New York City Cycling Routes
NEW YORK CITY'S BEST BICYCLE RIDES
New York City provides visiting cyclists with cycling routes for every occasion. Here are four classic rides that we recommend. There are a plethora of cycling opportunities in New York City for the global cyclist to explore. Livelo can provide you with the bike rental and associated services to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Each route links to a Strava route with GPX file options for you to download to your Garmin or Wahoo GPS.
Central Park and Hudson River (32.44 km/20.16 mi) 2 Hour Route
A lower intensity ride that begins outside Central Park and ends in the same place. Leisurely coast through the world-famous Central Park and enjoy the foliage and scenery whilst surrounded by the concrete jungle of Manhattan. Exit the park and begin heading south down the Hudson River and watch the boats come in and out of the harbor. Elevation gained is approximately 580 feet and duration is about 3 hours.
See the route here.
Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Hudson River (45.5 km/28.3 mi) 3 Hour Route
This trip is moderately intense and offers a great tour of Manhattan island, the Hudson River, and even a glimpse of Central Park. The route begins at Central and then heads over the Queensboro Bridge towards Queens. Then cross back over to Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge and make your way up the western coast while taking in the sites on the Hudson River. Make your way back to Central Park and stop at one of New York's famous cafés. The elevation gained is about 850 feet and the duration is about 3 hours.
See the route here.
Hudson River (75.83 km/47.12 mi) 4 Hour Route
This route along the Hudson is a longer ride but not too intense. Begin near Rockefeller center and St. Patrick's Cathedral and head north along the Hudson River. Continue up the Hudson River towards Yonkers and admire the winding river and once landing strip for flight 1549. Captain Sullenberger was forced to land his Airbus on the Hudson when they ran into technical difficulties mid-flight. Stop for a coffee or lunch at any of the wonderful restaurants along the river and make your way back to Rockefeller centre. The elevation gained is approximately 2,500 feet and the duration is around 4 hours.
See the route here.
Hudson River to Harriman State Park (159.04 km/98.82 mi) All Day Route
The longest tour offered by Livelo in New York is the all-day trip to Harriman State Park by journeying up the banks of the Hudson River. Begin just south of the George Washington Bridge. Cross the bridge and head north up the Hudson and make your way into the mountainous Harriman State Park, the second largest park in New York and home to about 200 trails and Lake Tiorati. Circle the park and enjoy the breathtaking views of the mountains and city in the distance. Head back down the Hudson towards the George Washington Bridge. Coffee and food breaks are included and encouraged in the tour. The elevation gained is about 6,775 feet and the duration is about 6-7 hours without stops.
See the route here.
Central Park (9.79 km/6.08 mi) 30 Minute Route
Every cyclist visiting NYC has to do one training session in Central Park. It's mostly flat and you will be sharing the road with cyclists (and runners) of all abilities so maybe leave the power meter at home for this one and just enjoy the beauty of this little bit of paradise in the city that never sleeps.
The Park is officially closed from 1:00 am to 6:00 am.
The Park is closed to vehicle traffic during the following hours:
- Weekdays: 10:00am to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 7:00am
- Weekends: 7:00 pm Friday to 7:00 am Monday
See the route here.