rider. So no more “I reckon that was about a metre and a half” while removing a cyclist’s arm hair with your wing mirror.

And a biggie for our tamariki:

👧 CHILDREN AGED 12 AND UNDER CAN LEGALLY RIDE ON THE FOOTPATH. Even better, an older rider - parent, caregiver, teacher, older sibling, etc - can ride alongside them when doing so for the child’s safety. So no more Mum or Dad riding on the road while their 8-year-old rides on the footpath.

There are a couple of other useful changes too:

🛴 E-SCOOTERS WILL BE ALLOWED IN CYCLE LANES. So cyclists, meet your new neighbours. Please play nicely.

🚌 And while not specifically a cycling change, motorists will also have to GIVE WAY TO BUSES PULLING OUT FROM BUS STOPS ON ROADS WITH SPEED LIMITS OF 60 KM/H OR LESS.

For us, the 1.5 METRE PASSING RULE IS THE BIGGIE. Whether you're on a road bike, MTB, e-bike or just pedalling down to the shops, a little more room makes a big difference. Think of it as social distancing for bicycles 😷

20/09/2026

A little gravel inspiration for the next Spoke & Stone design. We got our hands on the sample this week.

Definitely not boring.

We’ve taken inspiration from the places we love riding — gravel roads, back-country climbs and contour lines disappearing off into the distance.

The new design combines a topographic pattern through the body with subtle sage sleeves and our simple Spoke & Stone branding.

Built around our aero jersey cut, aero air tripping sleeves, light breathable moisture wicking fabric, it’s all about performance, with a bit more gravel personality.

We reckon this one could look pretty sharp covered in a bit of Central Otago dust.

We can also get this jersey pattern and fabric made into any design in a custom jersey.

14/09/2026

Spring is lying to us.
You look out the window and there’s blue sky, a bit of sun, maybe even a hint of warmth.
Perfect riding weather.
Then you step outside and 15mins later get hit by a southerly that feels like it came straight off Antarctica.

That’s spring riding in New Zealand.
It’s the time of year where you can leave home freezing, be too hot 20 minutes later, then get cold again the minute you turn into the wind or down a hill.

So this is where the little bits of kit suddenly become the best bits of kit.
Arm warmers. Wind vest. Something you can take off, shove in a pocket, and forget about until spring changes its mind again.

The trick is not dressing for what it looks like from the lounge window.
Because spring is absolutely lying to you.

09/09/2026

The next stage of the rebuild

You might remember I had a bit of a whoopsie a few months ago…

Since then, recovery has been a series of stages. A few ticked off, and still a few more to go.

But this week feels like another milestone. I’ve moved from the acute healing do nothing stage into the “careful recovery can actually start” stage.

Burst vertebrae require a fair bit of TLC while they continue to strengthen, so there’s still no intensity, jarring, dynamic twisting or normal bending for me just yet. That rules out plenty of the fun stuff!
But I can train.

So I’ve just put together my first proper training plan since the accident.

Daily activity. Stretching and core activation. Walking or indoor riding. At least 60 minutes of planned movement each day for the next two weeks. Then I’ll reassess where I’m at and build the next two weeks from there.
And putting that plan together got me thinking…

Whatever your goal is, consistency beats the occasional massive effort.
If you want to get fitter, stronger, healthier or simply feel a bit better, do something most days.

It doesn’t always have to be a big training session. Some days it might be a decent ride. Other days it might just be stretching, a short walk or 15 minutes of strength work.
The important bit is building the habit of moving.

Eat reasonably well. Drink plenty of fluids. Get decent sleep. And one thing I’ve always found works for me: plan something achievable that can fit into your schedule for each day rather than playing it by ear.

You don’t need to smash yourself every session to make progress.

Right now my own training is the easiest it’s been in years but after a few months of doing nothing means having a training plan again feels bloody good.

