I asked him some questions I thought we'd like to know the answers to, here's his reply!
Tell me about the goal, of cycling every accessible street in New York
I never woke up one day, and said, you know, I am going to bicycle all the streets in NYC and make a project out of it. So I never had that kind of plan in mind when I started. The process just unfolded spontaneously, day by day.
Around 3/2023, after I discovered Wandrer, I wanted to only complete Brooklyn and Manhattan, but I never thought it would go this far.
In fact, over this past summer, I was thinking I might not make 99% (the highest bonus level on Wandrer) of NYC completed, because there are so many off road trails in Staten Island (91%+ completed), that is when I flipped to the Bronx (93%- completed). Now I am feeling much more confident I could reach the 99% level for NYC as a whole.
Since I appear to be the first person to accomplish this feat, I want to claim it for all the effort I put into it. I predict I will finish by March 2026 at the latest. But the last few percent are also the hardest miles to get, and I will not settle for less than 99% of NYC as a whole.
In the 4–5 years of effort, what did you see?
Honestly? Everything. Beautiful neighborhoods that rival Beverly Hills, all the way to blighted neighborhoods, and piles of used condoms in secluded parks
Amazing Italian, Irish, Jewish, African American, Caribbean, Hispanic (like every country in Latin American, not just Mexico or Puerto Rico), IndoPak, Middle Eastern, Russian and Polish neighborhoods with all of the delicious ethnic food you could want.
Bridges, canals, dead-end industrial roads, waterfronts, cemeteries, sunken neighborhoods, beaches, and many more bike lanes in places I would never have expected them if I did not visit
Fires, emergency scenes, bizarre street encounters, weather swings, protests, fistfights, street fairs, parades
Streets that literally felt like mini-museums of NYC history You name it — if it exists in the five boroughs, I’ve probably ridden past it.
Advice for cyclists?
* Take the lane
* Don't get distracted by wearing headphones and listening to music, it's not worth it, stay focused on the road
* Always wear a helmet
* Always wear a high vis vest
* In most places in NYC, you don't need strong lights at night, there are so many street lights in the city, but you should always have front white and rear red lights instead of none.
* No one is going to come up and mug you in the City on a bicycle, even at night, it has never happened to me before, just keep moving if something freaks you out
* Find at least one or two bike shops you can trust, otherwise learn how to fix a bike on your own.
* Being able to replace or patch a flat tube is an essential skill, carry two tubes with you, a complete patch kit, some tire levers, and a pump with you, especially if you are biking alone
* Unless you are doing something completely reckless, no good cop is going to give you a ticket for a moving violation. Most the time they do that sort of thing after someone has been killed, to look like they are doing something for street safety
On the other hand, always keep your eyes out for the police, you never know when they might strike
* Be aware of the road in general, 9 times out of 10, yield the right of way to pedestrians
1 time out of 2, yield the right of way to motorists
* Don't yell at people on the street, unless they do something outrageous, or if they yell at you first, for something silly
* When you make a mistake, apologize sincerely, and move on. We all make mistakes at one time or another
* Being an efficient cyclist is not the same as being a jerk cyclist.
* Don't speed through crosswalks filled with pedestrians
* Strongly preferred, when passing a pedestrian, pass on their back side, so that they can continue on a forward motion
* As alert as you are, you are always going to hit a pothole at some point, so have your body prepared for that event, so that you don't lose balance.
* There is a balance between relaxing and being tense on a bicycle, it is something you need to learn
* If you are involved in any kind of crash, call 911 immediately
* If you are in a minor to moderate crash alone, and an ambulance comes, and they won't take your bike, and you don't have any locks, don't abandon your bike, you can always go to urgent care
* Make sure a police report is taken for any crash where you call 911
* The personality of a bike shop is not as important as the quality of their repairs.
It is worth it to pay for a high quality bike repair if you can afford it instead of going back to the shop multiple times, to see if they can fix it properly
* Always fight your tickets, except for the most outrageous cyclist behavior, it is a misappropriation of police resources to ticket a cyclist, and should not be a police priority at all.
* Don't be scared, pay attention to the road. You are the best judge and caretaker of your own safety.
* Don't get too angry at ebikers, they are increasing the need for the city to build more infrastructure, even though many of them can act like jerks.
* If a motorist yields right of way to you, thank them either by waving to them, or nodding your head. Not all motorists are your enemy, and most are responsible, respectful people and should be courted.
Favorite bike shop?
Sanba and Ride Brooklyn are my two main shops for repairs both nearby in Brooklyn
What bike and gear did you use?
I currently mostly ride a 25 year blue old steel-frame Bianchi Brava road bike (my second one), entry level in its day, practical for NYC riding.
The first Brava I owned was destroyed during a hit and run after 22.5 years of riding in 6/2021, maybe 100,000 miles? Can't know for sure as I only started using Strava regularly in 2017. Fortunately, I was able to find another Brava, same color on Craig's List from a legit seller. Funny thing is, I think the Brava was marketed as a women's bike, and I am a man! Normal shoes when going into work, clip-ins on weekends. Durable wheels and tires that can handle potholes and debris respectively. I don't wear too much bike specific clothing besides shoes, and a cycling hat I wear under my helmet, I never wear tight spandex padded biker shorts. I like baggy, and breathable. Quick dry for long rides, and summer, not cotton. I am not a racer so comfort is at a premium for me.
What would you do differently?
I would have recorded my rides on Strava a lot earlier. I think I started with the app in 2013, but didn't get serious with it until 2017. I would have liked to have had those rides recorded. I am not sure when Wandrer started, but I would have liked to have that earlier too. I would have never owned a car.
