Northeast - 5 Borough anyone?

I just signed up last night. This one is going to be my first.

first here. My wife and I will be there.

Meh. It's fun once, but it's just way too crowded.

First time for me too. Deciding whether to take the full sized or folder considering the speeds will probably be sloooow.

Meh. It's fun once, but it's just way too crowded.

+1. I last rode it when it was about 10,000 riders smaller than it is now and still found it to be way too crowded then. But I wouldn't discourage anyone from out of town from doing it to tour the city, nor as a first organized ride of some length for a less experienced cyclists.

This will be a first for my twin daughters, 11 years old. I've done it about 4 or 5 times in the past.

Once you get past Manhattan you're OK, but it is very crowded at the start, and it always starts late.

As rides go, this one is certainly different. It's an amazing way to tour the city and I loved the people I met that day.
Take a camera! I mounted mine to my bars with wire ties and got great shots of NY and it's bridges.

hmmm ... maybe I'll do it again this year.

Meh. It's fun once, but it's just way too crowded.
Yeah I've heard a few people say that, but I've wanted to it for years, so this will be my at least once.


First time for me too. Deciding whether to take the full sized or folder considering the speeds will probably be sloooow.Yeah considering the slow speed, and the great condition of some NYC street, not to mention, I want to take my sweet ass time and try to get some pictures, I'm kind of considering the MTB and saving the roadie. Besides a friend from work may do it too, and he doesn't have a road bike.

This will be a first for my twin daughters, 11 years old. I've done it about 4 or 5 times in the past.

Once you get past Manhattan you're OK, but it is very crowded at the start, and it always starts late.So would you say hanging towards the back is the way to go to avoid the crowd as much as possible?


As rides go, this one is certainly different. It's an amazing way to tour the city and I loved the people I met that day.
Take a camera! I mounted mine to my bars with wire ties and got great shots of NY and it's bridges.

hmmm ... maybe I'll do it again this year.Digital Rebel, right? I think I remember those shots. I'm not brave enough to do that with my 40, but I got the smallest holster bag I could find.

Noooooo ... hardly a Rebel.
That camera is a Panasonic FZ1... it was the first of the FZ series with a Leica lens. Looks like a mini DSLR and has an amazing 55mm lens on it. When the FZ series progressed (meaning ridiculous unnecessary megapixels and $$$) it became so cheap I picked one up for $150 new on ebay. Hands down, the best digital for the money. There's even firmware (free) to upgrade to manual settings.
I used a cheap tripod mount and wire tires. Any camera with a tripod adapter can be mounted.
Or ... duct tape.

So would you say hanging towards the back is the way to go to avoid the crowd as much as possible?

I would say the opposite if possible. This will be my third time with the same couple of guys. We like to make a weekend of it and stay with a frien who lives in Manhattan.

The first year we started mid pack and walking for an hour or so the last few blocks into Central Park. After that it opens up OK but it is crowded and you need to pay attention. Last we we cheated a little and cut accross town from my buddies and waited about 3/4 mile ahead of the start. After the head goes by we jumped in and stayed in the 1st 200 or so the whole ride. Still a lot of people but not as bad. We did have our bibs before hand as well.

To be honest I'm not sure which I liked better. They were different in alot of ways. Being in the pack with 10,000 people around you is an experience and once it opened up it wasnt to bad. Out front was a much better pace but I fetlt like we were trying to get done and not really appreciate the ride. Either way its a great weekend for us.


First year - 5hrs 51mins & 10mph
2nd year - 3hrs 55mins & 13.5mph

Sent my registration in this week.
Will be my 5th in a row.

It is an impressive crowd. Last year they reached their limit of 36,000 a couple of weeks before the ride.
I'm not sure if starting near the back really helps with the crowds. I suppose the crowds might be thinner, but if you are not moving fast they may start closing the route around you and force you to take the shortcut back to Manhattan. And I doubt if it would help with the crowds at the SI Ferry crossing.

