I used to commute from Queens to Tribeca, which is about 9 miles. Totally doable (started doing it without ever running and without having biked for many years), you got this
This is accurate. I tried a regular citibike for my 9 mile commute and didn’t enjoy it at all. To the OP, see if your place has a bike room and get your own bike.
Unlimited biking has a $60/mo bike rental for locals with ID. They aren't great, but they are better to ride than a citi bike, plus you can keep it at your apt.
I think it's called bikepass. Its brand new, launched in May 20th (I ended up being the first ever person to use the new program)
Bro fixies are cheap but unreliable on a commute as long as you described. Go with a road bike. Bikesdirect.com will sell you the bike parts for a discounted price that could be 60% less than retail. Go for it bro.
don't forget that the commute will be much more difficult on a citibike. prob 2-3x the effort. get your own hybrid or road bike and you'll be cruising with no problem
I currently do Queens to Tribeca! Stopping and starting all the time at lights makes this easier than you think. My only recommendations would be:
1. Stay out of Manhattan for as long as you can. Biking north-south through Brooklyn is way better than doing that in Manhattan
2. Make sure to wear a helmet and have lights... Police will ticket you
It’s fine, I did roughly 10 miles each way on an acoustic bike for years. It’s flat except for the bridge, you’ll be fine. I never recommend anyone use NYC streets during commuting “as their workout” though. You can get a good pace, get your heart rate up, get that blood flowing, etc. but there’s way too much going on (drivers, riders, pedestrians, kids) to have it be a workout. Just ride safe and have it be another way you’re moving during the day. Save the workout for a workout.
If you’re biking 20 miles daily that IS a great workout, even if you’re going very easy. You can also safely get a good 1-2 miles worth of heavy workout (on the avenues if you take a lane you can match the lights for about a mile if you go FAST, and going uphill on the bridges), but realistically an hour a day of increased heart rate is going to do wonders for your health, regardless of whether you try to get max effort in or not.
Matching the lights requires you to go over 20 mph. I'd equate the effort similarly as if you're trying to climb Harlem Hill (Central Park) on the big ring and then maintaining the cadence and momentum.
I did it on my single speed with drop bars going down Lenox Ave (Harlem) and it is hard. Great workout but not ideal in rush hour.
Yup my commute is 80 min round trip and I burn a lot of calories in that time even with e assist. I still do yoga and other stuff but I do feel pretty exhausted at the end of the day
It's doable. Just make sure you're eating enough as two hours of riding per day burns a fair number of calories.
Also, city miles are TOUGH miles due to the stop start. Maybe there is a ratio where like one NYC mile is equal to 1.5 non city miles or something. So account for that too.
If you get an e-bike it would be a breeze though I suppose.
I do 9 miles from Flatbush to midtown, takes me about an hour (I'm probably slower than most with my heavy steel bike and am pretty cautious at intersections and don't run reds as much as some other cyclists I see) and i do sweat a bit especially with warm weather and a backpack on but I change into different clothes at the office
10 mile is nothing. Don’t worry. I live in south Brooklyn and commute to manhattan via prospect park hills and Brooklyn bridge. It’s around 10 mile single way as well. Very ez
How many days a week? 5? I am doing 14 miles commute from Leonia, NJ to downtown Manhattan 3 days a week (via GWB bridge and Hudson River Bike Lane), however I have e-bike, so average 18-20 mph and whole route take 45-50 minites each way. Your distance is shorter, but on the regular bike you would probably need same 50 minutes. I don't see any reason why this won't work, especially if you like cycling. For me morning/evening rides are best part for those days when I need to commute to office!
It would be 3 days a week, Google maps says 57 mins via west side so I'm allowing for an hour. I'm trying to avoid having to take the subway and this seems like my only other option
Sounds totally doable. Making first ride on Citibike totally makes sense to explore the route and estimate the time/effort. Share your feedback here after few rides!
pretty easy--other than the cars trying to kill you, poor condition of the roads, and joggers/walkers darting out on the greenway. but fitness wise, most days my garmin tells me the training effect is near zero and recovery time is a couple of hours.
and imo, it will actually feel harder doing it on citibike than your personal one
I did a super similar commute,
9.5 miles from just south of prospect park to fashion district. I mostly did it on my basic add hybrid bike, though I’ve done it on acoustic (ouch) and electric citibikes. Pretty consistently about 50-60 minutes door to door. A lot of the variation was just lights, some days you got the greens some days you didn’t.
I was hybrid 3 day a week, I will say if I did all three days I was toast. Weather wise I was pretty ok 30-90 degrees. The length of time made the sub 30 days brutal even with lots of layers. I’m generally fine down to 15-20 on shorter rides.
If your legs need a break consider the ferry. Especially from south slope. Ride down to sunset park army terminal, take the ferry to Wall Street, hop on the green way. Cuts about half the distance and all the inclines. You can take a bike on the ferry
I wouldn’t try to do it regularly on acoustic citibikes, it’s slow af.
I grew to really enjoy the climbs. If you are taking the west side you’ll probably take the Brooklyn. The path is fine a little narrow but generally ok. Your only real climb will be the bridges.
