Hi there-
I am very interested in becoming involved in some sort of bicycling group. And while I've searched the internet and the bike trips for NYCC sound very interesting, I'm looking for a biking experience that is much more leisurely than your bike trips sound. Basically, I'm looking for people to bike with on a weekend day for about an hour around Central Park. If you know of another bike organization that offers something like this or know of someone else who is interested in forming this kind of a regular bike trip, please feel free to let me know about them (or vice versa, and you can give them my e-mail address). If you have any further suggestions about how to go about finding a bike group that is more suited to me, please feel free to let me know about it. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Tonica
Looking for a leisurely bike group
5bbc.com
(Oops - .org, not .com)
"Two years ago when I was looking into clubs, I was told that I wouldn't be allowed to do a c ride without doing the c-sig-- which is the lowest rung of the nycc cycling training series (I shoulda saved the email). I don't know if this is policy or whether someone just yanked my chain. Since the sigs are in the spring and I became active in the fall of 2001, that left me with the 5bbc. As a then novice cyclist I found the ""happy face"" 5bbc rides extremely relaxed with people who are social and extremely supportive of cycling and cyclists of all ages and abilities. These rides are not more than 30 miles round trip with a couple of stops and with a very non- type A kinda rider of all skill levels. I have since done a century and a metric century and have become very active in cycling. I personally find the 5bbc rides to be a great balance to the more driven b-sig training program that I am doing now which is great and challenging training program but not as relaxing and fun.
Andrea"
A 'lite' alternative to the already heavily watered-down A SIG.
Maybe we should call it the LIMBO SIG.
The bar keeps getting lower and lower.
"Tonica, the NYCC probably DOES have a ride for you. Many of our ""C"" rides are short and proceed at a leisurely pace. Dont be thrown off by the listings for ""A"" and ""B"" rides. There are lots of casual rides offered by the club. I suggest that you send an email to the following address -- moreinfo@nycc.org. -- and ask to be given the name and contact info for the ""C rides coordinator."""
"Charlie-
Thanks a bunch for responding to my message. I looked at the ""C"" rides and even they look a little too intense for my liking. The goal of the ""C"" group is to be able to increase your distance to at least 50-60 miles. I'm in decent shape, I just don't have the time, energy or even interest to make that a goal of mine.
Tonica"
Tonica-
While the C-SIG aims to increase riding distance, improve fitness, and generally enhance riding skills, NYCC also hosts weekend rides with no particular goal beyond riding. Unfortunately, the majority of those 'C' rides do not tend to list before spring, so the calendar may be a bit sparse for now. Still, I would encourage you to write to moreinfo@nycc.org as per Charlie, they can provide you with a fuller listing of rides than are posted on the website.
(although, you would actually be surprised just how easy it is to ride up to 50 miles)
"Hi Tonica (& Banana Man),
The present ""C"" rides coordinator is Isaac Brumer. He might be at the monthly NYCC general meetings.
I happen to lead a number of ""C"" rides, NYCC/5BBC, ranging from: Manhattan's Hudson River Greenway; Hoboken; Lincoln Tunnel night ride, Sandy Hook, and a Staten Island chocolate factory. Another leader Richard Fine, has an August night ride around Manhattan. This is only a few...
However, Jan. - June is my training season, preparing for 200k brevets and 100+ mi centuries.
When it gets warmer, you can come on the NYCC's ""All-Class"" rides. There may be a get-together ride for newcomers...
From May 1-3, various clubs (including NYCC) will be at the annual NYC Bicycle Show--www.nycbicycleshow.com--up close and personal, including bikes and gear and other stuff (e.g. free nyc bicycle maps, twin-valve floor pumps selling for $15; colorful $5 bike socks, $25-$30 jerseys.)
From late June to July, check Bike Summer at www.bikesummer.org. It's an annual event that rotates in various cities (San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver and Portland). This year, New York City is it...
If you an eclectic at heart, check out Times Up! at www.times-up.org. Several interesting trips include monthly ""critical mass"" and ""moonlight"" bike rides.
Contact me for my recommended top 23 bike event list in NYC & beyond, I wrote for that 'other bike club.' Like lots of good people, lots of good cycling exists in the Big Apple--but you have to find it.
Alfredo"
