I especially like that you give some tips in those difficult and dangerous situations, and show some scenarios. I've been driving a car for many years, but just starting to bike, and for me it looks super scary. It is also completely different from driving a car, so it's good to know and be prepared in advance. Thank you so much!
Im very happy to hear that I had a good idea when I decided to include that part in the video. I would have found it very useful and here you are. Give yourself some weeks to get used to cycling around: you're going to love it. :)
I was in NYC in September, and there is a dedicated bike lane now which used to be a vehicular lane on the Brooklyn Bridge. No more sharing with pedestrians.
Just got into cycling the city and at first I was intimidated but this is hugely helpful. Definitely agree on the Hudson River Greenway & East River Greenway, very insightful information! Thank you ☺️
You’re the best! I just bought a bicycle to get moving around the city to avoid using public transportation during these crazy times. This video was very informative and useful. Thank you and be safe, Mary Jane ✌🏼
I've seen through Transportation Alternatives that there are actually a lot of people starting to bike these days, I'm happy to hear! Enjoy your bike rides in these beautiful spring days, New York looks gorgeous 😊
great job! I've lived in the city for most of my life but now I live in Jersey, so I was looking for other ways to move around the city. This was more helpful than I was expecting. Thank you so much, I hope to come across you on the bike lane some day haha.
I hope that too and very happy you're considering cycling as an alternative way of transportation! As a resident you can also consider citibike, the annual subscription comes at a ridiculous price and I believe there are dock stations in New Jersey too.
As someone riding in NYC for over 20 years I can tell biggest danger is a tourist thinking she/he has all answers. Don't wonna go into details besides one. Unless locks cost is at list half of bike price don't leave a bike outside and never leave a bike outside after dark. Cost me 5 bikes to learn that rule.
During 1993 to 1998, I commuted most days by bicycle from Staten Island to Manhattan by way of the ferry, and then onto Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This was before most of the bike lanes & routes, and I remember dodging homicidal bus drivers in Manhattan, and suicidal pedestrians on the Brooklyn Bridge. Those were mostly fun times, and I loved it, but you really had to keep your head on a swivel, and it's probably still true. One of the scariest dangers in NYC to be aware of are those huge, ubiquitous steel road plates used by NYC to cover potholes. They are intended to be temporary, but in NYC, that can mean years. Hitting the leading edge of one the wrong way could cause a pinch-flat, a blowout, or a bent rim. Worse, over time, these plates are polished smooth by the wear and tear of constant traffic. When wet, these plates can get as slick as ice. Sadly, one of the lady cyclists we knew from her daily bicycle commute on the ferry, lost her bike messenger husband when he skidded on a wet plate, and slid under a truck. She was in her mid 20's, newly wed, and then, newly widowed. Very sad...
Great video! I've always loved biking in Manhattan since I was a kid. About to do a ride there today. Going to ride from Trenton New Jersey to Manhattan
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow Out of curiosity, how much was it? I know trains here are very expensive, I myself - as a train lover - only took it once, from DC to Philly.
@@WhatashameMaryJane seems like it goes up every year. I actually had a one way ticket that I never used last year. Still have it. They didn't even take it. No expiration date on them. But if I remember right I think it was 26.50 round trip from Trenton
Biking in the city isn't bad, just gotta be confident and VERY observant of your surroundings. Luckily most drivers in NYC are relatively used to things (cyclists & pedestrians) coming out of nowhere and in most cases bikes travel around the same speed as cars. This is by far the most complete guide to biking in NYC I've seen on RUclips. The only other thing I'd add is the 59th street bridge which connects the Upper East Side and Long Island City. It's not too bad length/slope wise.
Thanks Raoul. Very good advice you gave. I can just say that I have a different opinion about NYC drivers: they seem very little used to cyclists, or even to driving in general 🤦♀️ I will never wrap my head around how careless bad drivers I see in Manhattan especially. Even though I might be a bit biased from living and cycling in Rome, a city most hostile to cyclists, where the drivers are extremely skilled though.
I live in Connecticut and biked all the trails in CT. Ventured out to Rhode island, Massachusetts, and finally New York. My second time I parked northeast of the George Washington bridge, and biked the Hudson river greenway all the way down under the Brooklyn bridge and past that, checked out the freedom tower , Times square, and all of central park and finally back on the Hudson river greenway to head north to my truck. I will be coming this spring many more times throughout the summer, your video was great and helped me out. I'm requesting maybe a future video from you covering street food, place to sit and eat outdoors possible, but never leave your bike, even with my bike locked I wouldnt want to leave it unintended. It was pretty pricey and wouldnt want anything to happen to it, that's why I'm asking for places to eat and drink for lunch while hanging onto your bike without locking it. Maybe I'll see you riding someday, thank you, keep up the great videos, just subscribed.
Hey Mike, for some reason I see this comment now for the first time. Biking the whole Hudson river greenway sounds truly amazing, and slowly arriving into the city, until you basically hit the Freedom Tower. That's a good video idea, although I should make a work of research before, because I've never had that problem yet. But I know many people own expensive bicycles, so I think it would be a useful one. I'll wait for this virus situation to pass...
So informative and interesting ~ Excellent job of explaining everything Mary Jane! We will definitely be biking Central Park so good to know what to look for. As always, love getting a notification that you posted a new video! Going to go back over your NYC posts and recommendations. Can’t wait for our trip!
