Choosing the right bikes
Buy good-quality bikes built for daily school use. It costs more up front, but cheaper bikes break down faster and end up costing more in the long run.
Good local servicing matters as much as the bikes themselves. Find a few people (staff, whānau, or someone from the community) who are happy to learn basic bike care and keep the fleet ticking over.
Most suppliers can build teacher-sized bikes into the fleet. Step-through bikes are a good pick for staff supervising sessions: they’re the easiest to get on and off.
A typical fleet
Fleet size depends on your school’s roll and age range. A common starting point for a full primary school (around 50 bikes) looks like this:
- 15 × 18-inch bikes
- 15 × 20-inch bikes
- 15 × 24-inch bikes
- 5 × adult step-through bikes or small adult mountain bikes
Intermediate schools usually need a narrower range: a mix of 24-inch and small adult bikes is often enough, but check with a local supplier.
If your school has younger learners, two or three balance bikes go a long way. See them in action in this Bikes in Pre-Schools video.
Number every bike (1 to 50, say) so kids can spot their size fast. Colour-coding helps too. Ask your supplier if they can do this for you. If possible, give each size its own colour so it’s easy to tell which bike a student should be using, e.g. all the 18” bikes are red, all the 20” bikes are green, all the 24” bikes are blue.
Bike examples
ByK E350 Custom, E450 Custom, and E540 Custom
Shadow 18i, 20i, and 24i
Assembly
Some suppliers include assembly in their quote. Others deliver bikes boxed. If your bikes arrive in boxes, older students, staff, and parents can help unpack them, but get every bike checked over by a professional before anyone rides it. A local bike shop or mobile bike mechanic can usually do this on-site.
Ask your supplier whether a six-week service check is included.
Tracking the fleet
Record each bike’s serial number in your school’s asset register, and add the whole fleet (bikes and helmets) to your insurance policy. Most schools file these under sports or PE equipment.
Approximate cost
A full fleet of 50 bikes typically costs approximately $18,000 + GST, depending on supplier, brand, spec, and whether delivery and assembly are included. Get a few quotes, and ask each supplier about their ongoing servicing plan.
Getting quotes from local bike shops
Start with the suppliers below, then get a couple of extra quotes from local bike shops, especially for servicing.
Your local bike shop can also quote on a fleet and look after ongoing servicing and spare parts.