Zoom Zoom

May 16, 2008 8:32 AM

Please help me find some safe, beginner-ish bike routes that start out in Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

So, I just got this totally cute bike. It's not going to scale any mountains, but it's a trusty 50s relic with a sturdy frame and nice tires. I haven't ridden a bike since I was ten. Until last week, I've been a full-time pedestrian oblivious to the joys and terrors of co-existing with cars on the road. I'm looking for some fun bike routes that will get my muscles and brain accustomed to long distance rides so I can slowly work my way up to speeding up steep inclines without passing out, preferably on low-key, scenic Brooklyn roads where I won't get doorsed or pancaked. I'm starting out near here. And if there are any roads I should avoid for the time being, please let me know!

posted by zoomorphic to sports, hobbies, & recreation (5 comments total)

You probably already know this, but the Wiliamsburg Bridge has a safe, separate, enclosed lane for pedestrians and cyclists. There's a little bit of an uphill as you work to the middle of the Bridge, and then a nice downhill into the LES, where you can take one of the quiet, one-way side streets into the East Village.

You may also want to check out the Transportation Alternatives and Five Borough Bike Club websites for group rides and recommendations. The 5BBC rides are very inclusive and welcoming to beginners. May is also bike month in NYC, and there are probably some fun rides and events that you might be interested in (http://bikemonthnyc.org/index.php).

Biking in New York is ridiculously fun and convenient, but it also can be scary, and it's unfortunately incumbent upon you as a cyclist to be vigilant for the stupid and careless actions of other people. I'd recommend checking previous threads for urban biking tips; TAlternatives will probably also have some helpful information and advice on keeping safe.

Please, please, please never get on your bicycle without a helmet, no matter how stupid you think it looks, no matter how much of a hassle it seems, no matter if you're just going down the street to a friend's house or on your way to the park. I was hit by a speeding car driving illegally against traffic last summer in nice low-key residential Park Slope, and went head over handlebars on to my head. My helmet was the different between a royal pain in the ass (3 days in the hospital, a broken elbow, a sliced kneecap, and a big bill) and a serious brain injury or death. Your are worth more than your vanity, and I say this as someone who is extremely concerned with the appearance of my hairdo.

If you haven't already, get front and back lights, a front basket, and a solid lock- all these things will maximize what you can do with your bike. Replace your quick-release wheels for ones that require a key or tool to open (I know the friendly people at Bicycle Habitat on Lafayette have a good range of options) and you'll substantially reduce your chances of theft. Get Armadillo or Continental GrandPrix tires so you can ride with confidence through broken glass, used needles, gravel etc. without fear of a flat.

Happy riding!
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 8:54 AM on May 16

(waving) Biker living in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn here. Hail, comrade.

A lot of bike shops have a free NYC bike map available -- it lays out for you where all the bike routes are in the city, clarifying where there are dedicated on-street bike lanes and where there are bikes-only paths. It also has various links to info about when/how/what the rules are for taking bikes on subways, Metro-North, LIRR, etc. (in a nutshell: commuter trains like Metro-North you need to get a permit, but it's a one-time-only lifetime fee of $5; subways, just don't park directly on the seats in the middle of rush hour and you're good).

I like to ride from where I live to Prospect Park and take its loop; on weekends cars are prohibited, so you have only other bikers to fear. You can also head down Ocean Parkway -- it's got a dedicated bikes-only path, running straight from the south end of Prospect Park all the way down to Coney Island. Other streets cross it, but they're well-street-lit, and it's a mainly flat course.

When it comes to on-street riding -- I have absolutely no shame in walking my bike through intersections or on sidewalks where I don't feel safe on the streets. RIDING on the sidewalk isn't legal, but I think WALKING a bike on the sidewalk is (if I'm wrong, someone please correct me), and frankly, I ain't gonna ride my bike across Atlantic Avenue for love or money.

You may also want to look into the Tour De Brooklyn. This is a FANTASTIC bike event, and is very novice-friendly; it's on the streets, but it's supported by MANY cops, who shut down traffic along the route for the occasion. I did this last year and had a GREAT time; don't be spooked by its 18-mile track; they give you lunch and a break at the halfway point, and it's only gentle hills. This year it looks like they'll be going very near your stomping grounds -- they start in DUMBO, go through Williamsburg and along the waterfronts, looping back through the Navy yard -- so it'd be a good way to check out some possible routes on your own. I did last year's ride, which went through Sunset Park, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, and had a great time (I'd be doing it this year too except I'm going to a wedding that day).

When you're feeling more adventurous, this site has some good routes for various bike trips, and has detailed commentary.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:21 AM on May 16

Here's a trick I use... Motionbased.com is a site, now owned by Garmin, where cyclists and other athletes upload their rides. There is a section within Motionbased.com called the TrailNetwork. I wish the search was a bit more refined but you can filter your area and types of activities to create a nice organized list of activities uploaded. So, I would filter road cycling in my locale and see some routes other cyclists have taken. TrailNetwork

The second option is finding cycling club in the area. It's possible they post their ride sheets so that rides can familiarize themselves with the route before the join in.

And the last... visit a cycling form like bikeforums.net and socialize with the local crew. They will have some tips and tricks and maybe even organize a group ride. In the far north suburbs of Chicago, we created the BFNIC (Bike Forums Northern Illinois Crew) out of the repeated requests for group rides. Now we have an informal century ride late in the season and a weekly Thursday ride.

Good luck!
posted by timmins at 9:23 AM on May 16

Lotsa maps here:

http://www.nycbikemaps.com/
posted by Calloused_Foot at 1:09 PM on May 16

The Williamsburg Bridge has a steep incline from Brooklyn into Manhattan, as I recall. Which may or may not be fun on a single-speed bike. I'd recommend staying in Brooklyn: one route is to ride south to the greenway along the Belt Parkway, which goes under the Verrazano and eventually gets you to Coney Island. Exercise caution, as this gets really crowded in warm weather.

As far as riding in traffic (or on a greenway), please learn to be a predictable cyclist. Don't weave in and out of traffic, don't ride too close to parked cars, yield to pedestrians (even if they're being idiots), and don't go against traffic, i.e., ride on the wrong side of a two-way street. And please, please don't talk on your cell phone or listen to your iPod while riding. I'd recommend cycling gloves as much as or more than a helmet, because if you fall, even at a really slow speed, your hands will take the brunt of the impact.

Good luck!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 10:58 AM on May 17