5 Boro Bike Ride NYC

[Kanester]

Has anyone done the 5 Boro Ride in NYC? It's planned for May 7th this year. I have heard some horror stories about 4 hour waits to take the ferry to not enought places to stop and use a restroom to people getting trampled. Others tell me you gotta do it at least once.

I called the first day the registration came out to try and get a room at the Marriott but the room block and rest of the hotel was sold out. Would a room in the city be the best bet-any hotel suggestions that are not a fortune$$?

I know there is a train out of New Haven CT-but 4:30 am is a little early considering we live about an hour from New Haven. Someone suggested leaving a car on Staten Island-does anyone know about parking over there?

I figure 30,000 riders must be having fun doing something! Any insight and riding stategy is appreciated.

[maryellen]

well, all i can say is that i think nothing of taking metro north for the bloomin metric in westport or the golden apple in westchester. Yet I live in manhattan and don't plan to do the 5 boro. It's too big, too crowded, and too many people get hurt unnecessarily.

I know some folks do have fun, but I'd stay in scenic Connecticut that day if I were you.

[massbikebabe]

If you really wanted to go...

How close are you to New London, where you could catch either the ferry or the Acela??



karen

[Jo-n-NY]

Hi Kanester,

I rode the 5 borough twice the first time being about 5 years ago. I live on Long Island and rode it with my brother. It is also the first organized I ever did.

We drove and parked in Staten Island. There was a line for the ferry, but we were on the ferry in less than an hour. The first time we made a mistake and stayed with the gridlock of cyclists. We didn't actually start riding until 9:30, I think the beginning of the line starts at 7 or something like that. This meant that everytime they stopped cyclists to let people cross, another gridlock was created.

The second time we rode it was so much better. We began at Staten Island again, but instead of waiting in the gridlock to begin, we made our way up side streets, passed the Stock Exchange for example. We were able to keep an eye on the the street where the event actually was and merged in when we saw everyone was cycling at a steady pace. We were never in any gridlock. They do stop you every now and then to let people cross throughout the 5 boroughs. It was nice. I feel like I out grew it as I did the Bloomin Metric last year and I ride a wonderful path in Westchester, round trip gets us a 50 mile pleasant ride. But is a friend ever asked me to ride it I probably would just because I don't think it was that horrible and going over the BQE and Verrezano Bridge was a challenge, for me anyway. I also used my mtn bike with smoother tires as opposed to my road bike as some of the roads are not the best and some are cobblestones.

This is just my view of the ride.

~ JoAnn

[bikerINco]

The 5 borough tour was way to crowded and unorganized. There were constant bottlenecks and under supplied rest areas.

i would stick with the NY MS ride. They provide more support, more free food and the volunteers are great.

[Kanester]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the feedback, it sounds as if the ride has gotten way bigger than the amount of help that they have can handle. Maybe we will pass on it.