There’s no better way to discover New York City than by bicycle, and NYC’s 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the most popular one-day cycling events in the United States.
This 40-mile, car-free ride takes place in New York City each May. It follows a route through each of the city’s five distinct boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.
The 5 Boro Bike Tour is not a race. Instead, it encourages riders to cycle at their own pace and take in the city’s beautiful, diverse neighborhoods throughout the tour. There’s no other event like it in the city. The car-free streets make the tour a fun, family-friendly event for NYC locals and visitors of all ages.
If you’re planning to participate in the 5 Boro Bike Tour, here’s everything you need to know, from how to register, what to wear, which type of bike to bring, and how to train.
History of the 5 Boro Bike Tour
The 5 Boro Bike Tour is one of the oldest cycling events in the United States. It first took place in 1977, when a group of 50 high school students and 200 local cyclists rode a 50-mile loop of all five boroughs starting and ending in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.
Just one year later, as the city started to promote cycling, the route became officially known as the Five Boro Bike Tour and was shortened to 40 miles.
That year, in 1978, over 3,000 cyclists participated in the tour, and the ride has been growing ever since, with a cap of 32,000 riders. Today, 32,000 riders still take the streets of New York City each May to participate in the tour.
How can I sign up for the 5 Boro Bike Tour?
If you’re interested in riding the 5 Boro Bike Tour, you can register directly on Bike New York’s website here.
There are two main registration options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour:
- Standard registration: $129
- VIP registration: $400
Each registration fee includes a tax-deductible charitable donation, at $27 and $84 respectively.
Both registration models include the following:
- Rider Identification Kit
- Snacks and entertainment along the route at rest areas
- Water stops along the route
- Access to complimentary bicycle repair along the route
- Access to Support and Gear vehicles
- Entry to the Finish Festival at the end of the route on Staten Island
- Finisher medal & digital finisher certificate
The VIP registration option includes additional add-ons, including guaranteed placement in the first wave, a limited-edition Five Boro Bike Tour jersey, a tour-branded Manhattan Portage Bag, pair of Primal Wear Socks, and breakfast and gourmet lunch before and after the route.
You can also sign up through Charity Registration, although the price of registration depends on your selected charity.
What are the age restrictions on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?
Children under age 3 are not permitted on the tour, and those aged 3-9 must ride with an adult on a tandem bike, or in a child’s seat, tag-along bike, or bike trailer.
10-17 year olds can ride their own bikes. They must remain close to the adult with whom they registered for the tour.
5 Boro Bike Tour route
The 40-mile route of the 5 Boro Bike Tour begins at Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. From there, it heads north on 6th avenue into Harlem before crossing Madison Avenue Bridge into the Bronx.
After a quick section in the Bronx, the route crosses back into Manhattan via the Third Avenue Bridge, continuing south on FDR drive. After crossing the Queensboro Bridge, cyclists head north to Astoria Park. They immediately turn back around to continue riding through Queens and later cross the Pulaski Bridge into Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn section of the 5 Boro Bike Tour takes riders through Dumbo, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge before crossing the famous Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. This leads into Staten Island, the last of the five boroughs.
Once in Staten Island, cyclists ride toward the Staten Island Ferry. They then finish the route with a scenic ride on the ferry back to Lower Manhattan.
How to prepare for the 5 Boro Bike Tour
Train for the ride
Cycling 40 miles is not for the faint of heart. However, most people can successfully complete the 5 Boro Bike Tour with proper training. In the months leading up to the tour, commit to cycling at least 3-5 days per week.
If you’re brand new to cycling, start with 5-10 mile rides and gradually add 5 miles every week or two.
Practicing cycling outside is preferred, but this may not be possible for those living in cold climates. As an alternative, consider purchasing a bike trainer to use indoors with your bicycle, giving you practice on the bike you’ll ride during the tour from the comfort of your home.
Prepare your bicycle
It’s crucial to ensure your bike fits and is tuned properly for the tour.
There are too many stories of cyclists starting a bike tour only to realize that their bike is the wrong size, their gears are malfunctioning, or that their seat is uncomfortable.
The last thing you want to happen on the 5 Boro Bike Tour is be miserable on a bike that doesn’t work. Take the time to ensure your bike is working before the tour begins, whether you complete maintenance at home or bring the bike to a local cycling shop.
Practice riding with a group
Cycling alone is vastly different from cycling with 32,000 other riders. Before the 5 Boro Bike Tour, make sure you understand how to ride in a group.
Even if you are riding solo for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, there are times in which you’ll be wheel to wheel with other cyclists. Knowing proper cycling etiquette and lingo will go a long way in completing a successful ride. After all, no one wants to be that guy who crashes into another cyclist or cuts them off!
