As New York City cyclists we have spent endless hours doing loops in Central Park, Prospect Park, and out and back on 9W. But when we’re looking to break out of that routine we usually head up to Westchester, where there are quiet backroads galore, with minimal vehicular traffic and plenty of lush scenery.

This is even more true now that our friends at ACME opened their beautiful new shop in Katonah, NY. One of the best parts of the new location in Katonah is that it is equally accessible via bike from NYC, using the OCA or the South County Trailway (which featured regularly in our summer riding), or via train with the shop just a few hundred yards from the Metro North Station.

This made ACME a great rest stop during Bike to Brew, but there are plenty of other excellent routes that start or finish in Katonah, plus lots of options for pre-and-post ride nutrition. Katonah has quickly become one of our favorite launching points and pit stops for riding in Westchester and with Fall foliage season looming we wanted to share some of our favorite routes and snack stops…

The Routes

Gravel, Mixed Terrain, and Road

There are a plethora of dirt and gravel road oriented rides available with Katonah as a starting point. Three of our favorites, ranging from 35 miles to 75 miles are included below. Note that the longer routes include some chunky sections of gravel - we have done them on road bikes, but they’ll be more comfortable on a bike with higher capacity tires.

And for some personal recommendations straight from ACME Katonah, Colin suggested these options of various distances. The first is a hilly mixed terrain route covering nearly 70 miles, while the latter two are shorter dirt and road routes, respectively.

Or, if you are feeling really ambitious, we have done a very long loop starting and ending in New York City that passes through Katonah for a rest stop. In fact we have an entire Journal entry detailing the route: Exploring East of the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Pre/Post-Ride Nutrition and Activities

Cafes And light bites

Looking for some light food before starting your ride, or a snack before catching the train back to New York City? There are a number of options to choose from:

• Katonah Reading Room: lovely cafe/sandwiches, snacks salads to go. 19 Edgemont Rd, Katonah, NY 10536

• Sgaglio's Marketplace: gourmet deli/marketplace 127 Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536

• Goldberg's Famous Bagels: general bagel shop 280 Katonah Ave, Katonah NY 10536

• Tazza Cafe: right next door to ACME 197 Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536

Dine In Seating

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more of a sit down dining experience, then three good options where if you sit outside you’ll be able to keep an eye on your bikes:

• Jay Street Cafe is the most casual of these three: 63 Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536

• The Whitlock 17 Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536

• Blue Dolphin: 175 Katonah Ave, Katonah, NY 10536

Everything Else

• The Katonah/John Jay Homestead Farmers Market takes place Saturdays 10am-2pm. It is a very lovely farmers market can sit at the picnic benches, coffee, ready made food, gardens, live music. 400 Jay St, Katonah, NY 10536

Special mention for North Salem

These are in North Salem, not Katonah - but these get a special mention if you are on a route that heads North toward Purdys or North Salem:

• The Market at Union Hall: a super cute gourmet market. 2 Keeler Ln, North Salem, NY 10560

• Purdy's Farmer and the Fish: has a really cute farm store and lovely outdoor seating options: 100 Titicus Rd, North Salem, NY 10560