5 Boro Bike Tour thru Diesel Fumes - Diesel tow trucks spend many hours the night before the bike tour removing parked cars, so the bike route is coated with diesel fumes that contain PM2.5, Benzene and other toxins. Last night 3 big diesel tow trucks were on a street on the route for 7 hours removing all the cars. Diesel fumes linger in the air the day of the tour and even weeks afterwards, so if you feel sick after riding in the tour, this might be partly why. The air safety of the residents near the route, as well as the cyclists riding in the event, is really disregarded. read more

Five Boro Bike Tour - Bike tours Near Me - New York, New York

This is my second year and probably the last time I will be joining this event. Reason being, the organizers are no proactive in communicating to riders. Take for instance my situation. Today is April 30, 2025 and until now I have not received the packet in the mail. It was promised that we should be receiving them by second week of April 2025. I tried calling the number that we see in this page but the line seems to be hanged and you get a busy signal. Try reaching out to their chat link on their site, AI whose name is Volt will be responding to you with all generic answers to your question. I have nothing bad to say about the ride itself, it is a fun 40 miler. Its the Organizers and those responsible for sending the packets that sucks! read more

The good: it's a unique chance to ride on streets normally packed with cars or people, and see spots you normally never would like the Verrazano bridge. They have some cool swag (to buy) and the medal is pretty nice. The bad: from the start you're at a crawl because of the narrow starting passage. You have to stop too many times due to crossings. But way worse is the ending- the finish line has way overpriced foods and drink. This was shocking, any foot race I've done always has at least some good free options. And after celebrating, you have to slog another 4 miles to the state island ferry. read more

An overall great event that deflates you at the end of the tour when you end up waiting in line at Staten Island to get back to Manhattan. I enjoyed every aspect of the tour including the route, the sites, the entertainment and the amenities offered. 2022 was my third year doing this and the energy was amazing as always. I finished the tour in 3 hours since I decided not to make any real pitstops aside from where we had to dismount. The worst part of the tour that really killed it for me was at the end. I guess it was my fault for trying to enjoy the nice finish festival but the line for the ferry was atrocious and unreasonably long. Aside from there being long lines for food - along with some slower vendors in the marketplace - the lines and the organization in the bike parking garage was chaotic. People were arguing and fighting with each other cause people were cutting the line. As we got outside and as the weather really started to cool down, people got really rowdy. When people decided to take the NYC Ferry as opposed to the Staten Island Ferry, they told us that they would limit the number of bikes to 15...people were barbaric and throwing their bikes over the railing to try to sneak onto the boat. At that point in time, it was every biker for themselves. If the finish festival were to continue to be in Staten Island, there has to be a better way to get all the bikers off the island in a much more efficient manner. More ferry options need to be provided because only relying on one ferry to do all the grunt work is not gonna cut it for an event of this scale. Also, I heard that not enough medals were even produced to give out to the number of registered riders. I luckily was not someone who did not receive a medal but again, that's very poor planning on the part of the organizer. All in all, the ride itself is nice and fun and enjoyable but the end completely ruined the event. read more

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First time today! My top 3 complaints....... my only complaints actually: People are idiots- no matter how many times the organizers tell you to be aware of other riders you have many many who ride like they are alone in a open field. Near collisions and a few actual collisions that could be prevented if folks actually checked before "changing lanes". Rocket spandex wearing cyclist- your hey day is over- relax and enjoy the ride or find a competitive team to race with. Overall the race was extremely well organized but the Stanton Island mess deflated my happy balloon. That was horrible on so many levels. From other riders it hasn't been this bad in previous years. I plan on returning next year, but either I will bail out in Brooklyn or just stop to eat and drink and wait for the ferry lines to die down. Best way to see NYC eva- had no idea Central Park was that huge! read more

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A one and done! The experience was thrilling - nothing like riding the open roads of NYC's busiest streets.. however, sharing this road with 25,000 other bike riders can be tricky! You'd be surprised how many people can't ride in a straight line or just don't know how to check for someone they're about to cut off. I passed a couple of spills (riders gone down). Just glad I wasn't in any of them. Happy I got to check this off my bucket list, but the commute going home (particularly to get off of Staten Island) was long and tiring. Don't think I'd do this one again. read more

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So first the delta's since there are so many. Little to no trash cans at the rest stops, start (zero), or finish. Don't have a charity event and then litter everywhere. The rest stops had zero organization. You'd come off your ride and have to stand in one queue for a banana with thousands of other riders. Really poor planning. But the worst of the worst? The finish. They had about 8 food trucks and three beer trucks for 35,000 people. It was worthless. Then you had to queue for 2.5 hours to catch one of only two ferries running. It took nearly as long to leave the finish and get back to Manhattan as it did to ride the tour. The route was just not planned well. Did they run into red tape with the city? Maybe. But then don't have a half-assed event. Now for the positives: Lived and worked in the NYC metro area for most of my life, never have I seen the NYPD so engaged! They were handing out water, ice cream, and cheering us on. It was awesome to see! There were local musicians in each borough playing for us and the diversity was great. And lastly, the security for our bikes at the finish was great. If your bib on your shirt didn't match the bib on your bike, they'd stop you. They were very vigilant for theft. Good on them! Won't be doing it again until I see they put more effort into it. Hope they do, it has great potential. read more

I have been emailing and calling this company for months with zero response and even served them papers at their so-called office on the UWS of Manhattan for a refund or some sort of differed credit for a next tour. Covid cancelled the tour this year but I paid 340 dollars for a VIP pass that should have least included a jersey, bags, and some other goodies; but I have received nothing from these crooks.... I disputed my credit card charges and this organization took the time to dispute the charges to my card company, but took no time to relay any information back to me. They claim that they are non-profit and incurred fees.... BUT, regardless of riding, I received none of the items promoted in the package.... NONE I also own a cycling focused and athletic company, which was forced to give refunds and lose money this year.... my company chose to take the losses and not tuck our heads in the sand like an ostrich and ignore our guests... SHAME ON YOU TD FIVE BOROUGH and ALL YOU THAT RUN IT!!!!! NEVER BOOK THIS TOUR... and in my circles, we are all extremely offended that you would operate again.... DO NOT BE SUPRISED when your following will take a hill for years to come..... read more

Would not recommend this ride to my worst enemy. Have done many charity rides and this one was a mess. I mean a mess. Volunteers were terrific and the police were plentiful but the overall organization was seriously lacking. Spent about 30 minutes walking the bike through a couple jams still don't know why. At the end there was a completely senseless 1/4 mile walk through a cattle shoot to a mass of bikes and confused people standing around trying to figure out how to get to the ferry or the so called 'festival' which we never saw. Then Waited in line in the garage and on the cold breezy waterfront for 2 hours in a seemingly endless line for the ferry. It was the most miserable experience I've had. Don't do it. It was kinda cool riding through the city on semi closed roadways but not worth it overall imho. read more

The entire start and ride exceptional as always - One can never complain about the tour and what NY offers with road construction the organizers always do their best and riders should understand. When it comes to the finish Festival and entering the ferry back to NY, the organizers FAILED without doubt. After doing the tour for 27 years, missing only 4 years. This year by far was the worst. A three hour wait on the longest "walk your bike tour". I will be back next year - Driving out of Staten Island read more

This is an awesome 40 mile bike ride through the 5 boro's of New York. It begins in Battery Park and heads north through Central Park. You cross over to the Bronx for a quick visit and then back to Manhattan before crossing the Queensboro bridge. Once in Queens you head down to Brooklyn and then cross over the Verrazano bridge to Staten Island. The ride is well organized and fully staffed. There are water stations and bathroom stops throughout the ride. There were tacos at the last station for free! You must be comfortable riding in a group. This is a ride and not a race for time. read more

I recommend everyone ride this tour at least once. Anyone can do it. I was riding along the littlest riders (5yo? +), seniors, and folks with disabilities! It was great to watch and deftly motivation. It's nice to ride our city streets with no hassle of cars (esp the highways and bridges) to really appreciate the beauty of one of the most amazing cities. There are plenty of rest stops to use the bathroom and refuel. The festival at the end is nice. The wait to get on the ferry might be my only gripe but that's is expected with such a massive group (32,000). Hope you'll give it a shot just once. "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." read more

What sounds like a really interesting tour turns out to be a logistical nightmare. Either they need to limit the number of tickets further or improve the routing. Spent an equal amount of time walking and riding. Very frustrating and not very fun. Top it off with a 2hour wait for the Staten Island Ferry. I can think of literally a thousand other way I'd rather spend $125. If you're a moderate to serious rider, save your money and do your own tour at night or early in the morning. Never again. read more

