nstone

I ride in New York City and I need some suggestions for new routes. I'm getting pretty tired of 9W and Central Park, where do other NY riders go?

I live uptown, and I generally prefer to avoid long stretches in traffic when I'm not commuting, but I'm open to going anywhere.

FatherAlabaster

You won't be able to avoid traffic, but south of Prospect Park, the path down Ocean Parkway (careful of peds and intersections) goes down to Coney Island near the Belt Parkway bike trail, which I really like. Most of it is rideable again. You can get off at Floyd Bennett Field and mess around on the runways, or just keep going to the Rockaways. It's a decent round-tripper.

Papa Tom

Check my website at nyrides.freehosting.net , but be sure to ask around for current route/bikeway information. I haven't been back to all these places as frequently as I used to be!

vol

Papa Tom, I just visited your website. About the Hudson Greenway, once you get to uptown (70+ streets), where is a good, easy exit from the Greenway into the city? Around 79th st isn't that good, you'd have to walk the bike and climb the small hill with much detour. I also hope they put some signs so we know what street we'd be on from the Greenway.

bktourer1

Find your way up to the Bx and head east on Pelham Parkway out to City Island and Orchard Beach. Paths along the Parkway to connect to Pelham Bay park and then the beach. You can take HH Greenway to connect to Broadway and find your way to Moshulu Parkway to connect to Grand Concourse to Fordham Rd a down Fordam towards Pelham Parkway. Near the #2 tran there, you could ride the Bronx River pth to e 233rd and onwards into Bronxvill/Tuckahoe onthe path to Kensico Dam in Valhalla. Get the free NYC Bike map at most shops or online, There will be traffic on Fordham and will clear up after Southern Blvd. at Southern BLvd is an entrance to the BX Zoo and accross the street is the Botanical Gardens

Papa Tom

>>>>About the Hudson Greenway, once you get to uptown (70+ streets), where is a good, easy exit from the Greenway into the city?<<<<<

Not sure, as I've only exited way uptown to get to the GW Bridge. Any "real" New Yorkers (I'm from Long Island) want to take a stab at this?

aixaix 

There's an exit just north of the narrow, lighted section that runs through the 80s. It corresponds to the 95th Street exit from the West Side Highway. The path passes underneath the highway and turn sharply right up a short, steep hill. At the top you can turn left on a wide path (part of the Hudson Greenway: not a sidewalk so riding is allowed) and exit the park at 95th & Riverside Drive. If you turn right, there are paths to Riverside Drive every five blocks or so.
After the 95th/96th St. underpasses, there is no way off the WS path until 125th Street.

vol

Thanks, I'll try that one day. The only decent exit I found before that is around 68th street, but you have to walk the bike up a long walkway with pedestrians.

Izengabe

I like riding out to Randall's Island. You can hit the batting cages there and then head out to Astoria. Makes a great ride. Sometimes I will even do the loop and head back over the 59th street bridge.

Izengabe

There are lots of uptown exits. You can exit at 79th street by the boat basin cafe, at 83rd before the newly build connecting path, at 91st street, 96th and then at 100st after the tennis courts and before Cherry Walk. Once you hit Cherry Path there is no exit until 125th.

stayfed

There are so many roads that branch off and intersect with 9W. You should explore.

For example :

After you get past River Road you can cross a pedestrian bridge and hike your bike .2 miles through the woods to get to the State Line Lookout. Amazing route that takes you to the Observatory. From there you can take the back roads into and through Tall Man Mountain which dumps you into Piermont.

noglider 

If you don't have a car, take Metro North up the Hudson line, get out somewhere, and start riding. Or take NJ Transit to Chatham and head west. Ride to Mendham or beyond. Nice scenery and decent roads and drivers.

aixaix 

The train ride alone is worth it. The tracks are right down on the Hudson and the view across the river is grand.
One interesting ride is the Old Croton Aqueduct, which you can pick up in Yonkers a few blocks north and east of the train station. (Many of Bike Snob's trail photos were taken on it.) It goes through schools, estates, back yards and ruins. It has a number of fine views of the Hudson and passes through Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Lyndhurst, Ossining and others on its way to the dramatic Croton Dam. The surface is hardpack soil with roots, rocks and ruts, but nothing that requires a mountain bike. You can make a leisurely day out of it by taking the train to Yonkers, riding north to the dam, then riding back to Ossining and taking the train back to NYC.

noglider 

Yes, I meant to say that. The Hudson River Line has spectacular views. Billy Joel mentioned it in New York State of Mind.

nstone

I have long wondered where the Snob's photos are taken. He seems to protect his routes the way surfers guard their favorite breaks.

aixaix 

Yeah. He's imagining being mobbed like the Beatles in "Hard Day's Night". Could happen...

Whizzer283

+1 on the rockaway beach loop. From uptown I'd take CP to Ed Koch and then bike along the LIC and Brooklyn waterfront. I prefer Bedford to Ocean Pkwy


definitely explore uptown and the bronx. From the top of CP take st. nicholas uptown to 155th st. where you make right toward the bronx. Cross the river on the north side.
Bike north past Yankee stadium - jerome ave, university avenue, goulden avenue to Van Cortland Park. If you have a mtn bike there are some trails, but I don't.

If you want to go further, you can take broadway into Yonkers and catch the County Trail. This paved railroad right of way continues until Brewster NY.

I don't like traffic either. these roads are all fine on the weekends. also, get the NYC Bike Map

youngbeginner

Depending on how far you want to go, you can go up the South County Trail and the North County Trail.

dendawg

Or just head up 9W, where you can get Old 9W just before the state line at the entrance to Lamont Dougherty. The old road is still rideable to the state line lookout and back, and quite hilly.

Gramercy

How is this route? Is it crowded? I was thinking of starting on the south tip at van cortlant park, riding north, then just taking metro north back to the city.

youngbeginner

The trail near where I am isn't bad at all, there aren't many people and the few there are are easily passable
I live in Pleasantville
The south county trail is awesome, but the north county trail can get pretty bumpy from elmsford to millwood. However they are patching some parts. In any case, If you ever want to bike up here, I could meet you down at the Elmsford entrance, bike up with you to my town and show you the train station to get you back home. I would definitely try to use the South County trail, as the few times I have been on it, it has been awesome!

Whizzer283

I don't see the point in taking the train home. The ride back is a gently sloping downhill ride. You can really fly, but be careful there are families about.

The few times I took the South County Trail it wasn't crowded. In June I rode it up to Hawthorne (80 Miles round trip). The trail follows the Saw Mill River and is usually surrounded by woods on both sides. I strongly recommend it but its hard to find the trail head.