Beginner
Leisurely pace, flat terrain, relatively short, on protected bike paths, regular stops. Must have basic bike handling skills.
Local Rides
Small-scale community rides in and around NYC showcasing some of our favorite routes and destinations.
Our Local Rides are casual, small-scale, community-oriented affairs geared toward bringing cyclists of all skill levels together to meet new people and discover NYC. Sign up by yourself or with some friends—either way, you’ll have a blast!
Advanced Beginner
Relaxed pace, 5-15 miles, possibility of small hills, on low-traffic streets and bike paths, regular stops.
Intermediate
Moderate pace, on roads with traffic, up to 10-25 miles, some stops.
Advanced
Moderate to fast pace, possibility of substantial hills, on roads with traffic, 20+ miles.
We’re taking our holly jolly lights tour to the borough of Brooklyn again! Bedeck/bling yourself and bike with holiday accouterment and join us for a fun cycling tour of Brooklyn’s most iconic festive decor – including the borough’s largest XMAS tree and the site that holds the record for the most consecutive years displaying a tree. We’re mostly riding by these sites on this guided ride packed with nice holiday views, and there will be some walking on plazas and streets closed to bikes. For sure, there will be plenty of photo ops. The ride finishes near the start, and optionally we can head for a quick bite (each person buys their own) at a local casual indoor eatery with a cornucopia of choices that we’ve enjoyed in the past. Ride participation spots are limited and pre-registration is required, so sign up now!
- Where You Gotta Be: Pier 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park, near the ice cream shop and NYC Ferry landing. NOTE: There are multiple restrooms inside the park, please visit as needed before you join us for the 3PM start (map for restrooms is at https://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/map/).
- When You Gotta Be There: 3:00 PM (Est. finish at 7:00 PM)
- What You Gotta Do: Wear your face mask at all times and respect social distancing guidelines. Use hand sanitizer frequently.
- How Far You’re Gonna Go: Approximately 10 urban miles.
- How Hard It’s Gonna Be: We’ll ride at a relaxed pace on bike paths and streets in mixed, sometimes busy, traffic (with great photo ops along the way). Participants must have solid bike-handling skills, be able to ride in traffic and be comfortable riding several miles without stopping. We recommend non-cleat shoes as we’ll do some walking.
- What You’re Gonna Get: A fun evening of iconic holiday lights and trees, experienced ride leaders, and—of course—great company & good times!
- What You’ve Gotta Give: $10 for general registration; free for Bike New York members. All riders must register online in advance of the ride; there will not be any on-site registration. Proceeds fund our free bike education programs.
- What You Gotta Bring: A tuned bike with fully-pumped tires, helmet (no ifs, ands, or buts!), legal bike lights (required by NYC for night riding), weather-appropriate clothing, walkable bike shoes, and a sense of adventure! We also recommend: camera, bike lock, spare tube, snacks/bevs, and Metrocard if you wish to make your way home a little easier.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of bike should I bring?
You do not need to have a fancy road bike to participate in our rides. What’s most important is that you have a bike that is comfortable for you, has enough gears for the ride, and is in good working order. Make sure to do an ABC Quick Check in advance of the ride, and if your bike needs work bring it to a local bike shop for a tune-up or, even better, take one of our Bike Maintenance 101 classes!
How do I get to the starting point?
Bike New York does not provide transportation to or from the meeting location. Participants can arrive by bike, public transit, or car. If taking public transit, check the MTA website for updates as train schedules may vary on weekends and due to construction. If driving in, be aware that parking in NYC can be difficult. Make sure to allow time and be prepared to use a paid garage if necessary.
What is your refund policy?
With the exception of rides that are canceled, there is a strict no refund policy.
What happens in the event of inclement weather?
The ride will go on as planned in most weather conditions, including moderate rain, hot, and cold weather. Please dress accordingly.
Are children allowed on rides?
This varies based on the level of the ride. Please check the gear level and follow accordingly. Rides rated 4 gears are restricted to adults ages 18 and up. Rides rated 3 gears are restricted to adults and teenagers ages 14 and up (riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). 1-2 gear rides are open to participants age 3 and up with the following restrictions.