This was my first year doing the TD Bike Tour and it was also their 40th Anniversary. I guess I can understand why some people had issues with how many people biked but I genuinely had no issues with the pace or amount of people. Most areas, there were plenty of space for those who want to zoom by or for those who want to take a moment to enjoy the view or rest. A lot of rest stops, in Queens they had massive amounts of bananas, apples, pretzels, music playing throughout and even bikers blasted music - at one point someone played "Bicycle" by Queen and everyone started singing. It's very different to be safely in a car going on the BQE and it's a totally different experience to bike up the BQE and to see Costco at 38th St while you stop and take a sip of water. The bridges were the most difficult but so worth it, especially on the other end when you're getting off the bridge. Central Park was a breeze, and you get a moment of genuine joy when you're finally arriving in Staten Island to a festival filled with food and music. I did in fact learn to appreciate my city a bit more so to me, it was totally worth it. They had lots of helpful marshalls, anyone that fell had immediate help, lots of water refilling stations, etc. My advice is if you can get a friend in Staten Island to pick you up, do that, otherwise it'll take hours to get home. Otherwise totally worth it and I will be doing it next year too! read more

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4.5 stars... 2013 marked the 34th annual 5 Boro Bike Tour, a 40 mike bike ride that includes all five boroughs of NYC. The bike ride lays claim to be America's largest cycling event as allows 32,000 registered cyclists a car-free ride during the first Sunday in May every year. Currently tickets are nearly $100 and must be purchased on a first come- first serve basis months in advance. As of 2013 rides must stop by the NYC Bike Expo (free) Friday or Saturday to pick up your packet (which includes your mandatory vest and stickers). The bike expo includes lots of bike vendors and you have the chance to get some free food/drink samples, buy some bike gears, and talk to vendors about their equipment. The race starts at 7:45am rain or shine and specific arrival times and specific blocks (downtown Manhattan) are varied depending on your registration number. I was assigned the earliest and farthest north start time for the general admission. I could have arrived between 6-7:30, so I arrived at 6:30 where I scooted to the front of my block. The only people ahead of me were special riders (charity riders and special pass holders). There are people from all over, all ages and all types of bikes. There seemed to be an overwhelming majority of 40-50yr olds with fancy road bikes though. When all was said and done I spend about 2 hrs 15minutes actually biking the 40 miles . The beginning miles are tight so you have to be aware of your surroundings but as the ride continued past Central Park the pack thinned out quite nicely. Along the way there were smiling tour officials cheering everyone one, rest areas with water and food, bike repair stations (labor is free, you only have to pay if you need parts), and first aid stations. They even have musicians everyone once and awhile performing for the bikers. The vibe was really positive and wonderful, the happiness was infectious. Because I was toward the front I made it to the halfway point (Astoria Park) around 9ish and where they were holding all bikers until 9:15 before letting anyone continue. This was the largest rest area where they had vendors handing out free food (Fairway had bananas and apples, and there were free granola, pretzels, energy drinks, and water-refill stations). Everyone was very friendly and respectful. It was the perfect time to take a break. The tour continued down the coast of Queens and Brooklyn and over the Verazanno Bridge(the NYC Marathon is the only other occassion where pedestrians are allowed on the bridge). Sadly the bike tour was on the lower level of the bridge so there wasn't any sun or views of the towers. Officially there is not stopping or photos on any of the bridges on the tour but there were quite a few rule breakers stopping to snap that distant Manhattan landscape. Right after the bridge is the slightly premature finish festival. Lots of food trucks and promotional freebees as well as live music. TD Bank sponsored this year and on top of their freebee swag they were also offering free massages and 4x6 photos of you in front of the Verazanno Bridge. When you're done relaxing around here (there are no tables/chairs and no beer by the way), you continue the last few miles to the 40 mile mark, which is the Staten Island Ferry terminal where you'll take the ferry back to Manhattan. As I mentioned the entire ride is car free, I only had to stop at a couple very busy intersections otherwise the NYPD did a very good job of closing down all the streets along the route (including a large portion of the BQE from Brooklyn Heights to the Verazanno Bridge). I had a wonderful time and am glad I did it. I'm not sure if and when I'll do it again but it's something everyone should do. It's really not as hard as you might think, I promise. read more

