The Big Apple’s Very Best Bike Rides

There’s no denying that New York City has become a biking boomtown, with hundreds of thousands of bike trips occurring on city streets each day. Given the city’s gorgeous green spaces, dedicated bike lanes and urban charm, there is no shortage of excellent bike trip opportunities.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the best riding experiences New York has to offer.

Some Scenic Rides

If you’re a new or fairly inexperienced cyclist, you’re probably looking for a smooth and scenic ride with minimal tough terrain. This list from Curbed New York offers a great selection of beginning-level bike experiences.

The route through Governors Island is an especially attractive ride, as it offers views of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline. The route is tree-lined and has very few vehicles, making it a great choice for new riders. If you don’t own a bike, don’t worry, as there are rental stations near the 2.1 mile path and Citi Bikes within walking distance.

Say Hello to the Hudson

The Hudson River Greenway is one of the most popular paved paths for city cyclists, offering stellar views along its 11-mile course from Battery Park to the George Washington Bridge. The path is also well-suited for beginning to intermediate riders.

Though the route is fully protected, it can get busy during peak times. So if you’d prefer to avoid sharing the road with joggers and pedestrians, skip the more popular weekend hours.

Pedaling for Experts

If you’re more of an intermediate-to-expert level rider, New York has plenty of places for you to pedal. This list of nine of the best cycling routes was compiled by New Yorkers who work in the bicycle industry.

One of the most eye-opening is the “scary poodle,” which is a 100-mile route that features 7,000 feet of climbing and 30 miles of gravel. If you can make it, you’ll be rewarded by some of the most scenic surroundings New York has to offer.

Central Park Biking:

Right in the heart of Manhattan is Central Park which provides for beautiful bike riding against the impressive Manhattan skyline and varied and interesting sites of Central Park. There are three separate bike paths, the longest of which provides a 6.1 mile full loop. For a map of the bike routes visit the Central Park Conservancy website and a full map of biking paths in the park.

Bicycle Dangers and Injuries:

Against the attractive beauty and tranquility of riding around New York City, biking presents very real and omnipresent hazards. A recent accident reported on August 10, presents the hazardous nature of the unexpected vagaries of New York City bike riding. A 23 year old Australian tourist riding on a bike lane near Central Park swerved to avoid a livery vehicle which was blocking the bike lane. She collided with a garbage truck resulting in her tragic death. This accident prompted Mayor de Blasio to comment that there should be ‘consequences’ for the driver of the vehicle who blocked the bike lane thus prompting the accident to occur. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-metro-mayor-wants-consequences-fatal-bike-crash-tourist-20180813-story.html

What was the Legal Cause of The Accident? 

So what was the cause of the accident and who may be liable? Was it the livery driver blocking the bike lane who was the sole proximate cause of the accident? Or was it the rider of the bike who may have suddenly entered the lane for moving vehicular traffic and perhaps without sufficient caution who caused the accident?  Could the accident have been caused by the inattention and or speed of the garbage truck driver? What were the roadway conditions? These and other issues arise in the context of litigation and necessarily involve factors such as the possible lack of caution of various people or entities, all contributing to the happening of the accident.

Very often, there may be a litany of factors which converge to cause an accident. These and other questions which arise in cases of accidents involving bikes and motor vehicles should be addressed by experienced legal counsel.

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