Updated: Top bike paths for great long and short rides: Bayside, Fresh Meadows, Flushing, Corona, LIC

Note: Let us know other rides you like either in the comments or on Twitter @QueensNYCity!

There’s been much recent enthusiasm for cycling in Queens. The Tour de Queens bike race draws 2,000 riders every year and the LIC Bike Parade has been ever popular. In East Flushing, the Kissena Velodrome has been made somewhat of a comeback.

You can also find them all on this map of Queens’ bike paths, lanes, and greenways.

Astoria Park bike lanes – Astoria – The bike lanes extend all the way from 20th Ave to Astoria Park South along the waterfront, which is split up between Ralph deMarco Park and Astoria Park proper. On the stretch between Ditmars Blvd. and 20th Ave, it’s a shared lane (bladers, walkers/runners, cyclists) and is indicated as such. See Update on the Astoria Park bike lanes.

Cross Island Parkway Greenway – Bayside – Enjoy a view of the Throgs Neck Bridge from Little Bay Park at the north end of this path. Then proceed past Fort Totten — adventurous spirits should take a detour to explore the 19th century artillery battery — and onto Joe Michaels Mile, a stretch popular with runners and rollerbladers. Continue south along the waterfront route for more uninterrupted riding.

Image source: Flickr Creative Commons – user sethw

Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, Cunningham Park – Fresh Meadows – With a history as a toll road and automobile racecourse, the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway is now one of the most peaceful bike paths in the city, surrounded by the lush greenery — a real forest! — in Cunningham Park. The park is also home to mountain biking trails, for those who want something more rugged.

Flushing Bay Promenade – Flushing – Nestled behind LaGuardia Airport and an industrial zone, this waterfront promenade is not exactly the most gorgeous in the city, although the area is making a comeback. Along the uncrowded route, you can check out the boat docks, scope out a banquet hall popular for Indian weddings, and inspect the panels portraying different plant and animal species in alphabetical order.

34th Avenue – Woodside, Jackson Heights, Corona – Tree-lined 34th Avenue is a straight shot from 60th Street to 114th Street, with views of the stately garden apartments of Jackson Heights along the way. This route is an on-street bike lane, not a protected path, so it’s not as carefree of a ride as the others (double-parked cars abound). But it’s a fun way to absorb the vibe of three different neighborhoods in less than 20 minutes.

Image source: Flickr Creative Commons – user everydaypants