Northeast - How hard to ride Central Park w/ this highest gear?

I got this info from another topic

"Last night, I ran the numbers for the chainring (42 tooth), and the rear cluster (14-28), and plugged in the tire size (20"x1.75"), and the length of the crankarms (165mm) into Sheldon Brown's online gear calculator. I got a result of a gear range of 28 to 56 gear inches.

It's a folding bike. Given these numbers, how difficult do you think it is to ride around Central Park? There's some very hilly areas in Central Park. And is this bike a slow bike? Thanks.

I assume you are describing a Dahon? They are not built to be fast, they are built to be a great commuter bike, and in that area they succeed.

As for riding central park, that is entirely up to your fitness level. I could take your bike for a lap and probably not get sweaty. My wife would probably be in some serious pain, and she is a sub 3 hour marathoner (ok, maybe not serious pain, but she would be complaining the entire time.)

Take if for a ride and find out, then let us know.

My road bike's easiest gearing is 41 gear inches which I barely use so I think the bike you described should be easy to spin up the tallest hill on the UWS. This is assuming that the person doing the pedaling is in relatively okay shape. Using the folder's 42x28 combo going up that hill it might be faster/easier just to walk it!

What kind of folder is it?

Depends on what kind of shape you're in. With that gear range, if you're in halfway decent shape, you won't have any problems getting around CP. My fg is ~72 GI and I can get around the park, including Harlem Hill.

+1 on your fitness level being the deciding factor. 28 would be plenty low for me.

I've seen Dahons flying through the park.
The toughest part is the North End Harlem Hill climb.
If in doubt , there is a turn off Just before the decent.
Worse case? Walk up the hill, take the cutt off NEXT time.

Biggest shortfall on a dahon or similar is being able to stand up in a climb.

Enjoy your ride

My road bike's easiest gearing is 41 gear inches which I barely use so I think the bike you described should be easy to spin up the tallest hill on the UWS. This is assuming that the person doing the pedaling is in relatively okay shape. Using the folder's 42x28 combo going up that hill it might be faster/easier just to walk it!

What kind of folder is it?

The folder is a cheapie but goodie Flying Pigeon. There's a whole topic of it on the Folding Bikes forum. I was getting so discouraged of all the bikers passing me that I'm questioning if I can go faster with a Bike Friday maybe because Central Park is probably the place I will be playing with my bike.

Last summer, I borrowed a Trek Navigator to ride around Central park and had no troubles doing so, including the hills at a reasonable pace. This time, taking the Flying Pigeon to Central Park, on the going up hill part, I think even a jogger was passing me. at the end, I got off the bike and just walked up hill, passing the jogger :P

I like full size upright bikes, but they're too heavy and big for me to take up my apartment stairs. And I'm a shortie too at 5'2.

That hill near Harlem is only about a quarter mile long, if I remember correctly. You should have little or no trouble.

Are you spinning up the hill or slogging up in the lowest gear? If you want to get up the hill faster, you'll have to improve the engine.

The folder is a cheapie but goodie Flying Pigeon. There's a whole topic of it on the Folding Bikes forum. I was getting so discouraged of all the bikers passing me that I'm questioning if I can go faster with a Bike Friday maybe because Central Park is probably the place I will be playing with my bike.

Last summer, I borrowed a Trek Navigator to ride around Central park and had no troubles doing so, including the hills at a reasonable pace. This time, taking the Flying Pigeon to Central Park, on the going up hill part, I think even a jogger was passing me. at the end, I got off the bike and just walked up hill, passing the jogger :P

I like full size upright bikes, but they're too heavy and big for me to take up my apartment stairs. And I'm a shortie too at 5'2.

I think you shouldn't be discouraged by other bikes going faster than you as long as you're out there pedaling and enjoying the ride.

I know a short gal, 5'3" or 5'4" who has a 2008 Fuji hybrid she likes a lot. It's around 24lbs but she lives in an elevator building so doesn't need to carry it up/down stairs. How many flights would you have to carry your bike? I bet that flying pigeon is at least 20lbs anyway!

I think you shouldn't be discouraged by other bikes going faster than you as long as you're out there pedaling and enjoying the ride.

