{"id":364942,"date":"2026-04-05T13:49:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T13:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/364942\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T13:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T13:49:15","slug":"inside-paper-roads-aotearoa-bikepacking-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/364942\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Paper Roads Aotearoa – BIKEPACKING.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Tom<\/a><\/p>\n

By Tom Powell<\/a><\/p>\n

Tacos and Tailwinds<\/p>\n

6 Posts<\/a><\/p>\n

Paper Roads Aotearoa is a one-person bikepacking bag studio based in Auckland, New Zealand. On a recent visit to the country, Tom Powell stopped by to meet founder Amy Kwon and learn about her colorful, efficient, purpose-built bags. Find a short video, an interview with Amy, photos of her work, and more here\u2026<\/p>\n

New Zealand has always done things differently. Isolation has a way of sharpening ingenuity. With a small population at the bottom of the Pacific and long supply chains stretching back to North America and Europe, Kiwis have never had the luxury of endless choice. You make do. You modify. You build your own.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a>
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That spirit runs deep in New Zealand bikepacking. Compared to the expansive dirt-road grids and desert overnighters of North America, riding here is tighter, steeper, rougher. Trails are often muddy, rooty, and abrupt. The weather can swing wildly in a single day. Summer feels short. Waterproofing is assumed, not optional. Gear is functional first, rather than aesthetic. It has to work. And yet, function doesn\u2019t mean drab.<\/p>\n

In a country where most locally available bags have traditionally been understated and serious, Amy Kwon\u2019s Paper Roads Aotearoa<\/a> stands out. Her bikepacking bags are colourful, sharp, and streamlined. They sit comfortably alongside global brands in their visual confidence, but they are unmistakably Kiwi in their execution: compact, efficient, and race-ready.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a><\/p>\n

New Zealand\u2019s Tour Aotearoa\u2014the Kennett Brothers\u2019 routes, grassroots gravel, and ultra races\u2014have shaped a distinct design language. Riders favour dry bags front and rear. Top-flap and harness systems must be simple, waterproof, and secure. There\u2019s little tolerance for sagging straps or mid-ride adjustments when you\u2019re climbing punchy gravel hills in sideways rain. Amy\u2019s bags reflect that reality. They\u2019re neat. Close-fitting. Purpose-built. They\u2019re designed for riders who want their setup to disappear beneath them; no flapping, no fuss. Just miles.<\/p>\n

The (Paper) Road to Making Bags<\/p>\n

Amy\u2019s path into bag making wasn\u2019t direct. She studied fashion design but stepped away from the industry when trend-driven culture no longer resonated. Later, she completed a diploma in design for events and production in Sydney before moving into graphic design roles in New Zealand. Eventually, she took a sabbatical from a corporate job to pursue Paper Roads full-time.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI realised I didn\u2019t want to go back,\u201d she told me. \u201cRunning your own business gives you creative freedom. I probably work longer hours now, but it\u2019s different when it\u2019s yours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like many small makers, her journey began during the stillness of COVID-19 lockdowns. But what started as creative experimentation quickly became something more serious. Today, Paper Roads Aotearoa represents both a design evolution and a cultural one: proof that New Zealand\u2019s bikepacking identity isn\u2019t just borrowed from overseas imagery. Rather, it\u2019s being built, stitched, and refined locally.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a><\/p>\n

Many riders come to Amy after frustrations with off-the-shelf gear: broken zippers, poor fit, unstable mounting. Shorter riders, in particular, struggle to maximise space on smaller frames.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ride a small bike, so I understand those constraints,\u201d she said. \u201cI design to maximize space and fit properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a landscape defined by paper roads\u2014public routes that exist on maps but not always on the ground\u2014there\u2019s something fitting about Amy\u2019s work. She\u2019s building tools for riders who prefer the in-between spaces. The lines less travelled. The routes that don\u2019t always announce themselves. And she\u2019s doing it in colour.<\/p>\n

Inside The Studio<\/p>\n

Paper Roads Aotearoa operates from Amy\u2019s suburban home in Auckland, in a compact workspace accessed through the garage. It\u2019s not a glossy showroom or a light-filled warehouse. It\u2019s practical, contained, and entirely hands-on.<\/p>\n

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\"Paper<\/a>
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Inside, multiple sewing machines sit ready for various stages of construction. A cutting table occupies the centre of the room, its surface marked by past patterns and careful measurements. Paper templates are stacked neatly nearby. Among other materials, rolls of Challenge Sailcloth ECOPAK\u2014a durable, recycled laminate fabric developed for technical outdoor use\u2014lean against the wall. Webbing, buckles, velcro, and lengths of cords are sorted into bins within reach.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a>
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The space is efficient rather than expansive. Every surface has a purpose. Everything happens here: design tweaks, prototyping, cutting, stitching, packing orders, answering emails. If a design needs refinement, Amy alters it. If a particular fabric or hardware is hard to source, she finds a workaround or waits it out. There isn\u2019t a large supply chain to lean on, just resourcefulness.<\/p>\n

