CPFITNESS

get out of my thread. we get it, your the lance armstrong of manhattan. Give me a friggin break. For the record, it takes almost an hour to get over the gwb from 83rd and east end where I live in the middle of theday. I have to deal with ridiculous traffic just trying to get over to the goddamn park. That 1 mile takes as long as 10 minutes sometimes. from there it's another 7-8 miles to get over the bridge.

your a friggin idiot if you think, "the section ending at the Alpine police station RESEMBLES a climb" It's the biggest hill in the area out of anything anyone has brought up thus far!!!

My point was that when you live in the burbs, you can step out your door and immediately go for 24 unimpeded miles. To get anywhere remotely close to that when you live in manhattan you have to drive somewhere first or ride 10 miles. 10 miles to get to a steady ride and then accounting for that 10 miles at the end = a 44 mile ride. Sorry but I don't have the time to do 44 miles everytime out, especially when the first and last 10 miles take a full hour to do because of traffic

CPFITNESS

So i did say what I said about my gf a bit tounge in cheek but she isn't bigoted per se but like most white folks she's a little big ignorant but coming around. I'm 6'3" 235lbs and of mixed descent, there isn't a neighborhood anywhere that I don't feel safe in. when your a 5'4" 130 lbs white woman, you don't always feel safe walking on the UES at night, nevermind neighborhoods above 96th st (tho I must say, above 96th on the westside is still very nice, but above 96th on the east side is another story.

And in defense, I can't say this thread got jacked because I was the one that mentioned the race thing first and I'm the OP so it was fair game for everyone to discuss. The bottom line is this, my entire life has been lived around majority of people who's skin doesn't look like mine. But when white people go into a black or spanish neighborhood, they immediately become uncomfortable. They don't realize that that is the reality that people of color face everyday. I'm used to being around people that don't look like me and I've come to learn and understand that some of them do have it in for me but a lot of them don't. Whites don't have enough exposure to other races to have learned that yet.

noteon 

86th (including CP transverse) to the Hudson Greenway and up?

noteon 

I think you're extending your experience with your girlfriend a little too far. Some of us grew up in places that aren't as segregated as New York. I'm uncomfortable in any group that isn't mixed, regardless of what the group is. All white, all black, all whatever--homogeneity is weird.

I also grew up with swastikas spray-painted on my house. You don't need dark skin for a minority experience.

CPFITNESS

that could work but I feel that going through the park is faster since the mile from 90th to 110th is virtually all downhill. But from there if you cut over to the greenway on 125th you then have to go through that maze past the lighthouse to get up to the bridge and there is a bunch of construction going on and crappy road quality when you go form the green way across that footbridge. not to mention you can rarely race across the bridge, there are other riders and runners there so even on a good day it's still a full 35-45 minutes of stop and go riding that isn't very challenging or useful for training purposes. there are days I have limited time and I just want to get out and bang out some miles and get home. My original post was trying to gauge how realistic multiple laps of Central Park were for serving that purpose.

CPFITNESS

your right, you don't need dark skin for a minority experience but the pure fear element is different. A lot of people dislike Jews but they don't fear for their physical safety and wellbeing when they are around them the way whites do around black and latino neighborhoods.

BillyD

Last warning, or to P&R we go guys.

noteon 

Aha, didn't understand what you were talking about before. Just decoded this.

Riverside_Guy

Not to mention the Hudson Greenway CAN at times present some fairly fierce headwinds. One can generally expect 2-6 extra mph over NOAAs call. Yesterday some sections had me down to 11 going south, said sections running 18-20 going north. Going south I was fgresh to boot!

Riverside_Guy

I love that section, BUT there are a lot of "frost heaves" on Cherry Walk so when I'm pushing it (for me) I can get jostled a lot.

Long as we're talking Greenway, FWIW that new section (92 to 82) IS lit up at night.

noteon 

As are half the people walking on it.

CPFITNESS

Where was the first warning? For the record, I don't really see what is so extremely political or religious about this discussion. It's a legitimate issue of biking through unfamiliar neighborhoods and everyone was discussing it in an intelligent manor

CPFITNESS

It's funny how the prevailing winds have swung around. when I first stared riding the hudson river in february it was definately into the wind going north and downwind on my way home. I was cranking out some really fast miles going home plus it's more downhill going south. Now the last few times up that way it's definately wind at my back on the way north. It's helpful having wind at the back going north on 9w as well and since it's predominately downhill on the way back, going into the wind isn't nearly as bad.

I like the new section on just before the boathouse but I don't really understand what the bigdeal about it is as a cyclist. it's 2 minutes of nice road and then thats it! I do wish they would redo the entire eastside like that though!

dendawg

The wind can often shift during a long ride. I really hate the days when I'm riding into it going north, only to find it turning around on me for the return trip. On days when I know it will be very windy I will do the CP loop. At least the trees give some shelter from the wind. Same is true when riding River Road. Between the woods and the cliffs you almost never feel the wind on that stretch of road. I will also ride Riverside to and from the bridge as that is usually not as windy as the riding right along the river on the greenway.

noteon 

Don't forget that wind coming from the front AND sides hinders you (and both can feel like a headwind). The only thing that actually helps you is a more-or-less pure tailwind.

