“The streets belong to the people”: Cyclists riding on closed roads before New York City Marathon will be removed from course, organisers say – as locals slam “embarrassing” bike ban

For more than two decades, after setting their alarms at an ungodly hour, hundreds of cyclists have taken to the eerily empty, closed roads of New York to ride at least part of the city’s famous marathon course before the races get underway at 8am.

However, this unofficial tradition has been brought to a screeching halt for 2024, after the marathon’s organisers announced this week that anyone attempting to cycle on the course ahead of next month’s race will be “diverted and removed” by the authorities.

This decision, the organisers said, was made to “ensure everyone’s safety”, following reports of a collision involving a cyclist and a pedestrian before last year’s race, but local cyclists have described it as “a real shame” and a “tremendous embarrassment”.

Like at other marathons across the US, such as in Boston, cyclists in New York have taken advantage of the closed roads which accompany the largest marathon in the world to spend a few hours riding around and enjoying a city devoid – for once – of intimidating, dangerous motor traffic.

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In an interview with the New York Times last year, Peter O’Reilly said he first cycled on the closed marathon course in 1999, when he and a few friends virtually had the roads to themselves.

O’Reilly then led his cycling club’s first group ride on the course the following year, before more and more cyclists joined in on the ad-hoc fun – which has never been officially sanctioned by either the local authorities or the marathon’s organisers – as word spread with each edition.

(Credit: Daghan)

Last year, hundreds of people, riding everything from racing bikes to Citi Bikes and even roller skates, gathered in the early hours of the morning at Dunkin’ Donuts in Brookyln’s Bay Ridge, before tracing as much of the 26 miles as possible in an attempt to reach Central Park before the first races get underway.

“No traffic lights, no stop signs, no cars,” one cyclist, who set off at 6.30am ahead of the 2023 event, said of the “dream-like” conditions on the roads. Meanwhile, Chris Jones, a Rapha ride leader who brought over 150 riders to the unofficial start, said the ad-hoc rides had become “one of these New York bucket list things”.

“You can do the marathon, but you don’t have to run the marathon,” Jones said.

However, this unofficial tradition may now be over, after marathon organisers New York Road Runners issued a surprise announcement this week effectively putting a stop to cyclists heading out on the course for a traffic-free morning spin.

“On Marathon morning, November 3 2024, the New York City Department of Transportation will close streets along the course so that delivery trucks, ambulances, and New York Road Runners staff and volunteers can safely set up medical tents and water stations before the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon starts,” the organisers said in a statement.

“In coordination with various city agencies, no unsanctioned bicycles will be allowed on the marathon course once it is closed to traffic that morning. This decision was made to ensure everyone’s safety.

“Anyone attempting to ride anywhere on the course ahead of the Marathon – starting in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn – will be diverted and removed by the authorities. We ask that everyone adhere to this restriction.”

(Credit: Matthew Vandivort)

The organisers’ intervention comes after race volunteers, who help set up the course, raised concerns about cyclists’ behaviour before last year’s race, claims Crystal Howard, the senior vice president of public affairs for the Road Runners.

Howard told the New York Times that the organisers were aware of “at least” one crash involving a pedestrian and a cyclist on the race route last year.

“It is imperative for everyone’s safety – staff, volunteers, vendors and cyclists alike – that all who intended to join this unsanctioned ride stay off the Marathon course ahead of the race,” she said.

“A real shame”

This isn’t the first time that concerns have been raised about the growing numbers of cyclists taking to the marathon course on the morning of the event.

Last year, due to the post-Covid surge in numbers at the unofficial group ride, some cyclists, such as Rapha ride leader Jones, admitted that things had started to become dangerous, with a few participants attempting to ride as fast as possible, while ignoring law enforcement.

The strart of the 2003 ride (New York City Cycle Club)

“Whatever the police say, cooperate with them, no ifs, ands, or buts,” Alfredo Garcia, who first cycled the course in 2003, told his fellow cycling club members before last year’s ride.

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Nevertheless, the organisers’ decision this week has been greeted with dismay by the city’s cyclists, who feel the ride was one of the remaining “organic” aspects of an increasingly monetised city.

“It’s a real shame,” said Neile Weissman, a spokesperson for the New York Cycle Club, which has organised a pre-marathon group ride for 20 years, told the New York Times. “If it can be done safely and without interfering with the setup, what’s the harm?”

“It’s kind of a free-for-all, but an organised free-for-all,” added software engineer Daylen Yang. “We passed by lots of cops, and no one tried to stop us, so it seemed like they were okay with it.”

Meanwhile, Jones said he has taken down a sign-up sheet on Rapha’s website for the ride, already signed by over 30 people, over two weeks before the marathon.

“What a tremendous embarrassment. The streets belong to the people, not New York Road Runners,” one local cyclist tweeted in response to the decision. “The marathon comes at the grace and permission of the people, and cycling has never caused any issues with past marathons.”

“Absolutely terrible. The early morning marathon bike ride is a wonderful NYC tradition, and has never caused any real issue ever with the marathon,” said Ben.

“I once saw cars casually driving on closed routes. I guess that’s not a problem,” another cyclist wrote.

“Can you all point to any issues that bikes have caused? This is public property that you all are using. No reason to ruin a tradition. C’mon,” added James.

Meanwhile, Eric “applauded” the organisers’ efforts “to exercise authoritarianism and squash out openness and fun”.

> “They would never block a whole road without permission”: London Marathon organisers slammed for blocking cycle lane, forcing cyclists “into oncoming traffic”

Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen cyclists come into conflict with marathon organisers.

Ahead of this year’s London Marathon in April, one cyclist was riding on Cycleway 4 on Tooley Street, near the junction with Tanner Street, on the Friday afternoon before the race when he discovered that the protected cycle lane was blocked by workers setting up the necessary infrastructure for that Sunday’s marathon, an obstruction he claimed was forcing cyclists using the lane into oncoming motor traffic.

“For the second year in a row, London Marathon workers setting up fully block Cycleway 4, dangerously forcing contraflow cyclists into oncoming traffic with no signal,” Rich wrote on Twitter at time.

“They don’t block the road of course and no formal closure. Transport for London, this is appalling.”

Meanwhile, other cyclists criticised the lack of warning that the cycleway would be closed, with one social media user noting that the marathon’s impact on cycling infrastructure in London failed to warrant a mention on Transport for London’s ‘major works and events’ page (RideLondon, the since-cancelled annual cycle race and mass participation event, was included, however).

“It is disappointing that the cycle lane is viewed as fair game for a convenient parking spot with no regard for the safety of those who need it,” Rich told road.cc.

“Cycle infrastructure is still considered second class. They would never just stop and block a whole road without permission.”

Rich also criticised the lack of safety measures put in place to allow cyclists to navigate the impromptu obstruction.

“I think the marathon is great, but if there is no choice but to block the cycle lane for set-up then they should get proper permission, use signs, or traffic management and provide a safe alternative just as they would if closing a road,” he said.

“It is obvious they didn’t care. By parking here, cyclists travelling west have to go onto the road into oncoming traffic or end up on the pavement which is unfair to pedestrians.”