I know a short gal, 5'3" or 5'4" who has a 2008 Fuji hybrid she likes a lot. It's around 24lbs but she lives in an elevator building so doesn't need to carry it up/down stairs. How many flights would you have to carry your bike? I bet that flying pigeon is at least 20lbs anyway!

6 flights of stairs to walkup apartment. The FP is about 26 pounds, but folding it small makes it much easier to carry up than a lighter bulky full size bike :(

You walk up 6 flights of stairs carrying a bike and worry about the hills in Central Park?

Haha, good point, jyossarian!

I'll bet twenty bucks that your apartment isn't actually six flights up. ;)

Ok, I'm on the 6th floor, so it's 5 flights up. LOL. it's not that bad at all b/c the folding bike is smaller. no way i can do it on a full size.

Wait, if the flights are split, that might mean there are 10 of them.

The gearing on the low end looks fine and is the same as on my Bike Friday. If you're slow going up hills compared to a regular bike I'd think it might be because the frame is flexing too much for you to be comfortable pushing the pedals hard and/or standing up to get better leverage at a slower cadence. I don't see much of a difference in hill climbing between my BF and regular road bikes.

But the high gear of 56 gear inches is quite low and I'd think your speed on flatter terrain and downhills would be limited by spinning out long before you reach your maximum speed. In comparison the high gear on my Friday is 109 gear inches - almost twice as high.

You walk up 6 flights of stairs carrying a bike and worry about the hills in Central Park?

:lol:

I've never ridden a folder, but just for comparison, that would near the lowest gear on most mountain or touring bikes.

My advice is approach the North hill in your easiest gear. If you are comfy, fine. If not, keep trying, get off an walk the first few times if you have to, no shame in that. If you can make it up you're all set! And yes, forget how fast others are going. Enjoy your ride.:thumb:


Of course - if you find the 28" too easy, you can always shift up.;)

Ok, I'm on the 6th floor, so it's 5 flights up. LOL. it's not that bad at all b/c the folding bike is smaller. no way i can do it on a full size.

still, 26 lbs is 26 lbs. My commuter mtb weighs that - I've started carrying it up three flights at work because the elevator has been getting stuck and I don't wanna go out that way. 26 lbs is plenty heavy up the stairs!

The folder is a cheapie but goodie Flying Pigeon. There's a whole topic of it on the Folding Bikes forum. I was getting so discouraged of all the bikers passing me that I'm questioning if I can go faster with a Bike Friday maybe because Central Park is probably the place I will be playing with my bike.

Last summer, I borrowed a Trek Navigator to ride around Central park and had no troubles doing so, including the hills at a reasonable pace. This time, taking the Flying Pigeon to Central Park, on the going up hill part, I think even a jogger was passing me. at the end, I got off the bike and just walked up hill, passing the jogger :P

I like full size upright bikes, but they're too heavy and big for me to take up my apartment stairs. And I'm a shortie too at 5'2.

Do you have any idea how fast some people ride? Even Lance Armstrong gets dropped in Central Park!! :p

Sometimes I get passed by joggers on the hills, when I let my guard down, but some of those joggers are doing 10 to 12 mph.

Then there are the guys who sit on the fence and yell out, get a pair of gloves, or hey you dropped some weight. Sometimes you just have to have a thick skin to ride in Central Park.

Ha, Stacy, I haven't been told those things, but I remember some teenager yelling at me "Cheap bike!" while on my admittedly ugly commuter bike. It actually was a stealthy nice bike and not cheap at all.

Hey noglider. Maybe you're just faster than me. Or thinner than me. One time just as I was about to be passed by a jogger, on a hill, some cyclist behind me told me to take it up a notch. :o

Do you have any idea how fast some people ride? Even Lance Armstrong gets dropped in Central Park!! :p
Sometimes I get passed by joggers on the hills, when I let my guard down, but some of those joggers are doing 10 to 12 mph.

Then there are the guys who sit on the fence and yell out, get a pair of gloves, or hey you dropped some weight. Sometimes you just have to have a thick skin to ride in Central Park.

Sounds like someone needs to work on their intervals...
;)

Sounds like someone needs to work on their intervals...
;)

Yeah, that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about :p

Ok, I'm on the 6th floor, so it's 5 flights up. LOL. it's not that bad at all b/c the folding bike is smaller. no way i can do it on a full size.

