Bike Shopping in NYC

EDIT #1 - http://redd.it/ke8dk

EDIT #2 - it's just a cheap Japanese bike. No go.

This is a place on the west side highway - bike is about $175

This is bike #2 - it was 2x the money - but a lot nicer. The bike is a Biria CitiBike

Cold Weather Biking

Went out for a ride today - weather is 41F and Sunny - really nice out

• NorthFace hard shell is awesome - vents come in real handy. EDIT: REI article recommends a softshell to let some cold wind through. I think that might work better
• Bike Helmet is like a ski helmet but much much colder. I need to find a hat that fits underneath. Or go with the Ski Helmet liner.
• I really need to invest in a pair of 180s. The $5 knockoff kind that can be found here
• I need a better pants solution - double pair of sweats + windproof is too much
• Can't go wrong with long socks

REI has a good article on winter cycling here

How long do I plan on riding ? Until there is snow/sleet/rain on the ground - I don't have fenders

Weekend NYC ride

I biked to work & back - about 25miles in 3hrs. My route via GMaps

I caught a stickball game Carroll and 7th. It was the most Park Slope thing I've ever witnessed in Park Slope ( except for maybe the Halloween parade ). It was an old-timers game, guys with gray hair and think 'how YOU doin', kid' accents. A Jetta and an Forrester served as 1st and 3rd base. I didn't quite catch what consituted 2nd base, but I guessed it was a fruit delivery truck. The block and intersection was packed with people in slippers enjoying fare from local cafes. People were consuming things from triangular and oval packaging - I assumed sandwiches or ice cream. Every 3 minutes, the entire game would pause to let cars through. This involved a couple of guys yelling at minivans and Volvos full of confused passengers and amused drivers.

I also visited Prospect Park. This seem to be the formula for everyone : Aquire plaid shirts and vintage bicycle. Picnic in Prospect Park. Loudly discuss digital media or your relationships.

GWB Route

New plan - bike to the George Washington Bridge & back

Here's the route - Google Maps says it's 41.1 mi – about 3 hours 49 mins

Now I need to allocate some a Saturday or Sunday for this when the weather cools off a little

Thoughts on Biking Brooklyn

I just took a 2hr bike through NYC. I took Manihattan bridge from Brooklyn and the Brooklyn bridge back. Here are a few thoughts

Here is a link to the Route:

1. Prospect Park is really nice. I should plan every route through the park. Friday nights there are awesome concerts at the Band Shell via @CelebrateBklyn and on 4SQ. I caught some of Kid Koala's show. Very cool event - evening concert in the park. Large crowds of people chilling on blankets and dancing around. My check in got me a Swarm badge.
2. Do not bike on the Brooklyn Bridge. The walkway is wooden ( atleast horizontally ) and not very pleasant. Pedestrians hardly respect the pedestrian vs bicycle lane division and tend to spill over on the bike side for pictures.
3. Surprisingly, there are bike lanes everywhere ( up to Prospect Park )
4. Ocean Parkway - bike along the satellite road, not the bike path. Bike path is riddled with little kids, potholes, strollers and houligans. The satellite side road is better paved, free of pedestrian shenanigans and is fairly car-free. Also you can bike a lot faster - at the speed of cars.
5. Smith Street is good to bike through. The lane is mostly paved except for a few bits around Poly. Take 9th Street to Smith street. Do NOT take 15th street - messy around Ft. Hamilton
6. Flatbush was actually better than I expected - keep pace with traffic - even up the mild hill and everything works out fine
7. I need a cycling jersey with back pockets. Regular t-shirts don't quite cut it - too much drag and I don't have anything in bright color. Carrying stuff in short pockets sucks
8. I need to put some lights on my bike. An LED in the front and a reflector thing in the back.
9. If I don't get a shirt with pocket, it would be awesome to get one of those under-seat saddle bags for cellphone / wallet / keys
10. I need to buy a bike lock. I think I'll stop by Roy's Sheepshead Cycle tomorrow
11. My bike is a triple. The front gear really confused me for a while but I finally figured it out. The shift still has 3 positions, but only two gears. I need to shift TWICE to go up or down.