An initiative that began in a single shipping container in New Lynn has now welcomed more than 100,000 visitors across a growing network of community bike hubs in Tāmaki Makaurau.
EcoMatters Environment Trust opened its first Bike Hub eight years ago, aiming to make cycling more accessible to everyone.
“The Whau Local Board saw the potential this concept could offer and were the first to get behind us,” says Brent Bielby, EcoMatters Bikes Manager.
Today, hundreds of Aucklanders visit bike hubs every week to donate or buy refurbished bikes and to learn how to maintain their own.
“We’re grateful to our visitors, to the incredible passion and commitment of staff and volunteers, some of whom have been with us since day one, and to the funders who’ve helped us expand so this service is available to more people,” says Brent.
“This milestone shows Aucklanders want a service like this. It’s about making it easy for people to get on a bike.”
The success in New Lynn led other local boards to get involved, including Henderson-Massey, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Waitematā, each supporting a hub in their communities.
The network has grown rapidly in recent years, thanks in large part to support from Auckland Transport, bringing the number of community bike hubs across the city to 14, nine of them operated by EcoMatters.
EcoMatters Bike Hub Statistics
In the 2024–25 financial year, EcoMatters’ nine bike hubs:
- welcomed over 35,000 visitors
- fixed 12,267 bikes
- redistributed more than 2,500 donated bikes after refurbishment
Here's how that breaks down across the four local board-supported hubs:
- New Lynn: 4,659 visitors | 1,704 bikes fixed | 301 donated bikes redistributed
- Henderson: 3,620 visitors | 1,437 bikes fixed | 334 donated bikes redistributed
- Glen Innes: 2,884 visitors | 1,525 bikes fixed | 210 donated bikes redistributed
- Queens Wharf: 3,857 visitors | 1,280 bikes fixed | 171 donated bikes redistributed
There are another five Bike Hubs operated by EcoMatters, located in Forrest Hill, Grey Lynn, Manuaku, Onehunga and Pakuranga.
The history of Bike Hub
- The first Bike Hub opened in New Lynn in April 2017, with the aim of providing community connection around cycling. It was backed by the Whau Local Board and a Lotteries NZ grant, then Auckland Transport came onboard.
- EcoMatters Bike Hubs are found in: New Lynn, Henderson, Grey Lynn, Glen Innes, Manukau, Pakuranga, Onehunga, Forrest Hill and Queens Wharf
- By 2022, there were four hubs which had collectively hosted more than 30,000 visitors, helped fix more than 10,000 bikes and kept more than 2,000 bikes out of landfill through restoration and resale.
- Today EcoMatters operates nine sites which are staffed by a mix of employees and volunteers, thanks to support from Auckland Transport. EcoMatters is proud to be part of the wider Bike Hubs network of 14 hubs right across Tāmaki Makaurau.
- The hubs offer free access to tools and advice on basic bike maintenance, restored and safety-checked second-hand bikes as well as new bike parts and accessories for sale, safe cycling advice and guidance, free cycling maps and local advice about bike routes.
- EcoMatters Bike Hubs are grateful for the support of the Henderson-Massey, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki, Waitematā and Whau local boards, Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, Eke Panuku, Tāmaki Regeneration, NZ Lotteries Grants Board, as well as the EcoMatters team, volunteers, donors and visitors.
