NYC Neighborhoods Forum

[mwells_56]

As someone who grew up on Long Island and has lived in Michigan during the winter and Hong Kong during the summer, walking in NYC weather will not be an issue lol

Were you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?

Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?

I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.

I know you were joking, I used to bike from the UWS to FiDi when I lived in New York every day of the year unless it was raining hard. Other than the 4-5 100 degree days, it was quite tolerable. You aren't out in the middle of the day when it's all that hot. NYC doesn't get that cold. Only problem in the winter is rain.

How did you deal with: (i) sweatiness, and (ii) bike storage on the FiDi end?

(ii) I rode a Brompton folding bike and stored it under my desk. The folding bike is also key because you can put it in the trunk of a cab or carry it easily on the subway if weather or late work causes you to get home another way.

These puppies worth the price vs. other folding bikes? Thinking about becoming a bike commuter when I move to the city.

[nealric]

As someone who grew up on Long Island and has lived in Michigan during the winter and Hong Kong during the summer, walking in NYC weather will not be an issue lol

Were you walking around Hong Kong summer in business formal?

Did your part of Michigan have wind-tunnel effect from all the tall buildings around, and large mounds of dirty slush piled up on each street corner?

I jest. It sounds like you know what you’re signing up for.

I know you were joking, I used to bike from the UWS to FiDi when I lived in New York every day of the year unless it was raining hard. Other than the 4-5 100 degree days, it was quite tolerable. You aren't out in the middle of the day when it's all that hot. NYC doesn't get that cold. Only problem in the winter is rain.

How did you deal with: (i) sweatiness, and (ii) bike storage on the FiDi end?

(ii) I rode a Brompton folding bike and stored it under my desk. The folding bike is also key because you can put it in the trunk of a cab or carry it easily on the subway if weather or late work causes you to get home another way.

These puppies worth the price vs. other folding bikes? Thinking about becoming a bike commuter when I move to the city.

Yes. Big step up in quality from the cheaper folding bikes, and most importantly it folds/unfolds very fast (sub 5 seconds) and is light enough to pick up and carry around. A lot of the cheap folding bikes are 35+lbs, which would not be fun to carry for more than a very short period of time. Brompton was right at 20 as I had it set up.

For NYC, I'd buy one in single speed with the small handlebars (lightest configuration). I used an oversized plastic storage bag from Ikea, which would fit the bike entirely inside, so I could put it in the office without getting anything dirty. Bromptons also hold their value well. I sold mine for $200 less than I paid for it after riding it almost every day for a year and a half when I left NYC. I saved a solid $1,000 by not riding the subway all the time (stopped buying a monthly pass when I got the bike since I only used it occasionally).