Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Penn Station to Columbia U en velo?

New Yorkers!

I'll be taking my bike on nj trans from Philly today. How long should I give myself to ride to Columbia from Penn Station? I go at the speed of the average messenger. Should I take amsterdam ave? Or is there a better route?

Thanks!

hey there - i work at columbia and i commute from home. the route i take is to go along the west side highway which merges into riverside park. the park route ends at around 100th street so you'll have to go up riverside drive for the rest of the way up to 116th. it's quite a nice ride. i'd say from 34th street it would take you about 30-45 min.

Turd's route is good for the scenery, but if you're in a hurry, just shoot up 8th Ave. to 59th street then go up Broadway (less pretty, more direct).

Riverside might still be quicker because of the lack of crosstraffic.

If your coming from Penn Station head west to the hudson river bike path... Keep going west until you run into it (can't miss it). Continue North until like 72nd street and exit there... its the first right once you return to the waterfront (trust me, this is better than continuing to 100th street... the bikepath is really bumpy and f-ed up after 72nd)... you have to go up one steep hill for like 30 feet... then continue uphill until you hit riverside drive... cruise on this until 116th, and your here... I do this a lot... wind can be a ***** sometimes if its coming out of the north... oh, and I would say if you are cruising it should take no longer than 30 mins...

Hmm. I'd say go up 8th and take Central Park West (which has fewer right turns to worry about) to 110th or so, hang a left and ride to Braodway and then up to 116th from there. That's the way I go from Times Square.

Hmm. I'd say go up 8th and take Central Park West (which has fewer right turns to worry about) to 110th or so, hang a left and ride to Braodway and then up to 116th from there. That's the way I go from Times Square.

ditto.

8th sucks but it's direct. are you in a hurry? take that. if not, do the west side bike path route. although since the weather has been nice, the bike path is pretty crowded and hard to haul ass on.

amsterdam is tons of fun when it comes to putting your life on the line. i'd suggest for a thrill going the wrong way up broadway for as long as you can.

I second the Riverside Drive route. It's got the smoothest flow of traffic without all the wind/cold from the Hudson River.

Hmm. I'd say go up 8th and take Central Park West (which has fewer right turns to worry about) to 110th or so, hang a left and ride to Braodway and then up to 116th from there. That's the way I go from Times Square.


Isn't it funny how the view v. the direct route is such a continual concern in the city? I recently came to the conclusion that I preferred flow over anything else: when I get off of the subway, I often choose the emptiest staircase, just to avoid the crowd, even if it means I'll have to re-cross the road later. Path of least resistence is my attitude.

See what you've done genericbikedude? This is what you get when you ask a New Yorker for directions. People here LOOOOVE that ****! :love:

(I don't have an opinion on W. Side biking routes, but get back to me when you want to know the quickest subway routes (my girlfriend lives in Harlem, I live in Brooklyn. ;) )

but the route up CPW seems to me to have the best flow. there is a bike lane and there are very few through streets to worry about. I can usually go from 57th to 110th without putting a foot down at full speed... which is a nice 2.5 mile sprint. Going south Riverside would be the way to go for the same reasons. Riverside going North is hilly and windy, imo, and the bikepath... well... it's pretty ok in the wintertime, but not now.

the bike path is for tards. take 8th to CPW.

view? wtf?

average messenger: 15 mins. or grab a car on cpw and make it ten