I love traffic. I've been thinking of a trip to NYC to ride (along with the other attractions) for a while now.

1. Where is the best area in Manhattan to stay to get the best heavy traffic?
2. How's the weather in August?
3. Are there any hills on Mahattan Island?

I've been to NYC, but it was on buisness, there was no time to look around, and it was the 80's, so crime kept me from exploring anything.

1. Download the cycling map of NYC here (http://www.transalt.org/resources/maps). Please stay off of Houston Street...would prefer not to hear about another cyclist dead. Riding in NYC traffic is a thrill, if you play it safe and don't do anything stupid.

2. Hot and humid.

3. Depends on what you consider a "hill"; there's nothing steep in Manhattan...but it's not all pancake flat by any means

Also, for a candid appreciation of the obstacles of NYC riding:
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2007/08/cycling-in-nyc-know-your-enemy.html

I'm not a fan of traffic. An area I try to avoid at all costs? Try 5th Ave going Downtown from Central Park. I hate riding over there. No bike lanes, aggressive out-of-town tourist drivers who will left- or right- hook you, or honk at you while they run you over screaming to get on the sidewalk!

You'll love it!

Another area I hate and will ride parrallel to is Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. Or ride along Canal Street, 34th Street or 23rd street. Also ride down Varick Street towards the Holland Tunnel during rush hour. Rude aggressive and road raging incompetent New Jersey commuters will liven up your day and get your heart beating!

Honestly, avoid these areas, the whole city is filled with traffic and you'll get your fill even on normal streets! Be careful!

Here's a link to bicycling death statistics in NY. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicyclefatalities.pdf


Here's another resource.
http://www.nycbikemaps.com/spokes/transportation-alternatives-crash-stat-map/

One last thing, if you want hills you might be best crossing the GW Bridge into NJ and riding River Road north. It runs parallel to 9W along the Hudson river, and offers some good climbs.

I'm not a fan of traffic. An area I try to avoid at all costs? Try 5th Ave going Downtown from Central Park. I hate riding over there. No bike lanes, aggressive out-of-town tourist drivers who will left- or right- hook you, or honk at you while they run you over screaming to get on the sidewalk!

You'll love it!

Another area I hate and will ride parrallel to is Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. Or ride along Canal Street, 34th Street or 23rd street. Also ride down Varick Street towards the Holland Tunnel during rush hour. Rude aggressive and road raging incompetent New Jersey commuters will liven up your day and get your beating!

Honestly, avoid these areas, the whole city is filled with traffic and you'll get your fill even on normal streets! Be careful!

flatbush gets my vote as the worst.

I'm not a fan of traffic. An area I try to avoid at all costs? Try 5th Ave going Downtown from Central Park. I hate riding over there. No bike lanes, aggressive out-of-town tourist drivers who will left- or right- hook you, or honk at you while they run you over screaming to get on the sidewalk!

You'll love it!

Another area I hate and will ride parrallel to is Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. Or ride along Canal Street, 34th Street or 23rd street. Also ride down Varick Street towards the Holland Tunnel during rush hour. Rude aggressive and road raging incompetent New Jersey commuters will liven up your day and get your heart beating!

Honestly, avoid these areas, the whole city is filled with traffic and you'll get your fill even on normal streets! Be careful!

Here's a link to bicycling death statistics in NY. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicyclefatalities.pdf


Sure. Blame it on us.

Seriously - I think there's some kind of exchange program going on, because all the worst drivers in Jersey have NY plates...

Another area I hate and will ride parrallel to is Flatbush Ave in Brooklyn. Or ride along Canal Street, 34th Street or 23rd street. Also ride down Varick Street towards the Holland Tunnel during rush hour. Rude aggressive and road raging incompetent New Jersey commuters will liven up your day and get your heart beating!

If any avenue needed it's own protected bike lane it's Flatbush Ave.


One last thing, if you want hills you might be best crossing the GW Bridge into NJ and riding River Road north. It runs parallel to 9W along the Hudson river, and offers some good climbs.

River Road north is a great ride. Did it today actually.
But if he wants a mix of traffic and some moderate climbs he can ride 9W.
Some of those trucks barreling down 9W should give him a thrill. :eek:

There's nothing like a ride through Times Square :p

Sure. Blame it on us.

ANY driving commuter is generally a pr*ck with a 2-ton horn... NJ, Westchester, or Long Island. Rudest, lazy, raging drivers on the Northeast. Boston has their versions. All cities have their versions.

Riding Times Square is worth the risk. Daytime is crazy, but at night it's pretty bright and noisy!

If any avenue needed it's own protected bike lane it's Flatbush Ave.


I'm up and down Flatbush Av on a regular basis (in my tractor trailer)...I can't imagine the people who live/drive there respecting a bike lane. It would just be another spot for a driver to do a suicide pass, so that he could save .3 seconds.

I was in Manhattan all summer last year and LOVED it!:love:

I thought I wouldn't get that many miles in or I'd end up having to shoot over the GWB and ride up the Hudson to get any real miles in but boy was I wrong. Granted a ride over the GWB is worth the trip but there are so many great rides in all 5 boroughs of NYC.

If you like to ride in traffic then pretty much anywhere in Manhattan is your playground. I found myself ultimately preferring the bike laned routes, loved the West Side bike path along the river- especially early in the AM or late at night. If you're just sight seeing and don't want to go to fast and don't mind bike traffic (or do you only like car traffic?) then the bike paths at any time can be fun. But you'll have to be as vigilant on them as you are on the road. I loved the streets at night and a ride through Times Square at night can't be beat. I'm with the Flatbush Ave. sucks crowd- I find alternatives to those kinds of roads- not worth the trouble to fight that battle.

For a real New Yorker treat the ride over the Brooklyn Bridge and down to Coney Island is great, too. I used my bike everyday I was in the city for transportation and did a minimum of 20-25 miles a day on it but often would rack up 40 miles in the day and barely notice. A lap or two around Central Park should be mandatory for all visiting cyclists- tear around with the racers or loll around with the bike taxis but watch out for the wandering pedestrians and the hill on the north side of the park will make you feel like a king if you're used to bigger or challenge you if you're a flatlander.

The bike map, that you can pick up for free at most bike shops, was all I needed. Bring a really good lock and lights and lock the bike to something as strong or stronger than the lock or it will disappear in no time. And chi-chi accessories or high priced components are fair game after 20 minutes or so- keep your eyes on the prize.

But most of all have a blast. NYC is a great place to ride.

I was in Manhattan all summer last year and LOVED it!:love:

For a real New Yorker treat the ride over the Brooklyn Bridge and down to Coney Island is great, too. I used my bike everyday I was in the city for transportation and did a minimum of 20-25 miles a day on it but often would rack up 40 miles in the day and barely notice. A lap or two around Central Park should be mandatory for all visiting cyclists- tear around with the racers or loll around with the bike taxis but watch out for the wandering pedestrians and the hill on the north side of the park will make you feel like a king if you're used to bigger or challenge you if you're a flatlander.


I'd also strongly recommend barreling down Broadway from about 72nd St., all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge for quite the one of a kind rush.

Sounds good.I like crazy, mindless, confused, and disorganized chaos traffic. Plus I'd like to look around some.