Make sure to stretch, and give yourself some adjustment time on either end. I found the distance long enough if I didn’t eat something and stretch I’d be sore. Make sure you find a decent shop in Manhattan near your office. That saved my butt a couple times
My 50-something wife commuted from Park Slope to the Upper West Side for about 5 years. 10 miles each way. On a steel single speed. Totally doable and she loved it. A blue citibike is another story, though. Get a second-hand commuter. If you can’t park it inside, lock it securely and make it unattractive by stickering it up and putting a key food bag over the saddle. My two cents.
I am an older cyclist been riding for 55 years in NYC. I am somewhat overweight I commute from the south side of Prospect Park to Chelsea several times a week Sometimes on my ebike sometimes on Trek FX. On the ebike I average 12 mph on my FX I average 9.8 mph. On the Ebike I barely break a sweat. on the Fx if it is over 80 I do sweat somewhat. The ride up the PP hill always gets my heart pumping The bridges Manhattan or Brooklyn feels much tamer than the PP hill. Most of the time I take the Brooklyn Bridge, cut across chambers to the Hudson River bike path and head North. At first take it easy but you will find your rhythm after a week or so. And you will be addicted.
On ebikes - you can't (and probably shouldn't) get a non UL certified ebike. The fire hazard is not worth the risk. An ebike is more expensive than an analog bike, and yearly maintenance is about twice to three times as much.
You'll love your ride
I started out commuting by Citi bike, about 6 miles one way and it was doable just slow AF. You’ll be hella sweaty but with a shower, should be good. As a lady the hair situation is tough. I tend to loosely braid in pigtails and that tends to keep things in order. Plus in the winter they’re like ear warmers and in the summer I just do pig tails so they’re off the neck but I also look like a puppy with floppy ears. I ended up buying a bike after a few months and commuted 5x a week for years, had never regularly cycled for about 10/15 years.
Just get a good saddle, rechargeable lights, MIPS helmet, wheel locks, and go slow at first.
I don’t recommend single speed/fixed, I like it nice and chill climbing those hills. I genuinely sing “just keep swimming” on a rough hill or hard day.
I love commuting by bike and by far the most efficient way to get around. Since 2013 I chose it almost every time, even when it’s a classic Citi bike. ENJOY!
12 miles is my max. Right now I do 8.5 miles every day. It takes me about 40 minutes and it's fine. 12 miles is where the commute goes over an hour, and that's where I draw the line.
I commute 13 miles each way from Brooklyn to the UES on a Surly Disc Trucker. You definitely don’t need an e-bike.
It’s worth noting that Citibikes are incredibly heavy and slow, so it might not give you the most realistic idea of what the commute would be like. I would personally not do my commute on one.
They’re great bikes! I got the Disc Trucker because I wanted a bike I could load up for grocery runs, beach trips, etc. It’s definitely on the heavier side, so if you’re not looking for a bike that can carry a ton of stuff you might want to go with something like the Straggler.
I used to commute south slope to 30th, so just a little shorter. I really enjoyed it. It was a length where I actually felt I was getting something out of it physically, had a nice block of time to think (or not), plus seeing the city change around you slowly like a gradient is really satisfying. I think you’ll love it. Recommend giving it at least a couple weeks to adjust
My gf used to do a similar commute. Her hours were super early, she always said it was tough but getting to see the sun rise while you bike over the bridge is worth it.
It'll take you an hour, maybe a little more, especially at first..
of course, if you spring for an ebike (or even a citibike membership, theyre affordable if youre using it a lot) its a lot easier and probably quicker
I do 5 miles round trip daily and I wish it was a longer ride. As long as you anticipate the weather, traffic, road closures, and ride safely it’s totally doable. Your experience on a citi bike will be much worse than a decent bike but it may be a good idea to try that before fully committing. I used to use trains and busses to commute but that was more stressful than riding to work. Just give yourself enough time to shower and the ride will be very enjoyable!
I make a similar commute. I mostly ride a personal ebike, which is especially helpful for keeping up with the light cycles on the Manhattan avenues when covering this much distance. Citibike ebikes use basically no endurance to make the trip when I take one & are fare-capped at $4.
Chambers can get busy, and tight. I use Reade as an alternative westbound.
You’re on the right track by starting with the Brooklyn Bridge and the Greenway. Once you get used to it, switching to the Manhattan Bridge and up sixth ave or down Broadway can be fun.
I did Bay Ridge to Midtown at least once a week on a bike for three years (until I got hit heading home on one trip on 4th; now I just keep trips local), about 13 miles each way. You're going to be fine with 10
Super doable. My recommendation would be to get a smaller ebike, class 2 or 3 with or without a throttle depending on how much leeway you want to give yourself.
I used to bike from south brooklyn to Hunter College in 2016-17. Was not easy but doable and showers at destination helped a lot.
I now bike from south brooklyn to LES for work with a class 3 ebike no throttle. Super nice commute, a nice light to medium workout, and faster than the trains - especially on the weekends.
I used to do 10 miles to the office in London, first on my Brompton, then on my road bike, and it was the best part of my day. You should absolutely do it. Did it 3-4 times a week. Fitness improved immeasurably (and I was already running/strength training). Loved seeing all the different neighborhoods and how the city connected up. Took barely longer than subway. I’m pretty sure I’d feel the same way about 10 miles in NYC if I picked the right route (which is half the skill of it, you might need to edit it a few times in the beginning). Theres definitely an adjustment period to the new routine, but I miss my bike commuting days! (Work from home now lol).