I think the bike lanes are mainly on the left side in NYC specifically because of the "dooring" problem there, which mostly occurs on the driver's side. In most parts of the USA, I believe (like here in the Washington DC area) bike lanes are mostly on the right side of the road.
I actually believe left lanes are a much better system in one direction roads, because the driver is on the left side so it has better visual access to that side.
This is really a very helpful and informative video. Always wanted to explore the city by bike but it seemed a bit intimidating. So many good tips and insights. Looking forward to enjoying the sites soon! Many thanks!
I only just started using a bike yesterday in Brooklyn and turning in intersections when most of the bike lanes randomly switch sides of the roads was so hard for me to understand!! Not waiting for the green light and instead turning along the crosswalk while pedestrians are crossing is so smart-- I almost got hit trying to do it the regular way 💀 thank you!!
Go slower the fist days and give yourself time to process all that's going on around you: you'll see that in a few days of cycling you'll start feeling more secure and you'll be able to speed up safely.
Your video is awesome! I'm from brazil and I'm going to NYC in May , so this is going to be very helpfull ! Thanks a lot and come some day to biking in Brazil ! You gonna love it 😀
I only ride on the bike path from the east river park down and then up the hudson. It is a good 20 mile round trip. I would not ride on the roads in NYC
Awesome great info in this vid, very thanks for the work and time invested MJ! We will follow this tips as sacred! We also want to do more sports arround NYC , appart from kayaking on the Hudson what more could you recomend us? Thanks in advance! Cheers!
Sorry I just see this comment for some reason. There is a rock climbing place outdoors on the Dumbo waterfront, it's only open in the good season so now it's perfect time to check it out (well...perfect aside of the coronavirus...😅)
This is so helpful! I'm trying to use the subway less since it constantly lets me down by being late (or not coming at all LOL). Cycling seems like a great option and your tips were really helpful-- thank you!!
Very informative video. Been riding for decades but but fell out the last few years. I'm recently getting back into it and loving the new bike lanes being laid out in NYC.
I'm so happy to hear! You're lucky to live in a city with such a good infrastructure for biking. I think everyone should take advantage of it. I wish you future wonderful bike trips!
What a shame Mary Jane Agreed. I am born & raised in NYC and noticed the change for the better in regards to getting around via bike. Getting turning motorists to yield to us is a problem though. We have to be LOUD 😎
Great video! After so many videos, this one has a good mix of real city tips. Really touched a lot of practical city riding issues with great examples. Thank you!
@@WhatashameMaryJane Not a woman. 100% man from LA. I can only imagine that some comments can be annoying. I prefer quality content and think people should be mature about things.
I'm gonna be honest, I've been cynical about biking around the busy streets of NYC (with the exception of Staten Island, it's relatively boring there, which makes for easygoing rides) I'm amazed and thankful that you were able to survive 4 months of going about Manhattan by bike considering how people around my city drive like they have no damn sense in their freaking skulls. Granted I may be putting too much emphasis into how reckless drivers can be but some of the people behind the wheel don't give a f*** and will either try to beat you to an intersection or just disregard your presence altogether, which could result in you flying some 9 feet in the air if said car slams into ya. Note: After watching the vid it's good that you do point out some of the hazards between vehicles and bikes sharing the road and that always needs to be put into consideration. I can imagine all of the stories you could tell dealing with some of the careless drivers in the city. 😄
Look, I'm going to be brutally honest: NYC drivers are pretty reckless. After living and biking in Rome for two years, a big city famous for its traffic and for its disregard for traffic rules, I thought I would consider other cities quiet in comparison. But whereas in Rome drivers are quite crazy, they are still very skilled. In New York I was surprised to see how simply unable many drivers are. It feels to me that they drive with their head in the clouds. At least they don't speed though, so in the end I don't get much angry, I'm able to let them go first and stay calm about it. I must say that the bike lanes system is made in such a way, that you don't have very much to deal with cars, which I think it's great. I believe it's very new though, cause talking with other NYC older cyclists I've hears horrible biking stories from just a few years ago. I have the impression NYC is making big and quick transformations in favour to the cyclists and therefore I encourage everyone to give cycling in the city a new try, today. Sure it's not for everyone, especially if we talk about everyday commuting and not only biking in the park on a Sunday, but I can say for experience that it's way more safe than the general opinion believes. Just stay away from Midtown.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Yeah, Midtown is definitely more suited for mass transit. Unless it's a part of the daily commute to the city, I usually recommend going around town by train, or bus if the subway is under maintenance. The bike lanes in the city are relatively new, only being a decade old at the most. The biking structure as a whole is improving because other boroughs like Brooklyn (as you mentioned), Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx aren't as heavily congested so far less incidents on those parts. I wish I could share the same optimism about the drivers on the road but that would be asking for too much. 😂
My daughter fell (not from riding a bike) and suffered a major concussion that she never recovered from. She’s disabled. Wear a helmet!!! All it takes is a stone, a crack, a car door and your life and be forever changed. I cycle regularly, sometimes in LA traffic, and have fallen. It will happen.
Forgot to mention that headlights and taillights are required while using windshield wipers in NYC however.. bikes don’t have those. But it is really important since it is dark usually when it rains :)
The bridges can be a bit dangerous since the lanes are narrow and every time you will encounter motorcycles and scooters zooming fast as fuck by you in both directions.
