Hot Bike Trend: Multimodal Bike Adventures
What's hot is picking a destination to ride to — someplace far — pedaling there, and then taking the train home.
With an assist from the train, multimodal cycling lets riders go out farther since they don't have to pedal back. And while it's hardly a new thing to take your bike on a train — multimodal commuters have been doing it for ages — many road cyclists we know are doing more big one-way rides like this, with several using apps like Strava and RideWithGPS to help them find new routes and plan distant outings that normally might be out of reach.
Also known as "slingshot", this is a great way to check out bike routes and trails without a car.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on
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One problem. You could get there then they don't let you on. Or have problems and miss the departure. Better, take the train out then ride back. Any problems just make you late or you catch the train on an intermediate station.
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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on
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I'd recommend checking the Metra website to find out the timetable as well as any possible restrictions.
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Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on
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This past summer did a multimodal trip myself using Amtrak.
Chicago->Glacier Park (Montana) Amtrak
Glacier Park -> Spokane (bike)
Spokane->Seattle (Amtrak)
Bike loop on the Northern Part of Olympic Peninsula
Seattle->Portland (Amtrak)
Explored Portland area
Portland -> Emeryville (SF)
Hung in the bay for a week
SFO-> Glenwood Springs (CO) Amtrak
Glenwood Springs->Loveland (US 34 or Trail Ridge Road by bike, interestingly US34 ends in Ogden Rd, here in Chicago)
Loveland->Denver (bike)
Denver->Chicago (train)
Took about a month and a half and totally worth it.
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Permalink Reply by Gail Artrip on
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Did you have to box up for the Amtrak portions or could you roll on? Did you find Amtrak to run more or less on time?
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Yeah. Had to box it up in all except the Seattle to Portland portion. Now they have larger boxes so all you have to do is twist the handlebars and remove pedals. Takes about 5 minutes total. Amtrak mostly doesn't run on time since they don't own the tracks they operate on. Give yourself some time if you're going to use them. It still beats flying with a bike for me.
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Permalink Reply by V W on
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I've done this but I don't like having to box my bike, which entails finding a bike box and some disassembly. Amtrak and grayhound buses require bikes to be boxed. Which makes sense but obviously Metra is preferable (when available) since metra let's you just bring your bike as is on the train. I will also do a zip van and just drive somewhere, bike around and drive bike.
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That is slowly changing on Amtrak. Non-boxed bikes are allowed on CA, IL, MO state trains, on the long-distance Carolinian (NY to NC), and recently started roll-on service on the long-distance Capitol Limited Between Chicago and DC. They are supposed to eventually offer it on all their long-distance routes. I'm hopeful for it to be on the CHI-SEA/POR Empire Builder soon.
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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth M. on
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There are some Amtrak lines that have roll on bike service. Granted, the availability is still limited but the program does seem to be expanding.
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You could take Metra out to the Fox River Trail and bike back to the Forest Park Blue Line station via the Illinois Prairie Path.
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I've done a 1-day train-bike-boat-bike trip across the lake from Chicago to Grand Rapids.
I had a plan at the back of mind to bike to Grand Rapids from Chicago to visit family, but the 2 or more likely 3 days of pedaling was prohibitive when I can drive it in 3 hours.
Then one day I realized I could do it in one day.
Metra to Kenosha
Bike to Milwaukee
Lake Express ferry to Muskegon
Bike to Grand Rapids
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