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This was my first Five Boro. I was a bit nervous yesterday because of the weather forecast, and when I woke this morning it appeared that it was going to be worse than expected. An easy early morning ride to S.I. from home, and I nabbed free street parking on Bay Street only 3/4 of a mile from the ferry. The ride to Lower Manhattan was pleasant and there was a lot of camaraderie aboard the vessel. A quick ride up to the starting point from the terminal and a 15 minute wait to get started. The ride up the Avenue of Americas was sweet, a light mist and slow and steady and plenty of morning energy! Few spectators because of the cold and rain, but some nice entertainment. The group wave split at Central Park only to merge again midway through. In Harlem, church doors open and a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace from one of the Gospel Churches. Bionx was a quick in and out over one minor bridge and back the other. Down the FDR in the fog and steadier rain and then the first real climb up the Ed Koch- awesome! Queens all the way up to Astoria and then back down into Brooklyn. At the 25 mile mark, I finally took a quick rest stop, bananas, min bagels, raisins and water refill at I believe Con Ed. Some thigh cramping smoothed out when I downed a Pickle Juice. Brooklyn streets quiet. Hitting the BQE as the wind and rain really cranked up made this the least enjoyable stretch. FInally, the Verrazano Lower Roadway approach. Yes, gruelling, determined to make it in the saddle, I passed on the opportunity to take some selfies. There wasn't much to see because of the thick fog anyway. Reaching the apex was so satisfying and the downhill was quick and smooth all the way to the finish festival! At the start, I said to this guy next to me that he should wear his helmet, reminded him again in Central Park, only to see him crash on the bridge entrance to the Bronx, sorry dude told you so ( not injured thankfully)! Aside from witnessing 2 more serious mishaps on the BQE due to the road and rain conditions, this was a well organized and safe ride. Thanks to all the amazing ride volunteers, tour marshals and ride assists, and to NYC Finest and Bravest for their support! Hoping that next year's experience is a fair weathered one! read more

I did this bike tour last weekend. This was my third time participating in an organized bike ride. I brought a group of 17 people, and I now realize that this tour in particular may be one of the most difficult to do with a group. There are throngs of people and so it's very easy to lose people. All I will say is you need to know a few things about riding in a group. Another thing that helps a lot is to tie something on your helmet that will identify you in the crowd. For example, people put soda cans, foam noodles, and stuffed animals on their heads. We had mesh sponges and pipe cleaners. It sounds wacky, but believe me, there are times in life when strapping an Arizona can to your head is a very smart idea. That said it's also quite fun of course to get the energy of a crowd and be part of a huge event. I think it does help as far as the mileage goes -- just like it's easier to walk 10 blocks in Manhattan than it is to walk 10 blocks in a suburban setting, it's also much easier to bike 10 miles among all these people than it would be to do by yourself with no one around and nothing to look at. In addition, there are so many people that the pace is locked into a slow pace. The first 10 miles we were just coasting a lot of the time. I didn't start biking until the Queensboro bridge. It's really more like a 20 mile ride. I think if you can bike 15 miles, you are prepared for this ride. That said, I don't think going to this ride with zero preparation is a good idea, either. Unless you're just generally fit, you will be one of those people standing on the side of the BQE in the last segment of the tour. I wish there was a way for them to separate bikers, such as a "fast" lane on the left. I think some attempt is made to separate people through start times -- the earlier start times tend to go faster. We were in the last group, which I think is the slowest. But honestly, I think that anything except the first time is probably pretty congested. And to do the first start time, you would have to wake up really early. I got up at 4 a.m.-- I could've gotten up as late as 5 a.m. that day-- to get to a 6 am carpool for a 9 am start time. That's due to leaving time for parking, meeting up with people, and the ferry from Staten Island. Speaking of parking, there IS parking in Staten Island-- we got the last spot in one of the lots at 7 a.m. It's probably better to just park on the street whenever you see a spot and just bike over. Parking is free on Sunday. Overall the event was very well-run. I had a good time and enjoyed biking through New York with all those people. read more

Did the May 3, 2015 5 Boro Bike Tour. Only OK. If riding with 32000 of your closest friends - half of which don't know the first thing about group riding etiquette or safety -through a shadeless concrete wasteland sounds like fun then this is your ride. Expect crap road surfaces, LONG unexplained delays and rest stops to run out of water and/or close prematurely. In fairness this is a huge undertaking and given the size it was reasonably well organized. NYC and NYPD did a great job supporting. Residents of NYC seemed less enthused. It was sort of funny/tragic watching otherwise sophisticated NYC pedestrians deal with 30k cyclists that didn't yield right of way when the peds tried to cross the road! In summary - do it once, check the box and go find a nicer ride next time. read more

