by Lane Keough On weekend mornings in Central Park, shortly after 6AM, you can stop by and watch a few hundred bikes fly past you as they race against each other, the clock, and the crowds. By 11AM, the park and much of the free pavement on the Upper East Side is crowded with kids on scooters, parents pushing strollers in and out of shops, and Rollerbladers looking for a Starbucks to pick up a Grande Frappuccino after a long roll through the neighborhood. I consider myself part of this weekend traffic, and love using wheels to get me everywhere around the city. As if life in New York wasn’t moving fast enough, everyone these days is looking for wheeled transport to take them farther than our simple feet can carry. I have two skateboards, one longboard, a pair of roller skates and a clunky old Royal Scot bicycle with the big wicker basket packed precariously into my small apartment. With summer soon approaching, and warm weather already inspiring hundreds to roll through the streets, now is the perfect time to pick up a new set of wheels, or update your gear. First, and most important, choose which sport seems most inspiring to you. If you enjoy your legs moving independently of one another and you have a knack for the NordicTrack, then roller-skating or Rollerblading might be just your thing. If you were a bike riding ace as a kid, and want to re-live the excitement of pedaling at 100 miles an hour (at least it seemed like it then!) to the ice cream shop, then a new bike may be in order. For those who have a daring side, few personal safety issues and enjoy a thrill, skateboarding and longboarding (the skateboard’s oversized cousin) are growing in popularity. Scootering is a great option as well, but I generally cap the acceptable age of this activity to children under the age of 14, since no one looks more like a circus bear than a full-grown man on a metal splinter with wheels. Skateboarding and Longboarding The best place on the UES to find everything for skateboarding – from decks and wheels to the baggy clothing needed to ride like a pro is New York Pipe Dreams - York Avenue between 85th and 86th Streets. For around $150, the staff can construct a board for you from scratch, using parts all found at the shop. NYPD’s staff is incredibly knowledgeable and happy to suggest what products will work best for your riding ability, even if that means outfitting you with a helmet and pads for your first crash. Another option is to purchase an already assembled board from their collection for those who love immediate gratification and don’t feel the need to learn about what makes the board roll in the first place. Cycling I enjoy getting around Manhattan by bike since they take up about one third the space of a car, and a good rider can turn the thin strips of pavement in between traffic jams into an instant fast lane. Just remember to watch for opening car doors, cross walking pedestrians and other cyclist going the wrong way!
The UES is full of bike shops that build, repair, and detail bikes to outfit all types, from the cruising commuter to the extreme adventure rider, so you are never too far from a bike pump, or a place to find some new Spandex. Three suggestions for bike shops spread out through the neighborhood include: You can also work with mechanics at each shop to build you a custom bike. Unlike skateboarding though, it will cost you into the thousands to personalize a cycle. For beginners, I suggest buying either a used bike (try Craig's List, where I got mine from a fellow who refurbishes and sells older bikes) or a new one in the $300-$500 range to get you where you need to go in one piece. Rollerblades and Scooters Skates and scooters offer great commuting and sports opportunities for individuals and families, since both can easily be carried into your final destination without having to be locked up, and can be stored nearly anywhere in a crowded apartment. Modell’s - located at 87th Street and 3rd Avenue, has a selection of skates and scooters available, but handles little in the way of repairs. Most companies however, including K2, Rollerblade and Razor have strong customer repair services available through their headquarters. As with skateboarding, it is also wise to invest in a new pair of wrist guards, knee guards and a helmet at the least, to avoid an injury that could keep you off your feet after only the first time out. Where to ride? On weekend afternoons at the 72nd Street transverse in Central Park, you can find a full-blown roller disco, mixing together old school and younger skaters grooving to music and showing off their styles. Just next door at the Band Shell, there are often a couple of rails and sets of cones set out for skateboarders and skaters to practice their rail slides, jumps and slalom. All around the park is a great place to roll, but beginners will want to avoid heading Northbound above the 103rd Street transverse (to avoid the large hill diving downwards towards the Harlem Meer), or heading Southbound on the park drive in the stretch just south of 79th Street (to avoid the Cat hill heading towards the Boat House). It is important with all wheeled sports o remember that when moving faster, you also tend to fall faster, and big hills – plus beginners – can equal large abrasions. Raspberries are for eating during the summer, not displaying on your legs during the height of shorts season. For more detailed information about skating in the park click here. Out in the neighborhood, York Avenue, running from 59th Street to 91st Street, is a quiet thoroughfare, offering smoother pavement and less traffic to make your ride an outing as opposed to an obstacle course. The East River promenade has great views of the river, and the entertainment of the dog runs, with a wide lane in the middle. Try to avoid Second and Lexington Avenues on anything with wheels, since even the ride in a city bus gets bumpy.
Get out there, and get a roll on, and if you are so inspired, check out some of the following links for resources and cool groups to join in your wheeled-adventures with: |
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