I'm a NYC biker with 5+ years of experience. That's a good list of dangers! BUT! I would add an absolute danger for bikers in NYC: BIG TRUCKS. Many people died this way and you can not simply react to this danger (there's a very limited room to react in this situation), you have to keep it in mind. Big trucks have limited visibility, when you ride beside the truck, practically nobody sees you, and you're in a big DEAD ZONE. You can still react but there is one situation where you're very limited in your reaction. When you stay beside the big truck on red and it's turning. Because of the geometry of the truck, the rear part comes very close to the side of a turn and can squeeze you. Imagine if there's a barrier on your other side, your only option would be to back up (but you know it's gonna be hard to do fast on a bike). One of the famous biker girl (very experienced) died this way. I forgot her name, it was somewhere in either Queens or LIC
Kind of strange you took the time to stress you not wearing a bike helmet but then took the time to draw cutouts of a car and how dangerous they are when riding a bike. Wear a helmet. It’ll save your life.
Hey Veronica, all it takes is practice, practice, practice. Stick to the bike lanes marked in green in the nycbikemaps, then start getting into the other type of bike lanes and if you keep going around at the end of the summer you’ll feel pretty confident in any type of lane!
What i highly recommend is just bike on the pier sides of manhattan ans just not bother going to the middle section of manhattan how ever the best way to get to your destination is follow the each of the sides east or west pier get the the street number you want to go to and turn left or right to the street and make your way down or up to the avenue youre lookinf for
Thanks for the the info on NYC cycling Mary Jane. How does this all work in the winter months, are the pathways clear of snow and ice? You are doing an awesome job keep up the good work!
We've had snow for about a week so far but I haven't tried to cycle those days. Hopefully we will have much more snow in the upcoming months! Thank you :)
Was funny your first drawing. The lane that u put the car is Uk style. Driving on the left😂😂. But very interesting video.👏👏 but then again could be a one way street.
Hi Mary Jane, thanks for the tips. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip up to NY/NJ in November. We are riding mostly rail trails, but wanted to do a little riding in NYC. This is her first time there so I want her to see it. We have a page that concentrates on rail trails, mostly in the southern states near where we live. This will be a nice addition to what we video. Good luck to you with your page! You seem to be doing very well.
Hey! Please let me know if you need any tips about itineraries in the city, I’ve travelled quite a bit by bike in the summer in all boroughs (you can see the vlogs too) so I have enough knowledge now to be giving advice 😉
@@WhatashameMaryJane We will definitely look at the vlogs! We plan on starting on the Jersey side and ride the Palisades to the GW bridge, ride down west side Manhattan, swing to the east and shoot across Central park. Of course we'll be stopping at points of interest for pics and vids along with food. If there's anything you think is a must see let us know. We appreciate you taking time to responding to us, that was very nice of you!
@@rolynontrails1550 To me the most spectacular thing to do by bike is continuing on the Hudson River Greenway till Battery Park. The part from Chelsea to Battery Park to me is breathtaking: you have the whole Hudson Yard, Tribeca and especially World Trade Center on the left and arrive to the view of the Statue of Liberty. Once on the tip you can rest by taking the Staten Island Ferry, it’s a nice ride for free and you can take your bike with you.
Just wanted to thank you for the informative video. We rode in NYC on Monday and had an amazing day! Never enough time, but we wanted to stop in and say thank you! Here is a short clip from that day. ruclips.net/video/O89vVl2Zswo/видео.html. Have you ever rode Sandy Hook? We are considering heading there on Friday.
Just to clarify that you can't ride in the wrong direction - this is very very obvious. You can't ride on sidewalks either if you are 13 years old or older, according to NYC bike laws AC 19-176 - you might see some cyclists riding on the sidewalks but it's not permitted. A white headlight and a red taillight are required - VL 1236 (a) and (e).
Great video! Always been scared to ride in ny, but bit the bullet and going to start w Brooklyn (my burrough) to get comfortable. How do you use phone when using google maps? Phone mount?
Dear Monica, please don't be. Once you start you'll se it's not that bad and with time you'll understand that only certain areas with high density traffic give a little bit more troubles. Brooklyn is a great place to start, in general much more quiet than Manhattan where I live. I usually look at the route before leaving and try to memorize it. Then when I need to refresh my memory I stop the bike and check my phone again. I alway wanted a phone mount, not sure why I never got it. You could try with a handle mount as well.
I am planning a bike trip from NYC to Los Angeles. Very helpful video, as I will be starting in Brooklyn, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. Then crossing the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Natchez Trace (Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, TN) , the coast of North Carolina, Erie, PA to Washington DC, and many shorter rides. How long have you been in NYC? I am new to your uploads. I am sitting at my computer mapping out 50/60mile segments for the NYC to LA. From the looks of some of your videos, we both like traveling! Do you like cross country touring with a bicycle, or more city commuting?
@@markbrenner8189 I was a digital nomad, so I’ve been living in NYC since the beginning of the pandemic. So far I’ve always done commuting in the city or day trips in the country, but always in the road.
Brava MJ, very useful tips too! 💪 . . . My nerdy 2c? Possibly try to lower the input volume of your mic or avoid peaks in the outputs: the quality of your videos will be even higher! Keep this up!
Ah Marco sono talmente imbranata con la tecnologia...quel lavalier è il primo microfono che ho comprato, ovviamente speso molto poco, ma l'ho odiato dal primo giorno in cui l'ho usato. Spesso mi dà un risultato decente ma a volte, come in alcune clip di questo video, mi rovina tutto il lavoro. C'è un modo per abbassare l'input? Perché come ti ho detto è un microfono molto economico e non ha comandi...