Loved it. Will be doing it again next year. Not fond of the delays, but with that many people, guess it's bound to happen. Also, line for "free" Chipotle tacos was more than I cared to wait. They should have had more stations. read more

Overall it was a great day as the rain held off. I was warned ahead of time to be in the first wave or not at all. I opted for the VIP package and was glad that I did as the breakfast and lunch offered before the start of the tour and after were wonderful. It was great to be right at the front at the beginning of the tour even though I was passed by a number of riders since I ride at about a 10-11 mph pace. I do bike everyday almost back in Las Vegas for about 15 miles or more so that I'm in good shape given my age of 71. I don't like to stop and did the ride without stops except a short time when my chain came off the gears and I had to get it back on. The total time for my ride of the 40 miles to the ferry was 3:39:15. About 20 minutes faster than I have done 40 miles in the past. Going over the bridges was hard and even Central Park has some good climbs but the topper was the Verrazano at about the 34 mile mark. I never thought I get to the top but I willed myself as I didn't want to have to get off and walk the bike. Thank you to all the marshalls on the course attempting to warn folks of dangerous places but unfortunately people don't listen to the warnings and I saw 3 go down on the FDR right after they were warned of metal joints in the road. Also, people pass all over the place and very close at times, you have to be very careful in changing lanes. A special thank you to the NYPD and other NYC services that protected us that day. They were out in number and riding along with the groups. They did a great job of keeping us safe. The organizers did a great job as well which such large numbers. I would probably only do it again if I could find a partner that bikes at my pace and can do the 40 miles really 36 to the festival without stopping. A truly great feeling of accomplishment for an old guy. read more

They cancelled their own event due to COVID-19 and then claimed to send an email offering a refund that never arrived. Attempts at contacting them also failed and they never contacted back. Very shady company. At the time everyone was cancelling everything in April of 2020 for COVID-19 they pretended like they would still have their evert. read more

Hi all, I know a lot of people rave about the Five Boroughs Ride, but I've been on it twice with my wife, and we think it's a terrible bicycle ride. We are pretty avid long distance cyclists and have ridden a lot of tours over the years. I'll tell you why we didn't enjoy the ride at all. First off let me tell you that both times we went it rained pretty hard for the entire ride, so that makes for a tough day in the saddle right off the bat. However, we've ridden plenty of other rides in the rain, so bad weather doesn't automatically make for a bad ride for us. For us the main thing was that it wasn't much of a ride! It took us around 7 to 8 hours to complete the 42 mile course as there was far more standing around than actual riding. Waiting to get through holding areas, waiting to get through various gates and pinch points, waiting to get up stairs and onto bridges. In addition I think that native New Yorkers would enjoy the ride more so than riders from other areas because the New York riders ride their bikes like they drive; weaving all over the road, cutting off other riders for no apparent reason. Stopping in the middle of the road (often sideways), also for no apparent reason, and generally not following very good bicycle etiquette. The ride finishes up in Staten Island waiting to get a ferry back to battery park to the finish. And wait you do! We waited hours to be let onto the ferry to get back. I understand they wanted to fill the ferry up, but both times everyone was freezing out in the rain and tempers were growing short. So, as a tour of New York for New York cyclists, maybe it would be fun. But for every other cyclist, find yourself another tour, there are lots out there! Doug read more

First time ever and I will do it again... but... complaints: -there was too much walking. If you start in the second wave or later, expect to walk at least twice, slowly, for about a mile. (I was in the second wave and met up with a woman who had been in the first wave who did not walk at all.) -there are way too many people who are just learning to ride a bike... on the day of a 40 mile bike ride with 32,000 people! (but that is not the fault of organizers) People don't know much about riding etiquette, or how to shift gears, or stay in a "lane." -the lines were way too long for food at the finish festival! -NYC streets are not exactly smooth. praises: -FUN!!!! Seriously fun. Absolutely fun to cruise through NYC without any cars. Riding down the BQE with traffic headed the other direction was such a cool experience. The bridges were beautiful - plenty of time and room to stop to the side and get some cool pictures. -rest stops were great (I was in the second wave so I can't say what happened after me). There were apples, bananas, bagels, clif bars, nuun drinks (which I don't actually like, it turns out), and water, of course, as well as plenty of port-a-potties. -live bands along the ride were awesome -the finish festival included a free chair massage! -there were so many staff/police/SAG crew help - I was really impressed by that aspect. Some of the logistics were really well organized (I'm told people waited two hours to get back on the Staten Island ferry, but I stayed in NJ and just parked at the ferry lot, so I didn't have to worry about that) -I bought a BikeNewYork membership and really enjoyed hanging out in the member area - I'm not quite sure if there was beer available to purchase anywhere else, but I was very glad for that beer :-) I really had a great time. Next year I will do it again, but I will 1. start in the first wave and 2. not stop at any rest stops (I stiffen up quickly). I don't want to get hung up in crowds walking. If you don't mind slowly moving from time to time. The ride was great. If you're interested, there are several bars and restaurants open for business along the way :-) read more

