Manhattan is becoming increasingly cycle-friendly. As a result, New Yorkers are taking to their bikes en masse, enjoying healthy escapades around the city, with the wind in their hair (or helmet). Cyclists at the EVGB apartments in the East Village are spoiled for choice. For starters, the rentals here come with a private Bicycle Room: a safe and convenient place to stash your prized two-wheeler. Talk about luxury. And once you and your bike are let loose on the East Side of Manhattan, there’s plenty to see and do along the East River Bikeway.

No bike? No problem

If you haven’t found the perfect bike yet, the neighborhood has plenty of places to help you solve that problem. Look for the colorful facade of Busy Bee Bikes on 437 East 6th Street, where you can find new and secondhand cycles — from racers to mountain bikes to more laid-back, basket-fronted affairs. Staff at the store also offer a maintenance service, which is handy if you’re not yet a master at fixing a puncture. CC Cyclery on 530 East 13th Street is often on the receiving end of rave reviews from contented customers, praising the knowledgeable staff who’ll not only fix you up with the ride of your dreams (vintage bikes are a specialty of theirs), but help you keep it in fine fettle, too.

See the Iconic Sights

Now that you’ve got the bike sorted, it’s time to start enjoying it. One of the best aspects of exploring Manhattan by bicycle? You get to see the city from alternative angles. Soar beneath the East River’s iconic bridges — the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg — and smile smug in the knowledge that those above your head are probably stuck in traffic. Whistle past the world-renowned headquarters of the United Nations, and see the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings loom to your left, as you head northward. To your right, see the Brooklyn skyline zoom by, while East River Ferries ply the water. Ride parallel to Roosevelt Island until you reach its northern tip, signalled by its lighthouse, built in 1872.

Stop Off to Catch Your Breath

With a bike at your disposal, you can do things at your own speed. That means you can make a pit stop at any of the many parks peppering the East Side of Manhattan. Take in al fresco performances at the amphitheater of East River Park, or watch people fish at the water’s edge. See athletes put in the hard work at the baseball and softball fields of Con Edison Field. Enjoy the well-tended flowerbeds of Carl Schurz Park, while tending to yourself with a cold drink of water from one of the fountains. Then, when you’re ready, hop back on your bike and set off in search of your next adventure.