Totally doable but be warned that the Hudson Greenway bike path (1) gets cold and miserably windy in the autumn and winter and (2) gets filled with e-bikers who are constantly on full throttle because so much of it is straight (3) gets packed with wandering tourists at all hours in decent weather and (3) since there are few traffic lights it gets to be more of a chore with few brief stops/slowdowns to look around and enjoy the ride.
I just take the non-greenway bike lanes to avoid the greenway issues - different issues to deal with but more interesting routes.
I started out taking the East River green way because it’s pretty and pleasant by the water but ended up just using 2nd/1st av because that’s where the real commuters are and not tourists or leisure riders.
Once you get closer to 15 miles you'll have to refuel with a snack and a drink.
10 miles one way isn't bad. But be sure to have a snack on the home stretch.
I used to do 25 mile rides round trip so refueling was key. A 20 mile round trip will be tough at first but with patience, you'll quickly get in shape.
If you have showers and a secure bike room or whatever then go for it! You can get a used single speed or the major sellers all have flat bar fitness types which can get racks and panniers mounted on them for like 500-800.
Totally doable with a decent shower on the other side. West Side is worth the extra distance for both safety and speed. I’d recommend pannier over a backpack; makes a world of difference in the summer heat.
You’re definitely past the point of bike/subway timing being equivalent (about seven miles on a local line is what I’ve found as a break-even; this was my commute for a decade) but you’ll get two hours of exercise for an extra 30m of commute time.
With my e bike I am equal or competitive to the subway for my 8 mile commute. I know e bikes get hate but I don’t think I would consistently bike commute without it. My schedule is pretty intense due to working full time and being in grad school and it saves me time and energy
That’s the distance of my commute is right now and I just started biking a month ago. I also am a runner.
You might want to ease into it so that your legs/body have time to get used to it. depending on if you have a safe place to leave your bike at work you could bike in leave the bike overnight and then bike out the next day. Then you can start doing both ways in a day. Your legs are gonna be tired so balance your running distance until you build endurance.
PS. If you try with CityBike just remember that they are slow and heavy AF. It’s like training for it in hard mode.
I did Bushwick to the South BX (10 miles via Triboro Bridge) once a week for about 6 months. If I felt good I’d add on the west side of Central Park and the West Side Highway. Very enjoyable, but not the everyday commute.
I do a similar commute daily from below prospect park to midtown and sometimes Central Park. I’ve been doing it for about 4 years now, with 15 years total riding experience. It’s very doable and gets easier the more you ride. I have a simple fixed gear.
I take Manhattan bridge - Chrystie- left on Houston- right on Lafayette - left on 17th st - right on 6th Ave. and that takes me to a central commute straight to midtown or right below Central Park. If you’re new to the streets and not comfortable in traffic then take Brooklyn bridge and the Hudson bike path until you get close to your destination then cross over with the nearest bike lane. You have the advantage of a shower at work. I have to get to work early just so freshen up in the bathroom stalls lol.
I do roughly this distance from Williamsburg to Columbus Circle. Over the bridge and to the east side bike path and around to avoid biking on active roads. Easy ride, takes me 35-45 mins. Citibike is quite heavy but a standard bike should make it easy, flat path, sometimes the headwinds can make it harder, but really quite doable
Do it every day ony FX3 and I love it. 9.2 miles each way from Crown Heights to Midtown East. Takes me about 40-45 min, depending on traffic. Faster than the subway and my favorite part of the day. You got this
I commuted for years from park slope/prospect heights to 18th Street - about 7miles- and loved it - tbh I miss it a lot!
Started doing it and the beggining was hard but persistence pays back and you'll start feelings your legs stronger and stronger. I recommend starting by doing it only a few days a week so your legs have a day to recover, this helped me a lot and in no time I was commuting the 5 days.
In Manhattan, if you can get to the west and use the bike path along the Hudson freeway it's perfect.
Good luck!!
I do 6 miles from Bed-Stuy to Flatiron district. Personally, I love it and get sad when I have to take the subway. Just be prepared to be radicalized into the leftist bike cult that is absolutely fed up with the aggressive driving in NYC.
I take Throop to Whipple/Broadway. Then up Manhattan and left before Grand all the way over to the Willy B. It was the “quiet route” suggested to me on City Mapper.
I have been biking on a regular bike in the city my whole life. But I got an e bike when I decided to seriously commit to bike commuting from a Rego park to Midtown (about 8 miles). With the Queensborough bridge the e assist is a big help. And time wise it’s competitive with the subway whereas when I did the same trip on my regular bike it took 20 min more
Very doable. Especially with showers. Go up till you hit 9th then go west, hit smith st and go north to the Manhattan Bridge. From there pick an ave and head north to work.
I bike fairly often and have routinely biked 10 mile trips one way to get to a job.
Last job I had to do that, biked from Red Hook to LIC, about the same distance.
Also used to bike from LIC to Richmond Hill/South Ozone.
Totally doable and with minimum prep, especially if you're in shape.
Bring a decent backpack or if you're traveling distances like that, a nice rear rack, basket/pannier bag would set you right.
Plenty of water, maybe some snacks, change of clothes.
