bettybl

Last summer, I rode the the Westside Greenway and Central Park endlessly and have gotten bored of it.

Can you recommend any other bike paths or trails that are accesible from NYC through public transportation (I don't have a car). Looking for 10/20ish miles to ride; nice scenery a plus Google results gave me the Harlem Valley Trails which I can access through metronorth. There is a Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, but I'm not sure if that bike path is big. I also found a North and South County Trailways, but I'm not sure how to access that through public transportation yet. Any other ideas? Thanks a bunch.

bktourer1

Get off the train at Pelham Parkway and ride all the way on paths to Orchard Beach & City Island.
Also near PwlPkwy is the Bronx River Path along the Bx River Parkway to 233rd st. This can be continued up to Tuckahoe and all the wasy through Scarsdate to the Kensico Dam in Valhalla. Check out the Westchester County site for maps of the North & South County Trails & Putnam. You can get allthe way to Mahopac.
Get online or at most shops the FREE NYC bicycle map

Papa Tom

Betty:

If it's bike paths you want, you have LOTS of options. Check out my website at nyrides.freehosting.net Many of the bike paths listed are accessible by public transportation; even the ones out on Long Island. In some cases, I have listed public transportation options. In others, you might have to e-mail me for info.

Regarding the Bronx River Bikeway, it's one of my favorites; however, I would take Metro North to Valhalla and ride south to Eastchester to catch a train home. Stop in Scarsdale for an outdoor deli lunch.

Good luck!

1nterceptor

You may want to check out the 5 Boro bike club. If you go on some of their rides,
you'll become more familiar with some of the paths in the area.

https://www.5bbc.org/rides.shtml

Saturday, June 16, 2012
SLAVES OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
10 AM, Van Cortlandt Park (West 242nd St and Broadway), Bronx, 35 miles, rolling terrain with a few steep hills
Follow the scenic Hudson River up to Philipsburg Manor in North Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow, an 18th century grist mill powered by slave labor. Now a Museum, visitors will get an unvarnished appreciation of life on a colonial farm. Return route will use the car free (and paved) South County Trailway. Bring $12 museum admission; bring or buy lunch. Inclement weather may cancel ride, please check 5bbc.org at 8 AM for ride update and status.

Sunday, June 17, 2012
HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM
9:30 AM, Plaza Hotel, 5th Ave & 59th St, Manhattan, 30 miles, 10-12 mph pace
We'll ride through Central Park and up the center spine of Manhattan. We'll cross the Harlem river into the Bronx, follow Broadway through Yonkers and spend a little time on the Old Croton Aqueduct till we reach the Hudson River Museum. This is not just as museum. It's also a Mansion and a planeterium. So, bring your inquisitiveness, $6.00 (?) for admission, lunch or money to buy it, lock and MTA Bike permit (for Metro North) in case you have to bag-it. Some hills, road bikes OK (?). Maybe a bonus additional museum.

Sunday, June 24, 2012
BRONX RIVER PARKWAY AND CRANBERRY LAKE
9 AM, Jerome and Bainbridge Aves, Bronx (last stop on #4 subway, Woodlawn), 42 scenic miles with a few steep hills
The Bronx River Parkway is closed to cars on Bicycle Sundays - imagine the Central Park loop, unwound in a straight line, with waterfalls and ponds alongside it, and without any joggers or tourists. We'll take that scenic, car-free route along with additional paved paths by the river on our way to Cranberry Lake, a forested nature preserve. During lunch break, riders can take an optional 40-minute walk around the lake. And after lunch, we'll ride over the panoramic Kensico Dam Road, which has just been re-opened after six years of construction. 44% car-free route! Bike paths used are paved and suitable for road bikes. If you ride with cleats, bring appropriate footwear to change into for the walk in the woods. Bring or buy lunch.

Dahon.Steve

I think the 5BBC is an excellant idea. I started with them and still attend some rides. It's fun at first because the safty of riding in groups cannot be compared. Most of the time, they do not ride on Greenways or bike paths and not because they are afraid. Rather, there are so few paths out there it would be too limiting.

After you get tired of them, it's time to start exploring on your own. Get a GPS and create your own routes online, load them into your GPS and your off! I was able to get from Newark to downtown Passaic NJ last weekend using my GARMIN GPS. Next month, NJ Transit will allow you to bring a full size bike on board at ANY station. Don't limit yourself to NYC transit.

