Lucky07

Anyone doing this? I'm planning on the 100 mile route. It's on Sunday Spet. 10th this year. Here's the info if you need it: https://nyccentury.org/

Hambone

Have you done it?

I'm gun shy after the 5 Boro* Bike Tour.



* 5 Boro as in, five jackasses....

oboeguy

Yep, wife and I are riding it on our twin folders. This will be I think now my fourth consecutive time, though only second on a folder (her second time, first on a folder). It's not like other centuries as the whole thing is within the city. There are some nice, long stretches on greenways (including in the Bronx) but a lot of it is starting and stopping for lights. I don't mind so much because I like to see the City, but not everybody likes that aspect. In any case, as you can tell by my repeat attendance, I highly recommend it! The rest stops are always excellent, BTW. Last year there were Krispy Kreme donuts at the first couple.

Lucky07

Oboe, you guys ride Speed Pro's right? I'll look for you...

Hambone, yes I'm doing the ride. In my opinion, the NYC Century isn't like the 5 Borough at all. The 5BBT is insanely crowded and pretty hairy. It seems like a large amount of people who NEVER ride their bikes pick that day to ride. I've done it twice and seen a ton of silly accidents. Still, it can be fun if you know what you're getting into...

The NYC Century is a very different ride. It attracts far fewer and generally more serious riders than the 5BBT. Although you've probably ridden a good part of the Brooklyn leg, the route takes you through parts of Queens & the Bronx that you might not see otherwise. The rest stops & rider support is very good. It's definitely worth doing.

cc_rider

Still planning to be there. Still planning to make it my first century.

kosherdave

I'm doing it (the 100). I'm a marshall. I did it last year and each distance was longer than supposed to be (100 was like 118, 75 was 86 or so) this year they say theyv'e made the right adjustments. Also, the velodrome in Quees should be more respectful and all riders should be able to stop there and ride it if they like. Anyway, look for me on a dark blue madone, I'll have a marshall bib on. Not sure what I'll be wearing, but likely some OCP team kit, like FDJ or something. Pull up and say hi!

zziggy12

I had a great time last year. It is an easy century, well organized, and it is a great way to see NY, I rode it on a ss mtb.

oboeguy

Yes, Lucky, paired SpeedPros assuming all is well mechanically with them at that point (they are finnicky machines). Kosherdave, I don't expect to see too many marshals riding a Madone so it should be easy to pick you out!

Glad to hear about the velodrome. I badly need a picture of me flying around the 'drome on my SpeedPro in my "Obree position" (well remeniscent of Obree's pre-Superman position).

Lucky07

I will look for the matched Speed Pros and the OCP Marshall.

Heh. I got some evil looks from the track bike kids hanging out at Kissena last year. I didn't take it personally. There were dozens of rec riders cruising around the track like it was a detour. I rode a couple of laps & went fast enough scare myself silly.

Scorer75

It's nothing like the 5bbbt.

The fact you are in traffic makes it harrowing at points but it's a great ride and the rest stops are great.

Tip: I would consider skipping the first stop at Prospect Park and only stop at the second stop at Floyd Bennet Field. If you ride regularly you really don't need to stop after 10-15 miles (ok, maybe 20) and it get's real crowded at stop 1. Also, you can beat the crowd to the second stop. Just my .02

oboeguy

True, but the KK donuts were at PP last year. When better to pig out than while burning 5000-7000 calories?

StalkerZERO

If the nyc century is actually better than the 5 boro tour then I will consider doing it. It really isn't the chaos I heard the boro tour was?
Anyways, what really bugs me about the nyc century tour is that they pick sunday the 11th of sep to do this. Why not this sunday the third that way we could have the 4th off from work to recover? That just bugs the hell out of me I tell ya.

Hambone

while you are in town, there is some very good calamari to be had in the lovely borough of Brooklyn.

Two worthy mentions: Casa Calamari on 3rd Ave and 86th Street and the hero place on 9th Street in Park Slope. (Calamari in a fra diavlo sauce on a hero.) Not for the leader of a pace line but damn...)

Hambone

is it a mass start?

cc_rider

I've enjoyed the chaos of the last few BikeNY5B's.
I'm treating the NY100 like a large club ride.

Group starts staggered by the distance you're riding, and it sounds like show-and-go if you miss your group.

TO EAT? What do I look like...a CANNIBAL?
(I'll be at my parents' place in Joisey, but thanks for the suggestions.)

TheEmray

Ok, I asked this question in another thread about this ride, but I'm curious what people have to say about it that have actually ridden this before. I've signed up for this ride, never done it before, never ridden in NYC either. The website recommends using upright bikes for this ride (?!) I'm not doing the whole century, but I still couldn't imagine riding on anything other than my road bike.

For those that have done this ride, is it ok to be on a road bike for this ride or is it really necessary to use an upright bike?

Lucky07

Emray, Road bikes are perfect for this ride.
Uprights? Maybe they're referring to Recumbents? I can see why they mights discourage those bikes since the route does travel through city streets, but you'll see plenty of them on the route anyway. Along with track bikes, old 3 speeds, cruisers, etc, etc. Overall the route is pretty flat. Some hills, but nothing of note.

I did the 100 last year & it was great. The ride begins at the north border of Central Park at 110th St. There is a staggered start (100 milers 1st) and the route takes you south through Manhattan. Down past City Hall & over the Brooklyn Bridge. That was a highlight for me last year. The sun coming up as I was going over the bridge. Beautiful. Into Prospect Park and then west out to Coney Island. North to Queens where you'll pass through the old World's Fair site. The north & west through the Bronx, and finally south back to Manhattan & Central Park.

bklyn74

by all means ride your road bike. i'm not sure why they rec. using an upright bike.

i did the 100 mi (more like 110) route last year and it's one of the most fun things i've done in nyc. i went to so many places in the boros i'd never been before.

last year was my first century so i don't have any real frame of reference, but the route was well marked for the most part, the support was good and the event overall was well organized.

i just hope the weather this year is as perfect as it was last year. . .

oboeguy

I've done it a couple of times on a road bike. Didn't you notice kosherdave posting that he'll be riding his Madone? (FYI, that's a top-end Trek road bike)

slvoid

Who wants to treat this like a race?

zacster

I just signed up for it today. First time for me. I haven't been on the bike in over 3 weeks now, with the weather this week, and vacation the 2 prior weeks. I hope I haven't lost my fitness. I'll have to get out this weekend. At least it is a fairly easy ride, if 100 miles is ever really easy. It should be pretty flat except for a few hillier parts of the Bronx.

I looked at the map and there aren't more than a handful of places on the ride I've never done, most of those being in Queens.

I'll be on a black Kuota Kredo.

And I won't be racing. Maybe for the ENY Century in October I'll be up for that.

slvoid

What the hell is the ENY century?

oboeguy

You do, but we all knew that already.

Lucky07

Escape New York Century, I believe. Last year I think it fell on the same day (or close to) as the MS Ride.

kosherdave

I think it's actually sunday the 10th, but still, a good point. And it is a good ride. FYI, the reason it is thru live traffic is to show people how cyclists and cars can interact successfully. That's the goal at least