bike tour 5 boro

Five Boro Bike Tour Map

About the five boro bike tour.

On the first Sunday in May, 32,000 cyclists of all skill levels come from around the world to roll through every borough of New York City on streets totally free of cars. For one day, the roads are yours, the bridges are yours, the City is yours—there’s no better way to experience the Big Apple. Produced in conjunction with the City of New York, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour is the world’s biggest charitable bike ride, with proceeds funding our free bike education programs. In 2014 alone, we taught bike skills to more than 16,000 kids and adults. When you ride with Bike New York, you’re helping us in our mission to empower more New Yorkers to grab life by the handlebars. via bike.nyc

Five Boro Bike Tour History

The event began on June 10, 1977 as the Five Boro Challenge with about 250 participants. The original tour was 50 miles long and started and ended in Queens. What started as a one-time event became a tradition the next year when the New York City Mayor Ed Koch embraced the idea of a city-wide bike tour. The distance was shortened and the word “challenge” was changed to “tour” to make the event more appealing to the general public. That year, the number of participants increased tenfold to around 3000. via wikipedia

• 2018 5 Boro Bike Tour Info
• 5 Boro Bike Tour Map for Google Earth
• Official Bike New York 5 Boro Bike Tour site
• Street Closures: How to avoid the 5 Boro Bike Tour

Watch CBS News

Five Boro Bike Tour takes over NYC. Here's why over 32,000 cyclists from around the world rode 40 miles.

By Kristie Keleshian , Zinnia Maldonado

Updated on: May 5, 2024 / 8:59 PM EDT / CBS New York

NEW YORK --  New York City's Five Boro Bike Tour is the largest charitable bike ride in the United States. It starts in Manhattan, then covers 40 miles across the five boroughs to end on Staten Island. 

Five Boro Bike Tour route map

The first wave of cyclists started at 7:30 a.m. from the intersection of Franklin and Church Street in Tribeca. The last wave left at 10:25 a.m.

The route then heads up into the Bronx, over to Queens, back down to Brooklyn and ends at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, where riders can then catch a ferry back to Manhattan.   

"It's 40 miles and I enjoy every minute of it," said Anthony Maynard, from Columbia, South Carolina. 

"It was a great destination and it was a tour, not a race, so we thought that it would be a first thing for us. We are not cyclists, so we've trained some," Nichole Muller, of Texas, said at the starting line. 

Many riders arrived Saturday to pick up their bibs and to attend the annual blessing of the bikes. 

"One of the reasons people come here, certainly not the only reason, but one of the reasons is people are aware of how dangerous this is, riding a bike in New York, and they come to pray for their own safety and ask us to pray with them for their own safety," said Patrick Malloy, Dean of Cathedral St. Catherine of the Divine. 

There is no official end time, but most riders should be done by the evening. 

"We're riding a tandem bike together, so that will be interesting just to take it to another level. We practiced yesterday in Central Park, we're good New York, we're good," added Meredith Mitsifer, of Arizona. "This is going to be amazing, I can't wait to see New York in a whole different way."

Cycling for a cause

The Five Boro Bike Tour represents all ages and abilities. 

"It feels like a microcosm of the world," said Bike New York President and CEO Ken Podziba. 

More than 32,000 cyclists take part in the charity ride, which raises money for Bike New York's free bike education programs. The nonprofit teaches children and adults how to ride, as well as bike safety.

"I'm riding on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation," said Steve Shiffman, whose wife has cystic fibrosis. 

"We wanted to bring awareness to ovarian cancer," said Nicole Moler, with the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition in Dallas, Texas. 

Participants from around the world say the event is a rare chance to explore the city in this way.

"I think a lot of people that maybe are not familiar with the city, they think of New York as just Manhattan, but there's so much more to New York, and I think doing it on a bike is probably the most unique way you can possibly do it," said Will Stafford, from Virginia.

Five Boro Bike Tour road closures

Of course, the bike tour also meant street, bridge and tunnel closures for drivers across the city. 

The Staten Island-bound lower level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge was closed from 2 a.m. to 7 p.m. The upper level remained open in both directions. 

The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge exit ramp to the southbound FDR Drive closed from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The approach from the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to the westbound Gowanus/Brooklyn Queens Expressway closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

See the full list of road closures here.