One more last bit of advice. Invest in a rear view mirror and it will make you less afraid of riding in traffic.

dendawg

You can pick up the South County Trailway in Westchester from VanCortland Park. Take the 1 train to 242nd St. That will connect you with the North County which can take you all the way to Brewster NY. From there you can return to Grand Central using Metro North. About 60 miles. If you don't want to take it to the end there are other places you can bail out and take metro north

https://www.nycbikemaps.com/maps/nort...ways-bike-map/

bettybl

Thanks everyone for all your recommendations. I'm so excited! I think joining the 5BBC sounds like a good idea, but are these typically very fast riders with road bikes?

And thanks PapaTom for your informative website. I definitely want to ride the Bronx River Bikeway. Sunday is my best bet since it's not open to traffic. I'm just really a recreational rider, so I feel more comfortable riding on bike paths or places closed to cars.

1nterceptor

You don't have to be a member to go on 5BBC's day rides. I think I went on about 6 rides before I finally joined officially w/ my $20
They have fast, medium and beginner pace rides. The ride description will say what pace and mileage.

From Facebook:
[h=6]5BBC
[/h][h=6]It's official--Summer Streets will be held Saturdays on August 4, 11 and 18, 2012. Again, Manhattan's Park Ave. and nearby avenues between 72nd St. to Chambers St. will be closed to traffic. Today, from 7am to 12 noon, you can try out a new ride that will will premiere in August.[/h]

Lightingguy

The NCT and SCT's are not actually adjacent to Metro North, mostly as the path IS a former Metro-North rail line, as it were !. Thus the other MN lines are not readily accessed without some form of road riding. Probably the most convenient is Mt. Kisco. If you take MN to Brewster then head west 1 mile on Rt 6 to Putnam Ave., you can pick up the NCT and follow it 22.5 miles south to the Kensico Resevoir bridge. A mile south the path intersects Rt134. Head east to Rt 100 (1/10 mile), then left (north) to Seven Bridges Rd. (.7 mile), then south a mile to Rt 133, a left and 2 miles brings you to Mt. Kisco. Total ride about 28 or so.

Another option is LIRR to Bethpage to hookup with the Bethpage Bike Path. From the LIRR station it's a block east to Broadway, then 2 blocks north to Powell Ave. Head east, crossing the Seaford-Oyster bay Expressway, immediately after on the left is the entrance to Bethpage State Park. The bike path crosses the entrance road just north of the park entrance, head right and 6.5 miles south to Merrick Rd. If you want to extend to Jones Beach, when you come to Clark Ave. (just past the Kiwanis Fishing Bridge - it's labeled), head west to the SOB, under and a left on Park Ave. Continue west on Park to Beach St, Go Left (7 Eleven on the corner). Cross Sunrise Hwy and continue south to Merrick Rd. The entrance to Cedar Creek County Park is across Merrick Rd on the left. The JB path is a 1/2 mile in on the right. It's 5 miles to the beach. Note that during the summer the state does not allow bikes past the bike parking area at the north end of the Lot 5 parking area. It's a pretty ride along the bay to the beach though and about 29 RT from the Bethpage LIRR. Papa Tom's site has pretty good directions for the Bethpage-Jones Beach link as well.

SB

Papa Tom

>>>>I definitely want to ride the Bronx River Bikeway. Sunday is my best bet since it's not open to traffic<<<<

The Bronx River Parkway path should not be confused with the Bronx River Parkway, itself. The path runs along the parkway - on and off - and is a really nice ride. The parkway itself is closed to traffic on certain Sundays so people can ride right on the roadway. I'm not sure why they do this with such a beautiful bike path along the entire length.

Re the Bethpage Bikeway to the Jones Beach connection, my site has directions that keep you off Merrick Road, a very busy street.

I tend to shy away from bike clubs, as I like to ride at my own pace (sometimes I fly; sometimes I creep and smell the flowers) but I'm not sure the stereotype lots of us have of bike clubs is accurate.

1nterceptor

For a long time that's what I thought also, "Bike club"meant guys in spandex going fast - drafting eah other on their uber expensive roadbikes. Then I found out about 5BBC and went on a few rides with them. We would go to scenic places, just a bunch of men and women(it's usually 50/50) going on a casual ride. Most on hybrids, some on road bikes, folders, mountain bikes, etc. There would be students, office managers, doctors, retirees, all kinds of folks. Skinny folks - fat folks, old people - young people, you have a $5,000 bike or a $50 Craigslist special? Everybody's welcome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3uEl...hannel&list=UL