Biking in Chicago

Biking in Chicago Fun Facts

• There are nearly 150 miles of designated bike lanes on city streets.
• 18 miles of lakefront bike trails run between Hollywood Avenue in Edgewater and the South Shore Cultural Center in the South Shore, Grand Crossing neighborhood.
• There are 10,000 bike racks installed throughout Chicago, more than any other city in the United States.
• The Chicago Transit Authority is a bike-friendly public transit system, with bike racks installed on all buses and bikes allowed on trains during non-rush hour times.  
• Mayor Daley's Bicycle Ambassadors Program provides outreach and promotes bike-safety education for all road users – cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians alike – in order to increase ridership.

 

Millennium Park Bike Station (McDonald's Cycle Center)

The McDonald’s Cycle Center in Millennium Park is a vital component of Mayor Daley’s vision for a bike-friendly Chicago. Since 2004, this 300-space, heated indoor bicycle parking facility has provided lockers, showers, changing rooms, and bike repair and rental amenities for Chicagoans biking to work and visitors exploring the city by bike. For more information, please visit www.chicagobikestation.com.

Chicago B-cycle Bike Sharing

Bike sharing has arrived in Chicago! Chicago B-cycle, operated by Bike and Roll Chicago, offers residents and visitors an entirely new, and green, way of exploring of the city. With B-cycle, Chicago joins Denver, Colorado; Montreal, Canada; and cities throughout Europe in offering bike-sharing to the public.

Chicago B-cycle is designed to make all your short excursions fun and healthy. Simply check out a B-cycle when you need one, and return it to any open station when you arrive at your destination. It's quick, easy, affordable, and kind to the environment!

With both monthly memberships and temporary daily-use passes available, riders can easily check out a bike at one of six convenient 'B-stations' in and around downtown Chicago.  Bikes may be dropped off at any B-station, or at Bike and Roll Chicago's rental stations at Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach and Millennium Park.

Visit www.chicagobcycle.com to download a map of B-stations and a FREE iPhone app (coming soon...) showing bike locations and availability.  For more information about this innovative mode of green transportation, click here.  

Hotels With Biking Amenities

Numerous Chicago hotels offer special amenities for bike-minded guests, including add-on bike packages, bike valet programs, and complimentary bike rentals for guests wishing to explore the city on their own. Descriptions for a few of these hotels may be found below, but it is recommended that visitors phone ahead to other hotels to inquire about any special accommodations for cyclists.  

The James Chicago

Guests have complimentary use of exclusive Paul Frank-designed bicycles (available in men's, women's and children's formats), which may be reserved through the hotel concierge. The James provides free use of helmets and maps for guests to easily plot their own self-guided tours of Chicago along the city's bike paths.

Park Hyatt Chicago

Explore the city with the Park Hyatt's complimentary Bicycle Valet program, which provides verstaile and stylish Trek Hybrid bicycles for guests.  The hotel also provides a host of amenities for the two-wheel enthusiast, including bike locks, helmets, travel bags, speedometers, lights, bike pumps, kickstands, bottled water and maps.

While the Park Hyatt's Bicycle Valet is complimentary, a refundable deposit is required.  Bikes are available in four-hour increments and participating guests must sign a waiver before borrowing a bike. For the ultimate experience and convenience, guests may also purchase a tasty picnic meal or an assortment of juices and smoothies for the road. 

Visitor Tips

 
There are many ways visitors can help Chicago become even more of a Green city. We offer five simple tips that anyone can use to reduce their impact on the environment, and five Green things to do while having fun in Chicago.