# Moving to New York



## bro_lin (Jun 13, 2018)

Hello,

I am a recreational road cyclist from Sydney, Australia and I am moving to New York in early August, planning to stay till May next year (10 months total). I'll be living around the Morningside Heights / Harlem area

I am trying to decide whether to bring my bike. Obviously, I want to bring my bike and keep riding, but shipping the bike and kit involves a fair bit of effort and cost and I don't want to go through it if I am not going to have much of an opportunity to ride. 

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much of a road cycling scene there is in New York, particularly in winter? Do people actually ride outside in the winter months or are they on the rollers? I would have thought it is too cold, wet and unsafe? In Sydney I typically do group rides and interval training during the week of 22-25 miles each, and long group rides between 60 and 75 miles on the weekend. Is this kind of riding possible in New York? Is there anywhere nearby to do interval training at pace? I've heard people say it can take 30 minutes just to get out of the city and start riding properly. Is that true? 

For reference, I tend to ride between 100 and 130 miles a week outside of my full time job, and I have an FTP around 240W. I have a Cannondale CAAD10 with a Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset. I mostly ride for recreation but like to enter the occasional crit or road race.


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## D&MsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

Hi, future NYer.

I don't live in NYC, but there are several people who post here who do. I live about 45 min (by car - 1.5 hr by bike) North of the GWB (George Washington Bridge). I'm sorry no one has posted yet, but if you're patient you'll get some replies.

There is a very significant cycling culture in NYC, during the summer I can see literally (and I do mean literally) hundreds of cyclists from NYC on weekends on 9W.

Others who ride from NYC can give you better advice, but it looks like you're not far from the West side greenway (beside the West Side Hwy), which you can take to the GWB, which brings you to New Jersey and Rte 9W. Rte 9W, once you get past the lights (North of Palisades Dr., let's say) is ideal for interval training - I've done many a 45 min lactate threshold workout on this road.

I think there are options on the East side of the Hudson river as well, but I can't tell you anything about them, sorry.

Riding in winter is usually not that big a problem, it is sometimes cold and wet but there are winters where it is possible to ride nearly every day. Personally, it has to be pretty bad to force me onto the trainer (ice, fog, hard rain, fresh snow, high winds). You'll probably need to get yourself some cold weather cycling clothing, I don't know a lot about Sydney but my impression is that it rarely gets below freezing. Here that is a fairly common occurrence in winter. 

Welcome, believe me: you'll have lots of company on the roads.


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## mtrac (Sep 23, 2013)

I live close to the NJ side of the GWB. There is a huge warm weather cycling scene that peters out after September, which I look forward to. New York state has a substantial park system that is typically a 50 to 100-mile round trip depending where you go and what you do when you get there. Check ridewithgps.com. Might also contact the New York Cycle Club. There is a lot of climbing if you want.

Regarding cold weather, last winter was brutal, with long stretches where the high never got above freezing. In a more typical winter you can ride year-round but it will be colder as you go north and west of NYC. Some park roads don't get plowed and are effectively closed all winter.


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## Bee-an-key (May 5, 2007)

What those guys said, one of the most popular routes is across the GWB to 9W up to Bear Mountain. Takes time to navigate but headed north up into Westchester there is riding and the Gimbels Ride is fast and famous. Central Park, especially early morning with less traffic and designated times when cars are banned is all about hot laps. Some guys take the train out to Jersey and empty farm roads. Prospect Park racing scene etc. The riding scene is obviously diverse in an area of 8 million people. Hardcore fixie/messenger scene, Weekend warriors like everywhere, fast crit and trackies etc. The one thing in common is that riding in the city is intense with traffic and road conditions, definitely for the brave. Tons of racing teams/clubs, shops to help guide you. Good luck.


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

As mtrac states, winters can be brutal and cold, or not. Last year we had a 2 week stretch right around and after Christmas where it did not get above freezing. But not a lot of snow, so if you can dress for 32 deg F. temps., you can get mileage in. 

I got 2-3 Days a week riding in Jan. and Feb. Then few in March and April due to cold and rain. So it goes in NY. 

There’s easy access to the George Washington bridge from the upper west side, as well as a short hop to Van Cortland Park where there’s a bike path North and South County trails, that go 59 miles north to Brewster, NY, where you catch a Metro-North commuter train back to NYC. Or head down the West Side path to a bridge to Brooklyn and ride out to the beach. NYC has an extensive bike infrastructure, just Google the NYC bike maps. Or as others have stated, do car free laps around Central Park.

I think I’d go nuts if I couldn’t ride for 10 mos., but if it’s $350 to bring the bike in a plane....... my nephew is in Melbourne and Quantas allowed his bike free as 2nd checked bag, he just had to keep the weight down.


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## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

bro_lin said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am a recreational road cyclist from Sydney, Australia and I am moving to New York in early August, planning to stay till May next year (10 months total). I'll be living around the Morningside Heights / Harlem area
> 
> ...


There's an Australian guy who does rides out of NYC, his business is called The Domestique. He splits his time between NYC, Australia and LA. He'll meet you in your hotel lobby with a measured and sized bike that's ready to go (BMC now S-Works) and you two will head out of town. 

https://www.thedomestique.cc/

May be worthwhile to book a day? The roads visible on that webpage are no more than 30 minutes from Manhattan. His page also has maps of popular rides.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

late to this thread. ny cycling scene is excellent and continues 12 months of the year except in periods of extreme snow(at least for most of us). the preferred venue is the rockland county vicinity with most riders heading out to either alpine, clausland, bear mountain, harriman or the orchards. during the warmer months we venture out to the catskills, putnam county, orange county , connecticut and westchester. ny is very vibrant cycling scene and is among the best there is. or at least the best of the second tier.


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