• Staten Island
• New York City

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TD Five Boro Bike Tour announces registration for 2024

Participants can sign up online starting january 3 for the car-free ride next year on sunday, may 5., by linda gaudino • published december 20, 2023 • updated on december 20, 2023 at 8:51 am, what to know.

• TD Five Boro Bike Tour registration for 2024 will open for general admission on Jan. 3.
• The 46th-anniversary 40-mile tour is set for Sunday, May 5.
• Bike New York, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides free bike education programs throughout the boroughs.

New York City cyclists are gearing up for the annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour as early registration is open for members, while the newly announced general admission date is less than three weeks away.

Participants can sign up online starting January 3 for next year's car-free ride on Sunday, May 5.

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

The tour shuts down streets along the 40-mile route from downtown Manhattan weaving through the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn -- ending with a finish line celebration in Staten Island.

All human-powered pedaled bikes, such as recumbent, unicycle, tandem or tricycle, are allowed on the tour, including class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes. Unlimited Biking is the official partner of Bike New York with costs starting at $75 and up to $350.

“For the 46th year in a row, the TD Five Boro Bike Tour will provide cyclists from around the world the opportunity to ride through New York City’s five boroughs completely car-free,” said Ken Podziba, CEO and President of Bike New York.

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This year about 32,000 riders participated, and the 2024 route is expected to be the same.

Live updates: Adams defiant as feds allege mayor took bribes in ‘grave breach' of public trust

Read: Shocking details from Mayor Adams' 57-page criminal indictment

Bike New York, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provides free bike education programs throughout the boroughs. Proceeds from the annual citywide event go towards funding these educational events.

The TD Five Boro Bike Tour launched with the first ride in June 1977. Last year marked the 45th anniversary of the ride, reaching a total of 1 million registered riders since its inception, according to Bike New York.

Early Bird pricing between January 3 and January 13 will cost $134, plus processing fees, with standard registration of $139 after January 14.

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TD Five Boro Bike Tour: map, road closures, and more

Everything you need to know about the 40-mile jaunt

Every year, tens of thousands of cyclists take to the streets—which, for the day, are blessedly car-free —for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, a 40-mile jaunt that travels across every single New York City borough . (It’s like the marathon, but on two wheels—and without the competitive aspect.)

The tour, now in its 42nd year, is organized by Bike New York; the first event, all the way back in 1977, only had about 250 participants, but it’s swelled in size since then. (The course has also gotten shorter—the first ride was a 50-mile jaunt made up of high-school students and cycling fans.) It remains one of the best ways to take in the sights of the city, if you’re willing to commit to a daylong ride.

This year’s tour happens in just a few days—so what can you expect, both from a participant’s and an observer’s perspective? A ton of street closures, mostly—read on for more information.

When is the TD Five Boro Bike Tour?

The ride happens on May 5, kicking off at 7:30 a.m. with staggered waves of riders leaving from the start point. The last wave of riders will get moving at 9:20 a.m. It’s supposed to rain on Sunday, so take that into account.

What’s the route for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour?

The ride begins in Tribeca at Franklin Street and Church Street, and will continue north through Manhattan and Central Park, before looping through the Bronx over the Madison Avenue Bridge, and back into Manhattan over the Third Avenue Bridge. From there, it goes along Manhattan’s waterfront to the Queensboro Bridge, then loops up and around Astoria, before heading south over the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn. Riders will have the run of the BQE, and finish off the trip by riding over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the finish line in Staten Island. Phew.

What streets will be closed on Sunday?

Buckle up, because this list of street closures is a doozy—every borough will be affected, as will major thoroughfares like the BQE and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

You can see the full, three-page list, courtesy of the Mayor’s Street Activity Permit Office, here ; but here’s the TL;DR:

Manhattan: Much of Tribeca will be closed off; all of Sixth Avenue between Franklin Street and West 59th Street; Center and East Drives in Central Park; about 25 blocks of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard; the Bronx-bound side of the Madison Avenue Bridge; FDR Drive from 116th to 63rd streets; and the Manhattan-bound side of the Queensboro Bridge’s upper level.

Bronx: The streets around 138th Street and the Third Avenue Bridge, along with the Manhattan-bound side of the Third Avenue Bridge.

