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

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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NYC Five Boro Bike Tour 2023: Everything you need to know for Sunday’s event

• Published: May. 07, 2023, 5:00 a.m.

Tens of thousands of cyclists will take to the streets of New York City on Sunday for the 40-mile TD Five Boro Bike Tour.

• Erik Bascome | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Tens of thousands of bicyclists will line the streets of New York City on Sunday, May 7 for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, the nation’s largest charitable bike ride.

Cyclists participating in the event can expect picture perfect weather, according to the forecast, which calls for sunny skies with a high of 72 degrees.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 TD Five Boro Bike Tour.

WHEN WILL IT TAKE PLACE?

The event will take place on Sunday, May 7, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHAT IS THE ROUTE?

The 40-mile tour spans the city’s five boroughs, beginning in Lower Manhattan and traveling north into the Bronx, before heading to Queens, Brooklyn and ultimately, crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and concluding in St. George near the Staten Island Ferry.

Click here to view a map of the route.

HOW MANY RIDERS WILL PARTICIPATE?

The event will feature 32,000 riders from all over the world.

STREET CLOSURES

To accommodate the final leg of the tour, the Department of Transportation has announced that the following Staten Island streets will be closed on Sunday, at the discretion of the NYPD.

• Bay Street, between New York Avenue and Hylan Boulevard
• Hylan Boulevard, between Bay Street and Edgewater Street
• Edgewater Street/Front Street, between Hylan Boulevard and Hannah Street
• Hannah Street, between Front Street and Bay Street
• Bay Street, between Hannah Street and Richmond Terrace
• Richmond Terrace, between Bay Street and Nicholas Street
• Wall Street, between Richmond Terrace and Dead End

Additionally, the Staten Island-bound lower level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be closed on Sunday from 12:01 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The upper level of the bridge will remain open in both directions throughout the entirety of the event, though it will only be accessible in the Staten Island-bound direction from the Belt Parkway and 92 Street entrance ramps.

Other closings at and around the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge include:

• The Gowanus/Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) westbound approach (I-278 West) to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• One Brooklyn bound lane on the lower level from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Bay Street exit from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• The 92 Street entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Belt Parkway entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Lily Pond Ave exit from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY INFORMATION

On the day of the event, the Staten Island Ferry will provide 20-minute service from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., 15-minute service from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and regularly-scheduled 30-minute service at all other times.

All cyclists are required to board the boat on the lower level at both the Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan and the St. George Terminal, located at 1 Bay St. on Staten Island.

Riders must dismount and walk their bicycles while in the waiting area and when boarding and departing the boat. Riding on and off the boat is prohibited.

All bicycles must be stored in the designated storage area on the lower level of each vessel.

Riders may be subject to security screenings at the terminal.

The Staten Island Ferry is free of charge for all passengers and bicycles.

The Department of Transportation, the agency that operates the Staten Island Ferry, is not responsible for any stolen or damage bicycles.

WHERE DO THE PROCEEDS GO?

All proceeds from the TD Five Boro Bike Tour go toward Bike New York’s free bike education programs, which provide services to over 25,000 adults and children each year.

ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION NEWS

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Five Boro Bike Tour takes over NYC: See map and road closures

More than 32,000 cyclists are expected to join in for the biggest charitable bike ride in the world, according to the organization's site., by nbc new york staff • published may 3, 2024 • updated on may 5, 2024 at 12:48 pm.

Planning on spending Sunday outside, or at least moving about the city? You'll have to dodge more than just raindrops.

The Five Boro Bike Tour will be making its way through New York City. The 40-mile route starts in lower Manhattan, going up Sixth Avenue into Central Park and through Harlem before crossing over into the Bronx briefly. It then comes back onto FDR Drive, crosses the Queensboro Bridge and into Long Island City.

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

Next is a trip across the Pulaski Bridge into Greenpoint before going onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Gowanus Parkway. From there, the tour hits the Verrazzano Bridge and into Staten Island. The finish is at Fort Wadsworth.

It all kicks off at the intersection of Franklin Street and Church Street at 7:30 a.m., though participants in Wave 1 should probably be there before that time. Waves 2-6 then go off between 8:05 a.m. and 10:25 a.m. Participants will be crossing the finish line at Fort Wadsworth between 10 a.m. and noon.

More than 32,000 cyclists are expected to join in for the biggest charitable bike ride in the world, according to the organization's site. So no matter what, all drivers and anyone trying to move about the city should expect to see some delays in area near the bike route.

Five Boro Bike Tour Route Map:

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Where each wave will begin in lower manhattan:.

Road Closures:

Here is a list of roads that will be closed to traffic due to the bike tour, according to the city's Department of Transportation.

Manhattan Portion:

• Greenwich Street between Battery Place and Morris Street
• Trinity Place between Morris Street and Liberty Street
• Church Street between Liberty Street and Canal Street
• Chambers Street between Broadway and West Broadway
• Worth Street between Broadway and West Broadway
• Canal Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between Franklin Street and West 59th Street
• West 59th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• Grand Army Plaza between West 59th Street and East Drive
• East Drive between Grand Army Plaza and Center Drive
• Center Drive between 5th Avenue and East Drive
• East Drive between Center Drive and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard
• Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 110th Street and West 135th Street
• East / West 135th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Madison Avenue
• Madison Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street
• Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx-bound)

Bronx Portion:

• 138th Street between Madison Avenue Bridge and 3rd Avenue
• 3rd Avenue between 138th Street and 3rd Avenue Bridge
• Rider Avenue between 138th Street and 137th Street
• 137th Street between Rider Avenue and 3rd Avenue
• 3rd Avenue Bridge (Manhattan-bound)

Manhattan Portion (Continued):

• Harlem River Drive / FDR Drive (Southbound) between 3rd Avenue Bridge and East 116th Street
• East 116th Street between FDR Drive and Pleasant Avenue
• Pleasant Avenue between East 116th Street and East 114th Street
• Harlem River Drive / FDR Drive (Southbound) between 116th Street and 63rd Street Exit
• East 63rd Street between FDR Drive (Southbound) and Queensboro Bridge Exit
• Queensboro Bridge Exit between East 63rd Street and East 60th Street
• Queensboro Bridge Upper Level (Manhattan-bound)

Queens Portion:

• 21st Street between Queens Plaza South and Hoyt Avenue North
• Queens Plaza South between 21st Street and Vernon Boulevard / Alternate Route
• Hoyt Avenue North between 21st Street and 19th Street
• 19th Street between Hoyt Avenue North and Ditmars Boulevard
• Ditmars Boulevard between 19th Street and Shore Boulevard
• Shore Boulevard between Ditmars Boulevard and Astoria Park South
• Astoria Park South between Shore Boulevard and 14th Street
• 14th Street between Astoria Park South and 31st Avenue
• 31st Avenue between 14th Street and Vernon Boulevard
• Vernon Boulevard between 31st Avenue and 44th Drive
• 44th Drive between Vernon Boulevard and 11th Street
• 11th Street between 44th Drive and Pulaski Bridge
• Pulaski Bridge (Brooklyn-bound)

Brooklyn Portion:

• McGuiness Boulevard between Pulaski Bridge and Greenpoint Avenue
• Java Street between McGuinness Boulevard and Franklin Street
• Greenpoint Avenue between McGuinness Boulevard and Franklin Street
• Franklin Street between Java Street and North 14th Street
• Kent Avenue between North 14th Street and Williamsburg Street West
• Williamsburg Street West between Kent Avenue and Flushing Avenue
• Flushing Avenue between Williamsburg Street West and Navy Street
• North Elliot Place between Flushing Avenue and Park Avenue
• Navy Street between Flushing Avenue and York Street
• York Street between Navy Street and Gold Street
• Gold Street between York Street and Front Street
• Front Street between Gold Street and Old Fulton Street
• Old Fulton between Furman Street and Prospect Street
• Cadman Plaza West between Prospect Street and Tillary Street
• Tillary Street between Cadman Plaza West and Adams Street
• Brooklyn Bridge Promenade between Tillary Street and Centre Street
• Furman Street between Old Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue
• Atlantic Avenue between Furman Street and Columbia Street
• Columbia Street between Atlantic Avenue and BQE West Entrance Columbia Street
• BQE / Gowanus Expressway between BQE West Entrance Columbia Street and Verrazano
• Verrazano Bridge Lower Level (Staten Island-bound)

Staten Island Portion:

• Bay Street between New York Avenue and Hylan Boulevard
• Hylan Boulevard between Bay Street and Edgewater Street
• Edgewater Street/ Front Street between Hylan Boulevard and Hannah Street
• Hannah Street between Front Street and Bay Street
• Bay Street between Hannah Street and Richmond Terrace
• Richmond Terrace between Bay Street and Nicholas Street Wall Street between Richmond Terrace and Dead End3

Bridge and Tunnel Closings

The Staten Island-bound lower level of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will be closed from 2:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, the MTA said. Additionally, because the BQE and Gowanus Expressway will be closed in part as well, traffic won't be able to access the bridge via that approach from about 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

According to the MTA, other closings for the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge will include:

• One Brooklyn-bound lane on the lower level from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  
• The Bay St exit from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  
• The 92nd St entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  
• The Belt Parkway entrance ramp to the Staten Island-bound lower level from approximately 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  
• The Lily Pond Av exit from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  

The exit ramp for the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to the southbound FDR Drive will be closed from around 7:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Traffic will have to exit the RFK Bridge by using the Second Avenue-East 125th Street ramp.

The Hugh L. Carey Tunnel to the westbound Gowanus Expressway and BQE will be closed from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., with exiting traffic diverted to Hamilton Avenue. The Trinity Place exit in Manhattan will also be closed from approximately 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the MTA.

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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 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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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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Thousands of cyclists ride in 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour

Cyclists ruled the city streets this weekend.

More than 30,000 bike riders participated in the 2024 TD Five Boro Bike Tour on a soggy Sunday. The nonprofit organization that puts on the event, Bike New York, says it is the biggest charitable bike ride in the world.

“It’s just so enjoyable. It’s physical. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It’s spiritual,” said Ken Podziba, the president and CEO of Bike New York.

What You Need To Know

More than 30,000 bike riders participated in the 2024 td five boro bike tour on sunday the event was hosted by the nonprofit organization bike new york the 40-mile journey began in lower manhattan, went up to the bronx, came back down into queens and brooklyn before wrapping up on staten island ny1 producers nicholas loud and atlan hassard rode in the event and joined anchors rocco vertuccio and shannan ferry sunday morning on ny1 to talk about it.

The 40-mile journey began in lower Manhattan and continued through Central Park, before cyclists made their way uptown to the Bronx. They then went south and biked over the Queensboro Bridge into Long Island City.

Riders then traveled through Queens and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, before biking over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to wrap up on Staten Island.

This event is not a race — it is a tour. Cyclists of all skill levels from around the world are invited to travel at their own pace and take in the spectacle.

"I think this is just a great opportunity to see the city. I mean, the streets are closed. This like never happens. We were just through Manhattan. It was amazing. It gives you a different view of the city,” said Diego Garcia, a participant in the Five Boro Bike Tour.

Garcia is new to the city after recently moving to the area from Mexico.

Ari Calem, who is originally from Maryland, has been living and working in the city for about three years. She too took part in the bike tour for the first time on Sunday.

"My bike is kind of a plain casual bike. So I'm just enjoying the city, getting some exercise, but not taking it too intensely,” Calem said.

Spectrum News NY1 spoke with two riders Sunday who are blind. They said they feel empowered when riding in the Five Boro Bike Tour.

"We just want to be part of this community, this high energy. We're athletes at the highest level. We both compete internationally,” said Kiana Glanton, who rode Sunday on a tandem bike.

Glanton said she wants people to know there are no limits to what somebody can do.

"I'm just excited to bring some more light and awareness and education to visual impairments and blindness and people — what they can do," said Griffin Pinkow.

The Five Boro Bike Tour raises money to fund free bike education programs throughout the city, including teaching young New Yorkers in all five boroughs how to ride on city streets.

"We teach formerly incarcerated New Yorkers to become bike mechanics, and they get jobs maintaining Citi Bikes, and their lives are turned around," Podziba said. "We also teach tens of thousands of New Yorkers how to ride — how to ride safely."

The event has around 70 different organizations that serve as charity partners, according to Podziba.

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.

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Nosy Neighbor: Why are the signs still up for the Five Boro Bike Tour?

June 13, 2024 • Community News , Events

I received several questions on this topic; here’s the one from G.: “The signs for the bike race are still up in the neighborhood. Not cleaning up and removing the signs? That’s just not cool! Any idea who to contact?”

The folks in the press office at Bike New York, which organizes the race, got back to me immediately: “I connected with my colleagues — they relay their deepest apologies — the signs were simply forgotten. Someone will come through and take them down.

“We really appreciate you letting us know! If you spy anything else please let us know.”

And since I then got caught up on their site, here’s a bit about Bike New York : The organization was created in 1977 by leaders from American Youth Hostels’ Bicycle Committee and a member of the NYC Board of Education, who had been commissioned to develop a bicycle safety program. The devised a series of clinics on bike safety and repair that would culminate in a day trip around the five boroughs to allow the students to practice what they’d learned.

