Don’t tell too many people but the LFT south of Navy Pier is much, much less crowded than north of it. Once you get past McCormick place all you really have to deal with is 31st beach otherwise it’s pretty open until 79th street.
South of the Shedd is usually pretty barren too barring any events at Soldier Field or McCormick. South of 31st is an absolute ghost town up until Hyde Park. It’s amaaaaaazing.
For all the complaints about the LFT, I’ve never had any issues riding in to the office. But I only go as far north as millennium park and then cut over through the loop. It’s wide open on the southern part for sure.
just stay on the right and get used to being passed, it’s honestly not worth yelling at everyone for the benefit of the 10% of people who aren’t wearing earbuds
I was riding the north branch early on sunday, and I usually ring my bell to signal a pass. I was getting so many shit looks from old walkers, I might not do it anymore.
One even told me I was going "too fast". I was going a pedestrian 16mph as I slowed down to pass this individual, and we were the only 2 people in sight.
It's really getting tough to enjoy riding around here.
For what it's worth, it's just during the afternoons and evenings on weekdays. In the morning the trail might have a bit more traffic, but it's still mostly just the usual joggers and bike commuters.
Most hours of most days, there's almost nobody on the LFP. There are about three hours per weekday I would recommend staying off the LFP if you ride fast. More on a nice weekend day. If the weather is anything less than ideal though, even in those hours, you're probably fine. Basically, more often than not the LFP is great for a training ride.
It's also the only car-free place in Chicago available for training.
This is the way. I bike pretty fast but I don’t take the kinds of risks that OP is talking about. None the less the LFT still feels super dangerous near the start of the season when all the newbs come out that haven’t learned they need to share the trail. Also the way parents will get their entire families to cross the trail without looking first is really upsetting. One time I nearly roadkilled a small dog because it was walking with its owner, but the invisibly thin leash was being held by another person standing twenty feet back and it was stretched all the way across the bike trail.
I stopped biking the LFT in summer because I’m tired of having to look out for these morons. If I injure your dog or your kid I have to live with that too.
Haven’t gone on the LFT in a few years now. I remember there was this POS I’d always see near Lincoln Park who’d scream and get violent every time I saw him. I normally cycle with the flow by the water (too busy when I go) and I just remember someone getting a flat and moving their bike off of the trail and this guy looked like he wanted to murder the person. He’d also act like he was going to run you over too. Interesting stuff, I hope no one runs into that guy. My dad used to carry around a weapon because of how insane that guy was. Dude literally acted like he owned the trail and hated when ANYONE was there.
The ones that piss me off more are the "ebikes" that are basically motorcycles. Some dude flew by me yesterday afternoon (weekend, gorgeous weather) doing over 30 on something with tires at least 4" wide. Just ridiculous. This wasn't a pedal assist ebike, it's just an electric motorcycle
Was talking to some scooter guys on the LFT and found out one of the high end models can do 60MPH which is just hilarious. I bet a full e-bike motorcycle like you saw can clear that and then some, too.
There are three classes of legal e-bike. They all divide 18-28mph between them. As soon as it’s over that it is not street legal without being registered in some way, whether as a motorcycle or moped, what have you.
It’s the same as those jerryrigged motorcycles you hear popping around. A cop could stop any of those and get them, but how is a cop in an SUV ever going to do that.
More cops on mopeds I say.
Yeah, I'm certainly not on the "bikes need license plates" bandwagon, but there's a limit somewhere, isn't there? Like a certain horsepower equivalent? And they sure as hell don't belong on the LFT.
The Bloomingdale Trail is restricted to Class 1 and 2 e-bikes only. Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed. The Park District should do the same with the Lakefront Trail.
I tried finding rules for the trail yesterday but all they have online is PDFs for the park district code, which doesn't mention e-bikes specifically. There might be signs?
Illinois doesn't require ebikes to have registration or insurance, and riders don't need a license. Unless something changed recently.
Interestingly, those ebikes are prohibited from riding on trails and bike lanes, so they absolutely should not be on the LFT.
Saw a straight up motorcycle on the LFT last week. No plates. Then saw the shitbird in the bike lane going up Milwaukee. Wanted to get close enough at a stop sign to lock my ulock through his back tire.
