Best Commuting Tips??

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4 replies [Last post]
Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

"Looks like I'm moving to Peter Cooper, so I'm thinking about commuting to work in Midtown by bike. I ride every weekend, so I'm comfortable in traffic, but I need some suggestions for managing the logistics.

1. I cannot bring my bike into my bldg. Where do you park your bike in Midtown (40s)? There is no free bike parking near my office. (I checked with Trans Alt.)

2. Do you lock your bike outside? Now that the NYPD is cutting locks, has anyone had their bike confiscated? How much do I have to worry about thieves taking handlebars, seatposts, etc.? How crappy does my bike have to be so that thieves will pass it by?

3. Does anyone ride a folding bike, bag it up and take it into their ""no bikes"" office building?

Thanks in advance.

"

Anonymous's picture
JB (not verified)

Hey Matt-

I commute to Midtown everyday. You can lock a banger up on 45th between 5th and 6th, there's a solid city issued bike rack near a little park. I locked my bike there for a long time without a problem. I now have a nice closet for my ride.

Anonymous's picture
Nick (not verified)
Commuting by bike

"Matt, I live in Stuy. Town and commute 5 miles to downtown Brooklyn using a folding bike - Bike Friday New World Tourist model. I fold it at work, put it into a canvas bag and keep it under my desk. It's not the perfect solution but beats taking the subway. My commute used to be 45-50 minutes and now takes about 20 minutes by bike.

You can check out Bike Fridays at: www.bikefriday.com

Leaving any bike on the street risks theft or vandalism; even a crappy commuter bike."

Anonymous's picture
Doughboy (not verified)
Commuter bike

Ride more defensivly, mid-town is the worst......I would highly suggest a single speed, fixed or freewheel, as there are no smaller parts to steal, I also think drop bars are a little less likely to get stolen, also dont lock your bike up in the same spot everyday, it will lead someone to believe its neglected or make them realize its there all the time..also a buiness or someone may complain that there is a bike there everyday and call someone to clip the lock, or do it themselves, ....You can also leave your chain locked to the pole when you come and go so you dont have to drag the chain all the time

Anonymous's picture
Kay (not verified)
check with shipping/receiving

Check with shipping/receiving in your building.
I also work in midtown, and my bldg won't allow me to bring my bike up. A security guard is kept at the shipping/receiving area to let in UPS deliveries/etc. They have a bike rack there for the bike messengers. I still wouldn't leave my nice road bike there all day, but it's a great place to park my commuter. I think many large office bldgs in Manhattan may have a similar setup.

cycling trips