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In my first weekend in New York, a friend showed me how to unlock a CitiBike. Little did I know how much I would end up biking over the next few months...
New York has amazing cycling infrastructure, with most streets having dedicated bike lanes and bike stations scattered on every block and road. Although I initially used the subway to commute, I ended up switching to biking as my main mode of transportation. Whether I was travelling in the morning or at night, with friends or alone, you can be sure I was on a bicycle.
For me, biking had several advantages. Firstly, it was great exercise for my body. Instead of hitting the treadmill or going to the gym, my daily commutes served as my exercise the entire summer. I must have averaged over 10 km a day, burning almost 50% more calories! At the same time, biking allowed me to explore the New York districts and experience the different areas on a deeper level. More than just getting from point A to B, being on a bike allowed me to take detours to interesting spots I found on the way.
Especially compared to the subway, I found biking to be the more flexible and enjoyable option. No longer did I have to think about what subway lines led where and what stations I would have to change at, I could just head directly to my destination. New York's grid-like layout probably helped in this regard, as I could follow the roads in the general direction that I was heading and then look on a map on my phone when I got close to my destination. Biking was also the more socially distanced form of transport: instead of being crammed into a subway car with lots of other people, I was on the road, alone and in open air. Finally, biking was often faster than taking the subway. I remember a memorable moment when a friend and I were out late near Tribeca and needed to get back to Grand Central. We initially swiped our metrocards and were in the subway, but after learning the next train would take 20 minutes to arrive, we decided to bike all the way up to midtown instead!
As a cyclist, an especially enjoyable event was biking down Park Avenue during "Summer Streets". During every Saturday in August, the avenue was closed down from around 70th street until Brooklyn Bridge. I took the opportunity to bike all the way down from central park to my friend's apartment in Brooklyn. The bike down Manhattan has a slight downhill, so you don't actually need to pedal much. Flying down the street was an amazing feeling, and the satisfaction of making the entire journey energized me for the rest of the day.
On my final day in New York, I woke up early on purpose to attempt the city's famed biking trail: the Manhattan loop. This was a route that goes all the way around the tip of Manhattan, down to the ferry port at the bottom of the Financial district and all the way up to around 90th street on the West side. I managed to complete the journey in just under 2 hours, had a nice meal in Sarabeth's and checked out of the hotel for my flight in the afternoon. Biking in New York truly was a thrilling experience and I hope to return soon and have more adventures around the city, continuing my cycle of cycling!
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