# Where to ride in NYC?



## alent1234 (Apr 20, 2005)

I just started riding again after a 5 year break. Last weekend I went out to ride on the path they have under the Verizano Bridge. Any other good places to ride?


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## daneil (Jun 25, 2002)

alent1234 said:


> I just started riding again after a 5 year break. Last weekend I went out to ride on the path they have under the Verizano Bridge. Any other good places to ride?



Where are you located? There's lots of great places to ride in all five boroughs, not to mention Jersey, LI and Westchester. What type of riding are you looking for as well.

btw welcome back.


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## alent1234 (Apr 20, 2005)

i live and work in queens

i do road biking


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## velocity (Apr 18, 2002)

alent1234 said:


> i live and work in queens
> 
> i do road biking


There's lots of roads to choose from. Best local riding is probably over the George Washington Bridge in NJ/NY and in Westchester/Conn. There's also some good roads to be found in outer Queens/Long Island. For starters, check out the ride library here http://www.nycc.org/rl_db/home.aspx.


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## alent1234 (Apr 20, 2005)

do you all ride on the city streets?

i rode on the roads with cars when I was in Italy, but haven't been brave enough to try it in NYC.


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## daneil (Jun 25, 2002)

alent1234 said:


> do you all ride on the city streets?
> 
> i rode on the roads with cars when I was in Italy, but haven't been brave enough to try it in NYC.


Absolutely. The streets really aren't that bad. You just need to be confident in your handling skills and constantly alert.


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## AsianPersuasion (Apr 3, 2004)

alent1234 said:


> do you all ride on the city streets?
> 
> i rode on the roads with cars when I was in Italy, but haven't been brave enough to try it in NYC.


You braved European roads but scared of NYC??? Kidding, right?


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## alent1234 (Apr 20, 2005)

AsianPersuasion said:


> You braved European roads but scared of NYC??? Kidding, right?


around vicenza the season began around april and the bike riders came out in force. a lot more than here. supposedly the laws were that bike riders had right of way all the time and cars were very careful. but i did get run off the road a few times and trucks would pass me with inches to spare.

i think it's safer in italy because more people do it and motorists are used to bikers


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## AsianPersuasion (Apr 3, 2004)

alent1234 said:


> around vicenza the season began around april and the bike riders came out in force. a lot more than here. supposedly the laws were that bike riders had right of way all the time and cars were very careful. but i did get run off the road a few times and trucks would pass me with inches to spare.
> 
> i think it's safer in italy because more people do it and motorists are used to bikers


I rode around Europe a few years back. Spain, England, The Netherlands. In a lot of towns there is barely enough space for cars. I was forced off many times and got squeezed against walls more than once.


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## Lt. (Jun 2, 2005)

I'm a noob to road biking though been mountain biking for years. I live in Murray Hill section of Manhattan and thinking of riding along the East River (starting around 37th Street), wrap around Lower Manhattan, and up the Hudson River (ending at 37th Street)... all along the pathway. 

Is this a reasonable route for a beginner? I'm cardio-vascularly fit so I "think" i should be able to do it without bonking.

I would like any insight to route conditions and traffic (i.e. pedestrians, rollerbladers, other bicyclists). 

Also, any recommendations getting to Central Park from Madison Ave and 37th Street? Should I ride up Broadway? 

Thanks!


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## jarheadnyc (Oct 16, 2002)

*Local Clubs*

Checkout www.nycc.org June 12, 2005 they have an all class ride where all are welcomed both members and non-members. They have numerous rides that range from novices to pacelining


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## sbindra (Oct 18, 2004)

Lt. said:


> I'm a noob to road biking though been mountain biking for years. I live in Murray Hill section of Manhattan and thinking of riding along the East River (starting around 37th Street), wrap around Lower Manhattan, and up the Hudson River (ending at 37th Street)... all along the pathway.
> 
> Is this a reasonable route for a beginner? I'm cardio-vascularly fit so I "think" i should be able to do it without bonking.
> 
> ...


I am on 37th and Madison also. I usually ride up Madison to 60th and then left right into the little corner road that enters the park. Madison is really chewed up right now so in the morning, I would cut over on 39th to 6th and take 6th all the way up right into the entrance into the park that loops around. After work on a weeknight, even though the road is terrible, would probably take Madison as 6th is too busy (Madison is really busy also but better than 6th).


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## Lt. (Jun 2, 2005)

sbindra said:


> I am on 37th and Madison also. I usually ride up Madison to 60th and then left right into the little corner road that enters the park. Madison is really chewed up right now so in the morning, I would cut over on 39th to 6th and take 6th all the way up right into the entrance into the park that loops around. After work on a weeknight, even though the road is terrible, would probably take Madison as 6th is too busy (Madison is really busy also but better than 6th).


Thanks.. I take the bus on Madison and it's in horrible shape until you get to about 42nd Street. I guess, I'll try to ride Madison and see how it goes... otherwise I'll look into your suggestion and ride up Sixth.


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## Nate lusk (Jun 2, 2004)

Lt. said:


> Thanks.. I take the bus on Madison and it's in horrible shape until you get to about 42nd Street. I guess, I'll try to ride Madison and see how it goes... otherwise I'll look into your suggestion and ride up Sixth.


Regardless of what Ave you take up to the park, I've found that the signaling to cabbies where you want to go vastly improves how much space you get. I typically ride up the right side of the Avenue, and when a bus or car starts to merge into my lane, I simply point at the ground to my left, indicating to the car behind me "hey, I'm going to take this space right here." 
I'm amazed at how much more accomodating cab drivers are than some normal drivers. (Watch out for city busses though- either they have a tougher blind spot when pulling into traffic, or some of them just don't care...) 

Oh, and to the OP- if you're coming in from Queens and you get stopped at the light at 60th & 2nd, a fun drill is to see if you can sprint hard across all the avenues on one light and make it to the park without stopping. 
Edit- timing on the lights has changed. Its only possible now on your way from Central Park toward the 59th St Bridge. See if you can beat the cabbies off the mark. 

See you in the park,
~Nate


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