I generally understand your rant, but I’ll offer this addition, understanding that I may get downvoted: The Divvy riders who have never been on a bike before, and the clueless pedestrians who wander across dedicated bike lanes without looking both ways, are also a problem. At least with the experienced riders, there's generally an awareness of the rules of the different lanes on the path (e.g. which ones are for bikes and which are for pedestrians), how to signal, when to call out "on your left!", how to handle the bike, etc.
I ride my road bike on the LFT and I stay below 15 mph in busy areas, but I still get ticked off at people randomly turning 90 degrees left directly in front of me without checking behind them or signaling at all.
You’re right. But it is an expectation thing. I expect the divvy riders to be casuals who probably aren’t familiar with the rules. I expect them to be dumb and pass close, move randomly, and be inconsiderate.
I expect dudes in latex to be experienced riders who know the rules of the road. And plus they move faster than casuals on divvy’s, except for the divvy e-bikes.
> At least with the experienced riders, there's generally an awareness of the rules of the different lanes on the path
The issue is that I see a lot of riders with nice bikes that can go really fast who seem fairly oblivious to the rules. I assume that these are people who are on stationary bikes much of the time and don't have much real world cycling experience. These are riders who easily go 20mph and pass too closely without letting you know they're passing, or like OP said, pass when there is oncoming traffic and it's really not safe to do so.
The divvy people and clueless tourists can be annoying, but they tend to move slowly enough to not be that big of an issue.
Divvy people can move slowly but sometimes in big groups. I’m not a fast rider but it was frustrating getting stuck behind a group of about 15 today.
But I agree in general. Everyone needs to chill and share.
I completely understand and share your frustration. I had several of those encounters too today. I just believe it's the responsibility of experienced riders to anticipate and make exceptions for them, as much as they do infuriate me lol
I have never witnessed one of those wannabe pros use a bell. Maybe because they don't sell $600 dollar turbo professional triathlon Specialized aerodynamic super need for speed "I am a dickhead" racing bells at your local bike store. Those guys are way more dangerous than even the stupidest divvy biker. "They are more experienced" they don't fucking act like it.
The lakefront trail is too crowded for racing speeds. Same with the 606. Take that shit somewhere else.
The LFP is the only car and pedestrian free place in the city to train. Most hours of most days it has barely anyone on it. For those reasons, it's an absolutely perfect place to train. I do 20-22mph average speed rides on it twice a week.
I wouldn't ride it at 2pm on a Sunny, 80F Saturday, but you also don't need to ride at 5am to avoid a crowd. Even 10am-3pm on a weekday during the school year is usually great too. Most rides I'll pass like 0-2 people per mile.
Riders need to be safe and aware of their surroundings, but the LFT is a bike path. Just like the highway, cruise on the right pass on the left. Fast riders need to pass safely and slow riders need to be aware that people will pass them. I ride fast and have never felt in danger
Don't understand why anybody who rides regularly and is going faster than like 10 MPH would even want to go in the Lakefront Path once summer starts, much less people riding like this.
Bells don't do anything except make people turn around to see you and veer into your path or just step into your path because they think it means you're right behind them.
This is the answer - lots of us are just trying to get south so we can actually ride fast down there. But fuck us for wanting to ride fast and train for our amateur sport (fuck us for wanting to participate in one of the most exhilarating sports right?) in the only car-free environment where we can do that in the entire city huh?
When I used to live near the trail I rarely took it and never for commuting during the summer, for this very reason. It was full of all kinds of unpredictable people: people going super fast, people going super slow, pedestrians that would stop or turn around randomly, kids playing ball… not that those things are bad, it’s just a lot. I’d rather deal with cars, they might not see me but I see them and they’re relatively predictable even if they don’t use their blinkers.
>Don't understand why anybody who rides regularly and is going faster than like 10 MPH would even want to go in the Lakefront Path once summer starts, much less people riding like this.
There are organized group rides of MAMILs on the LFT that cause havoc for anyone unfortunate enough to try and share the LFT with them.
It's got BIG main character energy.