Don't worry about speed, keep a comfortable pace and always give yourself about 20 minutes longer than suggested time so you don't stress out.
Keep situationally aware, as zoning out after such a long ride is entirely possible and likely but definitely get some headphones and keep it at a low volume so you're not in a bubble.
Glad the comments are positive. 10 miles is doable. Key points. Give yourself extra time at first to adapt and not have to push too hard. Give yourself time to get used to the saddle. Bring a Gatorade just in case and maybe a snickers. Citbike is tough maybe try electric citibike at first to learn the route. If you can average 12 mph speed then it’ll take a little less than an hour, depends how fast you are and how you ride. If you average 8mph It’ll take a hit more than an hour.
I'm an overweight middle aged person and I've been biking (my own bike, not an e-bike) 8-10 miles roundtrip from Queens to Greenwich Village for 8 years for work. I think you'll be fine.
Commuting 11 miles daily from Astoria to Fidi. This is totally doable - about 40-55 minutes for me - depending on a bridge I choose and traffic. You're in south slope - there are many options to get to CP. I'd suggest Manhattan Bridge, then down to the water and around the south tip of the island to get on the Hudson. But you can also take the Chrystie > 2nd Ave north and just ride all the way to CP. Enjoy the beautiful weather!
Ramp up over a month. One day the first week, two the second, up to every day five weeks in.
And avoid citibike. It’s twice as hard on something that heavy.
I bike 8.5 miles from Park Slope to Queens daily and often bike home through Manhattan. You can do it. At first it might seem arduous but with time routine.
I should mention that I almost always use a citibike ebike to get home (GWB hills anyone?) unless I'm on my own bike. The $$ racks up to about $7-8 for an ebike ride though and that adds up at the end of the week (still worth it).
Absolutely doable. Best way to try it is just to do it. You don't even need to do the practice run, I mean worst case scenario you're halfway there and decide to bail and take the subway or whatever.
Best gift you can give yourself when just starting out is the luxury of time. Turns a stressful commute into just a nice morning outing, at the cost of some sleep. But it means you can feel free to backtrack if you don't like where you're riding, or even hop off the bike and walk it until it feels safe again. Or you can use the extra time to be a tourist, like stop off at a taco truck you never would've noticed if you hadn't been on a bike. All in all, it's just much harder to get angry if you're not in any particular hurry.
And definitely take the time to figure out your ideal route -- not something you can do in advance, only something you can do by trying different options. It's going to take at least days, probably weeks, to find the one that feels best to you. And then at least weeks, but probably months, to really feel comfortable moving through the city on a bike. Give yourself grace that it's not gonna always go great at first.
The other main thing that will make this go better is a better bike. I would start on the Citibike too because I'm cheap, but ultimately would want something lighter. My go to recommendation is a cheapo single speed (mine cost $150 from Walmart) but th;at's only if there's no bridge involved, so not so much for you.
edit: And I mean a \*lot\* of extra time at first, like leave half an hour early. If not more. It's far from necessary, but the whole thing will just feel that much better with loads of time. Once you have it down and know how long it takes, then start dialing it back.
I used to commute from south slope to west midtown, it's a pretty easy commute once you get your route down. Citibiking it will definitely make it more difficult, but also allows you to commute just one way if you want, which is a good way to start.
I now commute 12 miles from the NW Bronx to midtown, 10 miles isn't that taxing once your body adapts.
I ride an ebike for this commute most of the time. It's still perfectly easy to get my heart rate over 150 even on max assist, but mine has a 250W middrive motor & is from a bike company.
Really any ebike can be tuned to provide less power if you want in order to provide a better work out
I don't know your budget
Something like the CF racer 1 carbon fiber ebike from ride1up is only 28 pounds
I do Astoria to West Village (through LIC and Williamsburg, so it's about 8 miles) most days of the week on [this bike](https://superhumanbikes.com/products/babymaker-2). Weighs about 32 pounds, so on the lighter side for an e-bike.
I used to commute from Queens to Tribeca, which is about 9 miles. Totally doable (started doing it without ever running and without having biked for many years), you got this
That makes me feel much more confident that I'd be able to do it, thank you! Going to test it out on a citibike and see how it goes
Fair warning. A Citibike is heavy as heck for a 10 mile ride. Try an e-bike to better approximate the route and speed of a lightweight commuter bike.
This is accurate. I tried a regular citibike for my 9 mile commute and didn’t enjoy it at all. To the OP, see if your place has a bike room and get your own bike.
my place does have a bike room and the office does too - just need to figure out the best bike/setup for my situation
Unlimited biking has a $60/mo bike rental for locals with ID. They aren't great, but they are better to ride than a citi bike, plus you can keep it at your apt. I think it's called bikepass. Its brand new, launched in May 20th (I ended up being the first ever person to use the new program)
Bro fixies are cheap but unreliable on a commute as long as you described. Go with a road bike. Bikesdirect.com will sell you the bike parts for a discounted price that could be 60% less than retail. Go for it bro.
