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Rider Recommendation: Prospect Park

While it’s often overshadowed by its more popular Manhattan counterpart, Prospect Park is one Brooklyn attraction that can’t be missed. Both parks were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux; however, these park masterminds actually considered Prospect Park to be their masterpiece, a chance to correct the mistakes they made when they designed Central Park a few years earlier. At first glance, these green oases are very similar but upon your visit, you’ll find that Prospect Park is more “natural” than Central Park and much quieter. Make sure not to overlook these things the next time you stop by “Brooklyn’s backyard”:

Grand Army Plaza

As the name suggests, Grand Army Plaza is the grandest entrance to Prospect Park (which has seventeen entrances total). It’s impossible to miss this massive arch with several bronze statues jutting out of it. Called the Soldiers and Sailors Arch, these statues give homage to the “Defenders of the Union” during the Civil War. The inner curve of the arch also features carvings of President Abraham Lincoln and Union General Ulysses S. Grant. If you’re brave enough to cross the busy intersection to get a closer look at the arch, you’ll also be treated to a small park separate from Prospect Park, decorated with other sculptures and a mermaid fountain.

Prospect Park Carousel

Just a quick walk from the Prospect Park Zoo is the wildly whimsical Prospect Park Carousel. This functional work of art has been a delight to both children and adults since the early 1900s. Like most other carousels, this one is equipped with a fleet of horses –53 in all– but quite unusually, it also features a deer, a giraffe, a lion, and two dragon chariots. Something else that makes the Prospect Park Carousel unique: it’s one of the few wheelchair-accessible carousels in the country. There’s no reason why anyone should miss out on the fun. 

The Ravine

There’s a reason why Prospect Park is considered a “natural” park. Unlike with Central Park where trees and bushes had to be imported, the designers of Prospect Park worked with Brooklyn’s native forests to create the woodsy Ravine. Step into the Ravine today and you’ll think that you’re in the Adirondack Mountains. Along with being a great place to escape the city without actually leaving, the Ravine is a prime spot for bird watching. While you’re there see what other wildlife you can spot. 

Need a bike for your adventure through Prospect Park? Stop by one of our Unlimited Biking locations and we’ll set you up with the perfect ride.

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Our Favorite Unique NYC Guide Books

So you’ve already been to the Top of the Rock, sailed to the Statue of Liberty, and moseyed around the Met. Wondering what’s left to do in New York? Instead of turning to the typical guide book that will recommend the same ol’ tourist traps, why not crack open a more unusual guide? Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite offbeat NYC guide books that will turn your trip from typical to unique.

Secret New York: An Unusual Guide by T.M. Rives

If you’re looking for unusual activities to do around the city, Secret New York may be the guide book for you. Odds are you haven’t yet deciphered ancient riddles off of tombstones or tried to visit some of New York’s forbidden islands. These are only two of the many quirky activities to choose from within Secret New York’s 400 pages. With this guide, you’ll never be bored.

Off the Beaten (Subway) Track by Suzanne Reisman

It’s hard to find a NYC guide book that isn’t Manhattan-centric. Often, if they do mention attractions in the outer boroughs, they always list the same one or two things to see. Although Off the Beaten (Subway) Track, does have a hefty section of less-visited Manhattan attractions, it also supplements it with a few decently stocked lists of cool sites to see in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and even Staten Island. We can bet that you haven’t yet been to the Poppenhusen Institute or the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument. See those sites and more with Off the Beaten (Subway) Track as your guide.

NYC Bouldering by Gaz Leah

New York City probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of extreme sports; however, reading NYC Bouldering by Gaz Leah will change your mind. Not only does this guide point out the city’s nearly hidden rock climbing boulders, it also explains the history tied to these sites. After rock climbing in Central Park, Fort Tryon, and Inwood Park, you’ll view New York City as more than a concrete jungle.

Quiet New York by Siobhan Wall

Keeping with the theme of breaking NYC stereotypes, Quiet New York will reveal a calmer side of NYC that you didn’t know existed. Discover a mix of gardens, cafes, museums, and cultural centers that will allow you to escape from the bustle of city life. The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum in Upper Manhattan, Dred Scott Bird Sanctuary in the Bronx, and Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn are among the places featured in this surprisingly dense book of quiet spots. Be sure to check it out if Times Square has got your head spinning.