Thumbnail on the May 3, 2015 tour: Too crowded at the start. Too crowded at the finish. Too many unsafe riders . Too much walking, waiting, standing. Not enough ferry service getting back. Not enough information on delays. In 2015 I saw many accidents. Support is good but rest areas are also too crowded. I've done this twice. That's one time too many. read more

Too expensive. Disappointing how such a nice ride needs to become a prime example of how greedy city agencies have become. I remember when admission for this same ride was $50. Now in 2016 it's $90+ for an adult standard ride non-vip. read more

This was my third time out. It is a well run event with lots of race volunteers who do a great job. There is nothing like riding through all 5 boros of the big apple with no cars in the ride. This year the weather was cold and rain but it wasn't a hard rain and it wasn't too cold (51). If you were dressed right (not easy to do right) it was just this side of miserable I look forward to next year! read more

Despite some overcrowding in some places, great fun until you get to Staten Island. After cycling 40 miles... Huge lines for food, vendors selling out, NO BEER TENT, then standing in line 2 hours waiting for a ferry back. 4 boroughs bike ride next year. read more

This was a disappointment. I won't do it again. It's not that it was hard, it's that it was boring, and not a good "tour". I thought I'd get to see some neighborhoods that I've never seen before, but no, I saw a lot of freeways and grimy warehouse areas. The best part was riding through Manhattan. You can't beat riding up 6th ave with no traffic, although riding it with traffic is also a bit of a rush. And Central Park, lovely as always, except for the idiot runners dodging between bikes causing potential disasters.. I can call them idiots, because I run in that park every day, and wouldn't think of cutting across a field of on coming bikes. All the crashes I saw (about 6) were in Manhattan, by the way. Moving on, out of Manhattan, we really got short changed on the Bronx. It was just a token half mile through that borough and back out again. Starting with the Bronx, the ride just became a series of bridges and freeways. Not very scenic at all. A bridge into the Bronx, a different bridge back out, and then on to the FDR where lines of traffic going the other way provided plenty of pollution for us to breathe. Over the 59th street bridge, one of the few scenic spots outside of Manhattan. Then we were short changed again. By the time I got to Queens, they had erased the leg up to Astoria from the tour, so I didn't get to see that neighborhood at all, and I was deprived of my full 40 mile experience!!! Then we saw the ugliest bits of Queens, followed by another bridge to Brooklyn and some time on an elevated freeway of ugliness. We got to see a few little bits of Brooklyn including the final rest stop which was nice, but then it was back on the fricken freeway until Staten Island! That's not a tour It's ugly and boring. I didn't really enjoy any of it, and I don't recommend that people come from other states and countries and waste their money. Not only was it boring, but it was pretty windy on the elevated freeways and bridges, which made me a little uncomfortable a lot of the time. As for the difficulty, of it, it's a pretty flat ride except for some ramps up to bridges. I have experience climbing some pretty serious mountains, so the ramps were no big deal to me, but a large number of people walked up the ramps and actually walked half way over most of the bridges on the upward slope. If you're not a climber, it might be a challenge. The walkers also caused such a serious slow down in bottleneck areas, that EVERYONE had to get off and walk their bikes SEVERAL times during the ride. I did several miles of walking on that "Bike" tour. Wear comfy shoes people. Side note, the "ride assist" people weren't very assistive. My husband had a flat, and over the course of time we were stopped, five assisters stopped, but none had a tire pump, or was of much help. One of the assisters was actually in one of the crashes we saw. I'm not sure who was at fault for that one, but we did see some of them riding very carelessly. Cutting people off, etc. We've been involved in some pretty huge rides in our time, and this one seemed strangely solemn compared to most. Not a lot of happy cheering and whooping and bell ringing that we were used to. Not sure what that was about. Maybe everyone was equally unimpressed with the chosen path. The finish line festival was nice, that's when the sun finally came out. Food was pricey and food lines were long, but it was still nice. The queue for the Ferry back to Manhattan was long. Really long. But I figured out how to get around that, should I ever do this again (which I won't). Getting on the 1 train right at the Ferry terminal in Manhattan was surprisingly easy!! The police were there to help you get through, and there was room on the train. I give MTA a thumbs up for their cooperation!! People on the subway wanted to hear all about the bike ride. At least the ones that weren't pissed that all the bikes were taking up so much space. :D That's my experience. I expect yours will be much the same. read more