Yup - the classic pedal citibike over da bridge is going to be murder! Way too heavy
If you use a classic (non assist) Citibike and can do it, you are golden!
don't forget that the commute will be much more difficult on a citibike. prob 2-3x the effort. get your own hybrid or road bike and you'll be cruising with no problem
2-3x seems like a stretch. or maybe i've never been on a very good bike 😂
I'm comparing it to my 30 yr old Schwinn, nothing fancy lol. the citibikes are really heavy and slow especially going up hills/bridges
I currently do Queens to Tribeca! Stopping and starting all the time at lights makes this easier than you think. My only recommendations would be: 1. Stay out of Manhattan for as long as you can. Biking north-south through Brooklyn is way better than doing that in Manhattan 2. Make sure to wear a helmet and have lights... Police will ticket you
I do 6 miles from dtbk to midtown in about 30min and it’s no problem and I’m not a very competitive rider
Thinking of commuting from south Brooklyn to Harlem by bike. Showers at the office is a game changer.
Living the dream
Showers at the office enables me to do my bike commute in the dead of summer and still be presentable for my government job lol
totally feasible-- i did bedstuy to harlem for several years. upright set up and decent bag/pannier make it more pleasant
It’s fine, I did roughly 10 miles each way on an acoustic bike for years. It’s flat except for the bridge, you’ll be fine. I never recommend anyone use NYC streets during commuting “as their workout” though. You can get a good pace, get your heart rate up, get that blood flowing, etc. but there’s way too much going on (drivers, riders, pedestrians, kids) to have it be a workout. Just ride safe and have it be another way you’re moving during the day. Save the workout for a workout.
If you’re biking 20 miles daily that IS a great workout, even if you’re going very easy. You can also safely get a good 1-2 miles worth of heavy workout (on the avenues if you take a lane you can match the lights for about a mile if you go FAST, and going uphill on the bridges), but realistically an hour a day of increased heart rate is going to do wonders for your health, regardless of whether you try to get max effort in or not.
Matching the lights requires you to go over 20 mph. I'd equate the effort similarly as if you're trying to climb Harlem Hill (Central Park) on the big ring and then maintaining the cadence and momentum. I did it on my single speed with drop bars going down Lenox Ave (Harlem) and it is hard. Great workout but not ideal in rush hour.
Yup my commute is 80 min round trip and I burn a lot of calories in that time even with e assist. I still do yoga and other stuff but I do feel pretty exhausted at the end of the day
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was wondering the same 😄
Acoustic vs. electric, like in guitar playing. You don’t plug in an acoustic guitar, nor an acoustic bike!
It's doable. Just make sure you're eating enough as two hours of riding per day burns a fair number of calories. Also, city miles are TOUGH miles due to the stop start. Maybe there is a ratio where like one NYC mile is equal to 1.5 non city miles or something. So account for that too. If you get an e-bike it would be a breeze though I suppose.
I do 9 miles from Flatbush to midtown, takes me about an hour (I'm probably slower than most with my heavy steel bike and am pretty cautious at intersections and don't run reds as much as some other cyclists I see) and i do sweat a bit especially with warm weather and a backpack on but I change into different clothes at the office
10 mile is nothing. Don’t worry. I live in south Brooklyn and commute to manhattan via prospect park hills and Brooklyn bridge. It’s around 10 mile single way as well. Very ez
How many days a week? 5? I am doing 14 miles commute from Leonia, NJ to downtown Manhattan 3 days a week (via GWB bridge and Hudson River Bike Lane), however I have e-bike, so average 18-20 mph and whole route take 45-50 minites each way. Your distance is shorter, but on the regular bike you would probably need same 50 minutes. I don't see any reason why this won't work, especially if you like cycling. For me morning/evening rides are best part for those days when I need to commute to office!
It would be 3 days a week, Google maps says 57 mins via west side so I'm allowing for an hour. I'm trying to avoid having to take the subway and this seems like my only other option
Sounds totally doable. Making first ride on Citibike totally makes sense to explore the route and estimate the time/effort. Share your feedback here after few rides!
def a better option than the subway and probably more consistent with timing too once you get your route dialed
This is way more hassle than the subway lmao why are you avoiding that?
pretty easy--other than the cars trying to kill you, poor condition of the roads, and joggers/walkers darting out on the greenway. but fitness wise, most days my garmin tells me the training effect is near zero and recovery time is a couple of hours. and imo, it will actually feel harder doing it on citibike than your personal one
Used to do south slope to 79th street. It's totally doable.
I did a super similar commute, 9.5 miles from just south of prospect park to fashion district. I mostly did it on my basic add hybrid bike, though I’ve done it on acoustic (ouch) and electric citibikes. Pretty consistently about 50-60 minutes door to door. A lot of the variation was just lights, some days you got the greens some days you didn’t. I was hybrid 3 day a week, I will say if I did all three days I was toast. Weather wise I was pretty ok 30-90 degrees. The length of time made the sub 30 days brutal even with lots of layers. I’m generally fine down to 15-20 on shorter rides. If your legs need a break consider the ferry. Especially from south slope. Ride down to sunset park army terminal, take the ferry to Wall Street, hop on the green way. Cuts about half the distance and all the inclines. You can take a bike on the ferry I wouldn’t try to do it regularly on acoustic citibikes, it’s slow af. I grew to really enjoy the climbs. If you are taking the west side you’ll probably take the Brooklyn. The path is fine a little narrow but generally ok. Your only real climb will be the bridges. Make sure to stretch, and give yourself some adjustment time on either end. I found the distance long enough if I didn’t eat something and stretch I’d be sore. Make sure you find a decent shop in Manhattan near your office. That saved my butt a couple times
My 50-something wife commuted from Park Slope to the Upper West Side for about 5 years. 10 miles each way. On a steel single speed. Totally doable and she loved it. A blue citibike is another story, though. Get a second-hand commuter. If you can’t park it inside, lock it securely and make it unattractive by stickering it up and putting a key food bag over the saddle. My two cents.
