Northeast - Help: Guide to cycling in NYC

I am interested in the low down in cycling in and around the city. I have searched but there do not seem to be any comprehensive threads on the subject (so if you are just replying to tell me to search, do not bother).

These are some of the questions I am interested in:

1. What are the best (and safest) places to ride, differentiating between weekdays and weekends?
1.1. What are good times to ride in central park?
1.2. What is the best entrance to central park from morningside heights?
1.3. What about the Palisades?
2. How do you get to these rides?
3. What are any general points you would like to make about cycling in the city?

Thanks

get the offical bicycle map. Stick to those routes. I found them well chosen.

Look up bear mountain for info on the Palisades.

join one of the bicycle clubs.

What are any general points you would like to make about cycling in the city? Don't be rude to pedestrians even if you think they are in 'your' lane. At least stop for red lights. If you ride near cars you must go slow to avoid car doors and people popping out in front of you, best to ride in the center, go to the side to let cars pass. Avoid riding on sidewalks and wrong way.

+1 on the bike map.

Take a look at the sticky at the top of this forum - pretty comprehensive, and you don't have to search at all.

Peruse the River Rd/9W/Bear Mtn thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=293387

Lots of good info there. You don't have to read the whole thing - just dive in wherever. "River Rd" aka Henry Hudson Drive is where you ride on the Palisades; get there via GWB.

Check out NYCC: www.nycc.org. Lots of relevant info on their site. You can join any of the club's rides w/o becoming a member... and if you do sign up I think it's $17/yr.

also check out Biking Rules (http://bikingrules.org/PSA)

http://bikingrules.org/rules/rulesoftheroad

http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicyclerules_fy08_english.pdf

Staying in Manhattan, there are three typical rides I do, the CP loop, the Greenway north and south (I start at the 103rd street entrance to RSP). CP on weekends, but go early, like 10 AM. Yes, there will be some traffic, mostly from CP South to past the Met. Yes, lots to dodge, but mostly I can pretty much stay wide open (for me). Greenway north is good at most any time... although one can find folks being jerks and blocking the fairly narrow path. There's a lot of frost heaves so be prepared for some uneven surfaces. Greenway south is impossible on weekends along the stretch surrounding the boat basin (~82 to ~72, which is actually a lovely stretch), but during the week it's great (the path ends at Battery Park City, much construction going on, so you'd have to walk the bike to pick up the path farther south, I normally just turn around at that poiint).

Go to www.nycc.org as recommended up above or, my personal preference is, www.5bbc.org, and go on a few of their rides. You'll learn good places to ride, meet locals to get info, etc. Local charity rides can also serve this purpose. nycc also has an extensive cue sheet library on line.