Before the tour, be sure to practice riding with a group. Start riding with friends or join a local cycling team. Not only can this be a lot more fun than riding on your own, but it will help you prepare to ride with thousands of other people during the 5 Boro Bike Tour.
What should I bring on the 5 Boro Bike Tour?
Clothing
If you’re wondering what to wear for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, the short answer is to wear layers. Spring in New York City is anything but predictable, so it’s important to prepare for a wide variety of weather conditions.
First wear a base layer, such as a cycling jersey or breathable workout shirt. If the forecast looks chilly, pack an insulating layer and/or an outer waterproof and windproof layer.
For bottoms, wear a comfortable pair of padded cycling shorts. You can purchase padded cycling underwear to wear under a pair of regular shorts or padded shorts designed solely for cycling.
If the forecast looks exceptionally cold, wear leg warmers under your cycling shorts or opt for longer pants.
You’ll likely take off and put on layers several times during the ride, so prepare for multiple weather conditions.
Shoes
Regardless of whether you wear regular athletic shoes or cycling shoes for the 5 Boro Bike Tour, it’s important that the shoes are comfortable, durable, and supportive.
Cycling shoes are designed specifically for cycling, and have a stiff sole that effectively transfers power when pedaling. If your bike is equipped with SPD pedals, use a cycling shoe you can clip into the pedals for efficient riding.
Our favorite cycling shoes are the Giro Rumble VR Mens Mountain Cycling Shoes. These sturdy shoes have a street design with adequate traction on the sole; they don’t look like a cycling shoe, making them more versatile for riding and commuting purposes.
If you’re bike does not have SPD pedals, a reliable pair of athletic shoes will do. Make sure the shoes fit properly to ensure they don’t cause any pain or discomfort while riding.
Accessories
Aside from clothing and shoes, you’ll want to bring several accessories with you for the 5 Boro Bike Tour. Here are some of our recommendations:
- Gloves, either cold-weather gloves or cycling gloves
- Helmet, make sure it fits properly before riding
- Speaker, for playing your favorite tunes during the ride
- Snacks, in case you get hungry between rest areas
- Water bottle: Bring two bottles of water; you can refill them at water stations along the route
We recommend bringing a day bag to store items like your phone, jacket, and snacks for use during the ride. However, bags with shoulder straps (such as backpacks and drawstring bags) and pannier bags are prohibited on the tour.
Bike tools
No one wants to deal with a flat tire on a bike ride, but unfortunately they’re very common. Luckily, the 5 Boro Bike Tour can help riders with any bike repair needs during the event.
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Volunteers known as Rider Assist Marshals are available during the tour to help with flat tires and bike repair. In addition, the tour has several repair tents located throughout the route. Repairs are free, but bike parts come at an extra charge.
If you know how to fix a flat on your own, however, we recommend packing a spare tube or two in order to get back to riding as quickly as possible. Here are our recommendations for bike tools during the route:
- 1-2 spare tubes that match your bike’s tire size
- Small bike pump or CO2 cartridges
- Tire levers
- Multitool
One of the easiest ways to help prevent flat tires and ensure a smooth ride is to make sure your bike’s tires are properly inflated before starting the tour. Recycle-A-Bicycle has Pump Teams available near the route’s start area and at select rest areas. Be sure to take advantage of this service!
Which bike should I use on the 5 boro bike tour?
Any human-powered bike, including recumbent bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and tandems, are allowed on the the 5 Boro Bike Tour. The tour is on paved roads, so there’s no need to ride a hefty mountain or gravel bike.
Road bikes will see the best performance on the tour; their thin tires and little wind resistance make riding efficient. However, hybrid bikes and city bikes can also be great options for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.
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Class 1 pedal-assist ebikes are permitted on the tour. These bikes have a motor that kicks in only when pedaling and have a maximum speed of 20 mph.
Should I use clip-in pedals on my bike?
We advise against using clip-in or SPD pedals unless you have prior experience with them. It’s common to fall several times as you learn to use clip-in pedals, and this is something you definitely do not want happening on the day of the bike tour.
Therefore, if you’re not used to clip-in pedals, use a pair of flat pedals with a sturdy pair of cycling shoes or tennis shoes.
5 Boro Bike Tour bicycle rentals
If you don’t have your own bike or are visiting New York City from out of town, you can choose to rent a bike for the 5 Boro Bike Tour.
Unlimited Biking is the tour’s official bike rental partner, and they offer rentals from $75 for kids bikes to $250 for tandem bikes. Most adults will opt for the $109 daily rental for a Cannondale Men’s Quick 6 bike or Cannondale Women’s Lady Adventure. In addition to the bike itself, bike rentals include some form of a bag or basket, a water bottle cage, and a helmet.
Other bicycle shops around the city offer rentals for the tour, too, including Blazing Saddles, NYC Bicycle Shop, and The Bicycle Planet.