i did TD 5 boro bike tour on May 7th marking their 40th year anniversary. its a mixed bag of feelings doing this ride..first pros: 40 miles 5 borough of nyc starting at Manhattan going to Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and ending in Staten island. includes 4 bridges with biking all way up and down on verrazano bridge its amazing experience biking with 33,000 bikers no cars at all ..imagine one side of verrazano bridge closed for all bikers..the ride is very scenic starting with views of freedom tower, biking through central park , bryant park and throughout you get pretty views of skyline ..there are plenty of rest stops and snacks/protein bars ..crazy amazing energy with so many people..now cons: you have to go to city on friday or sat to colect your packet for ride on sunday which makes two trips to city if you live far by like i do in new jersey its extra effort ..plus parking is issue if you plan to take car to city so only option is to take train njtransit and then path ..bikes are not allowed in subway ..at end of bike tour you need to bike to staten island ferry which makes this tour 45 miles total but there are crazy lines and wait for ferry ..luckily i had my friend give me ride back so didnt have to wait for ferry ..plus as there are so many riders you cant maintain your pace you cant go fast and have to be careful as i saw lot of people falling off from their bikes..you need to be careful as you dont want to get involved in a chain reaction ..nyways i strongly recommend to do it once in lifetime as its worth it ..amazing views amazing energy and imagine city with no cars cant beat that read more

Five Boro Bike Tour - cant beat this skyline view from top of verrazano bridge - Bike tours Near Me - New York, New York

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I just rode the 5 Boro Bike Tour for the first time this year (May 3, 2015) and there were pluses and minuses. On the plus side, I thought the ride was very interesting, riding through all the different neighborhoods, and seeing parts of the city I never would have otherwise. I'm from NJ, and have gotten to the city many times, but generally for business or some weekend jaunts. Another plus was how well stocked the rest stations were, with plenty of port-a-pots. Final plus was that the ride was well marshalled, there were many instructions shouted through bull horns, warning of sharp turns, or glass in the road, or an accident ahead, etc. Volunteers were very helpful and friendly. Oh, and I really liked how they arranged to have live bands play along the route. My favorite was the Rusty Guns! On the negative side, there was a lack of bike etiquette which raised the risk on the road. Also, the sheer number of riders was something to contend with, made for a very mindful ride, and not a lot of relaxation in it. Roads were so-so, with Queens having the worst of all boroughs. I was lucky that I was in the first wave, and didn't stop long at the rest stops, or else I would have probably waited for hours for the ferry. As it was I did wait nearly an hour to board the ferry once I was at the terminal. I'm glad I did it. I won't do it again. read more

I was very disappointed in the ride on May 3, 2015. While some aspects were well organized some decisions were baffling. Starts were set up in waves, well policed and organized but after the wave starts all groups were caught and held for a mass opening ceremony and speakers then restarted and routed through 2 narrow channels resulting in immediate bottle neck and back up. The ride was pleasant, entertainment great and the neighborhoods fascinating until the Astoria rest area. The entire group was dead ended into the rest area and then forced thru a very narrow exit. Resulted in more than one hour bottleneck..my god!!! Next rest area, Con Ed, routed rest traffickers back into main stream in a manner that brought ride to another total stop for 1/2 hour plus. This one became frustrating enough that many folks abandoned. Too sad. There is no reason on earth, even for this type ride, for it to take more than six hours to ride 40 miles. The end of ride festival was a waste for us in that the ride had already taken so long. Getting thru the festival space was similar to the Astoria Rest stop. The wait for the ferry was bitter frosting on the sour cake. What a beautiful day, what an organizational disappointment. read more

just got back from the 5 Boro Bike Tour. loved it. well organized & stunning weather, great views. i'll be back next year.