Silver-Wheeled City: New York by Bicycle & Camera by Kevin Dann

Our list of unique NYC guide books would be incomplete without mentioning Silver-Wheeled City: New York by Bicycle & Camera. Written by our very own tour guide, Dr. Kevin Dann, Silver-Wheeled City leads readers through nine highly descriptive, guided explorations through New York that all can be done by bike. By the end of your trip, you’ll have a deeper appreciation of both New York City and your bicycle.

Experience all that New York City has to offer, and make it easier on yourself by stopping in to rent a bike with Unlimited Biking.

 

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Fitness Biking: Track your biking training session with apps!

If you want to track your training, here are some mobile apps that will let you know your stats during your bike session:

  • Strava IOS / Android = FREE

Thank to this activity tracker, you can track your biking session. You are able to record routes, map your favorites bike trails and participate to challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The app is very well done and is rated 4.5 out of 5. This is one of the best mobile apps for cycling. There is a Premium version called STRAVA Summit which costs $ 60 a year. With this premium version you have access to more statistics and features. The free version is still very interesting and already has a lot of stats. You can connect several connected objects to the app to have even more stats. The app is really easy to use and take only a few seconds to set up.

The app incorporate a GPS tracking system, you can also be connected to several accessories to adjust stats and analyzes of your body during the effort. You can save your bike training and share it with your friends or the app. You can take pictures too to share them directly.

The app is very complete and easy to start it is also note 4 out of 5. You have the opportunity to upgrade the app at any time and there are several options paid. The free version is very good but with the paid version you have more access to function and you have access to live logging so you can share your ride in real time with your friends. You also have the voice navigation system. The application is very basic and its design is a bit too simple.

Cyclemeter turns your device into a computer that tracks your workouts. Save your maps and trips from the app, and share your best performance online.

The app is easy to use and the design is its weak point. It is rated 3.8 out of 5. With the elite subscription you have access to more features like for example synchronize the apple watch and link the Strava app. The cost of the elite subscription costs $ 9.99. There is too much advertising without the paid subscription. The app is not very ergonomic but it is convenient for your bike rides.

Bike Computer allows you to track your bike trainings. You can then share them with a community of 100,000 cyclists.

The app is very easy to use and the design is its strong point. It is rated 4.2 out of 5. There are 2 different paying subscriptions that bring you several changes and features in addition. And there is no advertising!

Track and map every ride, get feedback and stats to improve your performance with this fitness app. Explore the best cycling routes, save and share your favorites, and get inspired to reach new cycling goals with a community of over 40 million athletes.

The app is pretty well made and easy to use. His strong point is his large membership in the sports community. It is rated 4.5 out of 5. Long to configure the app and its profile. There is advertising. 2 subscription options, $ 2.50 or $ 5.99 per month. The features are more numerous when switching to premium. You have access to heart rate analysis and live monitoring. The application is too complete we get lost a little!

  • Relive IOS / Android = FREE

Use Relive to track and share your activities with 3D video stories. Show what it was like out there by sharing it with the community. Relive works with other tracker apps like Strava, etc…

The app is rated 4.3 out of 5. It is a very simple app without ads and easy to understand. $ 60 a year or $ 11 a month gives you access to better functionality and the possibility to edit your videos.

Unlimited Biking

Try Fitness Biking with us! Book your Road Bike now on our website: Click here!

56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

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Fitness Biking: From beginner to expert!

WELCOME TO THE BEGINNER TO EXPERT FITNESS BIKING PLAN!

You are a beginner cyclist and you want to have a better level? You do not know how to train or how to do it? We propose you in this blog post to follow our plan to become a cycling expert! This easy-to-follow plan will help you to develop new abilities and strengthen your muscles.

This program lasts for 8 weeks with training days and rest days. Every week you will evolve steadily to reach your goal of an expert! After this new level reached you will be able to continue high-level cycling and why not register for competitions!

First of all, make sure that your bike and equipment are in good condition before starting this training plan! If you need a new Cannondale bike you are more than welcome to rent a Road Bike in our stores. Before you start, remember also that fitness biking remains an intense sporting activity and that it will be necessary to prepare your body to be able to continue the training sessions. In addition, this plan lasts for several weeks and the training hardens as and when. You must be in a sporting spirit and have the desire to do sports every week. The important points to modify for this training are your diet, your bike safety, your rest and recovery after the effort.