Queens: Many streets in Astoria and Long Island City, as well as those around the Queensboro Bridge; the Brooklyn-bound side of the Pulaski Bridge.

Brooklyn: Franklin Street, Kent Avenue, and Flushing Avenue will largely be closed, as will streets in Dumbo and Downtown Brooklyn leading to the BQE on-ramp at Columbia Street. The BQE will be closed between the Columbia Street entrance and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on-ramp.

Staten Island: The SI-bound side of the lower level of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge; and much of Bay Street, Hylan Boulevard, Edgwater Street, and Hannah Street.

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A Guide to the Five Boro Bike Tour, New York City’s Massive Cycling Celebration

Each May, 32,000 people gather in New York to ride 40 miles across the city.

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• The 2019 Five Boro Bike Tour will kick off in New York City on May 5.
• The one-day group ride covers 40 miles and spans five bridges, two rivers, and each of the city’s five boroughs.
• Standard registration is closed, but the $350 VIP package is still available.

Each first Sunday in May, New York City welcomes a massive group of cyclists for a grand tour of all five of its famous boroughs. The one-day ride covers 40 miles of closed-off streets, highways, and five bridges spanning two rivers, a creek, and a bay.

The Five Boro Bike Tour, organized by the non-profit Bike New York in partnership with the City, begins in lower Manhattan and continues through sections of the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. This year, it will kick off on Sunday, May 5, at 7:30 a.m. and likely wrap up around 4 p.m.

Until then, local officials are preparing for the task of guiding 32,000 cyclists through one of the busiest cities in the world. Here’s what you need to know about the biggest day for cycling in New York.

A small group of activists organized the first Five Boro Bike Tour in 1977, with the goal of promoting cycling throughout New York City. Unlike today, there were no road closures or protected bike lanes . All 250 riders made the 50-mile journey with nothing more than a small police escort and free hot dogs and soda provided by Nathan’s.

A few years later, then-mayor Ed Koch officially endorsed the ride. His administration put city resources behind the event and enlisted the NYPD to coordinate street closures. He also worked with advocates to shorten the ride to 40 miles, making it more accessible and family friendly.

Still, the Tour’s original mission remains the same: show New Yorkers that cycling is a safe, viable way to get around.

“There is tremendous demand for safe places to ride and experience the city on two wheels,” said Ken Podziba, president and CEO of Bike New York. “We are advocating for improvements to the city’s bike network so that New Yorkers from all walks of life can safely transform their lives and communities through bicycling.”

Participants in the Five Boro Bike Tour hail from around the world. New York State residents make up about half the total amount of riders, and about 11,000 live in the city itself. Five percent of riders are under 21 years old, and about a third fall within ages 19-39, according to Bike New York.

To save time and ensure that traffic can return on a rolling basis, the City caps the number of entrants at 32,000. But if the route’s total mileage increases, Bike New York communications director Jon Orcutt said, that cap could rise.

“There are police resources and City resources that go into this, and there has been some hesitance to expand the scope of the City’s effort on that day,” Orcutt said. (Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office and the NYPD did not respond to requests for comment.)

Right now, more than 1,200 volunteers and 200 event-day staff contribute to the effort. NYPD trucks begin rolling out barricades as early as Friday night. Setup for repair tents, water stations, and temporary bathrooms runs through Saturday.

With so many riders filling the streets, the Tour does see its share of crashes. When riding in large groups, try to keep a steady pace and a safe distance from fellow participants. If someone does bump your tire or glance your handlebar , try not to overreact; you have less space than normal to veer out of the way. Be vocal with other riders, whether it’s to let them know about a pothole or a problem with their gear.

Where it goes

The route forms a tangled loop around the city. The first leg starts at Franklin and Church streets and follows 6th Avenue north into Central Park and Harlem. Then it crosses into the Bronx for a quick U-turn before circling back to Manhattan and shooting down FDR Drive, a busy riverside highway that briefly closes for the ride.

The next segment continues into Queens over the East River, makes a short detour up to Astoria Park, then plunges south along the Brooklyn waterfront. The final stretch crosses the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which leads to the finish line on Staten Island.

The route won’t change significantly this year, Orcutt said, but Bike New York does have its eye on future expansions.

“We’d like to extend the mileage in future years,” he said. “There is a desire to show off more of the Bronx”—currently the borough with the route’s shortest segment.

