The Chainlink

Hi everyone!

I'm a month into biking and am really excited for Critical Mass this Friday.

Never done it before and don't know anyone else who's going.

Anyone else out there new to this and want to meet up before it starts?

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Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and offers of bikes. I am going to check into all options. Thanks again...no wonder Chicago is such a great bike town with so many helpful folks!

122782_ said:

I'd recommend one of the Bike and Roll locations, but I think all of them will be closed by 7 or 8pm so you wouldn't be able to ride most of the CM ride.  Hmmm.

Gina Overshiner said:

I don't live in Chicago, but love it and will be in town on Friday with my daughter (11) and husband. I always try to schedule my Chicago trips around Critical Mass, because Critical Mass Chicago is amazing!!!  Only problem is we are unable to bring our bikes.  SO does anyone have any suggestions about an affordable place to borrow/rent 3 bikes for Critical Mass this Friday?

How tall is your daughter? Kids of that age are all over the place height-wise. It might help us to find a loaner if we knew what size bike she needs. What size bike does she ride at home?

Gina Overshiner said:

I don't live in Chicago, but love it and will be in town on Friday with my daughter (11) and husband. I always try to schedule my Chicago trips around Critical Mass, because Critical Mass Chicago is amazing!!!  Only problem is we are unable to bring our bikes.  SO does anyone have any suggestions about an affordable place to borrow/rent 3 bikes for Critical Mass this Friday?

The closing party was March 9.

Thunder Snow said:

I think one of the reasons the February Mass was so poorly attended was the fact that many (most?) of us were instead at the Gala Gallery, for the closing party of the Bike Winter Art Show (with puppets, the Racketeers and fashion show).

http://www.thechainlink.org/events/event/listByDate?date=2012-02-24

I don't understand the connection you're alluding to between cycling infrastructure and CCM.

The great thing about CCM has always been that you weren't limited to streets with "cycling infractructure" and could feel safe riding down Western Ave.

Juan said:

In all my 10+ years riding the Mass since I moved to the loop. I have sharply noticed how the ride tends to go and stay north. My best guess is that few hardcore riders exist south of Roosevelt and the cycling infrastucture on that side of town is pretty lame and even more disjointed than the north side.

James BlackHeron said:

It's a pretty safe bet...

h' said:

Why do you think it's going north?

Ask someone at CCM where they live and a good third of the time the person will answer Logan Square.  If you add in Bucktown/Wicker Park you'll get greater than half of the attendees.  

People tend to subconsciously ride back towards home rather than away from it.  This effects the route quite a bit. 

If folks from the South side want CCM to head south more often maybe they should show up and maybe lead and/or propose a route.   It's as simple as that.  This is how CCW (or any crowd-sourced/led/attended & disorganized group) works.  Show up and be part of it and influence it in some small or large way -or stay home and complain.

Oops, you're right.  So much for that theory.  So where were all the Massers in February?
 
h' said:

The closing party was March 9.
 

There's a lot of truth in what you say, James.  In my very limited Mass experience, I've only heard of one Mass that went to the town of Cicero (to view the now-gone Car Spindle in a shopping center).  And I've never heard of a Mass going down Archer to Midway Airport or down to Hyde Park, Pullman or Blue Island.  Anyone with longer Mass experience know of any South-Side-bound Masses in the past?
 
James BlackHeron said:

Ask someone at CCM where they live and a good third of the time the person will answer Logan Square.  If you add in Bucktown/Wicker Park you'll get greater than half of the attendees.  

People tend to subconsciously ride back towards home rather than away from it.  This effects the route quite a bit. 


 

I'll make it as clear as mudd. South side + little cycling infrastucure = less people riding bicycles. Thus fewer people from that part of town showing up for CM and ending up far north each time.

Ok, so I get the point of CM sprawling its organic tentacles regardless of bike lanes, hek! we even went on the expressway one time.

So it is what it is until someone throws in a south side destination...

 

I don't understand the connection you're alluding to between cycling infrastructure and CCM.

The great thing about CCM has always been that you weren't limited to streets with "cycling infractructure" and could feel safe riding down Western Ave.

I just saw some promo for some new thing where Android phones are scrabblin to come up with new features that people are supposed to care about wanting, and apparently now they've hit on the idea of a "mobile hangout." And I thought, well, oh, say now, hey, way ahead of you.

How can a CCM noob meet up with Chainlink people at Daley Plaza? 

Yes, I remember Hyde Patrk more than once, Rainbow Beach, Midway every January for years, Lots and Lots of Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Chinatown.

I think proportional to the percentage of riders from the south and southwest sides, CCM has headed south much more than one would expect over the years. If it hasn't gone that way much recently, I think it's more a sign that overall investment in the ride has been squelched (which is why the meager February turnout is troubling.)



Thunder Snow said:

There's a lot of truth in what you say, James.  In my very limited Mass experience, I've only heard of one Mass that went to the town of Cicero (to view the now-gone Car Spindle in a shopping center).  And I've never heard of a Mass going down Archer to Midway Airport or down to Hyde Park, Pullman or Blue Island.  Anyone with longer Mass experience know of any South-Side-bound Masses in the past?
 
James BlackHeron said:

Ask someone at CCM where they live and a good third of the time the person will answer Logan Square.  If you add in Bucktown/Wicker Park you'll get greater than half of the attendees.  

People tend to subconsciously ride back towards home rather than away from it.  This effects the route quite a bit. 


 

Post your pic or description and ask people reading here to come talk to you?

Most "Chainlink people" tend to get acquainted at bar night or other smaller events rather than CCM, although I've put more than a few names to faces at after-CCM bar stops or parties.

Steel Driver said:

How can a CCM noob meet up with Chainlink people at Daley Plaza? 

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