VeloWay

Kiwi HPV

Kiwi HPV has been the New Zealand group for people with a common interest in making and using human powered vehicles (or HPVs for short).

Conventional bikes are HPVs, of course, however, there are many other shapes and types of HPV, such as recumbent bicycles, freight-carrying workbikes, even sleek streamlined tricycles. Kiwi HPV exists to foster the awareness and use of all HPVs within New Zealand.

Kiwi HPV was formed in 2003 when HPV Canterbury, based in Christchurch, Canterbury (founded in June 1994), decided to formalise its role as NZ’s only HPV group. The incorporated body was dissolved in 2016 after the club had been in hibernation following the the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 & 2011. Remaining club funds were donated to RAD Bikes in 2024.

Kiwi HPV Club Logo

The group has persisted through a Facebook Group which has had growing activity in recent years, in part due to the creation of a club at the University of Canterbury (UCHP). Feel welcome to join to keep up to date with the local community: Kiwi HPV Discussion Group

Past places the group have existed on the web are:

The clubs newsletter was typically published six times a year, along with a series of 11 special issues. The National Archives Collection includes copies of the newsletter back to March 1998. I am in process of digitising the complete series.

Other groups of interest include:

  • New Zealand Frame Builders Collective – Facebook Group raising the profile of bicycle frame building in New Zealand
  • Ride Your Trike NZ – Adaptive bikes and trikes for mobility needs
  • OzHPV – the Australian association for recumbent and human power enthusiasts
  • WHPVA – the World Human Powered Vehicle Association made up of national associations and organisations
  • IHPVA – the International Human Powered Vehicle Association based in the USA