I've always got there early, before 7:00, and started about 6 blocks back from the start line. So far the only regular bad bottle neck I've encountered is approaching Central Park (because they control the number of riders entering the park.) The first two rest stops are also crowded, so last year I skipped them and stopped at the Con Ed stop instead. Most people stop at Astoria and skip Con Ed, so there in almost no crowd and no lines at Con Ed.

I've talked to people who avoided the crowds by going to Central Park early (above the bottle neck) and joining the tour just after the ride leaders had passed them.

Last year I started ahead of the ride leaders. I had to do it again this year because of peer pressure so I just registered. Two of my friends told me they registered and can't wait to ride w/ me. Now I have to decide between the newly built, but untested for that amount of time and distance roadie (I was hoping to do it quickly and be on the 12:30 ferry) or the tried and true fixed gear that I rode the last 2 years (comfy and still got me on the 12:30 ferry, but also good for riding slow w/ my friends).

Kirke, haven't seen you post in awhile. Welcome back.

YO,
this time lets meet up

thanks....

It's like a second (or 5th!) wind for me cycling.
The shoulder is about as good as it's gonna get and I'm getting a little anxious about gearing up to ride.
And it looks like there's a new ride on the horizon ... I might be posting dumb questions in the SS/FG forum soon!

After reading a few of these posts, I'm thinking:

Camera at the start and finish, but not on the route, unless I mount it.
Either get to the front or the very back.
Blow both rest stops (it's short enough that stopping isn't really necessary)

thanks....

It's like a second (or 5th!) wind for me cycling.
The shoulder is about as good as it's gonna get and I'm getting a little anxious about gearing up to ride.
And it looks like there's a new ride on the horizon ... I might be posting dumb questions in the SS/FG forum soon!
I rode it the last 2 years on a fg and it's easy, even the bridges aren't bad. I was thinking of taking the roadie this year, but I'll probably have to ride w/ some slow friends so I may take the fixed so I can do leg over bar skids down the Verrazano bridge while they catch up. Whatcha thinking of getting?

Meh. It's fun once, but it's just way too crowded.


+1 I did it 4x in row I'm skipping it this year.

I haven't registered yet but I'm in. I'm trying to get some of my Jersey friends on board too. Maybe I can entice more participants with the promise of an afterparty at my place in JC!

7AM and you were still 6 blocks back from the front? Yowza.

7AM and you were still 6 blocks back from the front? Yowza.
Yep. Again, 36,000+ people.

I would say that it's probably fun to do with kids, since it's not very fast. You can also skip about 15 miles of it -- or may be forced to skip it, since they close part of the Queens route in the early AM.

I vastly prefer the NY Century ride or the MS Ride. 5 Boro is worth doing once though for the bridges.

If you go with friends and/or family I recommend you get a flag or find some other way to make it easy to pick your leader out of the crowd. Otherwise you can easily lose your companions.

7AM and you were still 6 blocks back from the front? Yowza.
Yep. And that's a prime starting spot.:D
Remember, that's six blocks out of the 20 or so down Church St. And I don't want to think about the crowd waiting at Battery Park.
added - I ride up Church from BP until the crowd waiting is too thick for me to move up any further, but I've seen some people coming up the parallel street and cut over into the thick of the crowd.


I vastly prefer the NY Century ride or the MS Ride. 5 Boro is worth doing once though for the bridges.
I like both but for different reasons.
BNY5B - The slow, early season, mass ride on car free streets. and you get to cross the Verrazano. I also like to do a long solo ride exploring Manhattan after the main tour.
NY100 - The late season distance ride where you can also get some good speed. Better weather and different streets to see.

I haven't done in a few years & might do it again. I think it might be fun on the single speed. We'll see.

Isn't there a ferry from Liberty State Park too?

I'm thinking that may be the easiest way from NJ.

Isn't there a ferry from Liberty State Park too?

