ChiBike
We're about 3 months into this little experiment and we recently passed 100! I think I'm going to play with having one of these chat threads pinned to the top and rotate them out every month or so depending on reception. Passing 100 seems like a good excuse to try this. I'd love for folks to drop in and say hi, and maybe share a ride you enjoyed over the summer!
bikegridnow.org
__Tour De Grid__ _09/09/2023 10:00am_ See you at wicker park (Schiller and Damen) for a taste of the grid!
Meet at The Picasso in front of the Daley Center at 6pm. The route is rumoured to cross all the major sports fields starting with Soldiers Field and ending at Wrigley. This ride happens monthly and always starts at the same location.
bikegridnow.org
RESCHEDULED TO THE 27th! Robust community inputters! We are tired of the City drawing up plans that don’t do enough to protect vulnerable road users. Even worse? When they consider it and toss out protected lanes because…parking? It’s challenging? Unacceptable! It’s time to __jam it up.__
urbanists.social
Glad to see more folks coming over to The Fedi! Show them some ❤and give 'em a follow. _I've also added their account to the sidebar for future reference._
chicagogrouprides.com
One of the HAC team members shared this great resource to #bikeChi on Mastodon so I wanted to share it here. I've also added it to the sidebar for future reference.
chi.streetsblog.org
I don't understand how drivers that commit violent crimes get to keep their license and registration. I regularly notice aggressive violent behavior from private vehicle owners. I don't want to see them locked up but if you cant follow the rules you shouldn't own a car or have a license. There are other ways to get around Chicago.
My first Street Calling Ride! This ride was a lot of fun, I loved riding through the city at night with a big crowd. The turnout was great, I'd say there was over 100 riders at one point. The pace was faster than a Critical Mass ride so that was fun (~9mph). They encourage folks to bring speakers so there was plenty of music to keep the "vibes high", I even saw a few folks I recognized from CM. I'm definitely going to have to catch another one of these, and may even try to join one of their other rides. Would recommend.
From their insta: >This Thursday catch us for another night ride that will end at @bartwentytwochicago ! >Meet up: 7:30pm McCormick Place (2301 S King Drive) Ride out: 8pm End: @bartwentytwochicago (2244 S Michigan Ave)
www.bffbikes.com
Its that time of the month again, BFF's monthly endurance ride is happening this Sunday. Meet at the shop at 8:30am! Last month we went down to Wolf Lake and back, 53 miles round trip, at a 15.4mph average. They haven't stated which route they're taking this time, I'll update this if I see a route get posted. I can't recommend this ride enough for folks interested in group road rides, its a great casual introduction to the hobby. See you there 🚴
> ride @ 5:15 in the loop meet @ 6:00 at the racks Join us in Section 103 Marz Beer at the racks to get the party started More Information and link to tickets on their site: https://chicagobikesox.com/
From their instagram post: >This Thursday, join us for another night ride that will end at tribechi ! >Meet Up: 7:30pm McCormick Place (2301 S King Drive) Ride out: 8pm End: tribechi (1239 W Lake Street) *Bike Marshals will be available to take riders back to McCormick* https://www.instagram.com/p/CvaNEu7rOwc/
It sounds like the plan is to keep the ride short and cool down after with a dip in the lake so come prepared 🏊 It's gonna be a hot one tomorrow! The high is going to be around 100 at 3pm and it will likely still be in the mid-to-high 90s when we roll, __stay safe, stay hydrated!__
www.bffbikes.com
>This is our fastest (and funnest??!!) level of group ride. Our mechanic & aspiring pro-triathlete, Fiona, will lead this ride. 30-50 miles, at 16-18mph pace. Before the ride starts we will go over the basics of ride safety, the route & other important information. After the ride, snacks & drinks will be waiting for us at the shop! I joined in on the May ride and had a blast. This is a very beginner friendly "no drop" group ride, I recommend anyone interested in road group rides to check this one out. I think they may rotate which routes they use for this ride but this is was the May ride: - [Route to Hometown Coffee in Glencoe and back](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39856489) - I tracked 39 miles - I averaged at 15.4 mph - I got "dropped" in the two sprint sections but again its a "no drop" ride so the sprinters wait for the pace group/stranglers - I was the only one on a vintage bike, with flat pedals, an not in a road kit and didn't feel weird or anything
blockclubchicago.org
What do you all think about this title? I worry speaking about the issue like this will dissuade curious riders. A big part of bike safety has to do with having others out riding as well. Looking at the source of the claim, I see way more highway orientated cities with vastly wider streets rated higher than us where I've tried to ride and been put in way more dangerous situations than I can even imagine here in Chicago.
