5 boroughs Ride NYC

bonefishjake

Strong like bull, smart like tractor
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i was thinking about doing this but there's no way i could get the ok when i found out about it. it'll be on the "to do" list next year though.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I did this once. It's cool as hell to ride through the city, but boy is it a slow slog. Like Mergs said, you need to be in front. Thing is, it costs like $100 extra to be in the front. So you'll be in the pack, which is a pack of like 30,000 riders.
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
Fill your camelback with beer, and think of it as a "social" ride or rolling party. It's not anything you want to do if speed and fitness is on your mind.
 

Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
I did this once. It's cool as hell to ride through the city, but boy is it a slow slog. Like Mergs said, you need to be in front. Thing is, it costs like $100 extra to be in the front. So you'll be in the pack, which is a pack of like 30,000 riders.

...And about 2,000 rollerbladers. I did this a few times in the late 90's and it quickly became the Five Borough Bike Walk as too many people = jammed bridges.

If you decide to do it, just hammer to the front as quickly as you can. Oh yeah, if you ride your road bike, watch out the NYC famous massive pot holes!!!! They will flat your tubes/rims in no time on those skinny tires.

Overall, it is kind of cool, though. Ride the mountain bike -- you can bunny hop the bums.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
I was all set to do this. But then I realized the first H2H race is that day. Next year maybe. I have heard its a hell of a time.
 
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DANSPANK

Guest
I'm doing this ride. We're going to start a mile or so up the road, let the racers pass us and then we'll have a leisurely, yet not jammed, ride around town...
 

Spylab

New Member
I'm doing this ride. We're going to start a mile or so up the road, let the racers pass us and then we'll have a leisurely, yet not jammed, ride around town...

Are there "officials" who will give you trouble for doing the ride without registering? This is what I'd want to do as well, but if there is no problem in going this way I'd imagine thousands of other folks would want to dodge the fee and follow suit...
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'm sure you could do it but it's not exactly in the spirit of the ride. It's the same thing with the All-A-Muchy ride. It's a publc park so you could ride it without paying (except for the boy scout camp, technically). Nobody will say anything but it's sort of, well, you know.
 
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DANSPANK

Guest
I've paid and I'll have a number. having the number allows you to take advantage of the refreshment areas along the route and I think there may be some snacks at the end - something like that.

I just don't want to be all mixed-up with the clusterfawk at the start so the group I'm with will start a mile or two down the road...
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Apologies if you thought I was implying you were cheaping out on the ride. Didn't mean to suggest you were. I was just answering the subsequent post directly.
 

EtE

New Member
I've been doing this ride on and off for about a decade now, and it is without a doubt the best way to see the city. SUPER-fun on a mountain bike, as long as you ditch the knobbies (I've been using Kiniptions). Like someone else said, the key is to get ahead of the pack, and drop in after the leaders. That's the only way it doesn't turn into a 42-mile hike-n-bike.

You don't need to be registered to ride I guess, but there's a bridge every 15 miles or so, with secret service guys posted to pull off anyone that isn't wearing a tour vest with a visable registered number (for the last 6 years anyway).

I think it has something to do with the large terrorist cells within the cycling community.:rolleyes:
 

jbogner

NYCMTB: President
JORBA.ORG
Another tip- some friends of mine typically ride up the west side highway bike path rather than suffering through the masses up sixth ave, then jump back into the group in Central Park. Helps them get ahead of the pack that way.

If you're familiar with NYC streets, it's not hard at all to find the quick ways of beating the traffic jams...
 
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DANSPANK

Guest
Apologies if you thought I was implying you were cheaping out on the ride. Didn't mean to suggest you were. I was just answering the subsequent post directly.

Yeah - accusing me of being a cheap bastard! And I've never once criticised your bloody weather predictions! Where's that Norm poll again? I may have to cast my vote...
 

Spylab

New Member
Sorry, I wasn't implying anything; just trying to read into your post. I'm considering doing this, but I can imagine that Manhattan will be more frustration than enjoyment. Though nowhere near a racer, I keep a consistenly quick pace over distance, and I'd hate to be clogged up for half the ride getting around slower folks...

A lady who is in my spinning class at the gym did it once, and suggested I use my MTB rather than a fixie because of the condition of the roads. I'd only be worried of shredding up the High Rollers on the pavement. Opinions on which bike to use?
 

TonyC

Active Member
Sorry, I wasn't implying anything; just trying to read into your post. I'm considering doing this, but I can imagine that Manhattan will be more frustration than enjoyment. Though nowhere near a racer, I keep a consistenly quick pace over distance, and I'd hate to be clogged up for half the ride getting around slower folks...

A lady who is in my spinning class at the gym did it once, and suggested I use my MTB rather than a fixie because of the condition of the roads. I'd only be worried of shredding up the High Rollers on the pavement. Opinions on which bike to use?

Don't believe the hype. The roads aren't bad at all. Go with the Fixie, but follow the advice and try to start out in front or join in up the road after the lead cyclists.

My experience:
My first Boro ride I actually went down to Battery Park and lined up. It took about 30-40 minutes after the tour started before I even got into the saddle. Lots of stop and go traffic.
We avoided the first rest stop to try to get ahead. It didn't work since the 59th street bridge was a huge back up. Then after you cross over the bridge you go up to Astoria to the next rest stop. I didn't realize how many cyclists were in front of us until we saw hundreds of people snacking and resting. So we quickly jumped back on our bikes and headed out. Little did we know the the Queens loop brings you right back underneath the 59th street bridge and all the people we have past cut back in to avoid the Astoria section of the tour. Now we endured slower moving traffic all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge and wait/walk to the entrance to the BQE. After that it was wide open until the end in Staten Island. Oh and the wait at the ferry back to NY. Yuk.
Would I do it again? Still debating. It was nice seeing different parts of New York from a bicycle perspective.
Good luck
Tony
 

mergs

Spokompton's Finest
JORBA.ORG
I'm going to make this a fitness ride by stopping at every bar with a Guinness sign, do a pint, move on, repeat. See ya at the finish. :)

ok, maybe not...
 
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