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NYC Century Bike Tour

Gwreck Sep 08 2008 07:58 AM

I started to get more into biking as an alternative to running about a year and a half ago, but it wasn't really until this past winter and spring that I started biking on a regular basis. Started doing some of the various bike events in NY and in the suburbs, so first it was a 40-mile ride, then a 75-mile ride, etc. Yesterday, did 100 for the first time in the "New York Century" bike tour. A general idea of the route can be seen here: http://nyccentury.org/about_the_ride

soupcan Sep 08 2008 07:59 AM

Nice job. That aint easy. How're the legs feeling today?

themetfairy Sep 08 2008 10:46 AM

Very cool! WTG :)

Frayed Knot Sep 08 2008 12:13 PM

I've done that ride a couple times (but not this year) One year I did it it was very well run and organized. Then I did it a couple years later and their organization was a sloppy mess. Not sure why the difference. Different routes each year too. The linked map looks more like the one I did the first time -- went right past Cyclones park, Shea and YSII in the same ride.

Gwreck Sep 08 2008 12:57 PM

Thanks. Legs feel fine today, but I was a little wobbly when heading to the game last night (the stairs were the worst). This year would be in the "well organized" category. Route was pretty clear; rest stops were well-stocked. We went right by Keyspan and very close to Shea. Could see the House of Evil from across the Harlem River but didn't ride by it.

Frayed Knot Sep 08 2008 03:05 PM

The 2nd time I did it ('05 or '06) their sign-in procedure was screwed up, the route was marked well enough but the mileage was off; they directed us to the velodrome (in Kissena I think) but it was closed; and the spacing between rest/food stops was uneven. Did the full century the first time, but only the 75-er the 2nd, partly because of a 'been-there-done-that' thing but mainly because of a late start (sign-in screw-up) and that their 75 was already more than 90 on my computer. Oddly the first time I did a day-of sign-in a it went a lot smoother. 2nd time I applied weeks in advance and wound up waiting for an hour just to get going. Maybe that year was just a one-time thing.

Kong76 Sep 08 2008 03:41 PM

That's pretty cool, I can't imagine peddling 100 miles in one day and then going to a baseball game. Gw's our new iron man. Is everyone on their own if you get like a flat or worse when you're x number of miles away from the start/finish? Do you need to have a really high end performance bike to do 100 miles in one day? Do you guys have fancy bikes or do people do it on all kinds of rides?

Frayed Knot Sep 08 2008 05:55 PM

Generally if you're going to do any long rides you should have a spare & tools along with you and be able to fix flats. Even doing a weekend 5-miler can be a bitch of a walk back home otherwise. During an organized ride like this they have a couple a mechanics at the 3 or 4 rest/food stops along the way if you need any additional adjustments or quick fixes. Do you need to have a really high end performance bike to do 100 miles in one day? Don't need anything super high-end, although newer, lighter bikes are certainly easier. But ultimately YOU matter more than the machine. Was doing a multi-day ride a bunch of years back where most of the folks had pretty new stuff with a full range of gears for both flats and hills and everything in between. Then there was this one older guy on an ancient single-geared Schwinn complete with fenders and the whole works plus a little hand-made sign attached listing - hell, bragging - that the bike itself weighed some 35 pounds and that 'gears are for sissies'. Dude wasn't fast but I never saw him stop and he was out there every day plugging along.

Gwreck Sep 08 2008 11:08 PM

[quote="KC"]That's pretty cool, I can't imagine peddling 100 miles in one day and then going to a baseball game. Gw's our new iron man. Is everyone on their own if you get like a flat or worse when you're x number of miles away from the start/finish?

Thanks KC. My better half was a little worried about me being tired/dehydrated, but since we live near such easy access to Shea, it was no big deal to get home, shower/change/nap and get on the subway.

Is everyone on their own if you get like a flat or worse when you're x number of miles away from the start/finish?

I actually did get a flat -- got a big nail in my back tire while on Randall's Island, somewhere around the 75 mile mark. Put a crimp in my momentum.

I was carrying a spare tube and know how to change a tire. The back wheel with the gears is a little tricky. I didn't have a pump however (!) but there were several helpful riders who offered assistance.

Generally speaking on a long ride, everybody is advised to carry a spare tube and small pump, just to be safe.

Do you need to have a really high end performance bike to do 100 miles in one day? Do you guys have fancy bikes or do people do it on all kinds of rides?

I have a standard mountain bike (ie. the fat tires) that I paid about $250 for new, about ten years ago. (I did take in in to the bike shop and got the $50 "fix/check everything tune up.") I would say I was in the vast minority however -- most people have road bikes (ie. thin tires) which were fancier.

That being said, you don't *need* a fancy bike to do even the long rides, although I'm pretty sure that it helps quite a bit.

