In recent years, Chicago has consistently ranked as one of the nation’s most bike-friendly cities thanks to hundreds of miles of new bike lanes installed in the last decade and mercifully flat terrain.
However, it wasn’t always so easy to be a biker in the city as Travis Hugh Culley documents in his book The Immortal Class. Activists in the 1990s fought hard for bike safety and infrastructure at Critical Mass, a monthly ride of avid cyclists and newcomers which started in San Francisco and spread to Chicago. It’s that vibrant history of passionate bike activists whose legacy is carried on in Critical Mass and organizations like Slow Roll Chicago and the Active Transportation Alliance, that’s made the city great for those on two wheels.
Whether the spring temperatures has inspired you to ditch other forms of transit (or you’re curious how those winter warriors do it) this guide will get you started on biking in Chicago. We assume you know the basics, but if you need a refresher on laws or beginner safety the city covers the all that on its website.
There are plenty of ways to bike in the city: taking the occasional Divvy when the bus is late, riding leisurely to the park, or bravely commuting year round. So fear not! We’ll help you get acquainted with Chicago’s bike culture, how to find the best bike streets, and make the most of Divvy. Let’s get rolling.
Why local bike stores are the best
Step one is getting a bike if you are interested in owning one. While, yes, it is possible to find a deal online or get one from a big box retailer—you’ll get so much more out of your local bike shop. Stores like the Recyclery in Rogers Park and Blackstone Bicycle Works in Woodlawn train curious bikers how to maintain their own bikes through workshops, classes, and other education programs.
The two community-based shops are rooted in their neighborhood and provide quality bikes at reasonable costs too. These shops sell upcycled bikes, refurbished bikes, and used parts so biking can be more affordable for residents.
At Uptown Bikes, newcomers can learn about nearby trails, basic care practices, and gain insight on how to make biking more than just a hobby. If you’re interested in becoming a well-worn city biker, but don’t know where to get started, find a local bike shop to call home.
“We have a lot of customers who moved here from some suburban community, or even another city that doesn’t have as much traffic,” Maria Barnes, owner of Uptown Bikes, said. “We’re a first point of contact to help people use their bike as transportation, not just for recreational riding.”
Stay safe
Fortunately, biking in Chicago is relatively stress-free. But, just as with all city biking, there are certain areas to stay vigilant. One of the most common areas of frustration are bike lanes, specifically ones that fall adjacent to parked cars. Bikers are then vulnerable to blocked lanes, or even worse, dooring—which is when a driver or passenger opens their door into an oncoming biker.
Organizations like Bike Lane Uprising are fighting to call out drivers and protect them from future harm by making it easier to report lane obstructions. Despite how often cars and trucks do it, stopping or idling in a bike lane is illegal and drivers can get a $150 ticket.
If a situation is particularly bad, use 311 to report vehicles or construction that block bike lanes. Thee online portal also makes it possible to request more bike racks at a location, the removal of abandoned bikes, or additional bike lanes for an area.
One trustworthy guide for a smooth ride is the Chicago Reader’s Mellow Bike Map, which gives riders some of the most picturesque routes throughout the city. According to John Greenfield, who helped to develop the map, the routes provided are meant to show riders streets not necessarily highlighted on the city’s official bike map, those quiet residential areas that aren’t officially bike lanes but are in practice some of the most relaxed riding around.
“The default approach has been to stripe bike lanes on busy retail streets, which is very important,” Greenfield said. “But I think experienced cyclists also tend to have their favorite routes on leafy residential streets that lack a lot of the stress and dangers of main streets.”
Using your bike and the CTA
After reaching a level of comfort in your own neighborhood, a next step might be venturing off to explore other great biking areas in Chicago. Perhaps there isn’t a pleasant bike route to the Lakefront Trail or the 606 and you’d rather take the CTA, or you want to explore bike trails via the Metra.
There are a few restrictions when it comes to bringing your bike on public transportation, and before your plans have to be put on hold, make sure you know the rules.
- L trains don’t allow bikes on cars during rush hours—so that’s 7 to 9 a.m. and then 4 to 6 p.m.
- Buses have front and rear exterior bike mounts and are free of any bans or time restrictions! It’s easy to throw your bike on and not worry about getting in anyone else’s way.
- Metra bans bikes on trains heading downtown from 5 to 9 a.m. and then again on trains leaving downtown from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
Don’t own? Use Divvy
Today, the Divvy Bike service is crucial to the city’s mobility. The system has grown dramatically since its debut in 2013, and there are plans to bring Divvy to every area in the city and double the size—adding about 10,000 new e-bikes.
“Expanding Divvy citywide is a critical step towards embracing a truly multimodal vision for the future of Chicago’s transportation network,” Kyle Whitehead, spokesperson for transit advocacy group Active Transportation Alliance, said. “If managed properly, [the] Divvy expansion will increase transportation options in high-need communities and boost neighborhood health, sustainability, and equity.”
Depending on your approach, here’s how you can make the bike-share system work for you. First, there’s the $3 pass for a one-time, 30-minute ride. It was designed to help commuters get home from that last L stop or bus stop, but it’s also the perfect length for a quick recreational ride.
There’s also a $15 pass for the 24 hours—great for visitors or tourists looking to navigate the city. Divvy has annual membership around $99, which if great if you are a commuter, and the Divvy for Everyone program offers discounted memberships for low-income residents.
So what’s the downside? If you’re a serious biker looking to invest in your own equipment, you might not be on board with the heavy, clunky Divvy bikes. However, the service is affordable and storage or locking isn’t a problem. Ultimately, it depends how you want to ride.
Be a winter biker
One of the biggest challenges facing any eager biker is whether or not to bike in winter. It’s best to be cautious in inclement weather, but a little cold shouldn’t keep you off your bike. Here are pointers if you’d like to turn your seasonal biking into a year-round habit.
- Think about the road conditions. The number one safety issue with winter biking is road quality. It can take weeks in some areas for snow to be completely clear, and black ice will catch even the most well-prepared biker. Before setting out, think about the last snowfall and recent weather. Most neighborhood streets and bike lanes probably won’t get plowed, so it might be best to skip the ride. Protected bike lanes are also left unplowed, which is an unfortunate design flaw. If you do go out, stick to main roads.
- Give yourself extra time. Even if the roads are clear, your body simply won’t move as quickly in the winter. Be prepared to take considerably longer to get around, especially in high winds.
- Consider wider tires and other equipment. Typical road bike tubes are narrow, minimizing road contact to enhance speed. In the winter, consider wider tubes to enhance traction and ensure safety. This guide goes further into detail on this process, laying out other handy winter gear, particularly mudguards and working pumps, as must-have winter items.
- Layer clothes! No matter how cold it is, biking is intensive exercise, and that means sweat. Mitigating this means layering mindfully. One effective strategy is to think in three layers: a base layer of sweat-wicking exercise gear, another layer for insulation based on the day’s temperatures, and an outer layer for wind and water repelling. Another thing to keep in mind—bikers are at risk for overheating as well, so don’t bundle up too much.
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