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New York City for Gran Fondo

miairhead

New member
I just a old boy from Michigan, and planning on coming to the New York for a Bicycle race Gran Fondo NY
http://www.granfondony.com/

I try avoid big cities like an xboss. What is the best way to get to Midtown Manhattan, and do so alive. I got a hotel (about 5 times my usual rate) 57th and 7th. :scratch

So what is the best way to not get killed coming into NY on my old Airhead. I going to volunteer support for the race so I am sure I ride some other then just in and out of the city. I figure I might be hauling around a camera or some such thing. Hope to see my son ride some in the race, but seems I always only see 5 seconds of his riding.
 
I just a old boy from Michigan, and planning on coming to the New York for a Bicycle race Gran Fondo NY
http://www.granfondony.com/

I try avoid big cities like an xboss. What is the best way to get to Midtown Manhattan, and do so alive. I got a hotel (about 5 times my usual rate) 57th and 7th. :scratch

So what is the best way to not get killed coming into NY on my old Airhead. I going to volunteer support for the race so I am sure I ride some other then just in and out of the city. I figure I might be hauling around a camera or some such thing. Hope to see my son ride some in the race, but seems I always only see 5 seconds of his riding.

Avoid rush hour. BTW, in NYC rush 'hour' is 7-11AM and 4-8PM. 57th & 7th is a pretty easy shot off the west side highway. You are also down the block from BMW of Manhattan (57th & 11th).

Coming in from Westchester tends to be less hectic than coming in from NJ. If you take a northern route across upstate NY & then come down the Hudson valley (lots of nice riding there anyway), you'll avoid the NJ entrances to NYC which are painful. It becomes a simple shot down the Taconic to the Saw Mill to the West Side Highway. Plenty of back roads options there too.
 
Definitely the most direct route, but it takes you thru the NJ transits into NYC, which can be more painful & crowded. The bridge is better than the tunnels. The NJ crossings have lots of bottlenecks (10 lanes down to 2 in some cases), complicated lane choices & people are anxious and switch lanes on you all the time (often not looking for bikes), which is why I recommend avoiding them if you are unfamiliar with the area.

Couple of other options.... take 90 by the lake toward Erie and then cut across New York State and then come down toward 287 to connect to the Saw Mill -> West Side. Otherwise, follow PA Pike (80) but bump up toward Scranton at the end, which would intercept with 287. Little further than direct route, but avoids the NJ/NYC interchange and you see some of the beautiful views of the Hudson valley.
 
I'm a little confused by your post. If you're that spooked about big cities or the cost of your room, what are you expecting to experience in NYC? You can easily stay on either the Jersey side, or a suburb like westchester, or long island and simply take a commuter train in to see the event.

Good luck and safe riding. :wave
 
It sounds like you're riding the bike because you'll be driving it as a support person, yes?

In that case: "thanks!" in advance. I'm trying to get my arse in shape to ride that route on my bicycle. I've ridden parts of it in other events and the scenery is lovely...for just outside the city.

What Firenailer is alluding to is that you should expect traffic to be all sorts of horrible, particularly on the day of the Fondo. Unless they give you some insight on special roads to take to get to the start line, you'll be sitting in traffic. That will be especially bad if you have to ride into the city from the outskirts of town anywhere near the GW Bridge.

Staying outside of the city will be cheaper, but you'll just have to wake up that much earlier to get to your designated start/position.

Once you get in the city beware of the cages. Drivers are not as courteous around NYC as elsewhere in the state toward MC and bike riders. In NYC there's a lot of upheaval against MC and bike riders because many of the two wheeled operators are inconsiderate, weaving in and out of lanes/lane splitting etcetera. There is targeted PD enforcement against two wheeled vehicles in Manhattan, so make sure your papers are in order and pay attention to parking signs. Manhattan parking signs are notoriously contradictory and always interpreted by the authorities in favor of issuing a summons. Other than that, NYC is great:blah
 
If you don't need you're bike while in NYC then you could leave it in my garage (northern westchester co.) and I will take you to/pick you up from the train station. Your bike will be safe and you will have one less thing to worry about while your in the city. PM me if this sounds like something you would be interested in doing.
 
Regarding getting into the city: What was posted above about coming in via a northerly route. The tunnels can really suck any time of day other than like 4am.

As for riding in the city: Be hyper-aware and be ready to act (not react) in an instant. Space cushions may be the answer to safe riding anywhere else, but in NYC they're a fill-in-the-blank question where cab or a**hole is the answer. Yellow cabs only care about their fares. Do not get between them and the curb if you can help it. Lane-splitting is illegal, but many riders do it. As a MC you can exploit holes others cannot (but will try). Jaywalking is the unofficial pastime of New Yorkers. The best thing to keep in mind: Ride like you are invisible and everyone is out to kill you, including the streets.

I commute every day from Astoria, Queens to the Upper West Side; I have to consciously keep myself calm to avoid rageing against, well, everyone. But it is an adventure.
 
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