Tips for a newbie NYC cyclist?
I am currently a Chicagoan, planning a move to NYC in the next couple of months. I am trying to gauge how much of my current "cycling lifestyle" will be translatable to NYC and would welcome any thoughts from residents.
Right now, I can get a nice, medium-length ride in before going to work. Chicago has a multi-use path (the Lakefront Trail) that is great for this at off-peak times; it can accommodate faster riding, so I can get some decent mileage in on the way to work without taking an hour and a half to do it. Are there any trail or other networks in NYC that accommodate that kind of riding? I've discovered the Greenway, but I wonder if it's not really more of a commuting corridor. How's Central Park? Is that as much of a pain as I've read it to be?
Right now, I have access to a bike room in my office building that is accessible 24/7. My new office building will have limited bike room hours - 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. This won't fully mesh with my schedule, so I'm trying to gauge what risks I'm taking with on-street parking. Bike parking near to my office (midtown, on Lexington Ave.) appears to be a bit of a gamble - there's a couple of four-to-six bike wavy racks around the block, and various sign poles. Assuming I'm familiar with the general principles and risks of outdoor parking, what should I expect on days I use outdoor parking before 7 a.m., after 6 p.m., and on weekends? Should I make a point of only bringing my beater to work, even when I know I'll be parked outside for only an hour or two?