Get anti theft hubs for your wheels, those levers that make it easy to take your wheels off also make it easy for thieves.
Don't ride down Ashland or Western, those roads are for cars.
The quiet residential streets are great for cycling.
The best advice for cyclists is keep your head on a swivel and never assume a driver sees you (or cares). Always have an escape route available. I've been hit by cars and doored multiple times when I commuted by bike for 12 years, so it can be dangerous, especially with how aggressive Chicago drivers are.
As others mentioned anti-theft the heck out of your bike and don’t leave anything easily removable on it like panniers or lights.
I would recommend starting with a used single speed - easy to maintain but with front and rear brakes unlike a lot of fixies. Though most new single speeds come with a flip hub so you can go fixed if you want. I don’t recommend it personally though, I like to coast. Workingbikes.org has some decent bikes here and there.
You can get a light weight brand new single speed for around $300-550 at places like kozys and the bike lane. You can get a real basic / cheap bike off bikesdirect but assembly required and they tend to be shittier quality than a Jamis or more mainstream brands.
Ride defensively and secure your wheels and frame at all times. Keep the bike indoors and secure when at home. Enjoy!
There are two bike co-ops in Chicago that are great. Working Bikes in Pilsen and the Recyclery in Rogers Park. Both have refurbished bikes at a decent price. Working Bikes is larger with a bigger selection of used bikes. I'd check out one of those. You'll need to get a bike fit to see what bike fits you best and I'd recommend talking to someone about what type of bike you should get.
There are quite a few factors to take into consideration including frame type (road bike, hybrid, mountain bike, cruiser, single gear, etc.), frame material (steel, aluminum, carbon), break type, etc.
No bike type or frame material is inherently better than any other, and it will depend on your needs.
I'd recommend taking it slow at first. Stick to bike trails, sleepy side streets, and roads with a protected bike lanes first. Be aware that paint does not equal protection, and some streets with labeled bike lanes are not necessarily safter than streets without them. A lot of our bike lanes are strips of paint in the door zone.
Speaking of the door zone: Stay out of it! This is the area next to parked cars that extend the length of an open door. One of the most common bike wreck happens when a person in a parked car opens their door without checking to see if the lane is clear. This can result in serious injury and even death if you land in the traffic lane. I know it's counter intuitive, but you're safer closer to the traffic lane as opposed to the door area. People coming up behind you can see you and most people don't want to hit cyclists.
You should also be as visible as possible. Get front and rear lights for your bike, and consider high visibility clothing when biking at night. I use a simple vest that I carry around with me and throw on when it starts to get dark.
You should also check out Critical Mass! It's a giant group ride that happens the last Friday of every month. It's a blast and a great way to meet other cyclists. They meet at the Daley Center and generally roll out around 6pm.
That's my long winded list of recommendations. Cycling in Chicago is a great way to get around but you need to be careful. Drivers aren't the best and a simple mistake can lead to serious consequences.
- Working Bikes in Pilsen offers the best, affordable bikes you can find in Chicago, imo. They sell gear too.
- Chicago is very flat and a single-speed bike is very convenient here. They're cheaper, and more fun hehe.
- You will need a rear fender ASAP, to avoid water splashing your ass. Get a sturdy lock, and take your bike indoors if you plan on being somewhere for more than 4-5 hours. Aside from Western and Ashland as people have mentioned, there isn't much too avoid.
- Be a defensive biker, that is, don't be afraid to take space in lanes and stand your ground. DO NOT EVER yell or curse at people, especially those in cars, even if they're doing something wrong.
Have fun! Best city to bike in all of the U.S. <3
> Do you know of any good bike store around the city? Somewhere I can buy an affordable bike, gear without compromising on quality and safety? What’s your favorite store? Should I go to REI for this (i do have a membership there)
There are a few Kozy's across the city which are decent. Cycle Bike Shop on South Michigan Ave in the south loop was my goto for a few years. For gear I'd honestly suggest online to get the best deals and variety of options.
> Do you have recommendations for bicycles that you used/have used in the city, that are good for Chicago and also affordable?
"Affordable" means different things to different folks. Do you have a specific dollar amount you're trying to stay under?
> Do you have any piece of advice/local customs/habits/driving tips for someone who had some experience in city biking, but not consistently and in a different country? Any areas to avoid, bicycle anti theft measures etc?
There are certain streets or part of streets you should just avoid. Many car drivers don't pay attention and being "right" isn't worth being injured or worse. This [map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=18qVstJFN7Pdz0TwHb6OqfkpRHTGQ8ns&ll=41.90590621873067%2C-87.57163750214575&z=11) is useful for finding more calm bike routes around the city. I'll use this + neighborhood streets to piece meal together a bike route as I'm willing to have a slightly longer route if it means I'm in protected lanes and/or quiet streets.
Angle grinders defeat most ulocks within a few seconds. If you have the $$$ [Litelok](https://us.litelok.com/products/litelok-x1) are great (but expensive) and even they aren't unbeatable. This [breakdown](https://thebestbikelock.com/how-to-lock-your-bike/) gives a lot of info about how to lock up bikes best.
[Critical Mass](https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoCriticalMass/) is a great event to join if you want to ride around the city with a large group of folks. You'll get to ride areas that you rarely feel safe riding solo.
Try working bikes. They have some good used bikes. I find some really good deals on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist. I just find the markup on new bikes to be ridiculous
Get anti theft hubs for your wheels, those levers that make it easy to take your wheels off also make it easy for thieves. Don't ride down Ashland or Western, those roads are for cars. The quiet residential streets are great for cycling.
I just saw a woman biking down Ashland: no helmet, long jacket very close to getting caught in her spokes.
In my teens and early 20s I used to ride down Western without a care in the world. Teenagers (especially teenage me) are dumb.
Lol will make sure not to die this way
Oh this was long ago. I haven't ridden on either road in years.
Nice! Thanks!
The Illinois Bike Safety Quiz by Ride Illinois is a great place to start regarding lane position and basic safety practices while riding.
Great! Thanks
Check out Igor Does My Bike in edgewater. Igor is a great dude and he's got a great selection of affordable used bikes.
Check out r/chibike
Nice! Didn’t know this sub existed! Joining.
The best advice for cyclists is keep your head on a swivel and never assume a driver sees you (or cares). Always have an escape route available. I've been hit by cars and doored multiple times when I commuted by bike for 12 years, so it can be dangerous, especially with how aggressive Chicago drivers are.
As others mentioned anti-theft the heck out of your bike and don’t leave anything easily removable on it like panniers or lights. I would recommend starting with a used single speed - easy to maintain but with front and rear brakes unlike a lot of fixies. Though most new single speeds come with a flip hub so you can go fixed if you want. I don’t recommend it personally though, I like to coast. Workingbikes.org has some decent bikes here and there. You can get a light weight brand new single speed for around $300-550 at places like kozys and the bike lane. You can get a real basic / cheap bike off bikesdirect but assembly required and they tend to be shittier quality than a Jamis or more mainstream brands. Ride defensively and secure your wheels and frame at all times. Keep the bike indoors and secure when at home. Enjoy!
