Recently I went to New York. I visited a bunch of bike stores (I just can't stay away) and did a bit of the touristy thing. Secretly, though, I went to scope out potential neighborhoods to move to. The dream will never die!!

One of the things that I had heard before I left was that the bike lanes and paths in Manhattan and Brooklyn are incredible. The paths are one thing, the lanes, on the other hand, leave something to be desired.

The struggle to find space between the curb and the car exists totally in New York, but the bike path the runs down the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan gives New Yorkers and tourists a safer way to travel downtown. It is slightly inconvenient as it doesn't travel towards anything worth seeing but it is easy to access. Don (the boss) and I biked down this path daily to visit the local shops and it actually led easily to the Byrookln bridge.

Don's Batavus Breukelen on the Brooklyn Bridge!! (GET IT?!)

The climb was a bit tough for him. I made sure he knew that.

He's just such a good shot!

The bike store's we went to were fantastic as well. They carry much of the same product we do thanks to Fourth Floor Distribution.

This is Adeline Adeline in Tribeka. What a place!! We can learn a lot from Julie. Check it out!!

Such nice Bakfiets, Pashleys, and Batavus'!

ABICI!!

Bakfiets out and about!

It was fantastic to meet someone else who wants to make cycling, not simply a tool for getting from A to B, but to be something so much more stylish, romantic, and, most importantly, FUN. Julie presents these bikes as art and it's clear as soon as you walk in that you can be part of the crew. This less aggressive way of portraying cycling is much more accessible and enjoyable for everyone involved. It's so much fun matching a set of panniers, or grips, or seats, to bikes that you know will work 50 years down the line. To see this in New York was really a breath of fresh air. Biking should be fun and accessible. It should be for everyone not just people who "know" about bikes. The more shops there are like Adeline Adeline and (excuse the shameless self promotion on our own site) Curbside Cycle, biking can move beyond the survivalist, aggressive mentality and onto, what has existed in Europe for over 100 years, a something that's fun for all. The joy of bicycling.

Anyway, here are a few more shots from NYC.

Que 'Rhapsody in Blue'!

Don at the famous Hub Station in West Village.

I love this building. I have no idea what it is or was but it was definitely designed with gusto!

Central Park is one of the ultimate bike spots in the city. This is one of the hard core dudes. I think the pack was on his tail.

The perfect subject.

I hope I can take more time to go to New York and check out its emerging bike culture. It's great to see other cities by bike to see what we have at our disposal in Canada. Toronto is really incredible. The bike lanes in New York are great but the cabs and delivery trucks are worse there than here. Riding down any one of the avenues through Manhattan is like toying with death but I rode that pink Brompton and kept up with all the couriers I could find.

What's clear is that bike lanes or not Toronto still boasts the most bike friendly and bike populated city i've seen on this continent. I keep saying it. At some point people will see it's true.