To find out more: Read this article

As you train, you will also develop your personal equipment to reach the level of expert! Do not forget that Unlimited Biking offers a membership program and road bikes rentals with equipments.

You will notice that each training session contains a color and terrain of difficulty. The green color indicates that you can cycle in a moderate way. Familiarize yourself first with this new sporting activity. The orange color means that you are passing a course and the level is hardening. You go faster and you become less and less tired during your sessions. Finally, the red level indicates that you are on the last steps of this plan. And of course the last steps are always the hardest. The level becomes more difficult and you do more training sessions. You are faster and travel longer distances. Keep in mind that during the majority of the sessions you should be working at a comfortable pace, but at certain times in the plan, it will push you harder for short sessions.

The terrains are changing too. Check well that you are using the right training paths. “Flat terrain” means that you can only practice on a flat surface without too much inclination. The “Steep Terrain” tells you that you have to train on progressive incline roads. Finally, when you see “Intensive” the training will be shorter but it will mix flat terrain and steep terrain. In addition, the pace should be faster with sustained acceleration phases.

  • WEEK 1: Start your first week and try your bike position but also check if your body is ok with this new sport. If you feel muscle pain, it means that you don’t have the right position or that you are going to fast. For this first week, ride at a normal speed doesn’t go too fast and start familiarizing with the sport.
  • WEEK 2: Take into account the problems of the first week and be sure that these little problems are regulated. Do not forget to re-check your equipment. You are now doing more bikes than the first week and you start to get into the habit of driving every week. Again with this training program do not forget to adapt your diet. EAT & DRINK more! Take energy bars and drinks with you during your sessions.
  • WEEK 3: You are now doing more bikes than the second week and you are now feeling some improvements. You have more strength and power. You can ride longer and go faster than before! Continue like that!
  • WEEK 4: During this week you will experience your first long distances! Do not get discouraged and continue your progress! If you need encouragement, do this sport with a partner, put music from a portable bluetooth speaker.
  • WEEK 5: Week 5 gets tougher and you are now at a more difficult level. Increase your speed and your warm-ups. Remember to rest during your rest days! You’ll alternate between flat terrain and steep terrain this week so make sure to hold on! Check your equipment and think about your diet. Do not be discouraged and continue like this!
  • WEEK 6: You are going for the second time to do a long-distance week followed by a harder and longer steep terrain! Remember to maintain a good position during your workouts and release your muscles well after exercise. Increase the number of calories and protein you eat each day.
  • WEEK 7: This is soon the end of your training program and you are now at the highest level of difficulty! Pay close attention to your body and keep in mind that your health comes first. Do not take risks without thinking before! Check that your body can hold on and continue the final phase of this training plan! Prepare to pedal faster and more intensely with several phases of acceleration throughout your session.
  • WEEK 8: After seven weeks, hard work led to this. If you followed the training plan, you should feel fit, full of energy and ready to go. On rest days, organize your equipment. Prepare everything you want to eat and plan a route. Finally, remember to stick to what you have learned throughout the training plan and enjoy the ride! Throughout these weeks of training do not forget to record your sessions thanks to your app on your phone. Competition is the next step!

Unlimited Biking

Try Fitness Biking with us! Book your Road Bike now on our website: Click here!

56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

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Fitness Biking: Why you should choose a Road bike to exercise?

Biking is great for calorie burn, but before starting your training session you will have to choose your new bike! Choose the right bike to improve your training. When you choose a bike, you have to think about these questions:
Where? Why? Which type? To train well you will also have to put the price! A road bike can be very expensive if you buy it straight out of a store. You should maybe look online or ride a all new road bike from Unlimited Biking. This is the best option to do bike session at a good price! Unlimited Biking is only working with Cannondale so you will have the best equipment for your training!

The Road bikes: These bikes are lighter, smaller than hybrid and mountain bikes. They have thin tires and higher pressure tires for less contact and friction with the road. They are also faster and made for road long distance training. They are more rigid, the bike absorbs less pedal energy when you are pedaling. This energy is used to propel you forwards and go faster. They are more aerodynamic. They have more gears to better adapt depending on the terrain and the situation. This kind of bikes is also easy to drive and difficult at the same time so it allows you to surpass yourself during your workouts. They are very controllable and manageable during intense or long training. With road bikes you can also go further with less energy and do it quicker. These bikes are the perfect fit for Fitness Biking!

