Originally Posted by
noglider
[MENTION=465722]robertorolfo[/MENTION], there ought to be less traffic going east from 1st Avenue than going west, so would it help to ride on the right side? Someone here pointed out that it's the smart thing to do on 5th Ave by the Park, but it's clearer there because there are often no streets going east at the intersections.
The timing of lights and traffic on your segment is probably the biggest factor in your speed. For me, it's the wind. The wind makes an enormous difference for me.
Yes, I've thought about it and dabbled with it, but in the end I prefer riding in the bike lane. It's well separated from regular traffic, and the benefit of those few westbound intersections doesn't seem significant enough. But maybe I'll give the right side another shot.
One thing that I picked up from a fellow rider was to take the 1st avenue tunnel (essentially passing under the UN), rather than the path. And now it's one of my favorite parts of my ride. The pavement is perfect, it's mostly flat, and there are frequent speed traps at the exit, so all the drivers stick to 25mph.