Youth ages 3 to 9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, in a child’s seat, on a tag-along bike, or in a bike trailer.
Youth ages 10 to 17 may ride their own bikes but must remain in close proximity to the adult with whom they were registered.
Can I register at the event?
No. Only online registration is available for this event. Pre-registration is required.
What if I have additional questions?
Contact info@bike.nyc and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Bedeck yourself and your bike with XMAS lights or other holiday bling on our very popular annual tour of NYC’s most fabulous and iconic XMAS trees and lights. “Follow your leaders” as we get to marvel at wonderful sights along our route. Depending on crowds and flow, some holiday sights will be “bike-by” or “walk past”. But for sure, there will be terrific photo opportunities. We finish at the South Street Seaport, and optionally might head for a quick bite (each person buys their own) at a local casual eatery we’ve enjoyed in the past. Spots are limited and pre-registration is required, so hop to it and join in!
- Where You Gotta Be: Central Park W & W 61 Street
- When You Gotta Be There: 3:00PM (ETA finish 7:00PM)
- What You Gotta Do: Wear a face mask if not socially distanced. Use hand sanitizer frequently.
- How Far You’re Gonna Go: Approximately 14 urban miles, finishing at South Street Seaport.
- How Hard It’s Gonna Be: We ride at a relaxed pace on streets and bike lanes or paths with mixed and sometimes crowded traffic. Participants must have solid bike-handling skills, be able to ride in traffic, and be comfortable riding several miles without stopping. We recommend non-cleat shoes since we’ll walk through some plazas and streets closed to autos, although most sites will be “bike-by”.
- What You’re Gonna Get: A fabulous evening of iconic NYC holiday lights and trees, experienced ride leaders, and, of course, great company and good times!
- What You Gotta Give: $10 for general registration; free for Bike New York members. All riders must register online in advance of the ride; there will not be any on-site registration. Proceeds fund our free bike education programs.
- What You Gotta Bring: A tuned bike with fully-pumped tires, helmet (no ifs, ands, or buts!), legal bike lights (required by NYC for night riding), weather-appropriate clothing, walkable bike shoes, and a sense of adventure! We also recommend: camera, bike lock, spare tube, snacks/bevs, and Metrocard if you wish to make your way home a little easier.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of bike should I bring?
You do not need to have a fancy road bike to participate in our rides. What’s most important is that you have a bike that is comfortable for you, has enough gears for the ride, and is in good working order. Make sure to do an ABC Quick Check in advance of the ride, and if your bike needs work bring it to a local bike shop for a tune-up or, even better, take one of our Bike Maintenance 101 classes!
How do I get to the starting point?
Bike New York does not provide transportation to or from the meeting location. Participants can arrive by bike, public transit, or car. If taking public transit, check the MTA website for updates as train schedules may vary on weekends and due to construction. If driving in, be aware that parking in NYC can be difficult. Make sure to allow time and be prepared to use a paid garage if necessary.
What is your refund policy?
With the exception of rides that are canceled, there is a strict no refund policy.
What happens in the event of inclement weather?
The ride will go on as planned in most weather conditions, including moderate rain, hot, and cold weather. Please dress accordingly.
Are children allowed on rides?
This varies based on the level of the ride. Please check the gear level and follow accordingly. Rides rated 4 gears are restricted to adults ages 18 and up. Rides rated 3 gears are restricted to adults and teenagers ages 14 and up (riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). 1-2 gear rides are open to participants age 3 and up with the following restrictions.
Youth ages 3 to 9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, in a child’s seat, on a tag-along bike, or in a bike trailer.
Youth ages 10 to 17 may ride their own bikes but must remain in close proximity to the adult with whom they were registered.
Can I register at the event?
No. Only online registration is available for this event. Pre-registration is required.
What if I have additional questions?