I think carrying a full size is actually easier because you can hoist it on your shoulder instead of carrying by hand.

Hey noglider. Maybe you're just faster than me. Or thinner than me. One time just as I was about to be passed by a jogger, on a hill, some cyclist behind me told me to take it up a notch. :o

sounds like somebody needs the team Cinzano pump treatment:notamused:

I came close to swatting a fauxLance in the Park last Sunday. Get a life, morans:rolleyes:

i love cat hill, harlem hill, and the boat basin climb. I live in cp - hope someone spots me - black bianchi via nirone aksium prologo saddle.

Was that you swinging at me pgoat? I didn't recognize you at the double digit speeds I was moving at.

Was that you swinging at me pgoat? I didn't recognize you at the double digit speeds I was moving at.

nope this guy was a tool.


a faster tool than me, of course.:o

By comparison Prospect Park is much more civilized. Sure I've heard stories but I've never been on the receiving end of any personal "coaching." :p

6 flights , 5 flights hey anything more than 1 flights is a hassle.
I got my first bike at half of the retail value and only 3 months old just because of the same situation. The guy and his girl just hated lugging the bikes up four flights.

Stick to what you can lug without killing yourself.

The dahon sounds affordable, there are better ones but for more money.

OR

Low geared single speed (NOT Fixed), maybe 42 x 17 or 18.

Or

As you ride more it will get easier and the stairs shorter

Rob

By comparison Prospect Park is much more civilized. Sure I've heard stories but I've never been on the receiving end of any personal "coaching." :p

Nice:lol:

I actually had a guy who was a coach come up to me one day in CP. I had had a little clipless mishap coming in from Queens and was spewing blood everywhere on the back of my leg; him and his buddy spun gently up alongside me and asked if I was okay, etc. which was nice. Then I got a little sales pitch for his coaching service (legit - I got a business card and everything - doesn't everyone carry their card in their jersey pockets?;)).

I didn't mind that at all - he wasn't a jerk about it. They even rode nice and slow with me for half a lap or so. (When they were joined by about another half dozen bespandexed dudes on the East side, they picked it up to a lazy 18-20 mph...I was hanging on for dear life in my highest gear. Gawd, I suck:lol:)

By comparison Prospect Park is much more civilized. Sure I've heard stories but I've never been on the receiving end of any personal "coaching." :p

Heh, PP roadies are pretty nice if you happen to strike up a conversation while doing laps and they're not with their crews. I've gotten some nice words of encouragement When they get bored they'll politely shift to 52x14 on a hill and drop you far, far behind. :o

I like full size upright bikes, but they're too heavy and big for me to take up my apartment stairs. And I'm a shortie too at 5'2.

I'm 5'3 and live in a third floor walk-up so getting a bike that could be easily carried was a deciding factor. I wound up getting an aluminum diamond frame Sirrus which weighed 22 pounds before I added anything. As jeebusaurousrex mentioned, I just hang it over one shoulder when I go up or down the stairs.

I have the same gearing setup: 42t chainring + 14-28 cluster on 16" wheels. It's indeed slow. Slower than I'm capable of riding. I've ridden the big CP loop without incident a few times with my slow & heavy folder but then again, I had a tough time recently due to some health issues. It's hit or miss for my body but my little folder can do it and so can yours.

Just take your time and don't give a hoot about who's passing you and who isn't. Go at your own pace and don't get intimidated. :)

BTW, there's a whole host of Folding Bike activities going on starting in CP this Saturday, May 16th.

I'm going to try and make it and have fun. You should too. :)

http://times-up.org/calendar/calendar.php

http://times-up.org/calendar/detail.php?calendarid=2111

BTW, there's a whole host of Folding Bike activities going on starting in CP this Saturday, May 16th.

I'm going to try and make it and have fun. You should too. :)

http://times-up.org/calendar/calendar.php

http://times-up.org/calendar/detail.php?calendarid=2111

Dang I'll be busy on Saturday!

