Although it sounds daunting, biking from the northern tip of Manhattan to the southern tip is easy, fast, and free (if you own your own bike). Riverside Park, which stretches nearly the entire length of Manhattan along the Hudson River, provides bikers (along with walkers and rollerbladers) a unique view of the city, the river, and New Jersey.

The entrance to the park is on Riverside Drive where it meets the river. Follow the small signs for bikers and you'll be sure to find it. The first one to two miles is actually the worst and hilly. It is a gradual incline from the start until the 181st Street entrance. Although it doesn't look like a bad hill, for out-of-shape bikers, it may be tiring. The path then twists and turns downhill, which I think is the nicest part of the trail. However, you must be careful to go slow and look out for people.

The next couple miles prove to be the most congested (on weekends, especially). People from the neighboring streets usually flock to the river for picnics, which can be quite a hassle for serious bikers. The path can be overcrowded with walkers and little kids, and they don't really care if you're on a bike or not. So, at this point, be prepared to stop often. Some people like to bring small mopeds on the trail at this point too, so be careful.

Once you break out of this area, the path then goes underneath the West Side Highway, near 125th Street. Follow the signs for the bike path and you won't stray.

Once back in the real park, the path is wedged between the West Side Highway and the Hudson River. The path is divided in half for foot traffic and bikers. The path continues right next to the river for several miles before reaching 96th Street, which is usually when it becomes quite congested again. There is a point near here where the path is blocked by large rocks. You can go over or around the blocks, but the path becomes extremely narrow and rough. As an alternative, follow the signs and take the path that parallels it, further from the river near the street.

Below 59th Street the park becomes all concrete. . . no more grass and trees. Lots of foot traffic from midtown also makes its way to the path, so be careful.

As you approach 34th Street and 14th Street, the path becomes separated into two paths. . . one for foot traffic, one for wheeled traffic. Look out for strays, though. The path continues in this fashion for the remainder of the ride. Along the way, you'll pass the Intrepid, Chelsea Piers, and eventually Ground Zero. The path ends at the entrance to Battery Park.

This ride only takes about 75 minutes to complete. For a more leisurely ride, give yourself two hours. If you're in shape, you can always ride back to Inwood on the path. Otherwise, do what I do. . . take the subway back. The A train is on Chambers Street.

If weather permits a great way to see New York without spendng a fortune and getting a dose of daily life is biking. I will stress that if you want to do bike on the streets be very careful. Look out for parked cars with people in them as doors opening are the death of most bikers. Stay away from high traffic areas (midtown) as best you can because all New Yorkers in cars, or walking will torture bikers who don't know how to work the streets. I'm a New York bike rider, and I avod midtown during the 5 - 7 pm slot.

There are two great places where you can catch more views of the city and more attractions then most realize. The first is West Way. Former Mayor Gulianni spent a great deal of money and a time creating a walking, running, biking path that runs along the entire west side of Manhattan (along the river) and even around lower Manhattan to the east side. This path is only for runners, walkers, bikers and roller bladers so you're safe and can be lesiurely with your riding. Start down at Battery Park if you can. Then ride North. You will over the course of your ride see the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park memorials, the Jewish Museum, the Downtown West side Yacht Club, World Financial Center, New Jersey views, and that's just the first mile. When you hit the World Financial Center depending on the time, lock your bike and sit at one of the outdoor cafes with some brunch while taking in the view. Often during the spring and summer there are events happening on the weekends you can take part of. If you Continue to ride up the path you'll pass Chelsea Peirs (you can stop here and play a round of golf), some great old structures of the MTA, the Circle Line, The Intrepid (and if you're a far biker) you can see the 72nd street Marina which is always cool given Manhattan is not known for its houseboat community which is located here.

If you want an escort, check out the central park tours, they will provide you with one and a bike (good for kids) so that you can ride through Central and know exactly what you are seeing. If you choose to go Central Park alone, veer from the "loop" (the main road) and take the off the beaten path roads so that you can discover hidden areas of the park like the life size chess area, the hedge garden, the zoo (no one goes to the zoo it's amazing, and free sea lion shows). You can also find the boathouse and row around the park. Check out the roller blading area where people are disco dancing with wheels. The park is a bevy of activity and around every corner you'll find something to get off your bike and participate in.

The two bridges I can personally vouch for are the Triboro Bridge and the Queensboro Bridge. Both have a really nice bike path and are easily accessible. A particularly nice route is to cross the Queensboro Bridge (also called the 59th St. Bridge) from the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Go north once you get to the other side. You will see the Triboro bridge in the distance. Cross the Triboro back into Manhattan. You have to go with the flow as you cross over the Triboro (you can't take the most direct route, but you will find the way back into Manhattan and you will have to carry your bike up a few stairs but not many). The views from the bridges are spectacular and you will get a good workout. I strongly recommend you wear a helmet and go during daylight hours (you will be going through a couple of somewhat sketchy neighborhoods). I have been told that biking across the Brooklyn Bridge is also pretty cool.