streetstomper

Anybody on the forum going this year? Over $108 with service charge. Ouch.

leob1

Have to sit out this year, we have a wedding the night before.
Enjoy the ride.

sgtdemeo

My Wife and I are riding this year. Should be a good ride.

streetstomper

Assuming the weather holds up. It wasn't fun last year in the cold and rain, from what I heard.

FBinNY 

$100 !!!!!

When we started this ride 40 years ago, we were debating whether $5 or 10.00 was too much.

streetstomper

I think the high fee is definitely hurting. There was a time a few years back when they were in a sweet spot, making enough money but still selling out in a couple of days. Last year, it took a while to sell out and they're still not sold out after four days this year. I'm sure they'll sell out eventually, but it won't be as fast as before. But what do they care? As long as they do sell out before the event, it's all good to them, regardless of how long it takes. Although it would probably help their bottom line if they sold out quickly and riders had no choice but to register for the expensive VIP slots. The random wave assignment process doesn't help, either. Why would anyone register as soon as possible if there's always a 1 in 4 chance you'll be assigned to the last wave anyway?

I'm still on the fence about registering. At this rate, I've got time to think about it. I may decide to do the Tour de l'Ile Montreal instead, which costs half as much to register for two rides (the day ride on Sunday and the Tour la Nuit night ride the Friday before). Or is it even less? Is the registration in Canadian dollars? If that's the case, it's only about $37 for the combined registration.

Sy Reene

I guess the cost is relative.. The NYC Marathon costs over $250 and they only have to close about 26 miles of roadway.

wilfried

It's on my bucket list, but I'm in no hurry. I'd do it just for the chance to ride over the Verrazano. I've been just about everywhere they go, often, so I don't feel the need to go again with 30,000 people.

A good capitalist could say that it new price is priced better matches demand. That it sold out so quickly shows that it was priced too cheaply.

streetstomper

Okay, it's sold out now. Oh, well.

zacster

I signed up for the first time in a few years by myself. In prior years my kids would do it with me, but when it was $80*4, it was a lot of money for a bike ride. It is still a lot of money, but just one.

I'm hoping by the time of the ride I've already done a bunch of 50+ mile rides. I'm getting older though (62) and it gets harder every year.

My wife did the marathon, and is still on the fence about torturing herself again. It costs a lot of money for torture.

Hokiedad4

I'm in! Can't wait!!

And yes, the weather has to be better than last year because it couldn't be any worse.

FBinNY 

Now you've done it!

streetstomper

Yep. Get ready for 100ş weather (112 on the Belt with no shade), strong headwinds along the whole route and maybe throw in a tornado. Riders will be flying through the air like Miss Gulch inside the twister in The Wizard of Oz.

zacster

It's great that this ride has the long silver sag wagon along almost the entire route. You're never more than a few blocks away.

cookingjnj

Yes sir. Riding now 4 or 5 years. Myself and a bunch of buddies make it a full weekend starting with registration Friday night, dinner and drinks in NYC, ferry across the river Sunday morning, ride with the masses and then dinner and drinks in Jersey City Sunday after the ride. There is no sense in going anywhere fast, so a great weekend for BBB (bikes, burgers and beers).

dmanthree

I'll be there. Riding my trust Trek 950. I rode last year, and the Trek, with it's "bomb proof" tires was a good choice. It's not a long ride, and not hilly, and speed isn't the goal. And, thanks to the heavy rain last year, I saw many, many guys riding "race" tires that flatted out. On the ferry back I spoke to one guy who flatted out four times.

Anyway, I'm in again. It's a great ride and I'm hoping for nice weather and an early start.

dmanthree

We'll see. I have a history of attracting horrific weather. Last year was my first Five Boro ride, and look what happened.

Sheesh....

Sy Reene

fyi, rain doesn't cause flats

1 year doesn't qualify as a 'history'.

FBinNY 

Sy,

The linkage between rain and increased flats, whether imagined or not, and the mechanism (if there is a linkage) is worthy of a thread of it's own.

I think I'll start one, as a poll about weather (intentional) people think that you get more flats when it rains.

dmanthree

Not jus this ride. I've done quite a few fund raisers, like the PMC in 2014, where the weather was a nightmare. It was the coldest and wettest day in the event's 35 year history. The first day was 111 miles. It rained for the first 70 and was an absolute deluge the last 41. And the first time I ride the Five Boro ride? 48F and pouring rain. I also rode a Tour de Cure a few years ago and guess what? 63 miles through a very cold rain.

Go figure.

Sy Reene

Interesting.. maybe in a deluge when cr@p gets washed out into the roadway, or maybe just because having to fix a flat in the rain is remembered more because it sucks. I think I've read a lot of threads about 'winter riding' and appropriate tire recommendations etc.., but I have to say (btw, i'm knocking on wood as I type), it's some weird thing that the last dozen group rides I've been on here in the NE, thru the winter, there hasn't been one flat in the last 3 months. Collectively, this has to be about 3000+ miles of riding. My only flats in the past 12 months have been on bright sunny days (I remember sweating a lot).

Sy Reene

Gotcha... please stay away

dmanthree

BTW, you are more likely to flat in the rain since debris will stick to a wet tire and get ground in. Happens all the time.

BobbyMo

No shortage of takers, though. Sold out.

I will be going. Went last year as a marshal; has to fix a lot of flats in the rain. I'm expecting a beautiful day this year.

1nterceptor

Signed up again as a volunteer marshal. Have been volunteering for a few years now; always have a blast: