Chicago cyclists! Im so jealous of your path...
 

Ive been in Chicago for the weekend, and your path that runs along the lake is the greatest. I envy anyone that can ride that everyday.

You must have been riding on an off time, slows to a crawl by the pier. But, true, it's a very scenic route. Glad you enjoyed it!

I would agree with John, I enjoy it most in winter.

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and the ride north of the city is even better, with little summer congestion;

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it can be a royal cluster-f*ck on weekends. But it is a beautiful path to ride on.

try riding it at about midninght on a warm summer night

downright spiritual experience

we did that the last two nights. it was amazing.
i would be out there every night if i lived here.

+1. however, during afternoons and times when people are out, it will be more of a mental exercise on how to dodge people rather than an endurance exercise on your bike.

we rode on it quite a bit yesterday, and my buddy who lives here said it was one of the busiest days all summer. it was still good riding, but i definitely gave my brakes a workout.

until you hit a friggin pothole :lol:

I was out there this morning.
While can be very congested (esp. near north) on weekends, if you get out early (I mean 6-ish), it can still be really good, with a sunrise to boot.

It's a MUP, with plenty of joggers, walkers, a few skaters, and clueless crossers near the beaches, it doesn't make sense to go crazy fast. It's fine for a recreational/fitness ride.

Best bet for me is to ride the South end after work. From Monroe & LSD down to Jackson Park Beach and back makes for a nice 15 mile post-office head-clearer. That stretch is not busy at all.

PS: Props to North Branch Trail, too. Again earlier the better.

It is only good at night. Riding it during the day isn't fun at all, unless you get south of the city where it is more open. At night we tend to fly up and down that bad boy. Though I have been digging the Fox River Trail even more. Some good climbs and cheap spots to park for a minute and enjoy some ice cream, food, or cold beverages :)

I am visiting chicago and just rode the path (today, sunday, from 3ish to 430ish), from the navy pier to 7100 S, then turned around and rode north up to about 1800N....I thought it was ok but WAY too crowded with pedestrians etc, I am surprised I did not see a single bike-pedestrian accident. The pedestrians and beachgoers walk along the path, change direction, and cross the path without looking and without warning.

I am sure the path is wonderful during off-hours but today it was pretty scary for me.

Tomorrow I am going to hit the city roads and try the North Branch MUP....wish me luck!

PS if anyone wants to join me tomorrow (monday), send me a PM...will be leaving "loop" area around 4ish, planning a 3ish hour ride.

It is busy on a typical summer sunday afternoon, but just a heads-up, it is Lollapalooza weekend, with the the concert grounds (and about 100,000 people streaming in and out of there each day) right across the street from the path.

Went to college at U of Chicago...Hyde Park...that South Side view of downtown Chicago brings back some memories....did LOTS of miles up and down that bike path...early AM even in summer was just fine...

That said, my parents lived in Switzerland at the time....much preferred the riding over there...

I heard a lot of music as I went along the park across the street and was wondering what all the action was about. That makes sense, maybe I hit the path on an unusually busy afternoon.

The congestion is not actually so bad. If you can't muster the self-control to freewheel from Fullerton to Navy Pier, you probably should not operate any sort of vehicle.

Although I would remind everybody to keep an eye out for young children, dogs, and surreys :thumb:

It's great to read this, I grew up riding that path! It doesn't sound any worse than it was in the '60s and '70s! Probable the same potholes and broken curbs ...

+2000. After a while you don't even hear the city any more.

But, I'd have to say my runner-up is the North Branch Trail. It's well worth the 12 mile trip to the trailhead.

I was so sad when I moved to the Detroit area, to find there was nothing like that that was public. The only other city where I've seen such a great path along water is in Manhattan, the Henry Hudson Parkway.

I rode it last summer for my first and so far only time. It was late morning, and the air show was in town. Once you hit Lincoln Park you could just forget about riding. It is still a great ride, and I'd love to do it on a less crowded day and time. I started down by the Museum of Science and Ind. and rode north to the end. On the way back down I jogged out into the streets to avoid the crowds. I'm not all that familiar with Chicago, but managed to find my way around. I'll get back someday, my wife is from Chicago originally, but it took us almost 20 years to go.

As for the Manhattan west side bikeway, I avoid it. Way too many people on it. You have the guys in gym shorts that all think they're Lance when they're on it.

Biking on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago is god awful. Biking in the suburbs of Chicago is great.

If you feel like going on a longer ride a good warm up would be the lsd path, then open it up after near north and branch out onto some medium traffic roads on sheridan rd. or green bay north through kennilworth, onto wilmette, take the bike path through the botanical gardens to lake cook rd, I think? Head a few blocks west a pick up the path again. Through Highland Park/ Lake Bluff/ Lake Forest/ (all very bike friendly towns) all the way up to the navy base in Waukegan/North Chicago. Round trip is between 60-70 miles. The north suburbs of chicago is where the real nice riding is. Mapmyride would give full details.

im from the detroit area also. have you ever ridden hines drive? its not quite a path, but a great road for a ride.

i rode home an the path from 57th to irving park shortly after it rained today. one of the most enjoyable rides ive been on in a long time. the breeze was cool, and many stretches of the path were pretty much empty.

Oh, you're from Detroit... that explains it.