Gwreck Sep 08 2008 11:12 PM

[quote="Frayed Knot":t3qieyu2]The 2nd time I did it ('05 or '06) their sign-in procedure was screwed up, the route was marked well enough but the mileage was off; they directed us to the velodrome (in Kissena I think) but it was closed; and the spacing between rest/food stops was uneven. Did the full century the first time, but only the 75-er the 2nd, partly because of a 'been-there-done-that' thing but mainly because of a late start (sign-in screw-up) and that their 75 was already more than 90 on my computer.[/quote:t3qieyu2] For what it's worth -- and this is the only year I did it -- they avoided those problems this year. Rest stops were at 15, 35, 50, 70 and 90 miles; the Kissena Park velodrome was open (we did one lap as part of the route). I thought the routing was *very* well done. I know NYC pretty well but there were neighborhoods that I had never seen before (lots of western Queens). Seemed like a solid 35%+ of the ride was on off-street greenways along the waterfront/in parks which was very nice.

soupcan Sep 09 2008 07:32 AM

I've got my annual 3-day 250 mile charity ride coming up in two weeks (9/19-21). 7th year I'm doing it, we average about 80 or so miles a day. The most miles I've ever done in one day is 93 I think, which was on this ride a few years back. Over the years we've had people do the ride in fixed gears and hybrid bikes - and FK's right - as long as the riders are in shape, the bikes are secondary (the freak of nature that used the fixed gear was just a monster). A good, light road bike with lotsa gears however can make a difference, especially on hills. I've even got a 'granny gear' on mine - I'm not proud man, you should see some of the elevations we have to ride. This ride is chock full of long steep hills as it travels through and around upstate Connecticut mostly along the New York State border. Here's the route (I think that the rider in the yellow jersey in the picture to the left of the map is me but I'm not sure). Anybody who rides with any frequency does (or definitely should) carry a spare tube and pump and know how to change a flat. On lots of rides (mine included) they have support vehicles with mechanic's in them who ride along with you and will assist you with flats or gear problems or whatever. That NYC ride looks great - I'd love to do that next year. Do you have any pictures Gwreck?

AG/DC Sep 09 2008 07:43 AM

People give me shit that I've got a hybrid even though I do 95% of my driving on the same city corridor, and it has kick stand and a rack and that I take my lock with me rather than leaving it attached to the rack at work and they cry out about extra weight! I mean, the idea is exercise, right?

Frayed Knot Sep 09 2008 07:49 AM

I thought the routing was *very* well done. I know NYC pretty well but there were neighborhoods that I had never seen before (lots of western Queens). Seemed like a solid 35%+ of the ride was on off-street greenways along the waterfront/in parks which was very nice. It definitely was - although again, better the one year than the other. There were times when I had zero idea where I was - various parklands in west-central Queens where you're passing Spanish soccer games and south Asian cricket matches virtually next to each other - but as long as I saw the markers and other bikers I figured I was still headed in the right direction. The group that runs it, 'Transportation Alternatives' is a biker/commuter advocacy group that tends to fight for things like more car-free Central Park hours and the like so whenever there's some issue in the news about that stuff a TA spokesperson is usually the one being interviewed. (I secretly suspect their real goals include elimination of all cars from the planet and the installation of world socialism but, what the hey, they got my 40 bucks for their fight). Those "green" paths throughout the city are kind of their baby so the ride showcases a lot of them. They also like to include those regular roads designated as "car friendly" in order to install the idea that bikes are vehicles too.

soupcan Sep 09 2008 08:16 AM

[quote="AG/DC"]People give me shit that I've got a hybrid even though I do 95% of my driving on the same city corridor, and it has kick stand and a rack and that I take my lock with me rather than leaving it attached to the rack at work and they cry out about extra weight! I mean, the idea is exercise, right?

Absolutely. And especially if you're just commuting in a city. You'd trash a good road bike in no time. If I was riding through cities and I wasn't a bike messenger I would definitely use a hybrid.

Gwreck Sep 09 2008 09:32 AM

[quote="Frayed Knot":19sz0oox](I secretly suspect their real goals include elimination of all cars from the planet and the installation of world socialism but, what the hey, they got my 40 bucks for their fight). [/quote:19sz0oox] Heh. I wouldn't be surprised. :) From a purely self-interested perspective, though, there are a *lot* of new bike routes/lanes on streets in my area now, and I don't doubt that the TA people had their hand in getting it done.

Frayed Knot Sep 09 2008 10:56 AM

Light-weight, skinny-tired bikes are always going to be better for speed and distance as compared to fat-tired, heavier ones but those are hardly the only factors to consider.

Gwreck Sep 09 2008 12:12 PM

[quote="soupcan":2c7i1x73]That NYC ride looks great - I'd love to do that next year. Do you have any pictures Gwreck?[/quote:2c7i1x73] Nope, sorry. I suck. I somehow managed to break my camera at Kauffman Stadium a couple of weeks ago and haven't gotten it fixed yet.

Centerfield Sep 12 2008 11:51 AM

How long does it take to bike 100 miles? The number is inconceivable to me. Congrats to everyone in this thread.

Gwreck Sep 12 2008 12:02 PM

About 9 hours, inclusive of 4 stops for water/food. Although many did it faster than me.

Frayed Knot Sep 12 2008 12:27 PM

"How long does it take to bike 100 miles?" Depends on how fast you go (bah-da-ching} It's like distance running I suppose. Some who do it are going to be interested in their time while others will stop and smell the roses along the way (and eat the doughnuts) and as long as they get there before dark it's OK. The only problem with stopping too long at one of the food/rest stops is that you start to become less eager to get back on the bike. From 5 years ago

AG/DC Sep 12 2008 12:56 PM

I did one century in my life --- driving from Hempstead out to the North Fork. The last 35 miles, my friend Jim must've made us stop to refuel five times. I was going to throttle him.

Frayed Knot Sep 21 2008 11:50 AM

A NYDN article on bike routes in Queens and Brooklyn with the usual assortment of Transportation Alternatives spokesmen quoted. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/que ... etter.html