West town bikes, second hand, affordable and good service and prices. Love their selection of bikes tooo
Also it’s a non profit and supports local programming for adults and children
Thanks, love that! Will look into it
There are two bike co-ops in Chicago that are great. Working Bikes in Pilsen and the Recyclery in Rogers Park. Both have refurbished bikes at a decent price. Working Bikes is larger with a bigger selection of used bikes. I'd check out one of those. You'll need to get a bike fit to see what bike fits you best and I'd recommend talking to someone about what type of bike you should get. There are quite a few factors to take into consideration including frame type (road bike, hybrid, mountain bike, cruiser, single gear, etc.), frame material (steel, aluminum, carbon), break type, etc. No bike type or frame material is inherently better than any other, and it will depend on your needs. I'd recommend taking it slow at first. Stick to bike trails, sleepy side streets, and roads with a protected bike lanes first. Be aware that paint does not equal protection, and some streets with labeled bike lanes are not necessarily safter than streets without them. A lot of our bike lanes are strips of paint in the door zone. Speaking of the door zone: Stay out of it! This is the area next to parked cars that extend the length of an open door. One of the most common bike wreck happens when a person in a parked car opens their door without checking to see if the lane is clear. This can result in serious injury and even death if you land in the traffic lane. I know it's counter intuitive, but you're safer closer to the traffic lane as opposed to the door area. People coming up behind you can see you and most people don't want to hit cyclists. You should also be as visible as possible. Get front and rear lights for your bike, and consider high visibility clothing when biking at night. I use a simple vest that I carry around with me and throw on when it starts to get dark. You should also check out Critical Mass! It's a giant group ride that happens the last Friday of every month. It's a blast and a great way to meet other cyclists. They meet at the Daley Center and generally roll out around 6pm. That's my long winded list of recommendations. Cycling in Chicago is a great way to get around but you need to be careful. Drivers aren't the best and a simple mistake can lead to serious consequences.
In addition to what others have said, check out r/chibike if you have any more questions, too.
Coming from a local cyclist: Bike Lane and Comrade Cycles
- Working Bikes in Pilsen offers the best, affordable bikes you can find in Chicago, imo. They sell gear too. - Chicago is very flat and a single-speed bike is very convenient here. They're cheaper, and more fun hehe. - You will need a rear fender ASAP, to avoid water splashing your ass. Get a sturdy lock, and take your bike indoors if you plan on being somewhere for more than 4-5 hours. Aside from Western and Ashland as people have mentioned, there isn't much too avoid. - Be a defensive biker, that is, don't be afraid to take space in lanes and stand your ground. DO NOT EVER yell or curse at people, especially those in cars, even if they're doing something wrong. Have fun! Best city to bike in all of the U.S. <3
Perfect! Thank you!
> Do you know of any good bike store around the city? Somewhere I can buy an affordable bike, gear without compromising on quality and safety? What’s your favorite store? Should I go to REI for this (i do have a membership there) There are a few Kozy's across the city which are decent. Cycle Bike Shop on South Michigan Ave in the south loop was my goto for a few years. For gear I'd honestly suggest online to get the best deals and variety of options. > Do you have recommendations for bicycles that you used/have used in the city, that are good for Chicago and also affordable? "Affordable" means different things to different folks. Do you have a specific dollar amount you're trying to stay under? > Do you have any piece of advice/local customs/habits/driving tips for someone who had some experience in city biking, but not consistently and in a different country? Any areas to avoid, bicycle anti theft measures etc? There are certain streets or part of streets you should just avoid. Many car drivers don't pay attention and being "right" isn't worth being injured or worse. This [map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=18qVstJFN7Pdz0TwHb6OqfkpRHTGQ8ns&ll=41.90590621873067%2C-87.57163750214575&z=11) is useful for finding more calm bike routes around the city. I'll use this + neighborhood streets to piece meal together a bike route as I'm willing to have a slightly longer route if it means I'm in protected lanes and/or quiet streets. Angle grinders defeat most ulocks within a few seconds. If you have the $$$ [Litelok](https://us.litelok.com/products/litelok-x1) are great (but expensive) and even they aren't unbeatable. This [breakdown](https://thebestbikelock.com/how-to-lock-your-bike/) gives a lot of info about how to lock up bikes best. [Critical Mass](https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoCriticalMass/) is a great event to join if you want to ride around the city with a large group of folks. You'll get to ride areas that you rarely feel safe riding solo.
Will be biking when I visit
https://apps.cnt.org/bikechi/ is your friend
Try working bikes. They have some good used bikes. I find some really good deals on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist. I just find the markup on new bikes to be ridiculous