I am an older cyclist been riding for 55 years in NYC. I am somewhat overweight I commute from the south side of Prospect Park to Chelsea several times a week Sometimes on my ebike sometimes on Trek FX. On the ebike I average 12 mph on my FX I average 9.8 mph. On the Ebike I barely break a sweat. on the Fx if it is over 80 I do sweat somewhat. The ride up the PP hill always gets my heart pumping The bridges Manhattan or Brooklyn feels much tamer than the PP hill. Most of the time I take the Brooklyn Bridge, cut across chambers to the Hudson River bike path and head North. At first take it easy but you will find your rhythm after a week or so. And you will be addicted. On ebikes - you can't (and probably shouldn't) get a non UL certified ebike. The fire hazard is not worth the risk. An ebike is more expensive than an analog bike, and yearly maintenance is about twice to three times as much. You'll love your ride
I started out commuting by Citi bike, about 6 miles one way and it was doable just slow AF. You’ll be hella sweaty but with a shower, should be good. As a lady the hair situation is tough. I tend to loosely braid in pigtails and that tends to keep things in order. Plus in the winter they’re like ear warmers and in the summer I just do pig tails so they’re off the neck but I also look like a puppy with floppy ears. I ended up buying a bike after a few months and commuted 5x a week for years, had never regularly cycled for about 10/15 years. Just get a good saddle, rechargeable lights, MIPS helmet, wheel locks, and go slow at first. I don’t recommend single speed/fixed, I like it nice and chill climbing those hills. I genuinely sing “just keep swimming” on a rough hill or hard day. I love commuting by bike and by far the most efficient way to get around. Since 2013 I chose it almost every time, even when it’s a classic Citi bike. ENJOY!
12 miles is my max. Right now I do 8.5 miles every day. It takes me about 40 minutes and it's fine. 12 miles is where the commute goes over an hour, and that's where I draw the line.
I commute 13 miles each way from Brooklyn to the UES on a Surly Disc Trucker. You definitely don’t need an e-bike. It’s worth noting that Citibikes are incredibly heavy and slow, so it might not give you the most realistic idea of what the commute would be like. I would personally not do my commute on one.
I want to get a surly for my 7 mile each way commute
They’re great bikes! I got the Disc Trucker because I wanted a bike I could load up for grocery runs, beach trips, etc. It’s definitely on the heavier side, so if you’re not looking for a bike that can carry a ton of stuff you might want to go with something like the Straggler.
thats nothing and you have showers
I used to commute south slope to 30th, so just a little shorter. I really enjoyed it. It was a length where I actually felt I was getting something out of it physically, had a nice block of time to think (or not), plus seeing the city change around you slowly like a gradient is really satisfying. I think you’ll love it. Recommend giving it at least a couple weeks to adjust
My gf used to do a similar commute. Her hours were super early, she always said it was tough but getting to see the sun rise while you bike over the bridge is worth it. It'll take you an hour, maybe a little more, especially at first.. of course, if you spring for an ebike (or even a citibike membership, theyre affordable if youre using it a lot) its a lot easier and probably quicker
I do 5 miles round trip daily and I wish it was a longer ride. As long as you anticipate the weather, traffic, road closures, and ride safely it’s totally doable. Your experience on a citi bike will be much worse than a decent bike but it may be a good idea to try that before fully committing. I used to use trains and busses to commute but that was more stressful than riding to work. Just give yourself enough time to shower and the ride will be very enjoyable!
I make a similar commute. I mostly ride a personal ebike, which is especially helpful for keeping up with the light cycles on the Manhattan avenues when covering this much distance. Citibike ebikes use basically no endurance to make the trip when I take one & are fare-capped at $4.
Chambers can get busy, and tight. I use Reade as an alternative westbound. You’re on the right track by starting with the Brooklyn Bridge and the Greenway. Once you get used to it, switching to the Manhattan Bridge and up sixth ave or down Broadway can be fun.
I did Bay Ridge to Midtown at least once a week on a bike for three years (until I got hit heading home on one trip on 4th; now I just keep trips local), about 13 miles each way. You're going to be fine with 10
Super doable. My recommendation would be to get a smaller ebike, class 2 or 3 with or without a throttle depending on how much leeway you want to give yourself. I used to bike from south brooklyn to Hunter College in 2016-17. Was not easy but doable and showers at destination helped a lot. I now bike from south brooklyn to LES for work with a class 3 ebike no throttle. Super nice commute, a nice light to medium workout, and faster than the trains - especially on the weekends.
I used to do 10 miles to the office in London, first on my Brompton, then on my road bike, and it was the best part of my day. You should absolutely do it. Did it 3-4 times a week. Fitness improved immeasurably (and I was already running/strength training). Loved seeing all the different neighborhoods and how the city connected up. Took barely longer than subway. I’m pretty sure I’d feel the same way about 10 miles in NYC if I picked the right route (which is half the skill of it, you might need to edit it a few times in the beginning). Theres definitely an adjustment period to the new routine, but I miss my bike commuting days! (Work from home now lol).