@@WhatashameMaryJane sai cosa? Dipende cosa usi per registrare, intendo DOVE finisce il lavalier. Ad esempio, io uso il mio (che è decisamente un altro pianeta, guarda qui: amzn.to/2mKq8nx e tra l'altro, ora costa 10eur di quanto l'ho pagato io, grrrr!) collegato ad un iPhone vecchio su cui gira Garageband, e che uso SOLO per acquisire l'audio. Mi basta registrare usando un volume di ingresso mediamente basso / medio livello, ed eventualmente lo alzi poi in Premiere o il tool che usi per fare i tuoi clip. Ti è d'aiuto? 🤗
You have very many good tips for cycling that apply regardless of the city you live in. The cars sometimes have not much regard for cyclists. Turning cars at intersections and where a car is parked and someone opens the car door are examples where the cyclist has to be aware of his surroundings and the potentially dangerous situation where you could be harmed. It was very good advice in your video. I may never visit the USA and probably if I did would not cycle around, not because I am against it, on the contrary I think it is the best form of transport, to keep fit and no carbon footprint, even though I cycle a lot in Australia and I'm a fit 65 year old. It would be because I might be in a hurry to see the New York sites.
65 yo from Australia who cycles a lot: I like your profile John! Thanks for the nice comment, I'm very glad you appreciated the video, I made it with a lot of passion.
Agarthan time. Very informative and easy to understand, excellent job MJ. I must say if possible it is a really good Idea to wear a helmet and gloves,that's just my opinion as I have seen some serious accidents. A question for you. Were you pulling a tripod on wheels to get the picture of you riding your bike ? :-) Just kidding. Ciao.
Hello, anyone here from PARIS?? could you tell me if biking in NYC is anywhere near 'easy' - you have priority before cars, however annoying they are - and chhallenging as here ? I mean, before Hidalgo generalized the 30km/ hour limit. many thanks !!
Who is a NYC cyclist already??
I just started.😁
Me
right here! 👋
Been riding for the last 3 years, love it.
Been cycling in the city for 15 years
I especially like that you give some tips in those difficult and dangerous situations, and show some scenarios. I've been driving a car for many years, but just starting to bike, and for me it looks super scary. It is also completely different from driving a car, so it's good to know and be prepared in advance. Thank you so much!
Im very happy to hear that I had a good idea when I decided to include that part in the video. I would have found it very useful and here you are. Give yourself some weeks to get used to cycling around: you're going to love it. :)
Excellent video. I've heard that NYC cycling infrastructure has gotten a lot better recently. Love to see you revisit this topic in the future.
I'll keep it in mind. Thanks
I was in NYC in September, and there is a dedicated bike lane now which used to be a vehicular lane on the Brooklyn Bridge. No more sharing with pedestrians.
@@sebastianjoseph2828 W
This is the content we wanted and you delivered! 🎉 thanks
Hi!
Great walk.
A very beautiful city
Thank you for the video!!!
Learned so many things. Thank you so much.
My pleasure 🙏
Thank you! This video was super helpful, and made me a lot more excited to take my bike with me when I move to Manhattan later this year :)
Yay so happy to hear!!! Good luck :)
Just got into cycling the city and at first I was intimidated but this is hugely helpful. Definitely agree on the Hudson River Greenway & East River Greenway, very insightful information! Thank you ☺️
I'm so happy you did! Keep going!! 💪 🚲
Biking in nyc unless it’s just a bike lane w no traffic is to stressful for me 😂😂😂 but you’re far braver than me . Hit me up when you return
It's just more training...I've been biking in traffic my whole twenties! I'll be in NY the whole November, I'll text you when I'll be there
Whimp
You’re the best! I just bought a bicycle to get moving around the city to avoid using public transportation during these crazy times. This video was very informative and useful. Thank you and be safe, Mary Jane ✌🏼
I've seen through Transportation Alternatives that there are actually a lot of people starting to bike these days, I'm happy to hear! Enjoy your bike rides in these beautiful spring days, New York looks gorgeous 😊
@@WhatashameMaryJane This describes me! Thanks for answering questions I didn't know where to find answers to! (Like crosswalks, turns, etc.)
Well it's definitely changed since I lived there in the late 70's early 80's-but it's a very nice change! Thanks for sharing :)
I’ve heard so. I’m glad it changed so much, the infrastructure is impressive nowadays.
How old are you Kevin?
great job! I've lived in the city for most of my life but now I live in Jersey, so I was looking for other ways to move around the city. This was more helpful than I was expecting. Thank you so much, I hope to come across you on the bike lane some day haha.
I hope that too and very happy you're considering cycling as an alternative way of transportation! As a resident you can also consider citibike, the annual subscription comes at a ridiculous price and I believe there are dock stations in New Jersey too.
What a shame Mary Jane yes there are some available in Jersey City. Thanks again.
I have been commuting by bike in NYC since 2011. It’s the best way to get around.
I just got a bike today and have watched this video multiple times! Well done!
Thank you for this!!! I recently started biking in nyc and your tips have proven to be very helpful. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for this! I want to learn how to bike to commute to work but it's so stressful. I've never ridden a bike in a city before/anywhere really
Thank you for making this video, it is really very informative.
