Uh-oh! Look out San Francisco!

[DirtDiva]

That's kinda what I was thinking about the whole MAF thing. If I was flying direct to Chch (that answers your question right there ), I wouldn't be worried because I could just leave it at the airport to be fumigated to kingdom come and go pick it up a few hours/days later when it was done.

Kinda gutted to be leaving the UK just as the rugby wc is about to be held (mostly) in France and the mtb world champs are about to be held in Scotland. Can't afford to stay on any longer though. My SF stop-over is being kindly sponsored by the return of the deposit on my flat as it is.

[bikerz]

Well DD, as it happens, I am 5'3" as well - and I have a spare road bike!

I'll start asking around about a mountain bike you could borrow...

[DirtDiva]

You're gonna let me ride your shiny new Seven? Wicked!

[bikerz]

Ha! Nice try!

[jobob]

hmmm, we're about due for a SharffenBerger ride.

[kiwi girl]

We've taken our bikes to Australia 3 times. We've always given them a good clean in the hotel bathtub (and left a big tip for the maid) and have never had any problems with MAF. They just had a look at them to check they were clean. At least last time (I can't remember for sure about the other times) I declared that I had ridden through forests and farmland - I did have slicks on the bikes though and had only ridden on the road - they might be more fastidious if you had been offroad. They were fussier about my tent though - taking it into a sealed room to check (it was also fine)

[kiwi girl]

Actually I've just remembered that there might be another solution.

Are you flying AKL-CHC straight away the morning you get in? If your connecting flight number is NZ303 then that is an international connecting flight and you will clear customs/maf in CHC - so if you are relaxed about leaving your bike at the airport for the maffy bods to do their thing you should be alright