Smart sessions. Done consistently. Keep moving forward.
The rebuild continues

I have a goal in mind that Im going to aim for but more on that some other time.

04/09/2026

Not every training session has to hurt.

Cyclists are shocking for living in the grey zone, always thinking that if we aren't suffering, we aren't improving.

But if you want to enter an event, get fitter, ride further, or simply feel more comfortable on the bike, Zone 2 is your friend.

And it's actually easier than a lot of people think.

Zone 2 should feel controlled. You should be able to chat away happily while you're doing it. It's not supposed to leave you hanging over the handlebars.

If you've been following my accident and recovery, this is exactly where I'm at right now.
This week has been walking 45 minutes in Zone 2.
Next week I'll build the duration, not the intensity and add in the indoor trainer. Aiming to walk or ride every day because consistency is the key no matter what level you are at.

These sessions aren't hard. They aren't impressive Strava material. But they're doing something pretty important, building my engine back.

And if you're wanting to get a bit fitter yourself, don't underestimate the simple stuff.

Slow down. Build the duration. Be consistent.
Build the engine first. The speed can come later.

27/08/2026

Have you ever ridden a handicap race? If not, you should.

Why? Because they’re bloody good fun and they teach you a heap about racing a bike.

You start with a group of riders around the same ability as you. From the gun, you’ve got two jobs: stay away from the groups chasing behind and work together to catch the groups up the road. If your new, people in your group will help you find your feet.

For a while, you’re genuinely a team. Rolling turns, sharing the workload, keeping the pace up and trying to squeeze every bit of speed out of the group.

Then, if you make it to the front of the race, everything changes.
Suddenly those riders you’ve spent the last hour working your backside off for are the exact people you need to beat. 😂
Time for the tactics, cunning and conveniently forgetting how helpful everyone was five minutes ago.

Meanwhile, the really fast bunch starting off scratch are hunting everyone down. Quite often they don't actually make it to the front but there’s usually a fastest-time prize for the quickest rider.

That’s what makes handicap racing so good. You develop these unspoken connections with the riders around you. Nobody needs to say much. You just know you’re all on the same team. Until you’re not. 😂

There’s one happening in Otago this weekend, and if you’re feeling fit, Twizel to Timaru is coming up too.
Great racing, great fun, and one of the best ways to learn the skills of riding fast and efficiently in a group.
If you get the chance, get amongst it

21/08/2026

Man oh man, this weather is giving me itchy feet!
Still not cleared to ride outside just yet. The legs and back muscles haven't quite woken up enough to deal with everything that comes with being back on the bike, and the bigger issue is pretty simple: if I bin it, the consequences for the vertebrae could be huge.
So, patience it is. Apparently.

Got my morning walk done today and it felt great. A bit of a rise in the heart rate, and the body handled it nicely. Being numbers obsessed means I walk while watching my heart rate and set training zones for walking. 😆

Another little tick in the recovery box.

It's so spring-like out there today. The sort of morning where the bike normally gets pulled out without a second thought.

For now I'll settle for walking, and looking longingly at anyone who rides past.

Hope everyone who can ride is out there making the most of it.
Enjoy it, and chuck in a few extra kilometres for me!

21/08/2026

That awkward time of year…

The days are getting a bit warmer, but let’s not get carried away.

It’s the time of year when having the right layers makes all the difference.
Our Spoke & Stone Arm Warmers are perfect for those mild-but-definitely-not-hot days.

They’re not full winter fleece, but they give you that extra bit of warmth when bare arms are still a fairly questionable life choice.
Made from an aero fabric, they’re ideal for spring training, your next event, or most importantly gaining those vital marginal gains when beating your friends to the café.

Warm when you need them. Easy to peel off when the sun finally decides to do its job.

19/08/2026

We love this series. Courses for everyone, and always sunny (mostly).

These are great events if its your first time entering and a bit nervous, or a seasoned campaigner wanting a hit out at the sharp end.