I rode Dearborn today...anyone else?

I just missed the press conference and just hung out at lunch to see how it would all work. It seemed easy enough, so I took Dearborn as my starting route home to Roscoe Village. Normally I hit Franklin to Orleans then north to Lincoln.

I have to say, it was pretty easy and relatively safe. The ambassadors were helpful with the the auto traffic. The walkers were easy enough to avoid. I had to chuckle at two riders riding side by side in the lane.

What I didn't see was any oncoming traffic; southbound riders. I am guessing that will come in time or at other times during the day.

Way to go Mayor RE! This is really making a statement.

Who else rode the new path?

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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 13, 2013 at 1:12pm

No question, everybody must make sure they are prepared properly (both bike and rider) for the conditions they expect to encounter. That said, no tire is going to be perfect in all conditions. Many people only have one bike, so one set of tires generally has to work for all conditions. For these metal grate bridges, I suspect a fatter, slicker, tire will work better. My previous commuter was a pure road bike and has pretty slick tires, but they are not fat (700x23 Gatorskins), and the rubber compound is fairly hard (the better to avoid flats with in the many suburbs and city neighborhoods where I ride). My current commuter has a bit wider tire (700x28 Michelin City, still fairly slick, but with some grooves to expel water). I imagine it will work better than my previous commuter bike, but I prefer not to test it. If your tires have some sort of raised tread on them, I think it will interact with the bridge grates, different ways for different tread patterns. That can be a rather nerve-wracking experience as your bike constantly "hunts" for the best route over the grates.

The city also needs to take reasonable steps to make peoples' commutes safe. I believe textured steel plates will work better than exposed steel grates for most people in most conditions, and for a broader range of tire type and rider experience.

Tony Adams 6.6 mi said:

I'm not against plates, but I think we also need to take some responsibility and equip our bikes properly for the conditions we face when we ride.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on March 13, 2013 at 2:31pm

Looks like they are indeed installing plates:

https://www.facebook.com/chicagobikes

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Permalink Reply by Derek on March 13, 2013 at 3:14pm

"flex elbows"

"keep weight centered"

"pedal consistently"

Pretty much the same mantra I chant in my head while flying downhill on a mountain bike goes through my head crossing those grated bridges.

I cringe to think what a crash on that grating would feel like. Short of tumbling down a cactus covered hill it's hard to thing of a worse place to wipe out.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 13, 2013 at 3:51pm

Here's a grotesque link from the Chainlink archives complete with photographs of some pretty horrible bridge related injuries (in the imbedded Blog). I think of this link almost every time I ride over the bridge grates.

Derek said:

"flex elbows"

"keep weight centered"

"pedal consistently"

Pretty much the same mantra I chant in my head while flying downhill on a mountain bike goes through my head crossing those grated bridges.

I cringe to think what a crash on that grating would feel like. Short of tumbling down a cactus covered hill it's hard to thing of a worse place to wipe out.

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Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on March 13, 2013 at 6:18pm

Ummmm.... Well. I was hoping for more to be done in 5-6 hours. Hopefully they will fix the 'bump'/deformation on the northbound side.

I will put my rose-colored glasses and be thankful something is happening.

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Permalink Reply by Julie M. on March 13, 2013 at 6:50pm

Right, one plate in a day? It's going to take weeks to be done at that rate.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 13, 2013 at 7:00pm

That link to the facebook page that Duppie gave said that it will be done over the "next several days". At least there is progress!

On another Dearborn note, as I rode over the bridge heading north there was a taxi parked in the bike lane right at the hotel driveway. There was another one in the correct spot directly to his right. The fellow in the bike lane was just sitting there and had his window open. I pulled up next to him and asked why he was parked there.

"Parked where?"

"You are parked in the bike lane"

"I am? I am sorry. I could get a ticket. Thank you."

Backs up to move into the parking lane behind the other cab.

I thanked him and went on my way.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle S on March 13, 2013 at 8:28pm

"I am? I am sorry. I could get a ticket. Thank you."

Backs up to move into the parking lane behind the other cab.

-- I think I would have started looking around for the hidden camera at that point.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 13, 2013 at 10:03pm

Nicely done - by you and the cab driver.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

On another Dearborn note, as I rode over the bridge heading north there was a taxi parked in the bike lane right at the hotel driveway. There was another one in the correct spot directly to his right. The fellow in the bike lane was just sitting there and had his window open. I pulled up next to him and asked why he was parked there.

"Parked where?"

"You are parked in the bike lane"

"I am? I am sorry. I could get a ticket. Thank you."

Backs up to move into the parking lane behind the other cab.

I thanked him and went on my way.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 14, 2013 at 6:06am

Cab driver did not remotely resemble Allen Funt. ;-)

Michelle Stenzel said:

"I am? I am sorry. I could get a ticket. Thank you."

Backs up to move into the parking lane behind the other cab.

-- I think I would have started looking around for the hidden camera at that point.