I'm thinking that may be the easiest way from NJ.

The first two times I rode the BNY5B I drove from my parents house in Ridgewood to Jersey City and took the ferry from Harborside. Nice way to start the day. Then the Harborside dock was redeveloped out of existence and the schedule from any of the other ports didn't get me to the start in time. My last two years, and for the NY100, I just drove across the GW and down Riverside to around 122nd St. Plenty of free street parking that time of morning, and I get a nice 10 mile warmup ride down the Greenway.

You might want to check with the ferry company. They've had BNY5B special runs, but they usually don't announce it until a couple of weeks before the event.

I drive in to Rangers games all the time. Even on Sundays we usually find a spot between 26th and 28th.
I was just thinking at may be a lot more crowded with over 30,000 cyclists that day.

I'll be marshaling again this year - give a wave on the 59th Street bridge. I'll probably have a blow-horn telling people there's free beer up ahead :D We wait till the sweep trucks come and then book ahead. I do have to find the marshal line for the ferry this time - the extra 2 hour wait at the end was a bit sucky.

Ride back across the Verrazano: No way. There's a strict time limit on how long they close the bridge for, traffic is one way with no stopping (though a lot of people did but we were supposed to keep them moving - was actually a requirement from Homeland Security so if someone does tell you to keep moving they're not just busting your chops :) ). Best bet would be to peel off before the bridge or just tack on the extra 15 miles back :)

For first timers especially going up or going down the bridges and inclines - keep your eyes open! People slow down or just stop in the middle of crowds going up or wipe out at 25 mph going down - be vigilant to avoid a wipe out.

The answer is no. We have discussed this return flow thing on the VZ as a means to releive pressure on the ferry. The issue is one of safe counter flow back to Brooklyn while the tour itself is still outbound from Brooklyn. You really need the full use of existing lanes to handle the volume of bikes headed to Staten Island. (You don't want another choke point do you?) If we were willing to wait until the tail of the tour has passed, you then have issues with the MTA/TBTA regarding further time occupying the facility.

YO,
this time lets meet up

henri - did you register as VIP?

Still on the fence about it. I rode it three years straight (2000-2002) when I lived in Connecticut, but haven't been back since moving to DC in 2003.

The first year, I started well back in the pack, which meant I missed Astoria because they'd closed it off by the time my pack got there. Subsequent years, I started further up. In 2002, I started 3 blocks from the front, arriving at the start at 6:30 am, and that was the best ride, by far.

My biggest concern is the commute up and back to NYC: do I take Amtrak, or a DC-NY bus, or what? We'll see what transpires.

BTW, the other rides organized by Bike New York are also good. I rode the Harlem Valley Rail Ride last year, and it was a wonderfully organized ride over a picturesque course. I'm doing that one again this summer (it helps that I attend the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, which is only 20 miles from the ride start in Millerton).

I'm not sure I'd travel up from DC to do it unless there were something else going on as well. Hell, I'm not sure I'd travel from Brooklyn to do it if my kids didn't want to as well.

I rode it the last 2 years on a fg and it's easy, even the bridges aren't bad. I was thinking of taking the roadie this year, but I'll probably have to ride w/ some slow friends so I may take the fixed so I can do leg over bar skids down the Verrazano bridge while they catch up. Whatcha thinking of getting?


Loved the bridges. And your right, it's a great FG ride. Although I did wear out cleats that day clipping in and out. Toe clips or just Chuck Taylors seem the better option.

The new ride begins with my original road frame from ... hmmm... A LOT of yrs ago. Proving that this is the longest relationship that I've had with anyone or anything.
It's pearl white and sweet, worthy of a new life.
Deep V's and other parts are on the way.

The new ride begins with my original road frame from ... hmmm... A LOT of yrs ago. Proving that this is the longest relationship that I've had with anyone or anything.
good luck w/ it
bikes are great that way...they rarely complain and they don't ask for too much money :)
...still figuring out if I'm riding or going to Florida

For anyone planning to go to BNY5B who hasn't signed up, the early-bird registration ends March 28.

