urbanadventurer

Hi Bike Forums,

I'm the ride director for the NYC Century Bike Tour, which will be on Sept. 10th this year. It's a great ride with 5 route options, perfect for cyclists of many ability levels. If you all are interested please check out www.NYCCentury.org. We're also holding free training rides throughout the summer. If you're in the area please join us!

All rides will start and finish at Spokes and Strings bike shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Enjoy a morning ride along Riverside Drive up to the Cloisters, a trip to the Far Rockaways, or explore the Bronx greenways on the way to Orchard Beach. All rides will begin with a brief orientation about group riding, safety, and basic cycling etiquette. These rides will roll at a medium pace (12-15 mph) and are ideal for beginner to intermediate cyclists. Flat to rolling terrain. Please bring a spare tube and a pump, some pocket money, a Metrocard in case of emergency, snacks and plenty of water. We will provide turnsheets and an experienced ride leader.


Saturday, July 29th
8am-2pm
50 mile ride to Orchard Beach

Saturday, August 12th
75 mile ride to the Far Rockaways and outer Queens
8am-5pm

Saturday, August 26th
90 mile ride TBA
8am-5pm

Pre-registration is highly recommended so that we can ensure we have adequate numbers of turnsheets and marshals if we have a large group. Please e-mail events2@transalt.org or call 212-629-8080 to sign up.

Thanks!

Bacciagalupe

*sigh* Wish I could join, but I'll be in bonny Ireland that weekend. Hope you don't mind if I crash a training ride or two....

By the way, who's running the training rides, is it via 5BBC, the NYCC or just youse guys?

oboeguy

Heh, we just registered to get in with the early bird discount.

superslomo

I know the areas for this one except the Bronx. Is the route hilly through there? I can only get a vague sense of where this goes from the "About the Ride" section of the website.

kosherdave

I'm registered as a Marshal. It was a great ride last year, but you guys should REALLY tell people the actual distance. When we got to mile 100, 105, 110 and still no end in site, my friends and I started to think we made a wrong turn somewhere. My girfriend did the "75" and clocked 86 actual miles (of fun), but I imagine some people were upset about the additional milage...

oboeguy

The Bronx section is not nearly as bad as rumored. I heard that there used to be a "long hill" that is no longer part of the course but is no longer there. The Tour de Bronx has a nice little climb or two in Riverdale, must be that "long hill"... Anyhow, the Bronx section is very scenic in sections, well worth it.

Kosherdave is right, though, the mileages advertised are way off, with reality usually on the longer side of things. IMO, if you can ride 100 miles you'll survive 108-110 or so, but don't expect to be done the instant the odometer ticks over 100.

timmhaan

i had 112 when i rolled into CP at the end. some of that may have been due to missing a turn and doubling back though. still, it seems strange that almost everyone reported higher mileage. by the time i added in "junk miles" to and from my apartment i had about 130ish for the day. still a good tour though and i'll definitely be doing it again this year.

pgoat

I marshall the 55 route and got 60-something last year. Fine with me, I need the excercise!!

See you all this year and save me a pbj (I'll prolly be a sweep).

LongIslandTom

Question...

Every day I drive over the Triboro Bridge from Queens into Manhattan, and I can see out of my car window that the pedestrian walkway on the suspension bridge has been demolished. On the tour map it shows the 100-mile route going over the Triboro. Is the city going to close down the bridge for the tour or something?

oboeguy

Are you serious? Which section? From Manhattan to the island parks or from Queens to the island parks? The 100 mile and 75 mile routes go from Queens to the island parks. The 100ers then go to the Bronx and the 75ers to Manhattan over the footbridge to 103rd St (IIRC).

LongIslandTom

Hi Oboeguy,

I see on my morning drive into Manhattan that the walkway on the Westbound side of the suspension bridge has been torn down. I'm referring to the twin-tower cable-hung suspension bridge portion that goes over Hell Gate from Astoria to Ward Island.

Is there a walkway on the eastbound side of the suspension bridge?? All that time I drove home from Manhattan back to LI I never noticed if there is a walkway on the eastbound side of the bridge.

timmhaan

uh, maybe you should send the organizer a quick email about this?

oboeguy

Ugh, that's a Bad Thing(TM), as that is the on the usual route. WTF, why tear it down?? There'd better be a path on the other side but I have my doubts.

LongIslandTom

Yea, it's part of the ongoing construction there. Tommorow I'll bring along my digital camera and see if I can take a photo or two, traffic permitting. If it's real heavy traffic and things are crawling along, I should have time to snap a photo or two. If traffic is moving fast, then I probably shouldn't try to take a photo with just one hand on the wheel.