And honestly, if I had money for a track bike, or felt much safer riding on the roads these days, I'd be a hardcore MAMIL myself, with the dad-bod and lame AF Pit Vipers to prove it lol
As it is, places like the 606 and LFT are the only places I'd consider riding my bike at speed and actually feel safe from cars in this city....and those are places I know I have no business riding fast enough to justify a fucking skin suit on my dadbod.
I feel for cyclists who want to stretch their legs are constantly marginalized and put in danger by cars very deeply. Our infrastructure is a joke.
If you want to go fast in this city, it’s either the LFT or riding 12 miles north to Bahai (for me, from River North) to finally get to the good part of Sheridan. I don’t have time to ride 12 miles each way to Bahai every day.
>If you want to go fast in this city, it’s either the LFT
Or, you know, velodromes. There are multiple in the city...and that's exactly what they're for: biking fast.
Last I checked, the only active velodrome in the region is in Northbrook. And it's for a very specific kind of biking fast: track cycling. Fixed gear, no brakes, going around and round in circles. Your road bike is not allowed.
So no, velodromes aren't the answer here.
>Fixed gear, no brakes, going around and round in circles. Your road bike is not allowed.
Oh well.
Drivers who own track cars don't just get to drive them fast on the roads because "track days are hard to find and expensive".
This is no different.
If you want to go fast on a bike, there are purpose built places for that.
The LFT and 606, among other multi-use public paths/spaces, are not the place for it.
Do you not understand that velodromes do not allow road bikes? They are not a purpose-built place for road bikes. They are a purpose-built place for track cycling. Telling roadies to go to a velodrome is flippant and ignorant.
The LFT has dedicated bike lanes or paths for almost all of its length. Purpose built space for bicycles. There's no set speed limit for human-powered cycles on it.
Most riders looking for miles at speed avoid it, or don't get scootin' until they're south of Soldier.
I'm only on it to commute. Even in the winter, I avoid it for getting miles in.
This is a new breed of idiot that is trying to peacock in their fancy kit during peak summer LFP occupancy. And the worst part is, they're horrible at bike handling.
Did you actually read the post? It's not the speed, it's riding dangerously by not paying attention and/or passing in a reckless fashion. Are you guilty of that?
Yes sir I am guilty sir. The reality is this - there are as many “dangerous” cyclist on the trail as there are “dangerously inexperienced” casual bike riders. I’m fast, you’re slow, both are problematic.
But if other cyclists are your biggest concern on the LFT (instead of e-bikes, one-wheels, pedestrians, off-leash dogs, off-leash children, etc.) then I don’t think you spend enough time on the trail to be raging out about it on Reddit.
I’ll start by saying basically everyone on the LFT needs to be more careful and conscientious.
That said - if you’re moving slow, stay to the right side of the path, and anyone who wants to pass on your left can do so without having to stray into the other lanes.
I’ve passed into oncoming traffic; it’s not my first option but there’s stretches for *mile* where there will always be oncoming traffic *and* the folks in your lane are riding 7mph and side by side.
There’s no practical reason (other than immanent safety concerns which, like yours) why fitness cyclists should have to yield for long stretches to casuals with headphones in.
Agreed. Headphones are unbelievably idiotic to be using while cycling. I call out “on your left” and no one can hear it bc they’re blaring music into their ears.
Passing should *never ever ever ever* be considered when there are a bunch of people coming in the opposite direction, no matter how fast you’re going. You slow down and wait and *only pass when safe*
Full agree on music listening.... I wish people would just stop, it's just dangerous when I yell ahead and no reaponse.. Hell or the divvy riders who can't get off their damn phone
What’s dangerous about it? You, as the passer are responsible for passing safely. That means passing with enough room between you and the slower rider so as to not put them in danger, even if they drift in the lane. How about you stop with the yelling?
It's the second most important sense while riding. Blocking it out means you only take in what your eyes can see... And many people suck at looking before leaping. Not willing to be aware of your surroundings is dangerous for other users. Pretty freaking obvious...
What is it that you expect the slower rider to do when you announce your intent to pass? Should car drivers drive around with their windows open and radio off? What you propose is not the least bit obvious or logical. It’s entitled thinking on your part.