About 50 high school students from five schools and 200 members of bicycle clubs participated in a 50-mile ride that began and ended in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, wound south through Brooklyn, over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Staten Island, and then, after a quick ferry trip, up through Manhattan, into the Bronx, and over the Throgs Neck Bridge and back into Queens. Nathan’s gave out hot dogs and soda in the the Bronx at the ride’s one and only rest stop.

Ed Koch became mayor in 1978 and since his administration wanted to promote bicycling, the group took the Five Boro Challenge idea to City Hall, changed the name to “Five Boro Bike Tour” to make it more family-friendly and shortened the route to 40 miles.

Bike New York was established in 2000 and has since developed other rides and a robust and free bike education program. The Five Boro Bike Tour is always the first Sunday in May, and this year had 32,000 riders from every state in the nation and 65 countries.

LOVE all your info!!!!!

And nice to see it has a positive effect!!!!

Keep it coming!

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5 Places to Visit for Pride in New York

Check out the new Stonewall visitors’ center, bask on a queer-friendly beach, see works by a pioneering lesbian photographer and revel in L.G.B.T.Q. history in every borough.

The Manhattan skyline is lit up in rainbow colors for Pride Month. But in all five boroughs, visitors and locals alike can enjoy L.G.B.T.Q.-linked attractions, many of them free. Credit...

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By Ainara Tiefenthäler

Photographs by Hiroko Masuike

• Published June 17, 2024 Updated June 18, 2024

For decades, visitors flocking to New York for Pride every June found plenty of packed bars and jubilant parties but no easy way to engage with the city’s rich L.G.B.T.Q. history.

Even the area around Sheridan Square, the center of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising that catalyzed the gay liberation movement, had little to see for anyone interested in the queer past.

“The guest experience when they got there was a bar, a bench and a park,” said Ross Levi, the executive director of the New York State Division of Tourism . “That isn’t terribly helpful for somebody who comes during the day when the bar is closed. It’s not terribly helpful if you have kids that you want to bring and learn about the history of the area.”

That’s about to change with a new visitors’ center at Stonewall National Monument , in Greenwich Village, set to open on June 28, the 55th anniversary of the night in 1969 when a police raid set off several days of riots. The center will serve as a focal point of the eight-year-old, 7.7-acre monument , which includes Christopher Park and several surrounding streets.

The building that houses the new center sits next door to the current Stonewall Inn bar (which opened in the early 1990s). But back in the late 1960s, an earlier bar of the same name occupied both spaces, which were connected by an interior doorway. Not long after the riots , the original Stonewall Inn went out of business, and the connecting doorway was bricked up.

The storefront next to the current Stonewall Inn stood empty in 2022, when Diana Rodriguez, the chief executive of Pride Live , an L.G.B.T.Q. advocacy group, took over the space. Nail salon chairs from the previous tenant still lined the walls.

Ms. Rodriguez raised more than $3 million, much of it from corporate donors, to build the visitors’ center, which her organization will manage. The center will offer National Park Service rangers working at the monument a much-needed roof over their heads (they currently have to use local businesses’ restrooms) and give visitors of all ages a place to share in the monument’s history through a number of exhibits (free admission).

“My hope is that people come in, learn more about Stonewall,” Ms. Rodriguez said. “And then, at the end of their time here, that they feel compelled to take action.”

The new visitors’ center in Manhattan is just one site that offers a glimpse into New York City’s queer history. Here are four more, one in each other borough.

Staten Island

The Alice Austen House Museum

In 1994, the activist group Lesbian Avengers marched to a charming white cottage on Staten Island’s eastern waterfront chanting, “Alice was a lesbian, and a lesbian she’ll always be.” That house, originally built in 1690, once belonged to Alice Austen, a groundbreaking documentary photographer who captured a quickly changing New York City at the turn of the 20th century. It became a museum after her death in 1952.

What the Avengers were protesting was the institution’s unwillingness to acknowledge that Austen lived there for 30 years with her partner, Gertrude Tate, and used the property as a studio for the many pictures she took of the couple’s nontraditional friend group.

“I felt like it was incredibly important for the house to have a lesbian leading the interpretation,” said Victoria Munro, who took over the museum’s direction in 2017 and has been spearheading the effort to bring to light Austen’s contributions to L.G.B.T.Q. history.

Now, visitors ($5 suggested admission) can admire more than 7,000 of Austen’s works, including photos challenging norms of gender and sexuality, as well as rotating photo exhibitions, often by queer artists, and a garden celebrating the gender fluidity of plants . Lesbian Avengers are back, too: The photographer Saskia Scheffer ’s images of the 1994 protest are being exhibited on the house’s lawn for at least the rest of the summer.

The ‘People’s Beach’ at Jacob Riis Park

For decades, the People’s Beach , a slice of Jacob Riis Park on the Rockaway Peninsula, has been the spot where queer New Yorkers can shed layers and inhibitions without unwelcome stares, piling up so close to one another that it’s sometimes hard to see sand between the colorful towels and sunshades (free admission; $20 daily parking fee).

“It’s very warm, and it’s a real community,” said Timothy Leonard, the Northeast program manager for the advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association , who learned to ride his bike on the boardwalk at Riis and, later, as a teenager grappling with his gay identity, found a sense of belonging on the beach. “It’s just a place of celebration.”

In recent years, the beach, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, has been undergoing some major transformations.

The 1932 Jacob Riis Bathhouse, which was shuttered for decades, is scheduled to reopen next summer, after the completion of an ambitious $50 million development project . The exterior of the Art Deco building and interior tile work are being restored, and new amenities will include hotel rooms, a bar, a courtyard pool and lounge area, and a rooftop restaurant.

Severe erosion has closed some areas of the beach this summer, but that’s unlikely to dampen the queer-friendly spirit, even if the party has to shift down the sand.

Marsha P. Johnson State Park

Marsha P. Johnson, an activist and transgender icon who died in 1992, is not known to have spent time on the Williamsburg waterfront. Yet she made history there, when in 2020 the seven-acre East River State Park was renamed for her — the first New York state park to honor an openly L.G.B.T.Q. person.

“The renaming opened the door to reimagine the park,” said Leslie Wright, the state parks regional director for New York City. The park was remodeled not only to be more resilient against climate change, but also to honor Johnson’s legacy, with input from the local and L.G.B.T.Q. communities, Johnson’s family, and public art consultants.

The park’s entrance is now marked by a colorful ornamental gateway reminiscent of the flower crowns Johnson wore, along with the phrase “Pay it no mind” — her favorite retort, including to a judge who asked her what her middle initial stood for. Signs dedicated to transgender history and awareness line the pathways.

Aside from offering a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline Marsha P. Johnson State Park hosts the popular Brooklyn open-air food festival Smorgasburg (Saturdays) as well as a range of L.G.B.T.Q.-centric events for Pride Month.

Woodlawn Cemetery

Among the many prominent New Yorkers buried in the 400 acres of rolling hills at Woodlawn Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark, are those who contributed to L.G.B.T.Q. history, such as the poet Countee Cullen , a teacher of the openly gay writer James Baldwin ; Herman Melville , whose works like “Moby Dick” and “Billy Budd” are suffused with homoeroticism; and the suffragists Carrie Chapman Catt and Mary Garrett Hay , life partners for decades, who are buried side by side.

“It’s moving to know that there were people who lived these lives very bravely, heroically in the past,” said Ken Lustbader, a co-founder of the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project . “Without the support systems that exist today, but paving the way for the visibility and allies that we have today through their actions.”

Each year for Pride, his organization offers a trolley tour of the cemetery, highlighting the stories behind some of the burial sites and making them more visible by placing rainbow flags next to them.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ainara Tiefenthäler is a video journalist with the Visual Investigations team. She was among the recipients of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for The Times's coverage of the vast civilian toll of U.S.-led airstrikes. More about Ainara Tiefenthäler

Hiroko Masuike is a New York-based photographer and photo editor for The Times. More about Hiroko Masuike

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Ljubljana, Slovenia:  Stroll along the river, explore a contemporary art scene and admire panoramic views in this scenic Central European capital .

Cities With Great Beaches:  Already been to Miami, Honolulu and Sydney? These five other coastal destinations  are vibrant on land and on the water.

Southern France:  The Canal du Midi traverses the Occitanie region and gives cyclists of all skill levels  access to parts of France that are rich in lore .

Port Antonio, Jamaica:  The D.J. and music producer Diplo recommends spots in a city he loves  on Jamaica’s northeast coast. A dance party makes the cut.

New Mexico:  Visiting the vast and remote Gila Wilderness, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, is both inspiring and demanding .

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