You have also to make sure that your road bike fits you well! If the bike doesn’t fit you properly, you can get a lot of muscle pain. Make sure your leg is at a slight bend when the pedal is at its lowest point in the rotation. Your arms should also have a slight bend in the elbow, so you’re not too far to the handlebars. Don’t forget your helmet and some bike or sports clothes. You can also add a more comfy seat to feel better while riding. Gloves can also protect your hands from rubbing the grips and cold weather.

Unlimited Biking

Try Fitness Biking with us! Book your Road Bike now on our website: Click here!

56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

#unlimitedbiking #bike #sport #centralpark #newyork #usa #experience #tour #sightseeing #city #electricbike #biking #landscape #view #fast #electricity #ebikes #fitnessbiking #bicycle #amazing #biketour #fitness #roadbike #friends #location #NYC #sports #daypass #rentals #outdoor

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Fitness Biking: Get fit with Cycling!

Want to become more athletic and lose weight thanks to cycling? You are on the good road! We will help you understand how the bike helps you to become fit!

If you are a beginner or professional, whatever your experience, you must follow the same rules to improve yourself physically. The outdoor biking fitness is a good way to blow off your energy and thus develop your body and make it fitter. Regular training allows your body to adapt and be in better shape. With the bike, you will work every muscle in your body. To continue to progress, you must continually increase the difficulty of the exercises. You should either go further or faster.

Start with a short bike ride to improve your athletic abilities and your bike performance!

You must also know when your body can go further or not. If you are ready for more training and a long ride you can go to the top speed! However, the training must always be done gradually so as not to hurt you.

It should be known also that more frequent and short workouts are more effective than long sessions. So gradually you improve your fitness and you will then be able to do more without being exhausted.

We recommend doing several daily workouts throughout the week. For example 1 training per day from 30 to 45 minutes. If you do not have one hour a day then you can reduce the training to 3 per week of about 1 hour. To avoid losing muscles and your fitness we advise you to continue driving your bike every 3 days.

Long bike sessions of 60 minutes or more:
Long sessions at a moderate pace are done to improve your physical endurance. For this kind of training session we recommend staying on easy and flat terrain. Stay focused on your bike and think well to breathe during this long continuous effort. Also remember to drink and eat to help your body throughout your workout. If you feel too weak or short of breath then you should stop exercising. Remember that fitness biking works in a progressive and long-term way. The long ride type will allow you to teach your body how to burn your calories effectively. This will help you improve your posture and your muscles.

Training on more steep terrain from 30 minutes to 1 hour:
The long gradual climbs are ideal for this type of training. After a good warm-up of your body during several minutes you can begin your training. Remember that your muscles must be prepared and heated before training to avoid injury. Go faster and faster little by little. In the last 2 minutes of your training push a little more on your legs and go faster. At the end of your training, return to a moderate pace until you stop. As and when you can then multiply the number of small efforts. These sessions will help you improve your muscle strength and will prepare you for even greater efforts.

Intensive cycling training for 30 minutes:
When you increase the intensity of your efforts and for several minutes your body will develop increased resistance to regular efforts. All your muscles will then strengthen and become more resistant in the long term, you can then increase the difficulty and train longer and faster. During this type of intense physical training, your body increases the burning of calories. This causes an improvement in your cardiovascular condition. On flat, easy terrain, make short but intense intervals.

Again the fitness biking is done in an extended way and you will see real results in time. Always think about warming up, make alternations between intense physical effort and moderate for several minutes. 1 minute to moderate and 30 seconds of intense effort to bike. Several sessions like this will significantly increase your endurance and physical strength. You will start to burn more and more calories and your body will change with time and multiple bike sessions.

Unlimited Biking

Try Fitness Biking with us! Book your Road Bike now on our website: Click here!

56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

#unlimitedbiking #bike #sport #centralpark #newyork #usa #experience #tour #sightseeing #city #electricbike #biking #landscape #view #fast #electricity #ebikes #fitnessbiking #bicycle #amazing #biketour #fitness #roadbike #friends #location #NYC #sports #daypass #rentals #outdoor

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FUN FACTS ABOUT BIKES

Today we present you interesting facts about bikes – all you definitely need to know, so read on!