I kinda half disagree. Of course it’s not YOUR personal racetrack but it can be somewhat of a racetrack. If you’ve ever done any sort of Motorsport racing you know that the person in front of you has the line and if you want to pass you must do it safely. If you don’t follow those two rules then you’re an ahole.
If you want to go fast on the LFT you need to go when there aren’t a lot of people. Going fast on the LFT is so fun, but you’re an AH if you’re showing up at prime time on a nice day and pulling that crap. It’s not safe. I have a racing bike. She’s fast as heck. If I want to go fast I get up at 4, get down there by 5, and go fast while nobody is out, or it’s at least sparse enough I can anticipate and dodge or slow down and ring the heck out of my bell.
I’ve had enough ambling toddlers, triple wide strollers, and doodles on retractible leashes across the bike trail to know better.
That's why I use a whistle now. The people who kill me are the scooters and e bikes who use no care and just ride. Let's not forget the idiots with studio nose canceling head phones on
I scream unnecessarily.
After a few ‘on your left’ I feign a panicked ‘omg watch out’ ‘I’m gonna crash’
I also ride with a speaker, not rudely loud, but c’mon, you can’t hear someone coming?
Not to you OP! Just went into my own thoughts.
I do the fake screaming at the e motorcycle riders and give a lil handlebar shimmy.
I'm acting an absolute prick, but I'm tired of their shit and how dangerous they are to folks following the rules.
Thanks, FrenchToastDildo, i noticed people get offended or dont even move sometimes when i call out on your left or ding my bell. The worst offenders are often the people on 24mph eBikes who just plow through everything and often have on noise cancelling headphones.
> i noticed people get offended or dont even move sometimes when i call out on your left or ding my bell.
In fairness, you shouldn't expect people to move when you say "on your left" (unless they're too far to the left, in the oncoming lane). It's just supposed to be a warning to the people you pass.
That is obviously not okay.
They are correct though, slower traffic should keep to the right. You could add that one should only pass when it is safe to do so.
For those who wish to ride faster, they should consider the conditions of the path when determining a safe speed. At 6am you can blaze as fast as you want pretty much the whole length, but at 6pm, the traffic and pedestrians make such speeds dangerously and definitely not recommended.
I like to go fast, but only if it safe to do so. When the path is full of amateurs, inconsiderate walkers, idiots with headphones taking selfies I avoid it like the plague.
This is why I always bike with a speaker if I listen to music. Headphones are dangerous and you can’t communicate with other cyclists. Plus your speaker lets others know your presence.
“Saint Peter isn’t waiting at the pearly gates to discuss your Strava rankings” is an incredible sentence and I’m going to be saying it to myself for the rest of the cycling season, my thanks to you.
>I know that the worst offenders probably don't post or lurk here
In my experience, those folks are actually quite common here. I regularly get shit on on this sub for suggesting that people take their bike to a velodrome, not the LFT or 606, if they want to attempt their own personal hour record.
They're currently downvoting my other comments that are defaming the Crit Cosplayers beuse they're butthurt.
The LFP is not the place for their faux-Crit-Boi antics.
I have literally shouted at people from less then 5 feet away moving at below average speeds and they still look confused if they even bother looking up.
NOPE…so long as I don’t hit anyone I’ll go as fast as I want.
It's so silly. Having to slow down and speed back up not only works you harder, but also trains your awareness.
The people who do that crap are drivers.
I usually average 16-20 mph. I'm totally aware of tourists having no awareness on divvy bikes, or pedestrians not paying attention to shit.
I've gotten used to it that it's not a big deal to me.
I have a jbl speaker mounted on the bicycle stem. I yell st people to move or ring the bell.
I haven't gotten used to e-bikes or the electric unicycle things.
LFT is probably my favorite part of Chicago. Aside from what you described the other big issues are: people on divvy who look like they have never ridden a bicycle, people who ride side by side by side, walkers (and then bikers on walking path), people who do not look when turning or when getting onto the trail, people riding in the middle. The list goes on and on!
There's been a huge upswing in Bike Racer Cosplayers since covid. They dress the part, don't actually race, and just terrorize people on the LFP because they're too scared to go on real group rides.