www.bffbikes.com
>This is our fastest (and funnest??!!) level of group ride. Our mechanic & aspiring pro-triathlete, Fiona, will lead this ride. 30-50 miles, at 16-18mph pace. Before the ride starts we will go over the basics of ride safety, the route & other important information. After the ride, snacks & drinks will be waiting for us at the shop! I joined BFF's endurance ride in May and it was a blast, even considering the fact I went down. I highly recommend this ride to anyone who's curious about road group riding, its very beginner friendly. The route may change but this the ride from May: - [route to hometown coffee in glencoe](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39856489) - I averaged 15.4 mph - I was "dropped" in the sprints but I kept up otherwise - I tracked 39 miles - The 2 sprint sections put me in my place but its a "no-drop" ride so the sprint group will wait for the pace group/stragglers - I was the only one on a vintage with flat pedals and not in a road kit and didn't feel weird at all
What a great way to spend a Saturday, I almost flaked and slept-in instead(social anxiety amiright)but I’m glad I got on the bike and made it out. It was my first time trying all of the places we stopped at. The highlights for me were the iced latte from Sawada and the almond croissant from Bitter Sweet(pictured). Special thanks to @chicago@midwest.social for putting this on, I can’t wait for the September 16th ride.
partiful.com
RSVP for all the details, but it looks like the group is meeting at 9am at Sawada Coffee. This event is hosted by [@Chicago@midwest.social](https://midwest.social/u/Chicago) See you there! ☕🥐
I've known about the Bike Angel program for a little while now but never looked into it. In a nutshell you can get rewarded for helping redistribute the classic bikes across the city, they do a good job gamifying it too. Last week curiosity got the best of me and I took a look at the program and its rewards. I saw you can extend the base ride from 45 to 60 minutes if you worked the program a little bit and hit the first "achievement". You can also cash out points to extend your subscription (if you worked the program enough you can extend it indefinitely) or for Lyft credit (car/scooter/ebike) So on Friday I set out to hit 250 over 3 days with my partners subscription. She recently got one so we can ride together and she wouldn't have to deal with everything that comes with being a 3rd floor bike owner (mainly getting the bike up and down the stairs). Here are some take-aways: - Its more walking than riding, I walked between 5-6 miles each day. I had a much better time wearing walking shoes vs the shoes I wear riding. - I put in between 2-3 hours each day - Its all about maintaining the multiplier streak between days. 4 positive rides in a row resets the multiplier clock. Try to plan it so you only need one "positive" ride to restart the clock the next day. - Finding drop off/pick up loops with a short walk is the best way to get a lot of points quickly, I had a lot of luck in the West Loop. - I cashed out 150 points for $30 in lyft credit that she can use for ebikes when we want to haul ass. - Fun/different way to get some exercise and see the city - The newer classic bikes (they have the same style basket as the ebikes) are definitely a better ride than the older beat up ones with only 3 gears. - Cracking the top 20 leader board was a lot of fun - I'm probably done with it now that I unlocked the 60 minutes rides, the other perks don't really seem worth it to me, but we'll see. - They're gonna send me a dumb pin that I'm actually excited about __Happy to answer any questions!__
Hot and humid with a little rain, but that didn't stop us from having a good time! 🔔Happy Friday!🔔
**Please Note: Bring Bubbles For Tonight's Ride!!** Route map for tonight's ride from their facebook. Chances are this is going to change a bit once the group starts rolling.
