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What it takes to complete a 100-mile bike ride in vehicle-choked New York City

What it takes to complete a 100-mile bike ride in vehicle-choked New York City

Cycling enthusiasts are gearing up for the return of the NYC Century Bike Tour, a 100-mile ride that has become a beloved tradition in the city. The event, which was last held in 2019, is making a comeback this fall, and organizers are expecting a strong turnout.

  1. Key to success: Preparation and planning
  2. Building endurance and stamina
  3. Getting the right gear
  4. Staying hydrated and fueled

The tour will take cyclists through every borough of New York City, including a family-friendly ride option. While some cyclists are taking their training seriously, others are finding that the urban environment can make the ride less daunting than expected.

“People are super excited that this is coming back,” said Bronxite Edmundo Martinez, who participated in multiple Century rides in the 2010s. “It was a way that you saw everyone in the cycling community,” he added. “It was almost like prom, graduation, homecoming.”

To prepare for the ride, cyclists are advised to increase their mileage and incorporate longer rides into their training schedule. Martinez, who is planning to participate for the third time, said he is trying to regularly do rides of 20, 20 or 40 miles to prepare.

Sample Training Schedule
Weeks 1-4 20-mile rides
Weeks 5-8 30-mile rides
Weeks 9-12 40-mile rides
Fueling up
For endurance riders, fueling up is key to completing the 100-mile ride.
A doctor and century veterans emphasize the importance of eating more carbs in the days leading up to the tour.

“For that’s what’s going to be used for the energy source amid an endurance activity,” said Dr. Hasan Swindell, an orthopedic surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Comfortable bike

is also important. “What suffers is your ass,” said Dan Miller, who has ridden 100 miles before on his own but is doing the NYC Century Bike Tour for the first time this year.

Benefits of a Comfortable Bike
Reduced discomfort Increased efficiency Improved performance
Group rides and social support
Cyclists also highlight the importance of group rides and social support.
For some, the ride is as much about solidarity with other cyclists and getting to see different sides of the city as it is about exercise or physical endurance.

“It started pretty informally” in 1990 with about 200 riders who wanted to “show the possibilities of a city that is much more effortlessly bikeable,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives.

Urban cycling infrastructure
The Century gets permits to operate but doesn’t close down streets, instead opting to provide a clear picture of the city’s cycling infrastructure.
The city has made significant strides in improving its cycling infrastructure over the past few decades.
Cycling Infrastructure in NYC
Number of bike lanes Over 150 miles
Number of bike-share programs Over 10
Overcoming safety concerns
Despite the growth of cycling in NYC, many cyclists still express concerns about safety.
More than 40% of New Yorkers surveyed by the Department of Transportation in 2022 said they never ride a bicycle because they don’t feel safe.

Joshua Magpantay, a 26-year-old living in Park Slope, said he discovered his first “social” ride during the pandemic and added that in recent years, more of his friends have started biking, too.

Sample Ride Route
Distance 12 hours
Personal experience
Magpantay created his own 100-mile ride around the city a few weeks ago, recruiting his boyfriend and a friend to join him.
It took 12 hours to complete, but Magpantay said it was worth it.

“There’s this great hill that looks at City Island and Pelham Bay across the Eastchester Bay that’s just idyllic,” said Magpantay.

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