I have the same gearing setup: 42t chainring + 14-28 cluster on 16" wheels. It's indeed slow. Slower than I'm capable of riding. I've ridden the big CP loop without incident a few times with my slow & heavy folder but then again, I had a tough time recently due to some health issues. It's hit or miss for my body but my little folder can do it and so can yours.
Just take your time and don't give a hoot about who's passing you and who isn't. Go at your own pace and don't get intimidated. :)

In the end it's about riding so it's fun for you, everyone rides for different reasons. I always chase when passed to mix up the pace and it's a good way to start improving your sprints if you do want to get faster. One time while on vacation in Ocean City, NJ I rented a beach cruiser with a child's seat in the back for my daughter and latched on the wheel of a group ride. Most of the riders were surprised to see me keeping pace on that 30lb behemoth, especially since we were moving at a good clip.

KitN, are you doing the Central Park race? I think I might participate in the folds up ride meeting at Hudson Greenway and the little fair afterwards because I want to see the Bike Fridays.

In the end it's about riding so it's fun for you, everyone rides for different reasons. I always chase when passed to mix up the pace and it's a good way to start improving your sprints if you do want to get faster. One time while on vacation in Ocean City, NJ I rented a beach cruiser with a child's seat in the back for my daughter and latched on the wheel of a group ride. Most of the riders were surprised to see me keeping pace on that 30lb behemoth, especially since we were moving at a good clip.

Ha! I love picturing that in my head!

I used to show up in Central Park on an ugly-ass bike to surprise people with how well I kept up. Call me a reverse snob.

Ha! I love picturing that in my head!

I used to show up in Central Park on an ugly-ass bike to surprise people with how well I kept up. Call me a reverse snob.

Much better that, than show up on a poseur Ti/Cf deal and pootle around on it!

But nothing really wrong with that either, imo, as long as you're not a jerk about it.

Much better that, than show up on a poseur Ti/Cf deal and pootle around on it!

But nothing really wrong with that either, imo, as long as you're not a jerk about it.

Jerks are to be found on all sorts of bikes, but you do get the chowderheads who think it's all about the bike. I've seen some of that lot get dropped by delivery guys on mountain bikes.

:thumb:

Oh yeah, I once passed someone going up a hill. He tried to keep up with me but couldn't. I was towing two daughters in our trailer! Hahahahaha!

Oh yeah, I once passed someone going up a hill. He tried to keep up with me but couldn't. I was towing two daughters in our trailer! Hahahahaha!

hey, be nice - that may have been me:lol:

Oh yeah, I once passed someone going up a hill. He tried to keep up with me but couldn't. I was towing two daughters in our trailer! Hahahahaha!

Please tell me you were whistling like "row your boat" at the same time. :lol:

KitN, are you doing the Central Park race? I think I might participate in the folds up ride meeting at Hudson Greenway and the little fair afterwards because I want to see the Bike Fridays.

I'm going to try to make it for the race, though I'm sure I'll come in last... or next to last with my non-speedy folder. ;)

First, I have to go way uptown to get a free helmet from the DOT @ 12PM then head down to the race @ 1PM... Don't know if I can make the start of the race in time but I'll try. If not then I'll just ride down the Greenway with the rest of you and then to the little celebration. :D

Are you gonna pick up a free helmet too? http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/index.jsp#selectedEvent

the DOT helmet thing is a good deal...I missed the NYPL date a few weeks ago...might try to swing up there today.

edit - oops - I meant tomorrow (Saturday 5/16)

hey, be nice - that may have been me:lol:


You'll have to post a pic so we can recognize you and yell as we pass: "PEDAL PEDAL PEDAL!!! LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"

:p

I got the lime green helmet from Summer Streets last summer already :)

Do you have to be a NYC resident to get the helmet?

Oh yeah, I once passed someone going up a hill. He tried to keep up with me but couldn't. I was towing two daughters in our trailer! Hahahahaha!

Well it happened again. On my fourth lap around the Central Park I dropped down to about 8mph on that Boathouse hill when some heavy footed runner in white satin boxing shorts passed me. Of course he passed every other runner out there, another cyclist, and a couple of skaters. But it's not good to let a runner pass you. Makes then smug.

On the other hand, I can't remember ever getting passed on a hill by someone pulling a trailer :p