A Conversation with Amy Kwon<\/p>\n

To gain additional insight into Amy\u2019s way of working and the Paper Roads story, I sat down during my visit to ask her a handful of questions. Find a selection of her answers below.<\/p>\n

How did you start making bike bags?<\/p>\n

During COVID, I was working from home and exploring creative ideas. I started making bandanas inspired by American bikepacking imagery. Eventually, I moved into sewing stem bags after seeing what was available locally and thinking it wasn\u2019t very fun. I wanted to make something more structured and more colourful. Friends riding Tour Aotearoa became early testers. They let me prototype on their bikes. From there, it grew. <\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a>
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Tell us about the inspiration for your brand\u2019s name.<\/p>\n

The name \u201cPaper Roads\u201d comes from a New Zealand term for parcels of public land originally designated as roads but never fully formed. They\u2019re often grassy strips between properties. Legally accessible, but sometimes contested. For bikepackers, they\u2019re adventurous connectors\u2014hidden routes that add possibility.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a><\/p>\n

How would you describe Paper Roads Aotearoa?<\/p>\n

Paper Roads provides practical, lightweight bikepacking bags for riders in New Zealand, Australia, and increasingly further afield. At its core, it\u2019s about making gear that works in the kind of conditions we actually ride in here\u2014not just on smooth gravel roads, but in wind, rain, mud, and on steep backcountry climbs.<\/p>\n

Coordination matters to me. I\u2019ve always cared about how a bike looks as much as how it performs. When something is thoughtfully put together, it changes how it feels to ride. I like bikes that look great and function perfectly: clean lines, considered details, nothing excessive. For me, efficiency and aesthetics aren\u2019t separate things. A streamlined setup is beautiful.<\/p>\n

I also love colour. Most bikepacking bags in New Zealand have traditionally been black\u2014practical, understated, safe. There\u2019s nothing wrong with that, but I felt there was room for something brighter, something with personality. Especially in North America, you see a lot more playful, expressive design. I wanted to bring some of that sense of fun into our landscape, without losing the race-ready practicality that Kiwi riders expect. Colour doesn\u2019t have to mean frivolous; it can still be tough, technical, and purposeful.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a><\/p>\n

You mentioned differences between Kiwi setups and North American ones. What stands out to you?<\/p>\n

From what I see in photos and media, North American setups often look more relaxed\u2014larger handlebar bags with flat tops, more overland in style. There\u2019s a kind of expedition feel to it. It\u2019s romantic, and it suits those huge open landscapes and longer, steadier dirt roads.<\/p>\n

In New Zealand, the look tends to be more race-oriented. More streamlined. Leaner. A big part of that comes down to our conditions. We have unpredictable weather and terrain that\u2019s constantly undulating. You\u2019re climbing, descending, pushing through wind, riding in heavy rain. Waterproofing becomes essential. We rely heavily on dry bags\u2014front and rear rolls\u2014because if something isn\u2019t sealed, it\u2019s going to get wet. That\u2019s just reality here.<\/p>\n

\"Paper<\/a>
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Events like Tour Aotearoa have also shaped the culture. It\u2019s long, demanding, and often ridden in a self-supported, time-conscious way. That naturally influences what people carry and how they carry it. You learn quickly that excess weight and unstable luggage can cost you comfort, time, and energy.<\/p>\n

There also simply weren\u2019t many options early on. If you wanted something that worked in our conditions, you either modified what was available or made it yourself. The style evolved around what worked, not around trends. That practicality still defines Kiwi setups. People here want gear that suits our terrain. It has to be tough, simple, and dependable. There isn\u2019t much tolerance for things that look good but don\u2019t perform.<\/p>\n

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\u200b<\/p>\n

Lastly, how do you balance style with performance?<\/p>\n

For me, streamlined is stylish. Aero and minimal. Not more than you need. At the pointy end of events, people strip things back even further-no extra pouches, no unnecessary bags. That\u2019s cool too. My bags are handmade and often used in races. Riders want something neat, tough, and functional\u2014especially if they\u2019re putting it on a high-end bike.<\/p>\n

Stability is also huge for me. I\u2019ve experienced flopping bags, straps that loosen, and constant micro-adjustments mid-ride. It\u2019s distracting and frustrating. When you\u2019re tired or racing, the last thing you want is to be thinking about your luggage. So I design around that problem. Once a bag is mounted, it should just stay put. No sway, no creeping, no fiddling.<\/p>\n

One of my biggest projects was developing a front harness that\u2019s lightweight, simple, and extremely secure. I wanted something that felt intuitive\u2014easy to install, easy to remove, and solid once it\u2019s on. You shouldn\u2019t have to stop and retighten things halfway through a ride. Good design, to me, disappears. You only notice it when it\u2019s wrong.<\/p>\n

You can see more of Amy\u2019s work and shop bags at PaperRoads.co.nz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Further Reading<\/p>\n

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info…<\/p>\n

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.<\/p>\n