We've already toured Lower Manhattan on another bike tour and wanted to cover ground in Central Park. August is obviously warm so would take a long time to walk round it... and we walk a lot in the city anyway.. plus we love bike tours. No need for helmets by law unless under 14 though we decided both children should wear them anyway. We did a 2 hour tour travelling up to the top of the park East side first and back down the West side again taking in all the spots; Castle, Fountain, John Lennon Memorial etc. It was a very warm day when we did it.. circa 30 degrees centigrade (sorry don't do fahrenheit now.. but just converted it to 86F). The park road is undulating but manageable on the bikes with gears. Traffic only enters the park for a small area on lower east side though its very steady and slow and certainly NOT busy. Most traffic is runners and walkers. No water was supplied so would recommend you take your own. One of our bikes had a front basket. There is nowhere to leave bags so dump anything at your hotel prior to meeting the guide at the designated spot.. in our case it was 1792 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 (on 58 street and broadway)- infront of Argo Tea Cafe. Easy to find.