32,000 Bikers Pass Thru Queens: 5 Boro Bike Tour

May 5, 2013 / Long Island City & Astoria / Biking Queens / Queens Buzz. This Sunday some 32,000 bicyclists rode through Astoria and LIC on their way to completing a 40 mile bike ride through all five boroughs of NYC. Photographer Abdel Berrera caught up with them at the Astoria Park rest station where many took a moment to catch their breath.

Many of the cyclists come from other countries and other states. The bikers see this as a nice way to see all of New York City, not just Manhattan.

There are two 5 Boro Bike Tour rest stops: the first in Astoria Park and the second at the Con Ed rest station along the East River. Many took some time out to make adjustments to their bikes, gear and selves; and consumed a bit of food before resuming the relaxing trip and heading on to Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Click here to see a slide show of the 5 Boro Bike Ride in Queens.

32,000 Bikers Pass Thru Queens: 5 Boro Bike Tour

May 5, 2013 / Long Island City & Astoria / Biking Queens / Queens Buzz. It was a beautiful sunny, cool day as 32,000 bike riders came streaming over the Queens Borough Bridge into Queens. They headed north up to Astoria Park where they were greeted by cadres of helpful Queens natives who provided them with bananas, a rest stop, bike repairs and a place to listen to music, socialize with tens of thousands of other bike enthusiasts who came to NYC from all over the nation and all over the world.

The 5 Boro Bike Tour is the largest of its kind in the nation. It traverses 40 miles of NYC and includes all five boroughs [hence the name]. It starts at the southern tip of Manhattan in Battery Park at 7.45 am and it ends at the same location at 6.30 pm - although most manage to cover the 40 miles in less than ten hours [you could walk that quickly].

In Astoria Park, volunteers from Transportation Alternatives Queens [aka TA Queens] help by handing out food; and for nominal fees one of the local Astoria bike shops, Tony's Bicycles, provides its time and equipment to keep the bikers on the road. All in all it's a great way to exercise and also to see some of NYC close up. The first 5 Boro Bike Tour began in 1977.

Biking in Astoria, LIC & Queens

As it happens, although Queens only accounts for less than a ten mile stretch of the 5 Boro Bike Tour, it's one of the best boroughs in which to bike. Over ten miles of bike lanes have been laid in Queens within the past few years and about ten more miles have been proposed, but seem to be caught in limbo [see biking queens section on this site for updates].

The reason Queens is a great place to bike is because it has many wide roads, a whole slew of interesting historical sites and buildings, and some of the finest and most inexpensive ethnic restaurants from around the world. It's also worth mentioning that Queens has a vibrant and growing arts community, as well as a multitude of ethnic cultural institutions which celebrate their cultural heritages with eleborate traditional pageantry.

Thanks To Abdel Berraha - Astoria Photographer

Special thanks to Abdel Berraha, a local Astorian and photographer, who provided us with these photos.

Photos of 5 Boro Bike Tour in Astoria Park

Click here to go directly into viewing the album containing the 5 Boro Bike Ride photos 2013.

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