So glad to hear, thank you for the feedback :)
Great video! Moving to NYC from Toronto in a few months and planning on bringing my bike so this was a nice primer for me.
Nice,AWESOME cycling
As someone riding in NYC for over 20 years I can tell biggest danger is a tourist thinking she/he has all answers. Don't wonna go into details besides one. Unless locks cost is at list half of bike price don't leave a bike outside and never leave a bike outside after dark. Cost me 5 bikes to learn that rule.
During 1993 to 1998, I commuted most days by bicycle from Staten Island to Manhattan by way of the ferry, and then onto Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This was before most of the bike lanes & routes, and I remember dodging homicidal bus drivers in Manhattan, and suicidal pedestrians on the Brooklyn Bridge. Those were mostly fun times, and I loved it, but you really had to keep your head on a swivel, and it's probably still true.
One of the scariest dangers in NYC to be aware of are those huge, ubiquitous steel road plates used by NYC to cover potholes. They are intended to be temporary, but in NYC, that can mean years. Hitting the leading edge of one the wrong way could cause a pinch-flat, a blowout, or a bent rim. Worse, over time, these plates are polished smooth by the wear and tear of constant traffic. When wet, these plates can get as slick as ice. Sadly, one of the lady cyclists we knew from her daily bicycle commute on the ferry, lost her bike messenger husband when he skidded on a wet plate, and slid under a truck. She was in her mid 20's, newly wed, and then, newly widowed. Very sad...
What a story from old days! Thank you for sharing.
Excellent! Thanks!!!
Great video! I've always loved biking in Manhattan since I was a kid. About to do a ride there today. Going to ride from Trenton New Jersey to Manhattan
Oh wow that a long ride!! Did you spend the night in Manhattan then or you went back right away?
@@WhatashameMaryJane Took the train home that night
@@NoNonsenseKnowHow Out of curiosity, how much was it? I know trains here are very expensive, I myself - as a train lover - only took it once, from DC to Philly.
@@WhatashameMaryJane seems like it goes up every year. I actually had a one way ticket that I never used last year. Still have it. They didn't even take it. No expiration date on them. But if I remember right I think it was 26.50 round trip from Trenton
@@WhatashameMaryJane definitely pricey! But when you factor gas, the outrageous bridge/Tunnel tolls, plus parking... Train Price not too bad
Nice job... I commute on an ebike in Northern Manhattan. Home grown.
Biking in the city isn't bad, just gotta be confident and VERY observant of your surroundings. Luckily most drivers in NYC are relatively used to things (cyclists & pedestrians) coming out of nowhere and in most cases bikes travel around the same speed as cars. This is by far the most complete guide to biking in NYC I've seen on RUclips. The only other thing I'd add is the 59th street bridge which connects the Upper East Side and Long Island City. It's not too bad length/slope wise.
Thanks Raoul. Very good advice you gave. I can just say that I have a different opinion about NYC drivers: they seem very little used to cyclists, or even to driving in general 🤦♀️ I will never wrap my head around how careless bad drivers I see in Manhattan especially. Even though I might be a bit biased from living and cycling in Rome, a city most hostile to cyclists, where the drivers are extremely skilled though.
I live in Connecticut and biked all the trails in CT. Ventured out to Rhode island, Massachusetts, and finally New York. My second time I parked northeast of the George Washington bridge, and biked the Hudson river greenway all the way down under the Brooklyn bridge and past that, checked out the freedom tower , Times square, and all of central park and finally back on the Hudson river greenway to head north to my truck. I will be coming this spring many more times throughout the summer, your video was great and helped me out. I'm requesting maybe a future video from you covering street food, place to sit and eat outdoors possible, but never leave your bike, even with my bike locked I wouldnt want to leave it unintended. It was pretty pricey and wouldnt want anything to happen to it, that's why I'm asking for places to eat and drink for lunch while hanging onto your bike without locking it. Maybe I'll see you riding someday, thank you, keep up the great videos, just subscribed.
Hey Mike, for some reason I see this comment now for the first time. Biking the whole Hudson river greenway sounds truly amazing, and slowly arriving into the city, until you basically hit the Freedom Tower. That's a good video idea, although I should make a work of research before, because I've never had that problem yet. But I know many people own expensive bicycles, so I think it would be a useful one. I'll wait for this virus situation to pass...
Thankfully there is a wonderful, completely separate bike lane over the Brooklyn Bridge now.
So informative and interesting ~ Excellent job of explaining everything Mary Jane! We will definitely be biking Central Park so good to know what to look for. As always, love getting a notification that you posted a new video! Going to go back over your NYC posts and recommendations. Can’t wait for our trip!
Thanks :) I wish you all the best for your upcoming trip!
I think the bike lanes are mainly on the left side in NYC specifically because of the "dooring" problem there, which mostly occurs on the driver's side. In most parts of the USA, I believe (like here in the Washington DC area) bike lanes are mostly on the right side of the road.
I actually believe left lanes are a much better system in one direction roads, because the driver is on the left side so it has better visual access to that side.
I'm impressed with this presentation. It's thorough without being stodgy.
Have you put together any winter cycling videos?
This is really a very helpful and informative video. Always wanted to explore the city by bike but it seemed a bit intimidating. So many good tips and insights. Looking forward to enjoying the sites soon! Many thanks!