blockclubchicago.org
>The project aims to overhaul Grand between Chicago and Ogden avenues by adding dedicated lanes for bicyclists, making intersections more pedestrian friendly and lowering the speed limit to 20 mph along the entire corridor. I can't wait for this, I live nearby and the idea of riding on Grand as it is terrifies me. Glad to see the 20mph zone too, even though it likely wont be enforced. Its going to make getting a Detroit dog and a Faygo over at Lola's Coney Island much safer.
> Tailgate with the Bike Sox every Tuesday home game at the bike racks between gates 2 & 3. this one's always a blast, even if baseball isn't your jam. sneak away from that July 4th barbecue you didn't want to go to and come hang. more details to come closer to the event.
it's my 2021 Fuji Feather! my first not-secondhand bike I bought from Cycle Smithy (RIP). this thing rips. 44:16 ratio which is just in the sweet spot for powering through harsh winds without spinning out going downhill. swapped the saddle, pedals, chainring and bars and the rest is stock. I'm still not sure if I should go for riser bars since I've been enjoying a more upright position but the quill stem is 25.4mm (does that sound right?) and my parts bin is all ≥26mm or drops. at any rate, hello! I'm looking forward to getting this place up and running and moving from r/chibike to c/chibike. with the death of 3rd party Reddit apps this weekend I'll probably try to get people on here.
 
I recommend combining the strategies explained in this resource with the mellow bike map.
urbanists.social
From [Chicago, Bike Grid Now's mastodon account](https://urbanists.social/@bikegridnow): >It's time we Reimagine the Lakefront. Our parks and streets belong to the people so we're gonna take them back. >Join us for a 4mph group ride from Daley Plaza this Friday at 5:30pm as we jam it up for Chicago's Front Yard and our Lakefront. We roll at 6pm! All wheels (I.e. Divvys, ebikes, rollerskates, recumbents, etc.) are welcome!
[ChicagoNakedRide.org](https://chicagonakedride.org/) >"Celebrating Freedom from oil and the beauty of people". World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is an international clothing-optional people powered event where participants ride in mass bringing attention to freedom from oil while also promoting positivity. For a great overview see WikiPedia. In the northern hemisphere the event typically happens on the second Saturday in June, annually since 2004. In Chicago it is held in the late evening. > Bottom line: LESS GAS MORE ASS!!! I've heard lots of great things about this ride and they apparently get a really good turnout and I wanted to spread the word! *(editorial note: I edited the official flier so the butt is now covered by the QR code so its no longer nsfw)*
This is my multi-purpose baby, that I picked up from Working Bikes earlier in the season, pictured in front of the Baháʼí House of Worship. I use it to commute, exercise, and coffee runs. While it's not cosmetically perfect (expected for a 30+ year old bike) its easily the nicest bike I've owned and has been a great re-introduction to the hobby. Plus I love the color and think the orange pedals I added really make it stand out. Catch me in the bike lane going, probably, too fast. Fun fact: This bike is from an era when Trek still made their bikes domestically in Wisconsin (I believe most are made in Taiwan now, with the exception of their top tier racing bikes).
**Hello Folks and Welcome,** I was kind of hoping someone else would take the reins and start up a Chibike community here, but that didn't happen and today is the start of the blackout so I'm trying to keep busy. r/ChiBike had a great community and some really good content and I would love to see some of that migrate over here to midwest.social. That wasn't going to happen if there wasn't a dedicated space to land, so here we are, welcome. Feel free to join the party and stretch out your legs, share some bike shots, promote a ride your hosting/joining, complain about drivers, and make some friends! *(If you're interested in modding let me know, I could probably use another set of eyes/hands if this really gets going)*