thehammerdog

Used the big Fathers Day to go off to ride the Central Park loop through the park. While a great day and a nice loop I did not find many serious riders among the 100's riding. Not that the other 10,000 people jogging, walking, or riding had any clue thus not allowing a clean smooth loop. Did three laps about 20 miles was a great time. If you ever get to go to NYC give it a try. There is two sections of hills that make you work but otherwise a nice rolling fast ride. However, I did get a parking ticket...$115. Also, I did see some cool bikes that I have never seen. One guy was old dressed up in his fancy Pro Kit riding a Bottechia full carbon beauty..... https://www.bottecchia.com/en/prodott...PER-8AVIO.html I think this was it??

Essex

Where did you get the ticket??? 115.00 - expensive day.

As per serious riders on Father's Day - they came out early in the AM when there aren't tourists, or regular folks about milling. The only jam up on early AM rides is when they have organized runs, or other events taking up the loop.

adrien

I was there Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was insane; went for a run early Sunday and got booted off the road by an organized running race.

Gorgeous spot. If I lived here it would be a great loop for the fixie, early in the morning. Otherwise, it's just too crowded.

tagaproject6

Did you ask the old guy riding the Bottechia if his abilities matched the bike or if he had a lot of cash on hand?

WhyFi

Two? I can only think of one, and even that's not bad. Thanks, I don't feel so out of shape, any more.

It is a fun loop and the scenery (of many kinds) is great. It's not surprising that you didn't see too many people hauling ass - it's just not the place for it (and I'm sure that the rash of ticketing a couple years ago didn't help, either).

rcracin

Went around the loop three times on Friday afternoon. Was raining when I arrived so it wasn't crowded at all. Was fully exhausted by the time I was riding home in Queens. I'm a noob rider. Haven't picked up a bike since I was 12 until about a month ago.

Essex

Maybe the section from Loeb's boathouse up towards the Met. Art Museum? They're not really big climbs. In fact, most of NYC can be ridden on two gears. I have a MTB bike stuck on two gears and that's all I use when I am not riding the Central Park loop.

tagaproject6

Oy vey...just wait until you turn 13, you think you have problems now!

thehammerdog

I would have but he was sporting a very good looking Pro kit and was actually spinning like a "hammerdog" I have not seen one since the 80"s....looked very cool

thehammerdog

Two? I can only think of one, and even that's not bad. Thanks, I don't feel so out of shape, any more. well you have the boat house area nice little incline to rid the trash and the other on west side kinda steep short.....I was able to do both with ease but they are hills....the one nice down hill going into the steep one is nice....the place is loaded with very fit people.

NeoteriX

The true test is completing the loop on a 45 lb. Citibike in the half hour that they allot per ride.

qqy

Go when it's dark - weekend days are a nightmare. Many racers hit the park after nightfall or around dawn, and you can average 20mph laps without too much interference. Just remember that pedestrians always have right of way, no matter how stupid they may be.

Sean Gordon

Pedestrians have the right of way if they have the light. Crossing on the diagonal without looking is extremely inconsiderate for all user groups (runners, speed skaters, nordic skaters, cyclists, equestrians). Most pedestrians are terrified of cyclists by now, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but most will notice you more easily if you let your freewheel click.

I'll ride central in the evenings on weekdays, never on the weekend. That's what NJ is for. The west side highway is actually more tolerable early in the morning on weekends because most of the slower users you encounter are following traffic laws, instead of just a massive j-walking party. Central park is actually good in the winter months as well.

Look out for horse manure in the southern end, and there's a family of raccoons that live at the base of harlem hill that you don't want to run over.

Essex

In the winter carriage horse poo vaporizes as cars run over it + you inhale it as you make your way towards the bandshell. What raccoons? I did run over a squirrel once in CP. Plus the 'fixed' cast of characters above.

Sean Gordon

I haven't seen them for a while because of the knee surgery, but last fall/winter I'd see them all crossing at the bottom of the hill just before Harlem Hill. Usually around 8 or 9pm. I actually ran over a raccoon in Prospect Park two years ago, bladed spokes must have shaved his hair a little as it was caught between spokes.

The worst was when I crashed into a roadkill deer though...

patentcad

When I have ridden it it's mostly been fast. Very fast.

Izengabe

The best time to ride the Central Park loop is as night. The Park is empty and you have the place to yourself. I do it all the time and its one of my favorite rides.

roadiejorge 

The course is nice but unless you're there really early or really late it's a mess. Back when I used to do night rides in the summer and the city was still sketchy I had bottles thrown at me a few times.

rcracin

Rode the loop Saturday morning around 11am. What a disaster. Stuipd people everywhere. Delivery guys coming up the wrong side of the loop where cars drive. People just hanging out in groups pulled over in the middle. Stupid on top of stupid.

AndyK 

I lived in the city for 10 years, and loved the after-work rides around that loop! Weekends? - fughedaboudit!

rumrunn6

anyone selling peanut butter and apple subs?

SteveFromNY

i live a few blocks from there and have been at almost every different time of the day/week. Weekday mornings/nights are definitely the best to ride, and you will find more serious riders then. Also, NYPD is cracking down big time at the park now with speed traps and handing out tickets for running the red, so e careful.

rcracin

Wait, they'll give you a ticket on a bicycle for running the red light?

WhyFi

They had a HUGE crackdown a couple years ago - enough that I stopped riding up to CP altogether for almost a year.

rcracin

umm yea, if that happens to me or if I see it happening, I'll stop riding there as well. I'm working on building up the stamina to do the 9W route. I'm sure once I have that, I'll be riding to CP less and less.