Please try it out! Biking is the best way to get around in NYC
I only just started using a bike yesterday in Brooklyn and turning in intersections when most of the bike lanes randomly switch sides of the roads was so hard for me to understand!! Not waiting for the green light and instead turning along the crosswalk while pedestrians are crossing is so smart-- I almost got hit trying to do it the regular way 💀 thank you!!
Go slower the fist days and give yourself time to process all that's going on around you: you'll see that in a few days of cycling you'll start feeling more secure and you'll be able to speed up safely.
Your video is awesome! I'm from brazil and I'm going to NYC in May , so this is going to be very helpfull ! Thanks a lot and come some day to biking in Brazil ! You gonna love it 😀
Thank you! This is very helpful!
I'm glad to hear and you're welcome 😊
I only ride on the bike path from the east river park down and then up the hudson. It is a good 20 mile round trip. I would not ride on the roads in NYC
Nice video!
Awesome great info in this vid, very thanks for the work and time invested MJ! We will follow this tips as sacred!
We also want to do more sports arround NYC , appart from kayaking on the Hudson what more could you recomend us? Thanks in advance!
Cheers!
Sorry I just see this comment for some reason. There is a rock climbing place outdoors on the Dumbo waterfront, it's only open in the good season so now it's perfect time to check it out (well...perfect aside of the coronavirus...😅)
This is so helpful! I'm trying to use the subway less since it constantly lets me down by being late (or not coming at all LOL). Cycling seems like a great option and your tips were really helpful-- thank you!!
It is, you’re not going to regret it! And you can forget the gym, at least for cardio and legs... 😉
Thank you for sharing your Nyc bike tips. I´m a cyclist on my city, Rio de Janeiro.
Excellent advice, thank you!
What a great video, thank you for sharing!
It's "compulsory" to watch this very informative NYC guide, nice video! 👍👍👍
What a surprisingly well researched and produced video! Was expecting someone riding around in NYC with a GoPro and randomly ramble on along the way…
Thank you very much, very glad to hear you're positively surprised!
yessir very much appriciated
So informative and thorough! Thank you so much!!
Glad it was helpful!
This is actually very useful, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you.
Very informative video. Been riding for decades but but fell out the last few years. I'm recently getting back into it and loving the new bike lanes being laid out in NYC.
I'm so happy to hear! You're lucky to live in a city with such a good infrastructure for biking. I think everyone should take advantage of it. I wish you future wonderful bike trips!
What a shame Mary Jane Agreed. I am born & raised in NYC and noticed the change for the better in regards to getting around via bike. Getting turning motorists to yield to us is a problem though. We have to be LOUD 😎
Great video! After so many videos, this one has a good mix of real city tips. Really touched a lot of practical city riding issues with great examples. Thank you!
I'm happy it was useful! I'm planning another one with more tips for biking in big cities soon :)
What a shame Mary Jane thank you can’t wait to see it
Wow, great info! Thanks. Really thorough. Can't wait to bike NYC this summer!
Oh it's going to be awesome :)
Wow what a great idea 💡 for a video !!
Thanks Jon!
Great video. Thanks 👍👍
How do you feel that some people always comment on your good-looks instead of focusing on your hard work?
I don't like it. But I just try to focus on the people who comment about my work and ignore the other comments. Are you a woman too?
@@WhatashameMaryJane Not a woman. 100% man from LA. I can only imagine that some comments can be annoying. I prefer quality content and think people should be mature about things.
@@Time4aKiss I'm glad someone understands
Thanks!! Super insightful
What a complete & detailed instruction! Thank you so much
Hope it helps!
wow nice! you should do one for London too, rode there once and that was pretty crazy!
yes I'm a bike rider I'll ride with her any time 👍
very helpful, thank you!
You are an Italian who owns a bike in New York, I am a New Yorker who happens to own a bike in Italy (a Bianchi in Bologna)
😉
Thank you for this video
I'm gonna be honest, I've been cynical about biking around the busy streets of NYC (with the exception of Staten Island, it's relatively boring there, which makes for easygoing rides) I'm amazed and thankful that you were able to survive 4 months of going about Manhattan by bike considering how people around my city drive like they have no damn sense in their freaking skulls. Granted I may be putting too much emphasis into how reckless drivers can be but some of the people behind the wheel don't give a f*** and will either try to beat you to an intersection or just disregard your presence altogether, which could result in you flying some 9 feet in the air if said car slams into ya.
Note: After watching the vid it's good that you do point out some of the hazards between vehicles and bikes sharing the road and that always needs to be put into consideration. I can imagine all of the stories you could tell dealing with some of the careless drivers in the city. 😄
Look, I'm going to be brutally honest: NYC drivers are pretty reckless. After living and biking in Rome for two years, a big city famous for its traffic and for its disregard for traffic rules, I thought I would consider other cities quiet in comparison. But whereas in Rome drivers are quite crazy, they are still very skilled. In New York I was surprised to see how simply unable many drivers are. It feels to me that they drive with their head in the clouds. At least they don't speed though, so in the end I don't get much angry, I'm able to let them go first and stay calm about it.
