Great Lakes - Good road routes in Chicagoland

I live in the city of Chicago, just a little bit west from the United Center in fact. I'd like to start doing some longer rides, but in the city I'm hampered by all the traffic and stoplights. The starting and stopping is a great way to build up the leg muscles, but I'd like to find some open roads and just ride. Can anybody suggest some good routes? My bike-riding friend from Brookfield tells me that Ogden is a decent way to get to the 'burbs; is that true? Where should I go from there? Or would another direction be better?

Many thanks! I've done some searches but not had much luck.

Ogden can be busy at times and doesn't have a bike lane I would drive it and get an idea first. Elmhurst bike club's web site has a list of some routes in the west subs with directions. Hope this helps.

Unfortunately I don't have a car so I lack the ability to drive routes beforehand. Thanks for the tip on the Elmhurst bike club; I see they have quite a few routes listed.

I think Elston Avenue has a bike lane. You can take that north to Milwaukee & Devon and hop on the North Branch Trail and beyond.

You should subscribe to Chicago critical mass.

I did an unsupported century a couple of summers ago that went from Wicker Park/Bucktown to Geneva and Batavia and back again, mostly on trails like the prairie path. You can pick that one up in or near Maywood. Look online for the route or ask someone on the listserv.

And, yes, Elston has a bike path which I take to work in Park Ridge. It ends at Milwaukee and Devon and the south end of the North Branch bike trail. You can take that all the way to the Botanical Gardens and Wisconsin. Also, go to the lake and ride the lakefront path north and then take Sheridan Road. That's a very good route, once you're out of the city. You can ride to Waukegan and back. I know some people who ride it up to Lake County and then go west and do loops in Libertyville.

You should also consider riding with a group like the Chicago Cycle Club. They meet at the Watchtower on Addison at the Lake on weekends. I'm going to start riding with them.

Just wanted to pop back in and say thanks for the good advice. I haven't had a chance to try these routes but they sound great. Thank you.