Five Boro Bike Tour 2019: See The Route, Schedule For NYC Ride

NEW YORK — Might as well call it the Bike Apple. Thousands of cyclists will hit the streets of New York City on Sunday for the 42nd annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour. The nation's largest bike ride is expected to attract 32,000 cyclists from around the world for a two-wheeled trek across the city.

Riders representing every U.S. state and all six inhabited continents will traverse a 40-mile, car-free route that touches all five boroughs, starting in Manhattan and ending on Staten Island, organizers say.

The tour raises money for bike education programs run by the nonprofit Bike New York, which puts on the ride. The organization says 28,000 people participated in its classes last year.

"32,000 New Yorkers on bikes can’t be wrong about the thrill and attraction of 40-miles of car-free streets," Bike New York President and CEO Ken Podziba said in a news release. "There is tremendous demand for safe places to ride and experience the city on two wheels."

The ride will follow the two-day Bike Expo New York, which starts Friday at Basketball City in Lower Manhattan. The East Coast's biggest bike expo will feature exhibitors, entertainment, contests and giveaways on Friday and Saturday.

Here's what you need to know for Sunday's massive ride.

Route

The route begins in Lower Manhattan, then heads through Central Park to The Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn before ending in Staten Island. The ride is the only day of the year that cyclists can use the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island, Bike New York says.

The starting line will be at Franklin Street and Church Street. There will also be entry points for each of the four start waves along Church Street running south to Battery Park.

Cyclists will head north through the park and Harlem before crossing the Madison Avenue Bridge for a brief visit to The Bronx. They'll then return to Manhattan by crossing the Third Avenue Bridge, then head down the FDR Drive and cross the Queensboro Bridge.

The ride will eventually hit the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which will take cyclists over the Verrazano to Staten Island, where there will be a "Finish Festival."

See a map of the complete route here.

Schedule

The first wave of riders will start at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by the second wave at 8:10 a.m., the third at 8:45 a.m. and the fourth at 9:20 a.m. The start locations for each wave are available here.

The Bike Expo New York runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 3, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. Bike tour participants will have to stop by the expo to pick up their packet and rider identification.

Street Closures

The NYPD has not yet detailed street closures for the tour, but the entire route is closed to cars. Drivers should plan to stay off the FDR Drive, the Queensboro Bridge, the BQE and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge for at least part of Sunday.