Riding for charity

Nearly 40 years after its start, the Five Boro Bike Tour has become an important fundraising tool for the cycling community. Bike New York uses proceeds from the ride to support free bike education programs throughout New York. Last year, about 29,000 people participated in its free cycling classes .

“Nearly every rider in the Tour now supports someone learning to ride or improving their bike skills,” Podziba said.

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In addition, between 30 and 40 charitable partners raise money for various causes through the ride. United Way of New York City, for instance, raised $68,000 with a team of 64 riders in 2018. This year it’s filled 72 of 75 seats. (Full disclosure: Hearst Magazines partnered with United Way to sponsor a 10-rider team, which will include members of the Bicycling staff.)

The Tour is one of the few athletic fundraisers, along with a charity walk, that the non-profit supports—mostly due to its novelty and inclusiveness.

“The idea of seeing all five boroughs in one day and seeing the streets shut down is such a unique opportunity,” said Shana VanValkenburg, manager of corporate engagement at United Way of New York City.

Registration

For those interested in attending next year’s Five Boro Bike Tour, registration is offered through imATHLETE . Standard entry costs $110 and includes a personal rider photo gallery, a commemorative medal, and access to the Finish Festival, an exclusive post-ride party. Riders also have access to fully stocked rest areas along the route.

Standard registration for the 2019 Tour is now closed, but the $350 VIP package is still available. This option gets you an official event jersey by Primal Wear, a bike bag by Manhattan Portage, guaranteed placement in the first start wave, and other perks.

Helmets are mandatory, and any bags with shoulder straps (like backpacks and hydration packs ) are not allowed. Riders can use any human-powered bicycle—including tandem and recumbent bikes, tricycles, and unicycles—or certain pedal-assist e-bikes that New York City just legalized last year . For questions about the rules of the ride, consult Bike New York’s FAQ page .

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32,000 cyclists ride across the city in Five Boro Bike Tour

The Five Boro Tour has returned with thousands taking to New York City streets for a 40-mile trip through all the boroughs .

This is the first year since the start of the pandemic that the tour is back to its full capacity of 32,000 riders. In 2020, the race was cancelled and in 2021, it was held with limited capacity to allow for social distancing.

“I’m feeling blessed. Grateful for a beautiful day. So excited to be here with 30 thousand-plus people who want to ride their bikes on the streets of New York without vehicles. It’s amazing,” said Janet Wilson, who participated in the tour for the first time.

The tour is a fundraising event for nonprofit Bike New York to provide free bike education opportunities to New Yorkers. Organizers say the best part of the race is the participants.

“First of all, we have people from every state in the country, 32 countries around the world,” said Ken Podziba, President and CEO of Bike New York. “What’s so great about it is not that it’s largest bike event in the country. It’s the most diverse and inclusive ride in the world. Look around. This is what makes it great. It’s a microcosm of the world. This is New York City. “

Riders who have taken part multiple times say experiencing the city through the tour is something unmatched.

“I did the tour ten years ago. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” says Kelly Santella. “You can’t see New York City in any other way. When you’re in a cab or walking but with the streets closed, it feels really safe. It’s just phenomenal.”

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A beginner's guide to planning your first cycling trip

5 Boro Bike Tour in NYC: The Ultimate Guide

There’s no better way to discover New York City than by bicycle, and NYC’s 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the most popular one-day cycling events in the United States.

This 40-mile, car-free ride takes place in New York City each May. It follows a route through each of the city’s five distinct boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.

The 5 Boro Bike Tour is not a race. Instead, it encourages riders to cycle at their own pace and take in the city’s beautiful, diverse neighborhoods throughout the tour. There’s no other event like it in the city. The car-free streets make the tour a fun, family-friendly event for NYC locals and visitors of all ages.

If you’re planning to participate in the 5 Boro Bike Tour, here’s everything you need to know, from how to register, what to wear, which type of bike to bring, and how to train.

History of the 5 Boro Bike Tour

The 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the oldest cycling events in the United States. It first took place in 1977, when a group of 50 high school students and 200 local cyclists rode a 50-mile loop of all five boroughs starting and ending in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.

Just one year later, as the city started to promote cycling, the route became officially known as the Five Boro Bike Tour and was shortened to 40 miles.

That year, in 1978, over 3,000 cyclists participated in the tour, and the ride has been growing ever since, with a cap of 32,000 riders. Today, 32,000 riders still take the streets of New York City each May to participate in the tour.

How can I sign up for the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

If you’re interested in riding the 5 Boro Bike Tour, you can register directly on Bike New York’s website here .

There are two main registration options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour:

• Standard registration: $129
• VIP registration: $400

Each registration fee includes a tax-deductible charitable donation, at $27 and $84 respectively.

Both registration models include the following:

• Rider Identification Kit
• Snacks and entertainment along the route at rest areas
• Water stops along the route
• Access to complimentary bicycle repair along the route
• Access to Support and Gear vehicles
• Entry to the Finish Festival at the end of the route on Staten Island
• Finisher medal & digital finisher certificate

The VIP registration option includes additional add-ons, including guaranteed placement in the first wave, a limited-edition Five Boro Bike Tour jersey, a tour-branded Manhattan Portage Bag, pair of Primal Wear Socks, and breakfast and gourmet lunch before and after the route.

You can also sign up through Charity Registration, although the price of registration depends on your selected charity.

What are the age restrictions on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

Children under age 3 are not permitted on the tour, and those aged 3-9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, or in a child’s seat, tag-along bike, or bike trailer.

10-17 year olds can ride their own bikes. They must remain close to the adult with whom they registered for the tour.

5 Boro Bike Tour route

The 40-mile route of the 5 Boro Bike Tour begins at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. From there, it heads north on 6th avenue into Harlem before crossing Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx.

After a quick section in the Bronx, the route crosses back into Manhattan via the Third Avenue Bridge, continuing south on FDR drive. After crossing the Queensboro Bridge, cyclists head north to Astoria Park. They immediately turn back around to continue riding through Queens and later cross the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn section of the 5 Boro Bike Tour takes riders through Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge before crossing the famous Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. This leads into Staten Island, the last of the five boroughs.

Once in Staten Island, cyclists ride toward the Staten Island Ferry. They then finish the route with a scenic ride on the ferry back to Lower Manhattan.

How to prepare for the 5 Boro Bike Tour

Train for the ride

Cycling 40 miles is not for the faint of heart. However, most people can successfully complete the 5 Boro Bike Tour with proper training. In the months leading up to the tour, commit to cycling at least 3-5 days per week.

If you’re brand new to cycling, start with 5-10 mile rides and gradually add 5 miles every week or two.

Practicing cycling outside is preferred, but this may not be possible for those living in cold climates. As an alternative, consider purchasing a bike trainer to use indoors with your bicycle, giving you practice on the bike you’ll ride during the tour from the comfort of your home.

Prepare your bicycle

It’s crucial to ensure your bike fits and is tuned properly for the tour.

There are too many stories of cyclists starting a bike tour only to realize that their bike is the wrong size, their gears are malfunctioning, or that their seat is uncomfortable.

The last thing you want to happen on the 5 Boro Bike Tour is be miserable on a bike that doesn’t work. Take the time to ensure your bike is working before the tour begins, whether you complete maintenance at home or bring the bike to a local cycling shop.

Practice riding with a group

Cycling alone is vastly different from cycling with 32,000 other riders. Before the 5 Boro Bike Tour, make sure you understand how to ride in a group. 

Even if you are riding solo for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, there are times in which you’ll be wheel to wheel with other cyclists. Knowing proper cycling etiquette and lingo will go a long way in completing a successful ride. After all, no one wants to be that guy who crashes into another cyclist or cuts them off!

Before the tour, be sure to practice riding with a group. Start riding with friends or join a local cycling team. Not only can this be a lot more fun than riding on your own, but it will help you prepare to ride with thousands of other people during the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

What should I bring on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?

If you’re wondering what to wear for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, the short answer is to wear layers . Spring in New York City is anything but predictable, so it’s important to prepare for a wide variety of weather conditions.

First wear a base layer, such as a cycling jersey or breathable workout shirt. If the forecast looks chilly, pack an insulating layer and/or an outer waterproof and windproof layer. 

For bottoms, wear a comfortable pair of padded cycling shorts. You can purchase padded cycling underwear to wear under a pair of regular shorts or padded shorts designed solely for cycling.

If the forecast looks exceptionally cold, wear leg warmers under your cycling shorts or opt for longer pants.

You’ll likely take off and put on layers several times during the ride, so prepare for multiple weather conditions.

Regardless of whether you wear regular athletic shoes or cycling shoes for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, it’s important that the shoes are comfortable, durable, and supportive.

Cycling shoes are designed specifically for cycling, and have a stiff sole that effectively transfers power when pedaling. If your bike is equipped with SPD pedals, use a cycling shoe you can clip into the pedals for efficient riding.

Our favorite cycling shoes are the Giro Rumble VR Mens Mountain Cycling Shoes. These sturdy shoes have a street design with adequate traction on the sole; they don’t look like a cycling shoe, making them more versatile for riding and commuting purposes.

If you’re bike does not have SPD pedals, a reliable pair of athletic shoes will do. Make sure the shoes fit properly to ensure they don’t cause any pain or discomfort while riding.

Accessories

Aside from clothing and shoes, you’ll want to bring several accessories with you for the 5 Boro Bike Tour. Here are some of our recommendations:

• Gloves , either cold-weather gloves or cycling gloves
• Helmet , make sure it fits properly before riding
• Speaker , for playing your favorite tunes during the ride
• Snacks , in case you get hungry between rest areas
• Water bottle : Bring two bottles of water; you can refill them at water stations along the route

We recommend bringing a day bag to store items like your phone, jacket, and snacks for use during the ride. However, bags with shoulder straps (such as backpacks and drawstring bags) and pannier bags are prohibited on the tour.

No one wants to deal with a flat tire on a bike ride, but unfortunately they’re very common. Luckily, the 5 Boro Bike Tour can help riders with any bike repair needs during the event.

Related : Bicycle tour mistakes: the rookie mistakes I made on my first cycling trip

Volunteers known as Rider Assist Marshals are available during the tour to help with flat tires and bike repair. In addition, the tour has several repair tents located throughout the route. Repairs are free, but bike parts come at an extra charge.

If you know how to fix a flat on your own, however, we recommend packing a spare tube or two in order to get back to riding as quickly as possible. Here are our recommendations for bike tools during the route:

• 1-2 spare tubes that match your bike’s tire size
• Small bike pump or CO2 cartridges
• Tire levers

One of the easiest ways to help prevent flat tires and ensure a smooth ride is to make sure your bike’s tires are properly inflated before starting the tour. Recycle-A-Bicycle has Pump Teams available near the route’s start area and at select rest areas. Be sure to take advantage of this service!

Which bike should I use on the 5 boro bike tour?

Any human-powered bike, including recumbent bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and tandems, are allowed on the the 5 Boro Bike Tour. The tour is on paved roads, so there’s no need to ride a hefty mountain or gravel bike.

Road bikes will see the best performance on the tour; their thin tires and little wind resistance make riding efficient. However, hybrid bikes and city bikes can also be great options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

Related : S&S coupler & Break-Away bikes: are these the best touring bikes?

Class 1 pedal-assist ebikes are permitted on the tour. These bikes have a motor that kicks in only when pedaling and have a maximum speed of 20 mph.

Should I use clip-in pedals on my bike?

We advise against using clip-in or SPD pedals unless you have prior experience with them. It’s common to fall several times as you learn to use clip-in pedals, and this is something you definitely do not want happening on the day of the bike tour.

Therefore, if you’re not used to clip-in pedals, use a pair of flat pedals with a sturdy pair of cycling shoes or tennis shoes.

5 Boro Bike Tour bicycle rentals

If you don’t have your own bike or are visiting New York City from out of town, you can choose to rent a bike for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

Unlimited Biking is the tour’s official bike rental partner, and they offer rentals from $75 for kids bikes to $250 for tandem bikes. Most adults will opt for the $109 daily rental for a Cannondale Men’s Quick 6 bike or Cannondale Women’s Lady Adventure. In addition to the bike itself, bike rentals include some form of a bag or basket, a water bottle cage, and a helmet.

Other bicycle shops around the city offer rentals for the tour, too, including Blazing Saddles, NYC Bicycle Shop, and The Bicycle Planet.

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How to Get a Spot in New York City's Five Boro Bike Tour

Gaining Entry to the Nation's Largest Cycling Event

New York City's annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour, hosted by Bike New York, is the nation's largest charitable cycling event. With an estimated 32,000 participating cyclists, it's nearly as big as the New York City Marathon. The event is typically held on the first Sunday in May. 2020's race date has not yet been announced.