So you've got three directions bad, one direction good, and the big, flat, wind-encouraging river is to your side regardless of which way you're going on the Hudson Greenway. That's why it feels like you're always fighting winds on it. Because you usually are.

noteon 

It keeps us reckless cyclists away from the toddlers and octagenarians on the promenade.

The big deal for me is NEW PAVEMENT! And it's pretty at night. Other than that...

Bacciagalupe

Ad hom attacks are completely unnecessary and uncalled for.

I also never, ever said I was a super-strong cyclist. I don't race, I don't do the Gimbels ride, I'm not going up Zoncolan at 20mph, I can't even count the number of cyclists in this town who are faster than me. There are even many who are both faster and older than me.

My point is, rather simply, that Central Park is easy. Even if it is "hard for cyclist X," that does not alter the fact that by nearly any objective standard I can think of, it just is not a difficult route. If you don't like hearing it, that is really not my problem.

As to getting to the GWB, a) cyclists of all levels of ability do it all the time, b) dealing with traffic is 90% mental, and c) I NEVER said this is something you should do every day. Instead, my point was that if you can get out of the "only in Manhattan" mindset, doing a moderate climb like Alpine will help you realize that CP is easy.

Again, mindset and mental toughness is a huge part of climbing. If you insist that "Harlem Hill is hard," you're just making it hard for yourself; it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Do some actual climbing and your expectations ought to adjust.


Yep. I was being slightly sarcastic. Though by many standards, it still isn't that tough; it's merely one of the longer and steeper hills near NYC.


Incorrect.

If you ride in the suburbs -- or even rural areas -- you either need to drive to a good spot, or you're going to hit traffic lights, streets that are not designed for bicycle use, and/or drivers who are not accustomed to cyclists. For example, the house I grew up in is on a small cul-de-sac. Go off that street and you are on a high-speed, no-shoulder road with a big descent. If I had lived in another part of town, I would have to cycle 3-5 miles on equally ill-suited roads to get to this park. And once there, the park doesn't have any loop, just one big road running through it -- with stop lights.

You can occasionally find areas that are optimal for cyclists, but something like 9W or Palisades Park is a rarity rather than a common occurrence, regardless of whether you are in an urban or suburban environment.

I.e. countless cyclists deal with about the same amount of inconvenience to get to a good cycling area as you would deal with to get to, say, 9W.


Who on earth said anything about crossing the GWB every single day? Again, my theory is that when you climb Alpine, perhaps you'll be cured of the misperception that CP is hard.

I think you'd be better off calming down and actually reading my suggestions, rather than making all kinds of odd presumptions and hauling off with insults.

roadiejorge 

There is no significant climbing in CP if what you're looking to do is train specifically to climb. Sure you can do hill repeats at Harlem Hill but it's a hump not a climb so going and doing the longer climbs outside of the city will be better if that is the goal. If timing is an issue then the extended climbs can be saved for the weekend. I used to do laps in CP and it was fine but when I started doing the climbs north and west of the city I became a much better climber.

echappist

incorrect. having an orbea orca like the euskatel team makes you a better climber

roadiejorge 

Well it doesn't hurt! I do like to mix it up with my BMC aluminum bike with heavier wheels just to keep me honest.

noteon 

The Pringles vending machine at the top of Bear Mountain makes me a better climber.

Riverside_Guy

He, he, he. Seems non-bikers are now being a lot more courteous than when it opened... good sign! I ran it late at night w/ TimesUp RSD run, was pretty deserted.

Riverside_Guy

Have noticed that in spring/early summer, most wind is from the south. Last fall, most of it was from the north. Always prefer to have strong headwinds in first half of ride, not last half! Like the northern route, but do NOT like the frost heaves and getting jostled so much going along Cherry Walk (as in pushing/fitness ride), although slow ride no problem.

While I like to moan about headwinds, they DO increase resistance so make for good workout. Blasting along a section at 20, when you couldn't muster 13 the other direction is also a bit of a kick.

Riverside_Guy

Then maybe you shouldn't have started it calling those who find the ride challenging "pathetic." It fine for you to say YOU don't find it a challenge, but unnecessary to call others "pathetic" if they do.

Bacciagalupe

First, I was being facetious and sarcastic, for humorous effect, with that line. I've explicitly stated that more than once in this thread. As such, I suggest you adjust your misperception of my position.

Second, I am not engaging in personal attacks or brimming with hostility. In fact, most of my post -- you know, the parts in between the sections you quoted -- were quite calm and were serious responses to CP's claims.

You're welcome to try and actually argue the point rather than misperceive my position, but I'm fairly certain that you will not succeed in proving, by any rational measure, that CP qualifies as a difficult course.