Contact info@bike.nyc and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Bedeck yourself and your bike with XMAS lights and other holiday bling, and “follow the leader” as we Ooh! and Ahh! at the lights and sights along our route to and from the fabulous Untermyer Gardens. They have a large walled Persian Garden which is transformed with wonderful lights and trees on the architectural, pond, and garden features, into a veritable holiday fantasy-land. We’ll get to see the historic downtown and waterfront area, a historic mansion, and the marvelous daylighting done to restore and intermingle the Saw Mill River back to life through town. You are also invited to bedeck yourself and/or bicycle with lights and holiday bling, to add to the festive enjoyment. Optionally, we can head for a quick bite (each person buys their own) at a local casual indoor eatery we’ve enjoyed in the past.
Please note: there are definitely some short, sometimes a bit steep, hills getting to and from our destination, and a few busy traffic areas, so be prepared and capable with appropriate gearing on your bike. Rider spots are limited and pre-registration is required, so hop to it and join in!
- Where You Gotta Be: Just north of W242nd Street and Broadway (by Van Cortlandt Park restrooms)
- When You Gotta Be There: 3:00 PM (Est. finish at 7:00 PM)
- How Far You’re Gonna Go: Approximately 10 miles (we’ll finish up back at 242nd Street)
- How Hard It’s Gonna Be: We’ll ride at a relaxed pace on bike paths and streets in mixed traffic (with photo ops along the way). Participants must have solid bike-handling skills, be able to ride in traffic and be comfortable riding several miles without stopping. We recommend non-cleat shoes as we’ll do some walking.
- What You’re Gonna Get: A fabulous evening of iconic Bronx holiday lights and trees, experienced ride leaders, and—of course—great company and good times!
- What You’ve Gotta Give: $10 for general registration; free for Bike New York members. All riders must register online in advance of the ride; there will not be any on-site registration. Proceeds fund our free bike education programs.
- A tuned bike with fully-pumped tires, helmet (no ifs, ands, or buts!), bike lights (required by NYC for night riding), a bike lock, weather-appropriate clothing (think “layers” and weather protection), walkable bike shoes, and a sense of adventure! We also recommend: camera, spare tube, snacks/bevs, and $ for MetroNorth rail return if you wish to make your way home a little quicker.
- What You Gotta Bring: A tuned bike with fully-pumped tires, helmet (no ifs, ands, or buts!), bike lights (required by NYC for night riding), a bike lock, weather-appropriate clothing (think “layers” and weather protection), walkable bike shoes, and a sense of adventure! We also recommend: camera, spare tube, snacks/bevs, and $ for MetroNorth rail return if you wish to make your way home a little quicker.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What kind of bike should I bring?
You do not need to have a fancy road bike to participate in our rides. What’s most important is that you have a bike that is comfortable for you, has enough gears for the ride, and is in good working order. Make sure to do an ABC Quick Check in advance of the ride, and if your bike needs work bring it to a local bike shop for a tune-up or, even better, take one of our Bike Maintenance 101 classes!
How do I get to the starting point?
Bike New York does not provide transportation to or from the meeting location. Participants can arrive by bike, public transit, or car. If taking public transit, check the MTA website for updates as train schedules may vary on weekends and due to construction. If driving in, be aware that parking in NYC can be difficult. Make sure to allow time and be prepared to use a paid garage if necessary.
What is your refund policy?
With the exception of rides that are canceled, there is a strict no refund policy.
What happens in the event of inclement weather?
The ride will go on as planned in most weather conditions, including moderate rain, hot, and cold weather. Please dress accordingly.
Are children allowed on rides?
This varies based on the level of the ride. Please check the gear level and follow accordingly. Rides rated 4 gears are restricted to adults ages 18 and up. Rides rated 3 gears are restricted to adults and teenagers ages 14 and up (riders under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). 1-2 gear rides are open to participants age 3 and up with the following restrictions.
Youth ages 3 to 9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, in a child’s seat, on a tag-along bike, or in a bike trailer.
Youth ages 10 to 17 may ride their own bikes but must remain in close proximity to the adult with whom they were registered.
Can I register at the event?
No. Only online registration is available for this event. Pre-registration is required.
What if I have additional questions?
Contact info@bike.nyc and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.