This year will be my second 5 Boro Bike Tour. I already got my packet in the mail, the vest is royal blue this year.

It is quite an experience to ride between skyscrapers with no noise! Almost surreal!

Steve

Do any board members want to meet up on the day of this event? I have about 4-5 riders that are interested.

I am there...

Sure, but how exactly do a bunch of people who've never met find each other in a crowd of thousands..who are all pretty much dressed the same?

I've signed up along with a friend and some coworkers. This will be the first time for each of us.

Sure, but how exactly do a bunch of people who've never met find each other in a crowd of thousands..who are all pretty much dressed the same?
I've seen groups using some sort of indentifier - flags, deeley-boppers, face paint, little traffic cones on the helmet.
(Shark fins, anyone?)

I suspect that most groups meet up a street or two off the form-up route and go over there together. I've seen clusters of people along the Greenway meeting-up before the ride.
I've also seen people stake out a spot early at an agreed on intersection and have everyone meet them around there. If you have two bikes there you can spread out a bit claim the space between.

Two years ago there were at least 3 BF'ers waiting at the same intersection and we didn't know it until one person posted a photo after the ride and myself and another were in it.

I've done the 5 Boro Bike Tour about 10 years in a row. Its crowded and chaotic during the first few miles but its still an awesome ride!

I just registered for myself and one of my twin daughters. The other is still on the fence about riding. Only the adults get the early discount, but the registration is filling up so she better decide.

I've seen groups using some sort of indentifier

I'll be wearing the royal blue 5Boro bib... :D

I've done the 5 Boro Bike Tour about 10 years in a row. Its crowded and chaotic during the first few miles but its still an awesome ride!

You're so right about the chaos and crowds at the start.
So I thought about being a Marshall this year or maybe the VIP registration ($200).
But you know that is all part of the Tour experience so I did a regular registration.
See you all in the sea of bikes and people.

it was great as a one time sight seeing thing, but i cannot wade through all those people, and i don't like getting up at 5 am to get a good spot. so enjoy it guys

it was great as a one time sight seeing thing, but i cannot wade through all those people, and i don't like getting up at 5 am to get a good spot. so enjoy it guys

5AM? I drove from CT at 3AM last year. And I am back again this year! :)

Steve

I'll be riding it again this year.

I'm thinking I will start on 57th Street at the bottom of Central Park. Or meet folks at the Columbus Circle monument. Last year the 53rd street choke bugged me. Had a friend who started in Battery Park who walked his bike most the tour!

Once bitten! I'd be glad to meet with some folks. I rode alone last year. I'm not too fast nor too slow. If it rains I'll be on my commuting bike which is a lot slower than the roadie.

Let me know.

Might be volunteering this year at a rest stop instead of riding it.

I found it way too crowded last year and the year before. My gf got knocked down by a bike trying to blaze through a crowd. She suffered only scrapes and bruises, but it could have been worse... her front wheel got dinged pretty bad and I had to do a little emergency truing until we could get to the next rest stop.

After Central Park, the crowds thin out -- it's the first big filter for the tour. I think the second filtering point is the Queensboro bridge and then there is this steep hill in Brooklyn that also thins out the crowd... this is assuming that you can ride through these points of course... :D

For the rest stops, try to be in the first group to leave or just skip the rest stop completely if you can. I found that you can avoid crowds that way as well.

Overall, it's fun if you've never done it, but IMHO, the NYC Century is better. Nothing is better than riding through Times Square, Herald Square, Flatiron, etc. in traffic, in a peloton. :P

...the NYC Century is better. Nothing is better than riding through Times Square, Herald Square, Flatiron, etc. in traffic, in a peloton. :P

How is it riding with traffic in NYC? I might do this ride too.

Steve

where do i sign up?