Also, I'd check out the Morris county area.. Morris county actually has a bike suitability map..

I do some Morris county rides and I always see more folks out there than when I lived in Passaic.

check the roads around Pyramid Mtn near Boonton/Kinnelon and look at the county roads between it, Rt 23 and Denville. Any of those roads there are good for cycling so long as you stay off of Rt 23, Rt 46/80 and Rt 202.. Boonton Ave, Kinnelon road, rides around Splitrock Reservoir. You can pretty much make your own loop and it wont be bad. it will be hilly but rolling hills for the most part. there are some steep climbs though if you want. And if you know how to cross things you can make longer routes.

To cross I-287

1)Waughaw road
2)Brook Valley Road

BOTH of these above though include some pretty nasty hills... definitely doable but just a warning. But those are bridges over I-287.. Obviously no traffic lights to cross them on but the bridges allow cyclists to cross them.

To cross Rt 23

Boonton Ave
Maple Ave (Off of Kinnelon Road as this goes over a bridge. very very steep descent)
Newark Pompton Turnpike extension (via the Boulevard or West Parkway)

check out this for Morris county:

http://www.morrisdot.org/BikePed/bikeped-general.asp


To cross Rt 46

-Hollywood Ave in Fairfield is OK
-passaic Ave is very dicey. (I've done it but not exactly nice)
-Riverview Drive is also very dicey but I've done that too. Wouldn't recommend it unless you are very comfortable in traffic. I'm a bike commuter..

In Morris County, you can cross Rt 80 and Rt 46 right by Denville, but I forget the road.. there's a light there to cross rt 46 and it goes under rt 80...

jay