I too live in Rochester--in the city, on Goodman across from the Art Gallery. I work at three neighborhood branches of the public library--Winton and Atlantic, Bay and Webster, Joseph and Avenue D. These last two are firmly in "the crescent".

We must live in parallel universes because I have a completely different impression of the city. I ride between 5,000 and 6,000 miles every year--in all four seasons--80% of it in the city. Even riding Joseph Ave I find the roads clean and in good shape, drivers decent and respectful. True, I did get honked last night on East Main at the Inner Loop, but I had made the mistake. I had drifted too far right in the lane and the idiot thought they could squeeze by on my left. I can't remember when the time before that was.

Get thee to the public library!

At Winton Branch we have two copies of The Art of Cycling: A Guide to Bicycling in 21st Century America by Robert Hurst (an occasional poster here.) It's on the shelf in non-fiction at 796.6. (Bonus: Come in on Friday or Saturday, and I'm the guy behind the circ desk who checks it out to you.) Or you can have it sent to a branch nearer you. (This service costs 50¢.) You can even do that online, here.

The first edition was titled Art of Urban Cycling. I'm not sure why they renamed it because it remains focused on riding in traffic on city streets. You'll find most of the same information scattered all around this forum--the book pulls it all together in one place.