Cycling near/in Chicago

[saab2000]

Hi Folks,

As some of you know, I am currently living near Washington DC. This could change in the springtime as I may try to "bid" for our Chicago domicile in order to be close to my US family in the Midwest.

How is the riding in the area near Chicago? I would likely live in Minneapolis and commute (easy if you are an airline employee) but I would need to maintain an apartment in the Chicago area. Is the riding there decent? I would work at O'Hare.

I know that the rural areas of Wisconsin tend to be pretty good, but I don't know much about IL or the areas near Chicago?

How 'bout it Dnovo or the rest of you in that area?

[AHava]

Give me a bit of direction here; do you prefer living in the city, the 'burbs, or the country? What's a tolerable commute? Would you prefer to commute by train?

My knowledge of the area extends to Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. Someone else will have to chime in with advice for Dupage.

I will say that the O'Hare area and surrounding NW suburbs might contain the worst riding on earth.

[saab2000]

Well, I guess I would like to be able to commute to O'Hare by train when I would be staying in the area. If possible I would like to NOT have a car in Chicago.

[Ken Robb]

I spent my first 22 years in Chicago and I love the area but I can tell you that it's not like San Diego and from Nov. to April I would want a car. Of course compared to the Twin Cities it might seem like a tropical paradise.

[AHava]

O'Hare is on the North Central Metra line, which goes from western Lake County into the city. Western Lake County has great riding, but the communities up there are car oriented; you won't be able to function without one.

The riding in western Lake County is the best I've seen in the Chicago area. The Fox river valley gives some texture to the terrain, and the roads are quiet and well maintained.

If you live on the north side of Chicago, and hop the outbound train to the airport, you'll have to negotiate about 8 miles of city riding before you reach the popular suburban cycling routes.

I've only discussed Metra Rail transit. You can also reach the airport via the L's blue line train, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Hope this helps,

Alex

[Don]

Check out the Evanston Bicycle Club's link <evanstonbikeclub.org> and go to Ride&Events for information. At the end is a library of cue sheets for your use. You may also want to look at Chicagoland Bicycle Federation link which contains a bike map of the greater Chicago area.

North Shore riding (Evanston to Kenosha, WI.) is really a beautiful ride. Routes are heavily used by cyclists and consequently, automobile drivers are aware of the activity.

You may also want to check the Evanston club's routing into southern Wisconsin and especially Waterford. If you can ride during a week day, Richard Schwinn usually can be talked into giving a tour of his facility. The Evanston club does a remote start ride to Waterford and if the info isn't on their site, let me know and I'd be happy to put you in touch with knowledgeable riders.

I lived in Evanston before moving to Florida and conside it to be a wonderful area for cycling.

Don

[Hard Fit]

Chicago is a great city, but will never be known as a cycling paradise.

Positives:
1. The mayor is an avid cyclist and the city has developed a network of bicycle lanes throughout the city. The downtown area has a bike garage with shower facilities.

2. Being a city, cycling in the city can be very interesting. You can explore all the different neighborhoods. It is not like you are seeing the same thing all the time. I go all around the city including the bad neighborhoods. History abounds everywhere.

3. If you are single and looking, the Chicago Cycling Club (www.chicagocyclingclub.org) is like a meat market. Don't expect great riding though. It is basically social riding at a slow pace for mostly 35 miles. You will however see parts of the city that you never knew existed if you ride with this club. The Evanston club offers a little more variety in terms of distance and pace, but my experience with suburban clubs is that the age tends to be older than in a city.

4. The suburban club that seems to offer the most for the intermediate cyclist is the Wheeling Wheelmen. I have not ridden with them, so I can't report on the age group of the riders.

5. The city offers a vast amount of entertainment and cultural activities. Like all great cities, it is a magnet for the young and restless. The neighborhoods on the north side are the place to be if you are single. Personally, I think it ranks as one of the great cities in the US. I have lived in places where the cycling is great, but I keep coming back to Chicago.

6. You don't need a car in the city. The public transportation system is excellent. You can even put your bike on a bus or train (CTA). A train goes to both Midway and O'Hare.

7. If you like riding on trails, several options exist. The lakefront offers a nice ride, but it can be crowded on the weekends. Another trail goes from the north of the city through forest preserves to the Botanic Gardens about 25 miles away. The western suburbs have a trail that goes along the Fox River.

Negatives:

1. You have to get used to riding in the cold.

2. It is flat. In Chicago, we call highway overpasses mountains. You can get some rolling hills up in Wisconsin. Figure on 1.5 - 2 hours of driving to get anyplace.

3. It can get tiring putting up with the traffic. I find that once a month, I have to go up to Wisconsin and ride around. It cleanses the soul.

4. You have to learn how to ride in a city. If traffic scares you, forget it.

5. It is a city, so you aren't going to be riding in a rural area with trees, etc.