The Five Boro Bike Tour winds through all five boroughs, as the name suggests. Cyclists get the thrill of riding in the normally congested streets of New York City while simultaneously raising money for free bike education programs. It's one of the most popular events in the Big Apple, which is why prospective participants must secure their places months in advance.

Obtaining a Packet

Like with any marathon, there are no physical tickets that confirm entry to the bike tour. Instead, registered participants will receive a rider identification kit, a packet containing a helmet cover, bib, and bike plate. If you spend a little extra for a Bike New York membership, you'll also receive a welcome kit, which includes more goodies. In addition to freebies, registrants also have the opportunity to purchase a race jersey.

Member registration permits access to a members-only beer garden at the Finish Festival, partner discounts, and early registration for the following year's Five Boro Bike Tour. A full rundown of Bike New York Member benefits can be found online .

Fully stocked rest areas, live music, and entertainment line the route. At the end, cyclists receive a commemorative medal and a personal photo gallery. If you're interested in participating, you'll want to sign up months in advance because spots fill up fast.

Registration Options

• Standard : $112 will get you basic entry into the event, access to the Finish Festival, and a commemorative medal.
• Standard + Bike New York membership : $152 will put you in the priority line to pick up your packet at the Bike Expo as well as access to a beer garden at the Finish Festival, early registration for the following year's ride, members-only rides throughout the year, partner discounts, a T-shirt, pin, and reflective sticker.
• VIP : For $350, you get guaranteed placement in the first wave of the ride, breakfast and entertainment at the starting line, access to the VIP line to pick up your packet at the Bike Expo, access to an exclusive VIP lounge, and gourmet lunch at the Finish Festival. As far as free gear goes, you also get an official jersey, a handlebar bag, and a timed climb over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
• Join with a participating charity : Alternatively, you can join up with one of the 60-plus non-profit organizations that partner with the TD Five Boro Bike Tour to help them raise money. You simply commit to a given sum of money and in exchange, you get a free registration packet. Check the websites of certain charities (Habitat for Humanity, Planned Parenthood, United Way, and more) to find out how each particular fundraising program works.

Additional Ways to Participate

• Volunteering: More than 2,000 volunteers are needed for five- to eight-hour shifts during the event. Tasks include setting up, handing out snacks and water, fixing flat tires, and much more. The benefits of volunteering include a complimentary breakfast on the day of the event, early registration for the following year, a t-shirt, and a discount on registration for other Bike New York events. Volunteer registration opens in February.
• Bike Expo: A Bike Expo is held for two days prior to the event at Basketball City on Pier 36 on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The expo is free and open to the public. It features vendors, exhibitors, live performances, and educational programs about cycling for youth and adults. (Event participants will pick up their packets at the Bike Expo, guaranteeing a crowd of some 30,000.)
• Other Bike New York events: Choose between five routes (from 15 miles to 100 miles) in the Discover Hudson Valley Ride in June, participate in the Twin Lights Ride through the back roads of Monmouth County, New Jersey, or join in on other local rides around New York City throughout the year.

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New York Today

The 5 boro bike tour: tough to arrange, tough to finish.

The organizer of the event, which takes place on Sunday, says it’s harder to stage than the New York City Marathon.

By James Barron

Good morning. It’s Friday. Today we’ll look at what it takes to stage the Five Boro Bike Tour, scheduled for Sunday. We’ll also get details about an appellate decision in a case that could force changes in policies at public schools with selective admissions policies.

Kenneth Podziba began by saying that it was harder to stage the Five Boro Bike Tour than it was to stage the New York City Marathon.

He is the president and chief executive of Bike New York, a nonprofit group that promotes happenings like the bike tour, which is scheduled for Sunday.

Then he said that he did not want to sound as if he was “bashing or belittling the Road Runners” — the New York Road Runners, the organization that puts on the marathon, the largest of its kind in the world. But Podziba did not, um, backpedal. Mounting the bike tour, the largest of its kind, “is a lot harder,” he said.

How so? Both events cover much of the same ground, from the 2.6-mile-long Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to highways like the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. But Podziba said that bicyclists were different from runners. They face hazards that marathoners do not have to worry about.

That is why the bike tour has blowtorches at the ready.

The volunteers carrying them look for expansion joints — narrow connectors between strips of pavement that give the concrete room to move. Only a little, to be sure. But there are two long expansion joints on the F.D.R. that go in the same direction as the traffic, creating a potential hazard for cyclists who do not see them in time to swerve away, Podziba said.

On the Third Avenue Bridge, where the expansion joints run across the road, “the gaps are large enough” to pose problems, he said. Runners would probably not notice the unevenness, but a bicycle rider could go over the handlebars if a tire hit at the wrong angle.

The solution? Put tape over the expansion joints.

The tape will not stick if the joints are wet, Podziba said, so on a damp day the bike tour volunteers go out with blowtorches to dry the joints — carefully, said Podziba, who was the city’s sports commissioner under two mayors, Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, and served as deputy commissioner of the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

After looking at the rainy forecast for Sunday, he said that “it looks like we will need to use the blowtorches.” (A spokeswoman for the New York Road Runners said that “we don’t employ this method” and noted that her group worked with the Department of Transportation “to ensure the marathon course is safe for all participants.” Bike New York does, too, Podziba said. The two groups also coordinate with other city agencies, like the Police Department. And Bike New York removes the tape from the expansion joints once the cyclists have ridden by.)

And then there are the potholes.

Before the marathon, the Road Runners can put a cone over a pothole, Podziba said, but, he added, “we can’t.” The bike tour has volunteers who wave riders around potholes. Volunteers also work to smooth out potential bottlenecks like one that Podziba was concerned about on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn, where he said a lane was partly closed for construction work. The bike tour will close that lane all the way so that riders do not have to snake in and out on Sunday.

Different starting points

The two events start in different places — the marathon on Staten Island, the bike tour in Manhattan, at Church Street and Franklin Street in TriBeCa. (The 32,000 riders have been divided into six groups, called waves, that will pedal off at different times on Sunday morning.)

They also end in different places — the marathon in Central Park, the bike tour at Fort Wadsworth, on Staten Island, where there is an after-party.

The bike tour now draws so many riders that Fort Wadsworth “isn’t big enough,” Podziba said, adding, “We need a natural flow of people leaving.”

There is another difference between the bike tour and the marathon. The bicyclists can get a blessing on Saturday at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.

It is something the cathedral has offered cyclists, but not runners, for more than 20 years.

“But we could,” said the dean of the cathedral, the Very Rev. Patrick Malloy, who will officiate at the service.

He will sprinkle holy water on each bicycle before the cyclists take “a festive lap inside the cathedral,” walking the length of the nave while ringing the bells on their bikes. Officials from the Department of Transportation will also be at the cathedral for a helmet giveaway for cyclists who need one — and on Sunday, they will. Bike New York says that helmetless riders will be asked to leave.

It will be a partly sunny day in the mid-60s. The evening will be partly cloudy, with temperatures in the high 40s.

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A New York appellate court ruled that a lower court judge had erred in dismissing the case.

At issue is what the lawsuit calls “pernicious racial inequality” in city schools, where students are sorted into two different academic tracks starting as early as kindergarten. The lawsuit argues that the system makes racial inequality worse by assigning children to either general elementary school classes or to specialized gifted and talented classes. Children on the gifted-and-talented track are often channeled into selected middle and high schools.

The lawsuit says that many Black and Latino students face “systematic exclusion” from the gifted and selective pipelines and are denied a sound education, as promised by the New York State Constitution. In 2021, when the lawsuit was filed, gifted and talented classes for elementary school students were about 75 percent white and Asian American, and there were relatively few gifted programs in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods.

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METROPOLITAN diary

Off Broadway

Dear Diary:

My friend was acting in an Off Broadway play. My wife, two boys and I went to see it.

Unfortunately, we got lost on the way and were 45 minutes late in arriving.

As we approached the box office to get our tickets, the clerk asked if we were the Spanos.

Yes, we said.

Thank God, he replied. We were waiting for you to start.

— Joseph Spano

Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here .

Glad we could get together here. See you on Monday. — J.B.

P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee . You can find all our puzzles here .

Melissa Guerrero, Troy Closson and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].

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James Barron writes the New York Today newsletter, a morning roundup of what’s happening in the city. More about James Barron

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