Cycling advocates are encouraging work to be undertaken to ensure this momentum isn't lost and ensure there is enough space for people to continue pedalling.
Research undertaken in Canterbury showed some people used the lockdown to pick up a new form of exercise.
Cycling was the most popular, at 78 per cent, on top of walking (64 per cent), at-home workouts (38 per cent), and running (37 per cent), as the most popular new form of exercise.
The survey - organised by the Christchurch Adventure Park and completed by around a thousand people over Anzac weekend - tried to tap into some of the habits people picked up during the lockdown.
Around a third of the people said they thought their diet had improved, and a third said it had worsened; there was a similar breakdown when it came to how people thought their mental health had changed - one third said improved, one third worsened.
Adventure Park Manager Anne Newman said people were enthusiastic to keep their new activities going.
"Cycling specifically was named as one of the things that they had picked up or had continued doing through the lockdown that they'd like to continue," Newman said.
"A lot of people had dusted off old bikes from the garage, and got out there and actually really found that they enjoyed being outside cycling, and it was good for both their physical and mental wellbeing."
The research in Christchurch isn't isolated. In Auckland, evidence suggests cycling and walking accounted for over 60 percent of local trips taken over the lockdown.
Bike Auckland spokesperson Jolisa Gracewood, who compiled the data, is in no doubt why there was such a jump.
"In order to get more fresh air and to get out and about, they were walking and cycling," Gracewood said.
"Then once you're out there, and you discover the streets are relatively stress-free because traffic is low then you're more encouraged to do more walking and biking.
"That's why we saw so many families, especially with young kids, out enjoying the streets they live on."
Safer streets for more cyclists and walkers
The next step was making sure the streets were safer, so people's enthusiasm was not curbed.
The government has set up a fund to pay for 90 per cent of the costs for improvements councils want to make to their streets.
The funding doesn't come in until June, but Gracewood said immediate steps needed to be taken - such as reducing speed limits to 30km/h and installing temporary bike lanes.
"In the same way that people all over the country have been experiencing what it is to make do and mend, let's see what we've got in the garage, we can't just dash out to the shops, I think cities are taking the same approach."
Public health at the heart of making cities safer
Dr Rhys Jones, a senior lecturer in Māori health at the University of Auckland, said any approach to improved cycling infrastructure must consider marginalised communities.
"Car dependency and unsafe neighbourhoods have disproportionately negative impacts on Māori, Pacific and other marginalised communities," Jones said.
"At the same time, the potential benefits of reducing barriers to encourage more everyday physical activity are also much greater. Hence the need to prioritise investment in these communities, and work in partnership."
However, reshaping cities through safer speeds, wider footpaths, and more cycle lanes was about more than just getting people to continue cycling.
Environmental Sociologist Dr Kirsty Wild said now was the critical time to set cities up for the foreseeable future.
"We're probably going to need to socially distance for the next 18 months until we've got a vaccine, so now's the point where you really have to think about the sustainability of that.
"How do we make it possible for people to actually do this and stay sane and stay healthy? So you've really want to be thinking about your long-term strategy at this point."
With a number of people now taking to cycling, and a pot of money there to assist, advocates hope councils will be starting to put their foot on the pedal.
