Who is the tour guide?

Jeremy Espenshade is the creator and sole tour guide for The Power Biker. He is a licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide (#2101050-DCA). Learn more here.

When do tours happen?

2022 is the first year for public tours, and my intention is to hold about one per month from spring through autumn, weather permitting, on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Dates will be announced on a rolling basis. Sign up to hear about them.

How long do they take?

2-2.5 hours, involving 6.5 miles of biking (~45 minutes at a leisurely pace).

Will there be breaks for bathroom, sitting, or snacks?

There are 2 points along the tour route where we will stop near public bathroom facilities and give folks a chance to stretch their legs. Each of the 8 stops also has some opportunity for sitting on nearby benches or grass. Please BYO snacks if desired.

How do I get there?

The starting location is convenient to the 96th street Q station by design, but you can also get there easily by taking the 6 to 96th and Lex and walking a couple blocks, riding the NYC Soundview Ferry route to 90th (don’t forget to check out Gracie Mansion by the dock!), or biking of course.

Can I use a Citi Bike?

Yes! There’s a Citi Bike dock right across the avenue by the starting location and you’re welcome to either pick up your bike before the intro or on our way to stop #2. There are also convenient docks along the route, where we’ll have an opportunity to reset your bike time and hopefully avoid exceeding the 45 minute rental times without extra fees.

Do I need to be a strong biker?

Despite the tour name, you definitely don’t need to be a “power” biker! The tour involves about 45 minutes of biking at a leisurely pace on a route that is almost entirely flat, as it follows the waterfront, and on well-paved paths. We’ll stop regularly and have opportunities to get off your bike and rest your legs. There are two exceptions, crossing the bridge to Randall’s Island after stop #2 has steep ramps and can be hard, particularly with a Citi Bike, and there’s one other short slope after stop #4. Fortunately, both are short enough that it’s fine to just walk your bike up and hop back on at the top without delaying the group.

How safe is this bike route? Do I need to bike next to cars?

Very safe, and no, there’s no biking on city streets. We’ll start out walking our bikes a block east from 2nd ave and then cross over to the East River Promenade, take the pedestrian bridge to Randall’s Island, and then remain on mix of bike paths and lightly trafficked park roads as we circle the island.

Where can I learn more about Robert Moses?

The Power Broker is the excellent book by Robert Caro that this tour is largely based on. There’s a well-narrated Audible audio book as well as the physical version.

Working, another of Caro’s books, gives insight into how he learned the material for The Power Broker and went about writing it (as well as his extraordinary LBJ biographical series).

Turn Every Page is an active exhibit at the New York Historical Society highlighting some of Caro’s archive, including original interview notes and source material from his research on Robert Moses.