Riding in either NYC area or DC

[thew]

I grew up just outside DC in MD, left for college, then moved back to DC proper about a decade later. DC and its inner suburbs (inside the beltway) are really underrated for urban cycling and urban nature. We recently moved away again and I really miss it.

The city's size, density and grid make it ideal for biking for transportation--small and dense enough that you're never too far from anything but spaced out enough that non-arterial streets are generally low traffic. The city's invested a lot of money in MUPs, bike routes and other infrastructure over the last 15 years and biking ridership has really grown, making it a much safer and friendlier place to ride for folks of all backgrounds and abilities. Combined with a really good public transit system it's easy to live car-free. Before the pandemic turned everything upside down, DC generally ranked second in bike mode share (after PDX) and second in public transit mode share (after metro NYC) among major cities in the country.

It's also a great place for riding in urban nature. About 20% of the city is park land, much of it forested. Rock Creek Park and Great Falls are gems. There are paved and gravel trail networks along the Anacostia River and Potomac rivers and their tributaries, some fun non-technical single track in the Fort Circle Parks and within riding distance of the city in MD, and much more extensive single track networks within an hours drive away. The rivers are lovely, especially the wetlands along the Aacostia and the Potomac river gorge just upstream of DC. There's great canoeing and whitewater kayaking if that's your thing.

I loved that I could get up early, leave from my door in NE DC to hit any number of 20-30 mile road routes with options to mix in unpaved trails and single track, get a cup of coffee and drink it by the river, then be home in time to feed my kid breakfast.

The post-war suburbs outside of the beltway are far more car oriented. Greenbelt regulations and zoning has contained the sprawl to some extent in MD but it's really bad in northern VA where there historically has been minimal restriction on development. As others have posted, there is more good riding once you get past the sprawl but its a long slog to access this from DC without driving. That said, it's just 2-3 hours to drive to extensive public lands with great hiking and riding in VA and WVA.

All other things equal, if I wanted/needed to live in the city I'd choose DC over NYC for riding and access to nature. If I wanted to live somewhere less urban but needed access to the city, NYC would probably win out thanks to its commuter rail network.

[lhuerta]

NYC and Westchester are apple and oranges, important not to conflate. If you live in NYC, GW is accessible from anywhere in Manhattan (wide paths on both east and west side of island), and once u cross the bridge riding possibilities are endless in Jersey and New York, following routes on or off 9W. Also the GW renovation project is expected to be completed later this year with new ramps on both NY and Jersey sides, and North sidewalk will be exclusive to bikes....making crossing the GW even more hassle free. Westchester is beautiful, but it is suburban, and in most places sprawl-like. There are many "bike paths" to ride on, but I find that the suburban sprawl makes riding on streets/roads a bit more stop and go, and suburban traffic is less predictable, compared to the more wide open spaces on west side of Hudson (and also NYC streets)....IME. If you choose Westchester, the new bike path on renovated Tappan Zee Bridge is great and makes getting to west side of Hudson a breeze. Happy to chat off line if you need more info on NYC and region, riding.

[verticaldoug]

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38408225

Westchester and Fairfield open up if you are North of 287 and the Merritt.
See the line on the Ridewithgps.

South of 287, it is more dense and stop and go, but once you are north it clears out.

There is a ton of great stuff to ride. Once you get to Mt. Kisco and Bedford, you start to get gravel options. https://gravelmap.com/#9/41.2043/-73.6437

If you live in Westchester, you are wasting your time to cross the Tappanzee and ride on the West side of the hudson.

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Good lord. What the hell. Maybe your BIL and you were riding on the wrong roads.

Not really. I did a great job at staying off main roads, but some are unavoidable.

I put in a lot of miles in Northern Westchester, over 10,000 miles in 2019. I commuted home 3-4 times per week utilizing backroads and the OCA. But in Westchester, even backroads like Baptist Church Road become speedways in certain directions at certain times,

I have a friend who regularly rides the goat path to Bear Mountain. He says he has never felt concern over the blind turns, narrow roads, limited shoulders, 18 wheelers, etc. Some people are more tolerant of close calls, maybe you are one of them? Or maybe I am overly sensitive to cars coming too close.

There are a lot of cars and everyone is in a rush to get where they are going.

I also think it is all relative. I have lots of friends who live and ride in NYC, including a few bike messengers. They would definitely not see Westchester drivers as aggressive behind the wheel like I did...

I enjoy almost traffic free riding on country roads now that I am in Columbia County. The drivers I do encounter waive to me, with all five fingers, and when they pass they give a lot of room. For me, it is a much more pleasant riding experience.

I am glad your experience is not the same as mine was.

SPP

[Mr. Pink]

It's probably all in the mind, I suppose.

I mean, Baptist Church Road, cmon, man. That's pretty remote.

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

It's probably all in the mind, I suppose.

I mean, Baptist Church Road, cmon, man. That's pretty remote.

Not at rush hour.

SPP

[dsimon]

Originally Posted by Gummee

I disagree

The mountains are a short drive then ride away

Flats are south and east

yadda yadda yadda

I've lived where there's more 'epic' riding, but nowhere with the mix we have around here.

...but opinions are like belly buttons...

M

whats that full of lent. or an outtie

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by SlowPokePete

rush hour.

There's your problem.

[thermalattorney]

Originally Posted by SlowPokePete

Excellent mountain biking in Westchester...Blue Mountain in Peekskill, Yorktown has great trail system, Graham Hills in Pleasantville, Sprain Ridge in Yonkers...all first class.

SPP

Rode Sprain this morning and couldn't agree more. The mountain biking in Westchester better than the road riding. Blue is a treasure, Graham has a new skills park, and Sprain is a treat. On top of that you're ~1:15 from lift service at Mountain Creek.

[bitpuddle]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

You don’t need to drive and there are many great routes around the Hudson Valley from roughly 45min north of NYC and on up north. I used to frequently ride from Manhattan to my parents in New Preston, Ct area…from bear Mtn to their area it is phenomenal on the road.

NW CT has some of the nicest rural road riding I’ve ever found with a bit of gravel too. .

This. Cycling in NYC proper can be a bit monotonous because you have a ~40 spin just to get out of the city.

Living somewhere around Westchester gets you close to Dutchess/Columbia county, which has some really nice riding. No huge climbs, but you can easily put together a 10k vertical route.

This year’s Rapha prestige was in that area; brutal but beautiful.

[retropean]

DC riding is fine, I prefer riding out in MD vs VA (despite MD drivers reputation). Live somewhere close to Rock Creek Park if you’re living in the city proper and it’s a straight shot to Potomac, Darnestown, etc. I’m on the VA side now and it’s harder to get to quiet roads..

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by retropean

DC riding is fine, I prefer riding out in MD vs VA (despite MD drivers reputation). Live somewhere close to Rock Creek Park if you’re living in the city proper and it’s a straight shot to Potomac, Darnestown, etc. I’m on the VA side now and it’s harder to get to quiet roads..

I'm with you, I'd rather live in DC proper than inside the beltway in VA. I'm a little further out in VA and its been great.

[verticaldoug]

Originally Posted by bitpuddle

This. Cycling in NYC proper can be a bit monotonous because you have a ~40 spin just to get out of the city.

Living somewhere around Westchester gets you close to Dutchess/Columbia county, which has some really nice riding. No huge climbs, but you can easily put together a 10k vertical route.

This year’s Rapha prestige was in that area; brutal but beautiful.

That was Mt. Riga, Mt. Washington, Kent, Sharon, dirt roads.

That area is up near Slowpokepete's new stomping grounds.

It's a beautiful place to ride, and when we drive up, we just park our cars in the lot at Housatonic Meadows State Park just off Rt 7 north of Kent, Ct.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35120753


https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@42.13...!7i3328!8i1664

When Prestige came down Bash Bish, they should have turned right and gone north to Sunset Rock Rd which is a gravel seasonal road at 800ft + 15%. It's nice.

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

There's your problem.

Wasn't much choice for post-work weekday riding / commuting home from the job

the good news is there is no rush hour where I live now.

Or job haha!

SPP