# Nyc Century Ride



## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

NYC CENTURY is quickly approaching (3 weeks)

http://www.nyccentury.org/

I'll be riding my first century, has anyone here riden in it before? How are the roads, traffic etc.


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## gleeclub (Feb 28, 2009)

i dont plan on doing this century ride. i heard it's a ride that's stop and go constantly. you ride on the city streets and have to deal with other riders, cars and lights. 

someone please reply if im wrong


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## team_sheepshead (Jan 17, 2003)

I rode part of this event a few years ago. I rode with a newbie friend, so we did the "medium" ride. gleeclub is right. Much of the ride is on city streets. If you are not on a city street, you are on an MUT. I may be wrong, but I believe 0% of the route is closed to others (cars, bladers, peds, etc.). I remember a couple of low points:
1. Riding north from Canarsie through Bklyn, we were on streets with typically clueless drivers. We cyclists were in groups of three or four, spread out along the streets. Some cyclists stopped for lights and stop signs; some did not. So there was really no organization, if that's what you are looking for.
2. Coming back from Queens over the bridge (Triboro?), we had to walk up and down a bunch of stairs. 
3. The rest stops are well stocked, but they had exactly the same food at every stop. Hate to be picky, but it got old really fast.

So if you want to take a slow, urban ride to see the boroughs without having to worry about bringing a map and stopping at delis for food, this ride is for you. But if you want to really get out and ride, I would suggest doing the NY Cycle Club Escape New York ride a few weeks later. It's hilly, though.


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## ping771 (Apr 10, 2006)

gleeclub said:


> i dont plan on doing this century ride. i heard it's a ride that's stop and go constantly. you ride on the city streets and have to deal with other riders, cars and lights.
> 
> someone please reply if im wrong


I totally concur with Team Sheepshead. I did the Transportation Alternatives (the NYC century) a few years ago, and though it was fun riding with friends, I would not do it again. After a while, it's exhausting (from a lot of stop and starts) and riding on little dirt paths on certain areas. When I think of difficult ride, I mean in terms of hills, pace, etc. I don't mean dodging glass in the Bronx, expansion joints on roads, and worrying about cars and pedestrians (many streets are not blocked off) 

The Escape NY ride is tons better and actually, it's what most serious cyclists do all the time in NYC, that is, they start in Central Park and ride over the GWB, up 9W in NJ into Rockland County and back. I live in NJ near the GWB, and that ride up 9W into Rockland County has become second nature to me now. I would say that if it is first century, I would go really easy until you get into Rockland County, since whatever hills you climbed going there you'll probably have to redo them getting back.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

Wow a few negitives for this ride so far... I guess I should take it as it is and enjoy the long day of being out doors and also doing some riding, maybe I'll bailout and ride the 75 miler?

I will also be attempting to do another one two weeks after this. Maybe a better experience?


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## Steve B. (Jun 26, 2004)

ROAD&DIRT said:


> Wow a few negitives for this ride so far... I guess I should take it as it is and enjoy the long day of being out doors and also doing some riding, maybe I'll bailout and ride the 75 miler?
> 
> I will also be attempting to do another one two weeks after this. Maybe a better experience?


If it were my first, I'd skip it this year and do the Tour of the Hamptons in Southhampton, LI on 9/26. Flatter (mostly) a LOT less stopping/starting, great route. 

http://massparkbikeclub.org/toh.html

Or these two:

http://www.westchestercycleclub.org/goldenapple.php

http://www.sibike.org/

The Golden Apple is much hillier then the others, but in a very pretty area. Pumpkin Patch is flatter and less windy then ToH (usually).

I've done 2 full NYC's and one where I bailed out at Wards Island on the pedestrian bridge and back to Central Park. I found the Bronx bleh, only liking some of the area around Van Cortland and Riverside. Ditto other comments that it's a tough century, even if you make an effort to take it easy, due to the constant stop/starts. I think of it as the toughest century(s) I've ever done, and have zero interest in doing it again. 

Positive thoughts about it ?. 

- It's fun riding down 5th ave at 6:30AM with hundreds of other riders
- The Brooklyn Bridge is always a great ride, as is the bike path on the Belt (lot's of glass though)
- The ride finds some great area's to go back to, including some parks in the Bronx that I never knew existed.
- It takes you into some extreme corners of NYC that I found pretty cool, so it's a great way to see the city.

