Are there any epic road climbs around NYC?

define around

bear mountain (perkin memorial drive)
skyline drive near mahwah, nj
harriman state park

all require a good 35-40 miles of schleping

Ken Roberts posts here often and has an excellent website documenting climbs in the NYC Metro area: https://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/...imbs/index.htm

Within an hour's drive

You're not in California, my friend.

What's your definition of "epic?"

Just got back yesterday from a week and a half in NorCal and came back with an itch to climb (and apparently some west coast lingo). Perhaps epic is a bit strong of a word. Just looking for some good climbs around here, maybe 6%+ for 2 or 3 miles.

H'm. I think the Alpine climb in Palisades Park is 7% for 2 miles. It's a nice ride as well, pretty easy to get to, as it's just across the GWB.

9W has a few climbs, nothing too huge but they add up, and it's a good route -- huge shoulders, few stoplights. There's a few other rides in that general area that have a few climbs, I don't know them offhand but NYCC routinely hits them.

Just obey the traffic laws, as tons of cyclists go through there and the cops are tired of cyclists running red lights.

the alpine climb is slightly longer than 1 mile (1.2 i think). to get the longer ones, the closest would be harriman state park

I don't recall any "epic" climbs in Harriman Park. I think bear Moountain's Perkins Drive is the most "epic" you can get but that's more than 1h drive, depending on traffic. Yeah, Pallisades and Route 9W have some nice hills.

there are plenty of big climbs in Harriman park. I did this ride a month ago:
https://www.mapmyride.com/route/unite...24982079118737

It ended up being 5000 Feet of Climbing with plenty of long slogs at 6-8% grade for a mile or two. I finished with a 19 average thanks to the downhills... it was a RIDE for sure..

5000 feet? Wow, I'll have to have a closer look at your route. Thanks.

There are also lots of hills in Westchester and Connecticut though I haven't really ridden there much. I really like rt 106 and Tiorati Brook Rd in Harriman park. I haven't ridden Arden Valley Rd yet which was also part of the aforementioned rt. As for Skyline Drive in NJ, it has been milled and is no longer safe for cycling. For some even bigger climbs head up to the gunks or the catskills. Take a look at the rides library of the NYCC ( https://www.nycc.org/rl_db/home.aspx ) You also didn't say how you were getting out of town. car or public transit?

I also did some outstanding climbs in north California recently. Don't worry, there's very worthwhile climbing in range of New York City too -- not as big, but plenty interesting.

For a single climb, Bear Mountain fits that request, with interesting curves and variations in steepness -- and can make it longer, over 4 miles if start at rt 9W down by the river. (All a little less than an hour's drive from the GWB, according to google maps).Epic sequences of hills are where the NYC area beats out northern California.

North New Jersey around Vernon has this great sequence of steep climbs - (much much steeper than the requested 6%, need to be able to handle going up and down short 22% sections). Just barely more than an hours drive from the GWB, according to google maps. For those who do not bring either very low gears or very strong legs, this sequence could result in thrashed muscles, falling over, or outrage that anyone suggested trying it.

For those who can handle driving as much as an hour-and-a-half, there are even longer seqences of interesting steep hills in rather pretty farm country out in western NJ -- but again that's not for riders looking for moderate steepness around 6% grade.I've also done most of the big famous "epic" climbs in Europe -- but really I find that the sequences of shorter climbs around are more fun.

Ken

Long Island has the reputation for being pretty flat (and it is...for the most part). However the North Shore does have some short climbs. For a list of Long Island climbs you can check here:

https://www.sbraweb.org/?q=node/190

Charles

Bicycle routes 25 and 25A have some climbs, but I'm guessing nothing in the realm of what you're looking for. (The area by Cold Spring Harbor can get pretty hilly.)

I think your best bets are going to be Hunterdon county in NJ or the Bear Mountain area, both a little out of your driving range.

The area west of Summit, NJ is very hilly -- it's on the Watchung mountains -- but not that much closer. It has the advantage of easy access by train from Penn Station.

Wow guys, this is honestly some excellent info. Thanks a million! I have a car in the city so hour-long drives are doable, just not preferable. Isn't that always the case though?

I used to go to school in Northwestern CT, almost on the border of NY & MA, and can attest that there is some serious climbs to be had around there. In fact, I went to school in a valley so pretty much every ride started with a climb.

Anyone know of any climbs in CT around the Fairfield area?

Anyone doing the Mt Washington race in August?

Not that hard to get 5000+ in the area. You might need 70+ miles to do it.

Macopin Rd, in Butler is a nice warm-up. As is Glenwild/Otterhole. Go north from there and take in Mt. Peter north of Greenwood lake.

That's fast. Fast downhills are never enough to recover the hit to the average from climbing (aerodynamic resistance is the limiting factor). That high average means you went up the hills fast!

Try https://www.ctbikeroutes.org/