5 Boro Tour
 

Any 50+'ers sign up for the Bike New York 5 Boro tour?

Um, riding in New York? I thought you had to be a New Yorker to WANT to do that.

It's a walk your bike tour,don't waste your time.

My partner and the guys did the 5 Boro as a family ride a few times, one year we made it part of a couples weekend. We talked about going this year, decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

No it is not. Last year the only time we stopped is when we wanted to, at the rest areas. You could have easily ridden past them, and not stopped at all. When we did it three years ago, there where some issues with long stoppages, but they where addressed by Bike NY. Still we had a good time.

Doing it for first time with a friend. Only thing that seems like a real hassle is you have to go to NY the day before to Bike Expo to pick up registration Packet. Should have read more before signing up.

That's good to hear because I've heard that, in the past, it wasn't as free flowing as people would like.

I've done the Tour de Bronx and it's a blast.

I've done it so many times I can't count it anymore. 2 of my 3 kids want to do it this year, but at $90 a head I'm not thinking it's worth it. I can think of better things to spend the money on, like college perhaps. I can ride the 5 boroughs any time I want, and the food isn't that great either. I'd rather do the NYC Century, at least that one has decent food for a bike ride.

So yes, you have to pick up your packet the day before, and yes there are a few choke points. But it isn't so bad anymore.

I've cycled Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens many times and it's pure fun - I don't think you really need to do an organized 'tour' though. There are some great bike paths, but I kind of prefer mixing it up on the streets, especially in Manhattan.

The Tour de Bronx is free...

It is the most unique bike experience. Not to be missed. Great ride rain or shine. Relax and have fun.

It got slow last year at the (?) Queensboro bridge, and at the rest area in Queens. It is a nice ride through a lot of the City, but you're in the Bronx for about a half mile, and Staten Island for 37 feet. We come in from Long Island, park in Staten Island and take the ferry to the start in lower Manhattan.

I did it for the 1st time in 2012. I was a volunteer marshal and couldn't
start until after all or most of the riders left the starting point. Once the
captain told me I could go; it was pretty much smooth sailing till the end.
I didn't stop at any of the rest stops. There was a few minutes back-up
uptown around 135th st. Where the cops were letting the cars go through
the route. I had a scheduling conflict and wasn't able to do it last year,
2013. But I'll probably volunteer as a safety marshal again this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdA_r...6zPoymgKaIoDLA

I'm doing my 8th this year. All of the problems of the past have been ironed out. Last year three of us were in the first group of 11k and with two longish rest stops, we finished before noon.

I like going a day early to enjoy the city but avoid Times Square. However if it's your first time in NY, you really have to see it as well as Rockefeller Center. Also walking over the Brooklyn Bridge
should be on your list of things to do. The Williamsburgh Bridge is also a treat to walk across. A visit to West Village, Central Park or the Bowery should be on your short list. a visit to the Tenement Museum in Lower Manhattan could be the best $20 you spend.

During the ride you can set your own pace. There are a lot of bikes for sure, but the streets are also very wide. I have seen people go down, but just like with most car accidents, speed is usually the root cause. A couple have mentioned riding the bike paths of the city, but it's not the same. Riding the closed to traffic main streets, avenues, bridges and expressways of the Five Boroughs at 12-15 MPH is a really great way to see New York. We usually reward ourselves near the end of the ride with a NY style pizza. When you try one for the first time you very well could realize that it's really the best pizza. I have heard a couple of reasons, the water, the flour to name two. Whatever the reason, NY pizza is very very good.

I stay and park my car in Staten Island. There is a free ferry that runs often to the city every half hour or so. Because the ride ends in Staten Island, I can pack up my car and immediately begin the five hour drive home.

The Five Boroughs (and five bridges) is a great ride and I highly recommend it. If you can still register.

My husband & I and three other couples did the Tour 5 years ago, and even though it was overcast when we started and a steady rain by the time we finished, I loved it. There were a couple of bottlenecks, and you had to be careful if you found yourself in a herd of fellow riders (which didn't happen as often as you would think considering there were 30,000 of us!) but other than that it was just like any other big group ride.

Hopefully it's better than when my son and I did it (2011 maybe). We started in the first third and walked all the way to Central Park. We also had an hour long wait (standing still) prior to the last bridge. First big rest stop was completely out of snacks.

Almost forgot: 2+ hour wait getting on the ferry back to Manhattan.

Yep, signed up again this year, including wife & kids. No hesitation.
Complaints? This is NY. I can be outside handing out $5 bills and there will be complaints.
1. No better way to really tour the landscape that makes ALL of NYC.
2. May is the finest month in NY and this is a ceremonial kick-off of real spring.
3. You get the diversity of NY, not just spandex people.
4. This is the only event where they actually close the roads.
5. Have you ever rode along the BQE with someone on a penny-farthing?
6. My kids learned that 40 miles on a bike is something they CAN do.
7. I didn't walk at all last year, but I was a bit ahead of the rider who died at the foot of the QB Bridge.
8. Riding over the Verrazano-Narrows bridge is ridiculously cool. What are you doing instead of THAT?

Yeah, I was too negative on my previous post.
So cool climbing up and over the QB bridge, cruising along the VN bridge, all the while with roads closed and just bikes.
All 5 boros... I'd do it again (if my son hadn't moved to Boston)

I forgot to add - one of the couples in our group had done the ride the year before and had a great idea, don't start at the official starting area. Instead, we found a bagel shop about 4 blocks up, got there early, got some breakfast bagels & coffee and waited. When the first wave of riders started riding by, we joined in. We were not the only ones with that idea. There were a few other groups at that bagel shop doing the exact same thing.

I was in NY in May of 2012 (primarily to see some operas at the Met), but every day I'd ride around Central Park and then explore each of the 5 boros. One morning, I'm in Central Park, and I see tons of riders entering the park with no end in sight. I slipped into this group and rode with them around the park until they exited near Harlem. That was my one brush with the 5 Boro Tour. I wished I'd signed up!

Luis