SB


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## Dumbod (Dec 31, 2004)

*An alternative opinion*

I really like this ride. I haven't done it for the last two years because of other commitments but I did it for the prior 7-8 years.

It's an urban ride with an open route so there is going to be some starting and stopping although it's nothing like the 5-boro. The best part of the ride, particularly for non-New Yorkers, is seeing parts of the city that you can't believe are NYC - long stretches of salt marshes, for example.

For a first timer, it's also nice to know that there's almost always a convenient bail out, the subway.

I recommend it to everyone.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I am doing it - our local bike shop is putting together a good group that can complete it together so it should be fun.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

I rode a part of last years route this weekend with a friend who rode in last years century.

We actually started in NJ (Fort Lee) and headed out over the GW bridge and made our way down through Central Park. Then headed downtown over the Brooklyn Bridge, through Brooklyn and out on the MUT along side the Belt parkway. Alot of head winds coming off the bay area (I wasn't expecting that) and lot of people out riding and walking. Kind of like playing dodge-ball... but on bikes  

We then turn our ride back up I think Bay Ridge Ave (by Toy's "R" us) looking for Ocean Ave and headed our back up to Fort Lee. The overall ride was 52 Miles... not a bad ride, we took a slow pace. 

Looking forward to this years ride :thumbsup:


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

For some crazy reason, I love this ride. Yeah...lots of starts/stops, MUT paths, and what everyone else described. Definitely different than other Centuries in terms of pace, route and scenery.....but to me, thats what makes it great. I can ride down a two lane road any day.....I cant ride down the middle of Times Square too often!

Suggestion...skip the Bronx part and go back to Central and do a few laps to make it an even 100 miles. Much more fun to ride around Central on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon than dodging shoppers on Tremont Avenue!


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

The wasn't all that bad... long but still enjoyable. Completed the 100miles... actually 108.5 miles by the time I got bback to my car.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Typicaly NYC Century. They changed the route ALOT this year, which was fun. 

One thing PISSED me off....at the Velodrome there were a few guys doing some organized training work. They effing yelled at all the Century riders who wanted to try out the track, then locked the gate to keep everyone out while they did their laps. How effing lame, especially considering the track is open to the public. If those were Kissena guys, they should be ashamed of themselves.

On edit...I found out what team they are on....not Kissena...but should STILL be ashamed of themselves.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I had a great time. Completed all 100 miles with the group.

I am not in this pic... was riding the blue Trek just off the shot to the right.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

jsedlak said:


> I had a great time. Completed all 100 miles with the group.
> 
> I am not in this pic... was riding the blue Trek just off the shot to the right.



I remember you guys rolling past me like a freight train after the Kissenia Park rest stop. Your group looks strong and tight. I hope to work up to the group level you guys preform at one day...:thumbsup:


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## chocy (Feb 4, 2009)

Wow cool a lot of you were there.

I did the 100 miles solo. Most difficult part was at 80miles or so I had to pass my apartment by two blocks.... 

I thought it was a lot of fun. The stop and go wasn't as bad as expected and I managed 16.1 MPH average. "6 hours and 35 mins" It was quite scenic and courses seemed to be pretty well planned out for new york streets. 

I must have been pretty lucky because I got to do a couple of labs at the velodrome. The paving wasn't perfect but it was an experience. I think I will do it again Next year.

Also I will be doing another 100 in two weeks "Espcape New York", here I come!1


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

ROAD&DIRT said:


> I remember you guys rolling past me like a freight train after the Kissenia Park rest stop. Your group looks strong and tight. I hope to work up to the group level you guys preform at one day...:thumbsup:


Thanks! A couple of us are really strong and some of us fight to just hold on (me).

You're welcome to come join us on our rides if you are in the area...

While we certainly did put the hammer down quite a few times we actually ended up with a 14mph average.


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

jsedlak said:


> Thanks! A couple of us are really strong and some of us fight to just hold on (me).
> 
> You're welcome to come join us on our rides if you are in the area...
> 
> While we certainly did put the hammer down quite a few times we actually ended up with a 14mph average.



I'll have take you up on the ride invite and lookup your rides on martys calendar... I'm not too far from the bike shop in Morristown, I'm in Fanwood over the Watchung Mountian range.

I also rode with you guys as well many others in Marty's Revolutionary Rumble earlier this summer and meet Marty in the cafeteria after my ride. Seemed like a very nice Humble man...

Wow 14mph average, the way you guys roared passed me I would would thought maybe 21mph... I think I hovered about 12.5mph average


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