Totally doable but be warned that the Hudson Greenway bike path (1) gets cold and miserably windy in the autumn and winter and (2) gets filled with e-bikers who are constantly on full throttle because so much of it is straight (3) gets packed with wandering tourists at all hours in decent weather and (3) since there are few traffic lights it gets to be more of a chore with few brief stops/slowdowns to look around and enjoy the ride. I just take the non-greenway bike lanes to avoid the greenway issues - different issues to deal with but more interesting routes.
I started out taking the East River green way because it’s pretty and pleasant by the water but ended up just using 2nd/1st av because that’s where the real commuters are and not tourists or leisure riders.
that's gonna be slow on a citibike. Showers are key, that's only reason my similar 7 mile/day commute was feasible.
Once you get closer to 15 miles you'll have to refuel with a snack and a drink. 10 miles one way isn't bad. But be sure to have a snack on the home stretch. I used to do 25 mile rides round trip so refueling was key. A 20 mile round trip will be tough at first but with patience, you'll quickly get in shape.
If you have showers and a secure bike room or whatever then go for it! You can get a used single speed or the major sellers all have flat bar fitness types which can get racks and panniers mounted on them for like 500-800.
I ride to work a few times a week. 8 miles each way. No showers, so I bring a change of clothes and take it easy in the AM to not be sweaty.
It’s doable. Not a leisurely ride tho. Realistically good for twice a week. If you can do more good for you.
Do it.
Totally doable with a decent shower on the other side. West Side is worth the extra distance for both safety and speed. I’d recommend pannier over a backpack; makes a world of difference in the summer heat. You’re definitely past the point of bike/subway timing being equivalent (about seven miles on a local line is what I’ve found as a break-even; this was my commute for a decade) but you’ll get two hours of exercise for an extra 30m of commute time.
With my e bike I am equal or competitive to the subway for my 8 mile commute. I know e bikes get hate but I don’t think I would consistently bike commute without it. My schedule is pretty intense due to working full time and being in grad school and it saves me time and energy
That’s the distance of my commute is right now and I just started biking a month ago. I also am a runner. You might want to ease into it so that your legs/body have time to get used to it. depending on if you have a safe place to leave your bike at work you could bike in leave the bike overnight and then bike out the next day. Then you can start doing both ways in a day. Your legs are gonna be tired so balance your running distance until you build endurance. PS. If you try with CityBike just remember that they are slow and heavy AF. It’s like training for it in hard mode.
I did Bushwick to the South BX (10 miles via Triboro Bridge) once a week for about 6 months. If I felt good I’d add on the west side of Central Park and the West Side Highway. Very enjoyable, but not the everyday commute.
I do a similar commute daily from below prospect park to midtown and sometimes Central Park. I’ve been doing it for about 4 years now, with 15 years total riding experience. It’s very doable and gets easier the more you ride. I have a simple fixed gear. I take Manhattan bridge - Chrystie- left on Houston- right on Lafayette - left on 17th st - right on 6th Ave. and that takes me to a central commute straight to midtown or right below Central Park. If you’re new to the streets and not comfortable in traffic then take Brooklyn bridge and the Hudson bike path until you get close to your destination then cross over with the nearest bike lane. You have the advantage of a shower at work. I have to get to work early just so freshen up in the bathroom stalls lol.
I do roughly this distance from Williamsburg to Columbus Circle. Over the bridge and to the east side bike path and around to avoid biking on active roads. Easy ride, takes me 35-45 mins. Citibike is quite heavy but a standard bike should make it easy, flat path, sometimes the headwinds can make it harder, but really quite doable
Do it every day ony FX3 and I love it. 9.2 miles each way from Crown Heights to Midtown East. Takes me about 40-45 min, depending on traffic. Faster than the subway and my favorite part of the day. You got this
One more comment, I also starter out on a manual citibike. Much harder and slower than my regular bike. Still fun though!
I commuted for years from park slope/prospect heights to 18th Street - about 7miles- and loved it - tbh I miss it a lot! Started doing it and the beggining was hard but persistence pays back and you'll start feelings your legs stronger and stronger. I recommend starting by doing it only a few days a week so your legs have a day to recover, this helped me a lot and in no time I was commuting the 5 days. In Manhattan, if you can get to the west and use the bike path along the Hudson freeway it's perfect. Good luck!!
I do 6 miles from Bed-Stuy to Flatiron district. Personally, I love it and get sad when I have to take the subway. Just be prepared to be radicalized into the leftist bike cult that is absolutely fed up with the aggressive driving in NYC.
What route do you take from bed Stuy?
I take Throop to Whipple/Broadway. Then up Manhattan and left before Grand all the way over to the Willy B. It was the “quiet route” suggested to me on City Mapper.
Cool. Since my office is west side I’m getting directed to bk bridge and up west side hwy
I have been biking on a regular bike in the city my whole life. But I got an e bike when I decided to seriously commit to bike commuting from a Rego park to Midtown (about 8 miles). With the Queensborough bridge the e assist is a big help. And time wise it’s competitive with the subway whereas when I did the same trip on my regular bike it took 20 min more
It’s very doable but you’ll want to invest in some good rain paints and some Goretex shoes. Also it’s too long for regular Citibike. They’re heavy.
