offManhattan

What: Bike New York’s Commerce Bank Five Boro Bike Tour

Why: Don’t pass up an opportunity to tour through all five boroughs on a route closed to car traffic, joining 30,000 other cyclists in the largest recreational biking event in the United States.

When: Sunday, May 4, 2008 – registration deadlines are March 28th (early bird) and April 18th

Where: The 42 mile tour starts in Battery Park, runs through Central Park, historic Harlem, the Bronx, down FDR drive, then over to Queens and Brooklyn, over the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and onto Staten Island. Before returning to downtown with a free ride on the ferry, riders enjoy a celebration at Fort Wadsworth with exhibits, food, and live entertainment.

How: Registration is limited to the first 30,000 entrants, so be sure to register soon at the Bike New York website. All skill levels and ages are welcome. A list of bike shops offering rentals for the event can be found here—some can even provide a convenient pick-up/drop-off at the start and finish, and many offer a discount for this event. If you register before March 28th, the fee is $45, and until April 18th (or when full) it goes up to $55. Also available is a VIP package that includes a starting spot at the front of the tour, a light breakfast, lunch, a T-shirt, and baseball cap. This will cost you $200 and helps support Bike New York’s Bicycle Education program. Some of the offManhattan staff will be participating and covering the event this year—we hope to see you out there!

Photos: Courtesy of Bike New York (see individual photos for details).

Route Map (Courtesy Bike New York)

Passing the Empire State Building in Midtown (Courtesy Bike New York/David Trattles)

East River in Astoria, Queens (Courtesy Bike New York / Michael Toomey)

Rest Stop (Courtesy Bike New York/David Trattles)

Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (Courtesy Bike New York / Michael Toomey)

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