Bike Auckland’s Teva Chonon shares the moving story of how he came to enjoy life with bikes and dogs – both at once.
Bikes have been part of my life for as far as I can remember. I have been a passionate bicycle enthusiast for the past 32 years – so much so that my job revolves around growing the love of cycling in the hearts and minds of Auckland’s community.
Dogs are a more recent addition to my life: I have shared my life with greyhound dogs for the past eight years.
Life with Zar
Zarathushtra or Zar is the most gracious and divine dog. She used to race under the alias ‘Only Fair’ but had to retire after breaking her hock (hips) back in January 2024. And she landed into my life on 19th December 2024.
Her range of leg movement is improving. She is super curious and doesn’t mind a bit of rumble when discovering a whole new world outside of a racing track. For a ball of energy, this little goddess still needs her beauty sleep – 17 hours a day on average! I call her Zaza because of her goofy side. She loves a cuddle and will make sure to get all the pats possible. That said, she knows when to put boundaries and likes her space too. I can tell her brain is super active because she learns and remembers things quickly: it only takes her a couple of tries at something for her to learn how to do it. I feel very grateful and blessed to have her in my life.
Zar trots alongside me when I take her on daily walks. But when we go further afield, more than 4 kilometres away from home, she travels in a bike trailer that I have created and fitted out for her. I hook it up onto a Bullitt cargo bike.
A wild dream of dogs and bikes
Why a dog bike trailer? As a long-time cycling enthusiast, the many facets of my life revolve around bicycles and commuting by bike is a necessity for me. I allowed myself to have this wild dream of dogs and bikes being part of my daily life. After adopting my first greyhound (Zeus) back around 2017, the dream started becoming closer.
First, I bought a front loading cargo bike to carry Zeus around but it turned out he was too big and uncomfortable in the tight space.
The birth of the dog trailer
Then came the idea of the trailer. I built it out of plywood to be robust.
As it turned out Zeus was not keen on being in a ‘wiggly’ trailer, even after numerous generous snacks. Disappointed, I put the trailer aside for the time being. Fast forward to Zarathushtra and the idea of zooming around the neighborhood with a pet started bubbling up again.
This time round, I made sure to take it step by step with Zaza’s bike trailer introductions. Getting her comfortable with the whole thing along with loads of treats. What I learnt is to be intentional with each step of learning and normalising the trailer for her. What surprised me was how quickly she got used to the trailer. Now she loves it to bits. She can run next to me then jump into the trailer when she has had enough exercise. What surprises me the most is how resilient and unbothered she is when I bump into her with the bike/trailer when she is running next to me.
The growing movement of Barks on Bikes
Dogs on bikes may be a growing movement. I have seen a diversity of dogs on bikes over the years. Usually the small-to-medium size kind of dog. Front baskets and big cargo bikes are the equipment of choice. However with growing availability of e-bikes and a growing cycle network in Auckland there’s plenty of opportunity. I love the idea of Barks on Bikes!
Riding with a pet allows you to be present with them
Dogs are living beings who love being present. They love you no matter what mode of transport you use. From my experience, spending time with you means the world to them. Walking or riding with my pet allows me to be present with them. Watching them discover new places, meeting other dogs, all of that happens when you are feeling the wind in your hair. These are moments of connection. So, how would you choose to spend this precious time with your best friend?
