WE ARE BIKE WAIKATO

We are a non-profit community organisation, lead by volunteers, that represents people on bikes in the public forum. We advocate for people on bikes and cycling infrastructure as a key transport stakeholder in the Waikato and host cycling events for the local community.

OUR PURPOSE

More people on bikes, safely.

Here at Bike Waikato, we love bikes.

It doesn’t matter what you ride, where you ride, or how far, we are your voice for a better Waikato for bikes.
Our vision is simple: to see more people on bikes, safely.

We focus on advocacy, collaboration, and promoting ways to empower people to get on a bike.

We aim to encourage the use of cycles, promote cycling as a healthy, sustainable, and convenient form of transport, to improve the perception of cycling as a viable transport choice, represent cycling in the public forum, and advocate for cycling and people on bikes.

Our Team


Our committee is made up of everyday people making positive changes for all people who use bikes.

A lot of our work is produced by volunteers who are passionate about advocating for change to create better places for people on bikes.

Melissa Smith

Melissa is a co-chair and treasurer for Bike Waikato. They have commuted by bicycle since they were a student, enjoying the independence, health benefits, and affordability offered by that mode. They became involved in cycling advocacy after moving back to Kirikiriroa Hamilton following their undergraduate studies.

Melissa is passionate about using evidence-based policy to improve communities and livelihoods. They split their time between working as a public servant and studying Environmental Planning at the University of Waikato, where they research how to make cycling safer and more attractive. In their own time, Melissa enjoys bike-packing, creative writing, and learning foreign languages.

Chris Manson

Chris is a new member to the Bike Waikato team. They often biked to school, with memories of numb knuckles on cold mornings and a heavy breath walking into class. As a life-long Kirikiriroa Hamilton resident they have also experienced dangerous trips around the city streets and see this as a major barrier to more people enjoying their time outside and getting out on bikes.

Chris has a long history of getting involved and submitting to city, regional, and national plans. Advocating with Bike Waikato is about improving cycling infrastructure so everyone can feel safe. How you draw the line from point A to point B is a personal choice and every option should be available. The development of the city should have everyone’s best interests baked in.

A portrait picture of Jackson smiling

Jackson Fankhauser

Jackson is a massive fan of multi-modal transport options and creating safer and convenient transport options. During intermediate and high school his key mode of transportation was cycling. Jackson enjoys cycling and has a great love for using cycling as an active form of transport that fulfills the daily exercise needs. In the hunt for a new bike Jackson currently uses an e-scooter to navigate the centre city area.

Jackson is an advocate for safe and efficient transportation around the city and has the fundamental belief that everyone should be able to get to their destination safely and return back home.

Jackson works in the road safety and transportation space as a Transport Planner, so you’ll see him involved in some of the technical work behind submissions and assisting in the information and membership spaces.

Rachel Biddles

Rachel is a new committee member to the Bike Waikato team after moving to Kirikiriroa at the end of 2023.

She has been a bicycle commuter since her school days, is a keen multi-modal transport user, and has recently invested in an ebike to reduce her car usage completely.

Rachel initially became involved in bike advocacy when she volunteered as a ride leader for British Cycling. In more recent times, she’s become a fan of multi-day bike touring and has enjoyed discovering cycling adventures that either start directly from her front door or are accessible via public transport. Rachel also ran bicycle skills workshops with her students, utilising the Bikes in School Scheme when she was a primary school teacher.

When not cycling, Rachel enjoys hiking, photography, sewing and yoga.

Jacob Lawrence

Jacob is passionate about cycling advocacy as an intersection of community, accessibility, sustainability and urbanism. Growing up just outside of Matamata and moving to Kirikiriroa Hamilton to study engineering, Jacob understands the importance of robust and diverse transit networks to healthy towns and cities.

They joined the Bike Waikato committee at the 2025 AGM after leaving their role at Go Eco running the Bike Hub. Working with volunteers and the community, empowering them with the skills to fix and maintain their own bikes, and to refurbish and rehome bikes to those in need. 

Jacob now brings this kaupapa to its new home at Bike Waikato to better serve communities around the wider Hamilton area and facilitate the development of similar projects across the region.

Our ACHIEVEMENTS

How we are run

Bike Waikato Incorporated (Bike Waikato) is an Incorporated Society (registration number 50051420) and a Registered Charity (registration number CC58854).

Bike Waikato is run by a Committee of volunteers. Committee Members are elected at an Annual General Meeting. The Committee sets the course of the organisation and runs much of the day to day operations.

Membership is available to anyone who agrees to the society rules and pays an annual membership fee. Membership fees and donations are used to fund the activities Bike Waikato undertakes to connect with the community and decision makers to make biking in the Waikato easier, safer and more enjoyable.

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