NYC folk, what are some nice rides around the city?

[eogie]

I just moved to Brooklyn and want some nice rides around and out of the city. I do not want to have to drive anywhere to ride. 40ish mile loops would be cool. Can any of you point me in some direction? Thanks!

[christian]

Join the horde - GWB to River Road North to 9W. Bunbury's or the Runcible Spoon. Back on 9W. Repeat 1000 times. Move to Westchester. :)

[lhuerta]

...cross Brooklyn Bridge to West Side Highway/Riverside Park trail to GWB to River Road and 9W...from there forth ur choices are vast. If u want a few routes linked to ur Garmin send me a PM. Welcome to NYC. Lou

[Mr. Pink]

Ride to Grand Central, take a train to Katonah, ride forty to fifty miles, train back. You need a pass for the train. Buy it at a window before you leave and laminate it for forever use.
No bikes during rush hours if you do this midweek.

This is a decent one: http://www.mapmyride.com/us/bedford-hills-ny/katonah-to-salems-via-keeler-amp-w-mount-route-24824766

[Lanterne Rouge]

The 9W (or the various variations thereof) is pretty nice during the shoulder seasons. In the summer it's just too damn busy.

If you're in Brooklyn consider some coastal riding. There are loops around the Rockaways. And you can ride some interesting roads on the north and south forks of Long Island. If you don't want to fight traffic getting to the interesting spots you can grab the LIRR. Montauk and the Hamptons are lovely places to ride, but sshhhhhh don't tell anyone.

Oh and let us not forget CT, some nice rollers there.

[eogie]

Thanks guys! Off to work now but I'll look into these more when I'm off.

[fiamme red]

40ish mile loops would be cool. Can any of you point me in some direction? Thanks!12 laps around Prospect Park should give you 40 miles. ;)

Seriously, there's a lot of great riding around the city beyond 9W. It helps to have a Metro-North/LIRR pass. I live in Manhattan, do long rides most weekends, but I'm in Piermont or Nyack not more than once or twice a year.

[Likes2ridefar]

palisades park aka river rd in NJ. it has very low traffic, sometimes none, and has lots of small climbs finishing with one about one mile long. turn left after crossing the GWB, take the sidewalk on the left side of the road down the hill, turn left at the bottom of the descent into the park. It is my best friend for the next 5 weeks as I train for a KOM race in taiwan...

One person once told me the only thing that kept him sane living in NYC was river road.

the MUP out of van cortlandt park in the bronx goes to brewster, NY (~50-60 miles) relatively flat. one way and take the metro north home or just do the south county portion and make a RT.

wikipedia has info for both the north and south country trails.

[fiamme red]

palisades park aka river rd in NJ. it has very low traffic, sometimes none, and has lots of small climbs finishing with one about one mile long. turn left after crossing the GWB, take the sidewalk on the left side of the road down the hill, turn left at the bottom of the descent into the park. It is my best friend for the next 5 weeks as I train for a KOM race in taiwan...River Road is pretty far from Brooklyn.

[Likes2ridefar]

River Road is pretty far from Brooklyn.

yes, that is one of the drawbacks for an avid cyclist living in queens and brooklyn.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Why is everyone ignoring Long Island? It's got some great riding. It's so easy to ride especially in you're in Kings and Queens.

[Likes2ridefar]

Why is everyone ignoring Long Island? It's got some great riding. It's so easy to ride especially in you're in Kings and Queens.

Ignoring probably because it stinks?:) Jk...would love to hear some routes.

I've only ridden to Montauk from Manhattan once and did not find it very enjoyable. Flat, flat, flat, lots of traffic, and mostly not very scenic.

[katematt]

For long island, I'd start in Glen Cove and ride some of the Gold coast, nice roads.

Depending on how much time you have you can take the Sea Streak Ferry (Pier 11 or E 34 st.) to Highlands, NJ. The gateway to beautiful Monmouth County and very close to Sandy Hook. There are a lot of folks that do this on the weekends.

From the ferry you can ride all the way down the coast, or head inland for some horse country.

