The Chainlink

My friend and I are planning on doing the TD Five Boro Bike Tour of New York City on Sunday May 5th of this year.  Registration opens on Tuesday January 22nd at noon EST. Regular registration costs $86.

Are any other bicyclists from the Chicagoland area planning on doing this ride?  If so, please let me know.  My friend is interested in learning how others plan to transport their bicycles.  I am interested in knowing if anyone is considering taking the overnight train from Chicago to New York.

I have done this invitational before and it is fun.

Views: 608

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

The time I did it we took the train out, flew back, but sent the bikes back on the train.

What do you plan to do about a place to sleep?

I am interested, but have not transported my bike out there before.  Keep me posted on your transportation and accommodation plans.

According to the search I did on Amtrak's website the shortest ride from Union Station to Penn Station is 20 hours.  One itinerary for the way out is below.  That's just too long for me!

Departs: 9:30 PM
Fri May 03 2013
Chicago, IL - Union Station  (CHI
Station News
Arrives: 6:35 PM
Sat May 04 2013
New York, NY - Penn Station  (NYP
Duration: 20 hr, 5 min



Mark said:

I am interested, but have not transported my bike out there before.  Keep me posted on your transportation and accommodation plans.

Southwest Airlines website: http://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/baggage/special-lugg...

Bicycles (defined as nonmotorized and having a single seat), including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, properly packed in a hard-sided bicycle box that fall within the dimensions and weight limits established for normal Checked Baggage, (i.e., 62 inches or less in overall dimensions and less than 50 pounds in weight).  Pedals and handlebars must be removed and packaged in protective materials so as not to be damaged by or cause damage to other Baggage.  Bicycles packaged in cardboard or soft-sided cases will be transported as conditionally accepted items.

Mark said:

I am interested, but have not transported my bike out there before.  Keep me posted on your transportation and accommodation plans.

Renting a bike might be the best option.

http://www.bikenewyork.org/advice/nyc-info/rental-bike-shops/

Price*: $8-$20/hour, $25-$109/day, helmet included 

"Five Boro packages with special rates available for reservation starting February 1"

Here is another rental option:  http://www.citibikenyc.com/?ef_id=iplPvAsnyjsAAFRy:20130108045108:s

a 24 hour pass is $9.95 for 30 minutes  plus $25 for the next three hours plus $12 for every half hour after that.

I've never done it but heard great thing.  I may be in. 

I did this last year and we rented bikes from Bike 'n Roll New York (the same people as the bike rental at Millennium Park in Chicago). We were completely happy with how it all worked out, as we were able to pick up the bikes very easily at the start line and return them before you get on the ferry to come back from Staten Island at the end. It was a bit more expensive (ok, twice as expensive) as it would have been if we had gone through another rental place but the convenience made it more than worthwhile!

FWIW, we looked into shipping our bikes but it was just as expensive as renting them from Bike 'n Roll and we would have had to assemble/disassemble them ourselves. Plus, it was not clear where we were going to be able to keep them overnight when we were in NYC.

The ride was definitely one of the highlights of 2012, though, and I highly recommend it!

I just made reservations at Hostel International for that weekend.  I stayed there a little over a year ago when I rented a bike for three days.  The hostel is new and clean, and they have a secured courtyard with a bike rack where I locked up each night.   The hostel is located at 103rd/Amsterdam on the Upper West Side.  Beds are $59/night with multiple room arrangements including co-ed.  I'm hoping to do a multi-day rental with Bike and Roll NYC again.  If you do this, bring your own locks.  The lock Bike and Roll gives you is tiny.

http://www.hinewyork.org/new-york-hostel-reservations.shtml\

Reservations can be canceled up until 10:00 am on the day of arrival.

OK.  Who signed up?  The registration opened on January 22nd and filled up that day.  Who registered to do this?  I am registered along with my best friend.  Any other Chicagoans?

My son and I are registered.

Soon I will post a dinner at an excellent vegan restaurant in New York for the night before the bike tour.  I hope other Chicagoans will join.

My friend and I are renting bicycles.  The tour offers a rental.  The road bikes are taken but the hybrids are available.  It's expensive but convenient (I hope!).

http://www.bikeandroll.com/fiveboro/

Corina

Mark said:

I am interested, but have not transported my bike out there before.  Keep me posted on your transportation and accommodation plans.

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service