Madison, Wisconsin may be one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the United States, but its miles of trails and urban bike lanes were not enough to prepare me for the fast-paced cycling of New York City. Much like the move to the city itself, it takes a certain steeling of the nerves to weave through throngs of pedestrians at an intersection or calmly pedal while cars whiz by on both sides at 60 miles an hour.
Over the past three months I have seen bikers pull all kinds of tricks, from cruising the wrong way down a busy highway to running red lights and letting walkers on the Brooklyn Bridge fend for themselves as wheels roll inches from their toes. Though the city still has a ways to go before cyclists are able to coexist happily and safely with pedestrians and vehicles, there is a glimpse that some parts of New York City can belong to the bi-wheeled. Cyclists readily take to the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway and brightly colored bikes crowd the storefronts of trendy Williamsburg vintage shops. There is news of new paths in Manhattan and the forthcoming bicycle sharing program. Bikes chained to every surface imaginable are a constant reminder that bicycles are here to stay—and we all must continue to learn to live with that.
Photos: Signe Brewster
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram