Explore NYC with these Ride Ideas!

Long Rides Around NYC

With the New York City Century coming up, WE are working to make sure our legs are up for the challenge and are preparing by doing some longer rides. Most cyclists point to 9W and River Road/Henry Hudson Drive when asked about their favorite 30+ mile ride, (WE’re doing that this month also!) but there are plenty of options for long rides within New York City. WE asked one of our ride leaders, Elyse Bejasa, to tell us about a few of her favorites.

Of course, the length of the route depends on where you start your journey so you may end up doing more miles that day, but these are great ways to get those legs ready for the Century!

Please note that the routes listed below are suggestions and you should always consult a map before a ride.

Shore Parkway to the Beach
Right along the Belt Parkway is the Shore Parkway, a long stretch of a bike and pedestrian path that follows the coast line. The bike path takes you from Bay Ridge all the way to Coney Island, then picks up again and goes all the way farther east into Queens. Starting from Grand Army Plaza, this route is about 30 miles long. There are restrooms and water fountains to refill water bottles at Jacob Riis and Canarsie Pier.

Gotham Loop
One popular ride WE did last year was the Gotham Loop, which takes you along the outer edge of Manhattan, mostly on bike paths. It’s about 30 miles the whole way around the island and there are plenty of places to stop, take in some views, and use facilities as necessary. Additional information here.

Queens Parks Tour
I’ve only done this in pieces, but would love to try it all in one shot one day. Queens has some great parks that span out all over the borough. This route, which is about 27.5 miles with a start and finish at Astoria Park, takes you through 4 of them. Expect to be on local roads between parks, but on some nice shaded bike paths while in the parks themselves.

Have other recommendations? Let us know in the Female Bike Forum by WE Bike NYC!