On Memorial Day weekend, 2010, Kim, myself, and two of our friends rented bikes in New York City and went on a ride. We rode through Central Park, down the Hudson River path, across the Brooklyn Bridge, over to Prospect Park, and ended the day where we started—near Central Park. Even the slight detours through chaotic areas of Chinatown and 8th Avenue didn’t seem to phase anyone in the group. I was convinced that I’d found the bicycle utopia that I’d wanted so much out of Seattle. Kim and I moved here four months later, and this experience was a large part of the appeal.

Living here and riding on a frequent basis definitely shifted that perspective. Yes, the cycling infrastructure is amazing compared to many cities and turns a bike into a viable method of transportation for the majority of the year (I usually forgo riding late December through February due to ice and snow and the fact that’s it’s freaking cold). However, there are still risks, there are still crazy drivers, and there are plenty of cases where a bike path just ends with no clear way of how to proceed. It’s damn good, but it’s not Amsterdam. Between public transportation, our bikes, and walking, Kim and I haven’t missed owning a car. This is my attempt at summarizing what my first year of cycling in NYC has been like.

Commuting

For the first year, I regularly commuted over the Williamsburg Bridge to get to work. My morning route took me through the LES and SoHo, which was generally peaceful that time of day. Conversely, my route home took me through a busier version of SoHo and the real-life video game that is Chinatown. In a busy city like New York, you’re always a split second away from getting killed by something, whether on foot or bike. It’s exhilarating. I find riding in Manhattan to be less intimidating than one would expect, provided you plan your route ahead of time and pay attention to signage to keep you on track. Most of the city is well-lit at night and traffic at rush hour is at a crawl.

Now that I’m working and living in Brooklyn, I no longer have a bridge to cross, which is the largest incline you’re likely to face. Instead, I take a bike path that’s protected by either parked cars or concrete barriers 50% of the way. It’s generally low key and uneventful, in a good way. Occasionally, I miss the rush of riding in Manhattan and coasting down either side of the bridge with 6,000 other commuters but the relaxed pace is a nice change.

Recreation

Aside from commuting, weekend rides have taken me over many other bridges, including Manhattan, Williamsburg, Queensboro, Roosevelt Island, Robert F Kennedy, Third Avenue, Pulaski, Verrazano and Marine Parkway bridges.

I tested the NYC Greenway and rode the entire perimeter of Manhattan, most of it in one afternoon. It’s not as connected as the bike map would have you believe. After riding through Inwood to get back to the east side of the island, I was led down Harlem River Drive and eventually got lost in Harlem when the path dumped me onto a nearby avenue. I took a quick detour on Randalls Island before finding my way back to a south-bound route in Manhattan.

I rode in the Five Boro Bike Tour and clocked about 50 miles roundtrip. I rode 17 miles each way to get to the beach, twice. Most recently, I rode 60 miles in the Cystic Fibrosis ride which took us all over Brooklyn and the Rockaways. Not the longest rides by any means, but I’ve managed to see a lot of this city in one year.

Frame of Mind

The one thing that is strikingly different about the cycling culture here is style. Because it’s mostly flat, and because we have a surprisingly high amount of sunny (or at least dry) days, most people wear regular clothing when traveling between destinations. Girls in boots, high heels, people in large wool coats, messengers, delivery guys…it really runs the gamut. The average commuter, however, does not look like a weekend warrior as they do in Seattle. I immediately stopped using my cyclometer on a daily basis, and removed the toe straps from my pedals so I could ride in whatever shoes I would wear to work.  

As a rough estimate, I would say about half of riders seem to wear helmets. I occasionally go without mine when riding a short distance, to brunch for example, but I’m well aware of the risks and generally always wear it. In the past, I’ve had more of a boy scout approach to what I’d bring on any ride (helmet, pump, everything to change a flat, extra clothing, lights, etc.) but over time, I’ve started to appreciate the efficiency of streamlining my gear. The less I have to deal with, the better. Unfortunately, even helmet hair adds to your commute time.

Every cyclist runs red lights and stop signs here, there’s just no way around it. Actually, I may be one of the only people (that I’ve seen) stop at a red light and sit there until it turns green. It definitely makes you feel like a chump, but then again, there are a lot of riders in this city that follow no rules and piss off drivers and peds. We don’t need more angry motorists, however, to get anywhere efficiently on a bike you’re bound to blow through an empty intersection or two.

It’s a blast riding here, and it’s quite accessible if you take the time to plan out your route ahead of time. Signage pointing you in the right direction is good, but it’s not perfect. It’s also not the easiest thing to watch for when you’re dodging pedestrians, cabbies, and people that use the bike lane as a way to transport their shopping carts stacked six feet high with recyclables.