[torquer]

River Road is pretty far from Brooklyn.
Here's a shortcut:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVrNLC3IUAAgJze.jpg
http://gothamist.com/2013/10/03/water_bike_businessman_pedals_acros.php

[#campyuserftw]

Nassau or Suffolk County, north shore, yes. Upstate NY, yes indeed.

NYC for 40 mile loops? Grab your trainer and bike, and hop on this:

http://www.circleline42.com/new-york-cruises/photos-videos.aspx

:cool:

[gary_a_gooner]

Ignoring probably because it stinks?:)
I've only ridden to Montauk from Manhattan once and did not find it very enjoyable. Flat, flat, flat, lots of traffic, and mostly not very scenic.

To and from Montauk takes the southern shore of LI. The north shore, IMO, is nicer and hillier.

Here's a link to a ride I mapped on RWGPS. http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3140873

You can view my other routes around the area (Westchester, NY/NJ, Gunks) through that site. You're welcome.

[bcroslin]

Hop the subway to Penn Station and then head up to the Catskills. The NYCC organizes a ride in the Catskills every so often. Go to their web site and have a look.

[harryblack]

GWB & environs are tiresome garbage, especially getting there from BK; do it a few times & then save yr brain for the rest of life. Ride Queens, Nassau, Brooklyn perimeter, Bronx, Westchester-- even upper Manhattan and you'll have 10000x more fun & learn things "most" people whose knowledge of NYC comes from the media have zero clue about. If you need to do longer hill repeats, THEN you go to Jersey & Orange Co. Don't 'worry' about the lack of hills heading south and east, in most cases-- especially fall/winter-- you'll have WIND enough to suffer.

(I wrote a much longer post explaining Brooklyn perimeter-- including all of Coney Island & all of Sheepshead Bay-- & East New York to Queens rides but it got lost... Also the Bronx, Bronx, Bronx, Bronx... also for re-fueling, Martha's County Bakery on Ditmars in Astoria blows away Runcible in Nyack... also, you ride Nassau, BK etc you'll see riders representative of diversity of NYC... unless someone is going to surprise me & say the recently saw a black peloton rolling through Piermont, hah.)

You don't get on a train to ride unless it's one way & even then... roll out the door, roll back (except in emergency and you do need to take subway back after some mishap (it has happened)).

Have fun!!

[gary_a_gooner]

GWB & environs are garbage; do it a few times & then save yr brain for the rest of life. Ride Queens, Nassau, Brooklyn perimeter, Bronx, Westchester-- even upper Manhattan and you'll have 10000x more fun & learn things "most" people whose knowledge of NYC comes from the media have zero clue about.

(I wrote a much longer post explaining Brooklyn perimeter-- including all of Coney Island & all of Sheepshead Bay-- & East New York to Queens rides but it got lost... Also the Bronx, Bronx, Bronx, Bronx... also for re-fueling, Martha's County Bakery on Ditmars in Astoria blows away Runcible in Nyack... also, you ride Nassau, BK etc you'll see riders representative of diversity of NYC... unless someone is going to surprise me & say the recently saw a black peloton rolling through Piermont, hah.)

Have fun!!

Didier Dumas in Nyack also sucks!!! Don't go there and crowd the place up.


JK--that place is delish and not as crowded and ····ty as Runcible

[Lanterne Rouge]

GWB & environs are tiresome garbage, especially getting there from BK; do it a few times & then save yr brain for the rest of life. Ride Queens, Nassau, Brooklyn perimeter, Bronx, Westchester-- even upper Manhattan and you'll have 10000x more fun & learn things "most" people whose knowledge of NYC comes from the media have zero clue about. If you need to do longer hill repeats, THEN you go to Jersey & Orange Co. Don't 'worry' about the lack of hills heading south and east, in most cases-- especially fall/winter-- you'll have WIND enough to suffer.

Have fun!!

Well said that man.

[eogie]

Damn, thanks guys. I'm going to pick this over. I have a fast plastic bike on the way. Excited.