I must say that the bike lanes system is made in such a way, that you don't have very much to deal with cars, which I think it's great. I believe it's very new though, cause talking with other NYC older cyclists I've hears horrible biking stories from just a few years ago. I have the impression NYC is making big and quick transformations in favour to the cyclists and therefore I encourage everyone to give cycling in the city a new try, today. Sure it's not for everyone, especially if we talk about everyday commuting and not only biking in the park on a Sunday, but I can say for experience that it's way more safe than the general opinion believes. Just stay away from Midtown.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Yeah, Midtown is definitely more suited for mass transit. Unless it's a part of the daily commute to the city, I usually recommend going around town by train, or bus if the subway is under maintenance. The bike lanes in the city are relatively new, only being a decade old at the most. The biking structure as a whole is improving because other boroughs like Brooklyn (as you mentioned), Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx aren't as heavily congested so far less incidents on those parts.
I wish I could share the same optimism about the drivers on the road but that would be asking for too much. 😂
Very useful as always!
Good tips!
great video. you rock!
Thanks! 🤘
im in love with mary jane great video thanks
My daughter fell (not from riding a bike) and suffered a major concussion that she never recovered from. She’s disabled. Wear a helmet!!! All it takes is a stone, a crack, a car door and your life and be forever changed. I cycle regularly, sometimes in LA traffic, and have fallen. It will happen.
This was so handy. Thank you.
My pleasure!
Forgot to mention that headlights and taillights are required while using windshield wipers in NYC however.. bikes don’t have those. But it is really important since it is dark usually when it rains :)
Thanks, 感谢分享
Great old Schwinn touring bike. Fun color too. Had burnt brown one like that.
Ah that green bike was so pretty... unfortunately it's gone. Someone stole it
The bridges can be a bit dangerous since the lanes are narrow and every time you will encounter motorcycles and scooters zooming fast as fuck by you in both directions.
I'm a NYC biker with 5+ years of experience. That's a good list of dangers! BUT! I would add an absolute danger for bikers in NYC: BIG TRUCKS. Many people died this way and you can not simply react to this danger (there's a very limited room to react in this situation), you have to keep it in mind. Big trucks have limited visibility, when you ride beside the truck, practically nobody sees you, and you're in a big DEAD ZONE. You can still react but there is one situation where you're very limited in your reaction. When you stay beside the big truck on red and it's turning. Because of the geometry of the truck, the rear part comes very close to the side of a turn and can squeeze you. Imagine if there's a barrier on your other side, your only option would be to back up (but you know it's gonna be hard to do fast on a bike). One of the famous biker girl (very experienced) died this way. I forgot her name, it was somewhere in either Queens or LIC
Kind of strange you took the time to stress you not wearing a bike helmet but then took the time to draw cutouts of a car and how dangerous they are when riding a bike. Wear a helmet. It’ll save your life.
lol exactly
Love this video. Helped a lot ! I'm new to biking. So I'm kinda scared to ride on the road.
Hey Veronica, all it takes is practice, practice, practice. Stick to the bike lanes marked in green in the nycbikemaps, then start getting into the other type of bike lanes and if you keep going around at the end of the summer you’ll feel pretty confident in any type of lane!
What i highly recommend is just bike on the pier sides of manhattan ans just not bother going to the middle section of manhattan how ever the best way to get to your destination is follow the each of the sides east or west pier get the the street number you want to go to and turn left or right to the street and make your way down or up to the avenue youre lookinf for
NIce, in some months i will be in new york. Would be nice to go to some places in my bike.
Thanks for the the info on NYC cycling Mary Jane. How does this all work in the winter months, are the pathways clear of snow and ice? You are doing an awesome job keep up the good work!
We've had snow for about a week so far but I haven't tried to cycle those days. Hopefully we will have much more snow in the upcoming months! Thank you :)
Snow does get shoveled on the bike lane on the manhattan bridge.
Was funny your first drawing. The lane that u put the car is Uk style. Driving on the left😂😂. But very interesting video.👏👏 but then again could be a one way street.
Ahaha no it was a typical NYC one way street 🙂
Hi Mary Jane, thanks for the tips. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip up to NY/NJ in November. We are riding mostly rail trails, but wanted to do a little riding in NYC. This is her first time there so I want her to see it. We have a page that concentrates on rail trails, mostly in the southern states near where we live. This will be a nice addition to what we video. Good luck to you with your page! You seem to be doing very well.
Hey! Please let me know if you need any tips about itineraries in the city, I’ve travelled quite a bit by bike in the summer in all boroughs (you can see the vlogs too) so I have enough knowledge now to be giving advice 😉
@@WhatashameMaryJane We will definitely look at the vlogs! We plan on starting on the Jersey side and ride the Palisades to the GW bridge, ride down west side Manhattan, swing to the east and shoot across Central park. Of course we'll be stopping at points of interest for pics and vids along with food. If there's anything you think is a must see let us know. We appreciate you taking time to responding to us, that was very nice of you!
@@rolynontrails1550 To me the most spectacular thing to do by bike is continuing on the Hudson River Greenway till Battery Park. The part from Chelsea to Battery Park to me is breathtaking: you have the whole Hudson Yard, Tribeca and especially World Trade Center on the left and arrive to the view of the Statue of Liberty. Once on the tip you can rest by taking the Staten Island Ferry, it’s a nice ride for free and you can take your bike with you.
@@WhatashameMaryJane Funny you mention that, just watched your Staten Island video. Our ride is getting longer by the video!
Just wanted to thank you for the informative video. We rode in NYC on Monday and had an amazing day! Never enough time, but we wanted to stop in and say thank you! Here is a short clip from that day. ruclips.net/video/O89vVl2Zswo/видео.html. Have you ever rode Sandy Hook? We are considering heading there on Friday.
