Social Distance Cycling - Recap
Is it safe to ride outside?
Thursday, April 30, 2020
"Yes—as long as you’re alone. When people congregate together and someone sneezes or coughs, droplets get onto objects that people touch, and then people touch their face. The best plan for riding right now is to go out and ride solo and enjoy the outdoors, in noncrowded areas. And, try timing your rides for when you know your route will be less crowded.
Getting in 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to brisk activity can help your immune system keep viruses at bay. Be sure you know what’s going on in your area and if there are any restrictions or mandatory self-quarantines. And, if you’re sick or at-risk of spreading the virus, you shouldn’t go out." - Bicycling Magazine
Social Distance Cycling in NYC - Central Park & Prospect Park
Both parks are car-free and there’s plenty of roadway width to maintain 6+ feet between you and others.
Central Park Full Loop (6.1 miles, 340 feet of climbing)
Central Park – fewer hills (5.2 miles, 247 feet of climbing)
Central Park – Harlem Hill repeats (1.5 miles, 111 feet of climbing)
Prospect Park (3.4 miles, 136 feet of climbing)
Central Park to Wards & Randalls Island:
Wards & Randalls Island
If you want a quieter, more chill experience away from crowds, this is a good option. It’s not a “go fast” sort of place, but that’s perfect right now. The only downside is that the paths you’ll be cycling on aren’t as wide as the roads in Central Park or Prospect Park so there may be brief moments where proper “social distancing” is difficult. But generally you’ll pass far fewer people on Wards & Randalls than you will in Central Park. Since you may never have gone there we’ve included safe routes between Central Park and Wards & Randalls Island.
https://ridewithgps.com/ routes/32177694 (5.1 miles, 123 feet of climbing)
https://ridewithgps.com/ routes/32177674 (4.1 miles, 107 feet of climbing
https://ridewithgps.com/ routes/32177727 (5.1 miles, 112 feet of climbing)
https://ridewithgps.com/ routes/32177579 (4.0 miles, 93 feet of climbing)
Best route from Central Park to Wards Island
Best route from Wards Island to Central Park
Suggestions For Safe Cycling During The Pandemic
-
• Never ride if you’ve lost your sense of smell (loss of sense of smell indicates you may have a mild case of COVID-19 and could easily infect others)
• Never ride if you don’t feel up to it (malaise is an early symptom of COVID-19)
• Never ride if you have a low grade fever, cough or shortness of breath.
• Think twice about riding if you’re in a risk group for complications from COVID-19.
• Never encourage someone else to ride.
• If you have high viz outerwear, wear it.
• Use flashing lights front and back during daytime rides – they reduce your chances of crashes by 19%.
• Do not ride at dusk or dawn – that’s the most dangerous time for cyclists
• Think twice about cycling at night. It’s safer to cycle during the day.
• Take it easy, slow down, and don’t push yourself.
• Know your limits and stay well within them. Never try to keep up with someone else, or do what someone else does if you wouldn’t normally do it yourself.
• If something is potentially dangerous (an intersection, a pothole, a curb, etc.) handle the situation with an abundance of caution. Spend the extra 5-15 seconds it will probably take to handle the situation most safely.
• Choose routes that are as safe as possible and as uncrowded as possible (see list below for suggestions).
• Avoid taking the subway or a train to the start or from the end of the route.
• Try to stay 8 feet from other people when stopped (since you may underestimate how close you are). If you can both stretch out your arms and have your fingers touch, you’re definitely too close.
• Stay 20+ feet behind other riders except to pass.
• If you pass another rider on a roadway, use the entire lane to get distance between the two of you.
• If you pass another person on a trail, go to the far edge of the trail and pass as quickly as you (safely) can (most trails are only 6-8 feet wide). - Check out Bicycling.com’s suggestions for cycling safely during the pandemic.
RIDES AND EVENTS CALENDAR
FRI
22
FEB
TUE
05
MAR
WED
06
MAR
SUN
02
JUN
SAT
22
JUN
MON
01
JUL
THU
04
JUL
THU
04
JUL
SUN
07
JUL
TUE
09
JUL
TUE
09
JUL
TUE
09
JUL
SAT
13
JUL
SAT
13
JUL
SAT
13
JUL
SUN
14
JUL
SUN
14
JUL
SAT
20
JUL
SAT
20
JUL
SUN
21
JUL
FRI
26
JUL
SAT
27
JUL
SUN
28
JUL
SAT
03
AUG
SUN
04
AUG
TUE
06
AUG
TUE
13
AUG
THU
15
AUG
SAT
17
AUG
SAT
24
AUG
SAT
24
AUG
FRI
30
AUG
SUN
01
SEP
TUE
10
SEP
SUN
15
SEP
SAT
21
SEP
SAT
28
SEP
TUE
08
OCT
SUN
03
NOV
THU
07
NOV
SUN
10
NOV
SAT
23
NOV
FRI
06
DEC
SAT
14
DEC
SAT
21
DEC
FRI
27
DEC
SAT
28
DEC
SUN
05
JAN
SUN
23
FEB
SUN
08
MAR
TUE
10
MAR
WED
11
MAR
SAT
14
MAR
THU
26
MAR
THU
30
APR
MON
11
MAY
SUN
17
MAY
MON
25
MAY
WED
27
MAY
SUN
31
MAY
SUN
07
JUN
SUN
21
JUN
TUE
23
JUN
SUN
28
JUN
SAT
11
JUL
SAT
11
JUL
FRI
17
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
18
JUL
SAT
25
JUL
SAT
25
JUL
SAT
25
JUL
SAT
25
JUL
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
01
AUG
SAT
08
AUG
SAT
08
AUG
SAT
08
AUG
SAT
08
AUG
SAT
08
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
15
AUG
SAT
22
AUG
SAT
22
AUG
SAT
22
AUG
SAT
22
AUG
SAT
22
AUG
MON
24
AUG
SAT
29
AUG
WED
09
SEP
SUN
13
SEP
TUE
22
SEP
FRI
09
OCT
SAT
10
OCT
SUN
18
OCT
SAT
24
OCT
SUN
25
OCT
SAT
31
OCT
SAT
14
NOV
RIDE LEVEL KEY
A - Speed Freak - Fast paceline ride
B - Steady Eddy - Moderately paced ride
C - Easy Rider - Gentle paced ride
The 'Ride Speed' indicates the target cruising speed on flat roads.