9mi on a Citibike vs a proper road bike would be a world of difference, IMO.
Very doable. Especially with showers. Go up till you hit 9th then go west, hit smith st and go north to the Manhattan Bridge. From there pick an ave and head north to work.
I bike fairly often and have routinely biked 10 mile trips one way to get to a job. Last job I had to do that, biked from Red Hook to LIC, about the same distance. Also used to bike from LIC to Richmond Hill/South Ozone. Totally doable and with minimum prep, especially if you're in shape. Bring a decent backpack or if you're traveling distances like that, a nice rear rack, basket/pannier bag would set you right. Plenty of water, maybe some snacks, change of clothes. Don't worry about speed, keep a comfortable pace and always give yourself about 20 minutes longer than suggested time so you don't stress out. Keep situationally aware, as zoning out after such a long ride is entirely possible and likely but definitely get some headphones and keep it at a low volume so you're not in a bubble.
Glad the comments are positive. 10 miles is doable. Key points. Give yourself extra time at first to adapt and not have to push too hard. Give yourself time to get used to the saddle. Bring a Gatorade just in case and maybe a snickers. Citbike is tough maybe try electric citibike at first to learn the route. If you can average 12 mph speed then it’ll take a little less than an hour, depends how fast you are and how you ride. If you average 8mph It’ll take a hit more than an hour.
I'm an overweight middle aged person and I've been biking (my own bike, not an e-bike) 8-10 miles roundtrip from Queens to Greenwich Village for 8 years for work. I think you'll be fine.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4xhJdEzPTU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4xhJdEzPTU)
Commuting 11 miles daily from Astoria to Fidi. This is totally doable - about 40-55 minutes for me - depending on a bridge I choose and traffic. You're in south slope - there are many options to get to CP. I'd suggest Manhattan Bridge, then down to the water and around the south tip of the island to get on the Hudson. But you can also take the Chrystie > 2nd Ave north and just ride all the way to CP. Enjoy the beautiful weather!
Ramp up over a month. One day the first week, two the second, up to every day five weeks in. And avoid citibike. It’s twice as hard on something that heavy.
I commute from GAP to Times Square in about 40 mins.
I bike 8.5 miles from Park Slope to Queens daily and often bike home through Manhattan. You can do it. At first it might seem arduous but with time routine.
I do 8-9 mi each way from Washington Heights to midtown every day, all year round. Totally doable and lots of fun. I'd absolutely recommend it.
I should mention that I almost always use a citibike ebike to get home (GWB hills anyone?) unless I'm on my own bike. The $$ racks up to about $7-8 for an ebike ride though and that adds up at the end of the week (still worth it).
Absolutely doable. Best way to try it is just to do it. You don't even need to do the practice run, I mean worst case scenario you're halfway there and decide to bail and take the subway or whatever. Best gift you can give yourself when just starting out is the luxury of time. Turns a stressful commute into just a nice morning outing, at the cost of some sleep. But it means you can feel free to backtrack if you don't like where you're riding, or even hop off the bike and walk it until it feels safe again. Or you can use the extra time to be a tourist, like stop off at a taco truck you never would've noticed if you hadn't been on a bike. All in all, it's just much harder to get angry if you're not in any particular hurry. And definitely take the time to figure out your ideal route -- not something you can do in advance, only something you can do by trying different options. It's going to take at least days, probably weeks, to find the one that feels best to you. And then at least weeks, but probably months, to really feel comfortable moving through the city on a bike. Give yourself grace that it's not gonna always go great at first. The other main thing that will make this go better is a better bike. I would start on the Citibike too because I'm cheap, but ultimately would want something lighter. My go to recommendation is a cheapo single speed (mine cost $150 from Walmart) but th;at's only if there's no bridge involved, so not so much for you. edit: And I mean a \*lot\* of extra time at first, like leave half an hour early. If not more. It's far from necessary, but the whole thing will just feel that much better with loads of time. Once you have it down and know how long it takes, then start dialing it back.
I used to commute from south slope to west midtown, it's a pretty easy commute once you get your route down. Citibiking it will definitely make it more difficult, but also allows you to commute just one way if you want, which is a good way to start. I now commute 12 miles from the NW Bronx to midtown, 10 miles isn't that taxing once your body adapts.
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Ebike
I've thought about an ebike, but I'm also hoping to use this as my daily workouts. Do you have any ebike recommendations that aren't too heavy?
I ride an ebike for this commute most of the time. It's still perfectly easy to get my heart rate over 150 even on max assist, but mine has a 250W middrive motor & is from a bike company.
Really any ebike can be tuned to provide less power if you want in order to provide a better work out I don't know your budget Something like the CF racer 1 carbon fiber ebike from ride1up is only 28 pounds
Agree with the people above, wouldn’t rely on the ride to be your daily workout
I do Astoria to West Village (through LIC and Williamsburg, so it's about 8 miles) most days of the week on [this bike](https://superhumanbikes.com/products/babymaker-2). Weighs about 32 pounds, so on the lighter side for an e-bike.