ABOUT THE HISTORY

First off all the term “bicycle” first entered into popular usage in France in the 1860s. But who is the bike founder? Although Leonardo da Vinci drew some rough sketches of a contraption that looked like a bicycle, the Frenchman De Sivrac built the first bicycle-type vehicle in 1690. It was referred to as a hobbyhorse. However, it did not have pedals. Those were added in 1840 by a Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, who is credited with inventing the real bicycle. So far so good, but there is more you need to know about the bike, bicycle or velocipedes. What is a velocipedes? Before the word “bicycle” become popular bikes were typically called “velocipedes”. Maybe you have heard of the Penny-farthing before, an early type of bicycle that featured a front wheel significantly larger than the rear. The name comes from the old British Penny and Farthing coins which represent the large and small wheels. It’s enough history for a day.

ABOUT THE NUMBERS

Did you know that about 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide each year. There are roughly one billion bicycles in the world, about twice as many as motor vehicles and roughly half a billion of them are in China. Oh WOW! And another fact is that maintaining a bike annually costs twenty times less than maintaining and driving a car. So let’s take a bike more often! Also because the bicycle is the most efficient vehicle ever devised: a human on a bicycle is more efficient in calories expended per kilo and per kilometer than a train, truck, airplane, boat, car, or motorcycle. It is 3 times as efficient as walking. And it’s also a perfect way to save the environment. If Americans double their bike use to 2% of all urban trips, they would save 3.5 billion litres of gasoline annually. On a bicycle you can travel up to 1037 kilometres on the energy equivalent of a single litre of gas.

ABOUT THE HEALTH

Cycling three hours or 30 kilometres per week halves your risk of heart disease and strokes. So if you ride a bike every day it’s only about 4,3 kilometers per day – easy! And for all the woman’s outside: Women who walk or bike 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. And in general a study of nearly 2,400 adults found out, that those who biked to work were fitter, leaner, less likely to be obese and had better triglyceride levels, blood pressure and insulin levels than those who didn’t active commute to work. Also an adult cyclist typically has a level of fitness equivalent to someone 10 years younger and a life expectancy two years above the average.

And last but least for all the helmet haters and hair fetishist outside: Helmets have been found to be 85% effective in preventing head injury. So always use a helmet!

So let’s be serious, what are you waiting for?

Book your bike here:  https://www.unlimitedbiking.com/new-york/rentals/

Unlimited Biking

56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

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Der neuste Schrei: ELEKTROFAHRRÄDER

Elektrofahrräder oder auch E-Bikes genannt sind gerade nicht mehr wegzudenken. Man sieht sie in allen Farben, Formen und Größen vorbei radeln und das auch noch ziemlich schnell. Denn Elektrofahrräder sind Räder mit Tretunterstützung. Ein kleiner Elektromotor schaltet sich automatisch ein, wenn die Pedale getreten werden. Doch wo liegt denn wirklich der Vorteil im Vergleich zu einem normalen Fahrrad? Wir haben für euch die drei stärksten Gründe für ein E-Bike aufgelistet.

Perfekt für Jedermann
Nicht nur für ältere Menschen, auch für Hobbysportler, Jugendliche und Kinder eignet sich das E-Bike perfekt. Für viele ist es ein nicht mehr wegzudenkendes Fortbewegungsmittel.

Es geht bergauf? Kein Problem!
Der Anstieg ist doch steiler als gedacht? Nicht der Rede wert, dafür gibt es den Elektromotor. Dieser unterstützt und hilft  jedes Hindernis oder auch steilere Anstiege zu bewältigen.

Eine umweltfreundliche Alternative zum Auto
Das Elektrobike eignet sich perfekt für kürzere Strecken, beispielsweise um schnell in die Stadt zu gelangen. In kürzester Zeit und mit wenig Anstrengung kann dabei fast jedes Ziel erreicht werden. Und das Beste? Es ist dazu noch eine umweltfreundliche Variante, denn E-Bikes produzieren keinerlei schädliche Abgase.

Ihr möchtet jetzt gerne ein E-Bike testen? Dann kommt in unseren Store und leiht euch einfach eines aus. Wir freuen uns auf Euch!

Unlimited Biking
56 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
(212) 749-4444

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