Just to clarify that you can't ride in the wrong direction - this is very very obvious. You can't ride on sidewalks either if you are 13 years old or older, according to NYC bike laws AC 19-176 - you might see some cyclists riding on the sidewalks but it's not permitted. A white headlight and a red taillight are required - VL 1236 (a) and (e).
Great video! Always been scared to ride in ny, but bit the bullet and going to start w Brooklyn (my burrough) to get comfortable. How do you use phone when using google maps? Phone mount?
Dear Monica, please don't be. Once you start you'll se it's not that bad and with time you'll understand that only certain areas with high density traffic give a little bit more troubles. Brooklyn is a great place to start, in general much more quiet than Manhattan where I live. I usually look at the route before leaving and try to memorize it. Then when I need to refresh my memory I stop the bike and check my phone again. I alway wanted a phone mount, not sure why I never got it. You could try with a handle mount as well.
I am planning a bike trip from NYC to Los Angeles. Very helpful video, as I will be starting in Brooklyn, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. Then crossing the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey.
Wow, that's an ambitious project. I guess you're not from NYC then...
@@WhatashameMaryJane no, not from NYC. I am from northwest PA, south of Erie, PA, a little town called Spring Creek.
@@markbrenner8189 what other bike trips have you done?
@@WhatashameMaryJane Natchez Trace (Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, TN) , the coast of North Carolina, Erie, PA to Washington DC, and many shorter rides. How long have you been in NYC? I am new to your uploads. I am sitting at my computer mapping out 50/60mile segments for the NYC to LA. From the looks of some of your videos, we both like traveling! Do you like cross country touring with a bicycle, or more city commuting?
@@markbrenner8189 I was a digital nomad, so I’ve been living in NYC since the beginning of the pandemic. So far I’ve always done commuting in the city or day trips in the country, but always in the road.
So im listening to biking tips from a person that doesnt wear a helmet..... how long how you even been ridin? What ever the amount, you've been lucky.
Thanks Mary Jane!
Wow Mary Jane you look very nice and beautiful amazing video about Biking in New York City well done 😊😊❤️❤️👍👍
thanks!
Brava MJ, very useful tips too! 💪
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My nerdy 2c? Possibly try to lower the input volume of your mic or avoid peaks in the outputs: the quality of your videos will be even higher! Keep this up!
Ah Marco sono talmente imbranata con la tecnologia...quel lavalier è il primo microfono che ho comprato, ovviamente speso molto poco, ma l'ho odiato dal primo giorno in cui l'ho usato. Spesso mi dà un risultato decente ma a volte, come in alcune clip di questo video, mi rovina tutto il lavoro. C'è un modo per abbassare l'input? Perché come ti ho detto è un microfono molto economico e non ha comandi...
@@WhatashameMaryJane sai cosa? Dipende cosa usi per registrare, intendo DOVE finisce il lavalier.
Ad esempio, io uso il mio (che è decisamente un altro pianeta, guarda qui: amzn.to/2mKq8nx e tra l'altro, ora costa 10eur di quanto l'ho pagato io, grrrr!) collegato ad un iPhone vecchio su cui gira Garageband, e che uso SOLO per acquisire l'audio.
Mi basta registrare usando un volume di ingresso mediamente basso / medio livello, ed eventualmente lo alzi poi in Premiere o il tool che usi per fare i tuoi clip.
Ti è d'aiuto? 🤗
cool video
Thanks
You have very many good tips for cycling that apply regardless of the city you live in. The cars sometimes have not much regard for cyclists. Turning cars at intersections and where a car is parked and someone opens the car door are examples where the cyclist has to be aware of his surroundings and the potentially dangerous situation where you could be harmed. It was very good advice in your video. I may never visit the USA and probably if I did would not cycle around, not because I am against it, on the contrary I think it is the best form of transport, to keep fit and no carbon footprint, even though I cycle a lot in Australia and I'm a fit 65 year old. It would be because I might be in a hurry to see the New York sites.
65 yo from Australia who cycles a lot: I like your profile John! Thanks for the nice comment, I'm very glad you appreciated the video, I made it with a lot of passion.
Agarthan time. Very informative and easy to understand, excellent job MJ. I must say if possible it is a really good Idea to wear a helmet and gloves,that's just my opinion as I have seen some serious accidents. A question for you. Were you pulling a tripod on wheels to get the picture of you riding your bike ? :-) Just kidding. Ciao.
Eh eh that's a secret ;) Helmet is always recommended. Thanks for the comment George.
Great video for all bikers! May I ask the name of the song you used minute 10:54 making a turn at bigcross? Thank you!
Shapes by Toby Tranter for Epidemic Sound. You're welcome!
Awesome video, greetings
Muito competente, simpática. Linda e apaixonante.
Muchas gratias!
for all the single speed or fixie fiders in nyc.. any tips? planning to bring my bike this year
what gear is good
WHAT A BABE
Cheers
cool video im from califorina , you should ride the santa monica beach trail
Padua? I love Padua. The Scrovegni Chapel is one of the most wonderful places on this earth.
I've lived there for five years, it's liek a second home for me :)
Hello, anyone here from PARIS?? could you tell me if biking in NYC is anywhere near 'easy' - you have priority before cars, however annoying they are - and chhallenging as here ? I mean, before Hidalgo generalized the 30km/ hour limit. many thanks !!
epic. thank you
Please wear a helmet. Saved my life at least twice now.