What's your favorite stealth bike route or other Chicago biking secret?

Did you that you can skip the crowded (in summer at least) Lakefront Trail and get from Belmont to Foster almost entirely on little-traveled paths paths, many of them unpaved, with even better views of the lake?

And did you know there's a four-mile route encircling Lake Calumet on the Far South Side with almost no motorized traffic and a country-road vibe, with six-foot-tall cattails and high green hills (of sodded-over landfill)?

For a magazine article, what are your favorite little known cycling routes and ways to escape the hustle-bustle of the city's most commonly-traveled bikeways?

And do you know any other Chicago cycling secrets, like bike shops that have unique features or fascinating local cyclists who should be well-known but aren't?

Thanks!

John Greenfield

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Permalink Reply by David P. on December 22, 2011 at 3:48pm

I live in Avondale and ride east regularly - usually to Andersonville to get to my girlfriend's house, sometimes to Lakeview - and I really wish there were nicer options once you get west of Western or Kimball, depending on where you are. Coming to/from Lakeview I take Roscoe/School like Minh does, but once you get to the skate park it's either Addison or Western, which are tolerable at best but the only choices nearby across the river and freeway. I don't mind it overly, but my girlfriend hates it. I think Wilson (which is what I take from Kimball or Kedzie to Damen) will take you across, but then you're left with Pulaski. If there are better options east of Kedzie, I'd love to know them.  

Permalink Reply by Jared on December 22, 2011 at 4:05pm

What about California?  Only problem is you have to do the little detour through Ravenswood Manor.  Great way to get to Evanston from where I live.  Relatively low traffic and some bike lanes in Evanston when it turns into Dodge.

Permalink Reply by Shay on December 23, 2011 at 5:56am

I think a lot of routes going east from Logan Square get ruined because of either the Kennedy or the river. I've often tried to plan routes only to find that streets don't continuously go all the way through because of those two reasons.

Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on December 23, 2011 at 6:06am

I would love some secret routes in the suburbs. Riding in the city is easy. I run into the following situation a lot. Need to cross a six lane interstate? Only place to cross within ten miles is another 4 lane "interstate". :)

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on December 23, 2011 at 7:29am

Tony what is the Oakley route? Also what's wrong with the Damen viaduct/bridge? I find it quite fast to bike.

Tony Adams said:

I'm guessing that there are no secret routes. Pretty much anyone with a shred of curiosity who finds herself riding a route more than a few times in Chicago will seek the most pain free way to do it.

Three alternative routes I frequently use are:

1. the well known Oakley route often referred to as "the hipster highway" as a way to travel between the south the north sides without suffering the atrocious Damen viaduct or the appalling Damen bridge. It requires veering onto and off Western a couple of times, but Western is either super wide for those stretches, or the east sidewalk is generally devoid of pedestrians and storefronts - so despite being illegal, it is perfectly ok to ride on (cautiously of course). But watch out for broken glass especially between 18th and Ogden.

2. Loomis! again not a secret, but I'm alway surprised that Google's bike directions will always send a person up Archer all the way over to Canal or Halsted. Archer is totally treacherous with dozens of places where the outside lane of the four lane street temporarily disappears into a parking chokepoint. That combined with some very fast driving - encouraged by the width of the road along most of its length make for some very scary biking. I get off that thing as early and often as possible. I find Loomis->Blue Island a much more pleasant way to get downtown from the southwest side than the dreaded Archer.  As a bonus, when going southwest, you get a rare opportunity to take a fast 90 degree right turn after a bit of a hill if you cut west on Eleanor right after crossing the Loomis bridge over the river.

3. Plymouth! It only gets you off State St for a mile or so, but from 15th all the way up to Jackson or so, it is pretty much a car free route passing through some parks and Printer's Row, a quiet neighborhood and past a hidden gem Indian restaurant http://www.curryhouseonline.com/.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on December 23, 2011 at 7:38am

Not an eastbound route per say, but this morning I discovered a very pleasant new way to do my frequent commute from Logan Square to the Sulzer Library in Lincoln Square. I generally don't like riding on Kedzie north of Logan, but most of the short stretch on this route has a new bike lane. Here's a Google map of the route:

http://g.co/maps/p2394



Shay said:

I think a lot of routes going east from Logan Square get ruined because of either the Kennedy or the river. I've often tried to plan routes only to find that streets don't continuously go all the way through because of those two reasons.

Permalink Reply by Rev Al on December 23, 2011 at 9:03am

To get to Indiana there's a railroad service roafd that start's at the state line generating station and ends at the Hammond Marina. A dedicated bike path picks up at the west end of the marina and will take you to the marina overpass or Calumet Avenue for access south.  It beats fighting the traffic on US 41.

Permalink Reply by pistola on December 23, 2011 at 10:05am
When coming up north or northwest from Halsted, because of the bridge being out, I like cutting west through Goose Island and crossing the river at the newly repaved pedestrian/bike only bridge at North Ave. This avoids the dreaded Clybourn/North intersection somewhat.
Permalink Reply by Elihu Blanks on December 23, 2011 at 2:18pm

How do you get to the McCormick busway and is it legal for a bike to ride this route?
 
John Greenfield said:

Ah yes, the McCormick Place busway! Perfect.

Cameron Puetz said:

There's a similar road running in the South Shore's right of way from Millennium Station to McCormick Place.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 23, 2011 at 2:46pm

I've got a couple of cross-the-border routes for you.

This one starts at 95th & Ewing (near the power plant), uses the Burnham Greenway, passes Wolf Lake and crosses the border at 134th St.

Here's one that starts at 95th & Ewing, also uses the Burnham Greenway, climbs the access ramp to Horseshoe Casino, follows a lakefront path in Whiting, passes through the BP refinery and ends at East Chicago's Marktown historic district.

Permalink Reply by Martin Hazard on December 23, 2011 at 5:19pm

No the McCormick busway is not I believe a leagal roadway for cyclists. You have to figure out how to activate an electronic gate to get in or out of it. You can find it though on lower, lower, (service level) Randolph, just west of Columbus, next to the Metra station. Might not be the best for commuting. Lumber road however rocks.

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on December 23, 2011 at 10:46pm

For sure they do not want bicycles on the busway. I tried getting on from the southend when a Metra Patrol S.U.V. Followed me along its perimeter telling me I can't use the busway.

Martin Hazard said:

No the McCormick busway is not I believe a leagal roadway for cyclists. You have to figure out how to activate an electronic gate to get in or out of it. You can find it though on lower, lower, (service level) Randolph, just west of Columbus, next to the Metra station. Might not be the best for commuting. Lumber road however rocks.

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