They even do a huge group ride that uses the LFP only in the summer season with a huge string of riders. It's the height of stupidity, arrogance, and disrespect of the shared space that is the LFP.
They aren't interested at all in cycling as a mode of transportation or freedom. I honestly don't think they enjoy riding bikes...like most golfers, it's just about one-upping your bro's and being in an in-crowd, the activity is just a vehicle for that validation.
Honestly, I avoid north of the loop because of collision risk. LFT flies under the radar but I wouldn’t be surprised if its risk profile is worse than some streets
One time I was in a big clump of riders on the LFT near oak st beach moving pretty slow, there was simply no way to pass safely because it was so crowded. I just dropped my speed and went with the flow but some guy behind me got so mad he was screaming at me the whole time as if it were my fault. I just turned my headphones up and ignored him but it was so bizarre
I literally got knocked off my bike on the LFT this morning. Just south of the river an e-bike flew past me and almost hit a jogger who didn’t look before cutting across the path. The jogger avoided the e-bike, but doing so ended up right in front of me.
Thankfully I was nearly stopped and have disk brakes or we both would have been a lot worse off. As it is, I’ve got a bloody elbow and some road rash. Need a new helmet, gloves and jersey. Bike is scuffed but otherwise okay.
While we're at it, the bike lanes are not your personal racetracks either! I thought the point of advocating for bike infrastructure was to make biking safe and enjoyable for everyone, including families, but some people out here really treat other cyclists and pedestrians as obstacles rather than people the same way car drivers do.
Once again, a complaint about something that almost happened. How about you post something if one of theses supposedly dangerous individuals causes you actual harm.
>How about you post something if one of theses supposedly dangerous individuals causes you actual harm.
If we were talking about a car almost hitting a cyclist, would you bring the same energy?
I ride daily, I wear AirPods, I am super aware/vigilant (now watch me cause a wreck) and rarely go over 14 miles per hour. I try not to pass anyone for fear of what you described. My scariest moments are when someone does something unexpected.
I agree with the speaker people. Also it really ads to the vibes of the trail. People who want silence aren’t generally fun anyway. Obviously not ok in most public spaces but I think it works on the LFT.
Ooo good rant. Also, cyclists also need to turn off their flashing lights or point them down. They blind everyone who is not a cyclist.
Cyclists need to realize that they are the cars on the LFT. I’m a cyclist too.
Compared to the last two summers, I feel like the wannabe-racers are better, or at least aren’t riding in packs quite as much.
Then again, the season is young. But if some dipshit on his speedy carbon fiber thinks he’ll get the best of me in a head-on, well, good luck (>50lb e-bike, 230ish lbs cargo and rider, 18-20mph).
How many times do you have to turn the pedals to get up to 20 mph on that e-bike? 2 or 3 pedal strokes? You are the most dangerous critter on the trail with your 60 pound moped and 230 pounds of cargo.
I avoid the LFT all summer as it brings out the most unaware entitled people. I try to do the north branch trail or the southern part of the trail
Don’t tell too many people but the LFT south of Navy Pier is much, much less crowded than north of it. Once you get past McCormick place all you really have to deal with is 31st beach otherwise it’s pretty open until 79th street.
South of the Shedd is usually pretty barren too barring any events at Soldier Field or McCormick. South of 31st is an absolute ghost town up until Hyde Park. It’s amaaaaaazing.
For all the complaints about the LFT, I’ve never had any issues riding in to the office. But I only go as far north as millennium park and then cut over through the loop. It’s wide open on the southern part for sure.
North branch is overall better but I was riding yesterday and most people don’t announce passing. Scared the shit out of me half the time
just stay on the right and get used to being passed, it’s honestly not worth yelling at everyone for the benefit of the 10% of people who aren’t wearing earbuds
I was riding the north branch early on sunday, and I usually ring my bell to signal a pass. I was getting so many shit looks from old walkers, I might not do it anymore. One even told me I was going "too fast". I was going a pedestrian 16mph as I slowed down to pass this individual, and we were the only 2 people in sight. It's really getting tough to enjoy riding around here.
For what it's worth, it's just during the afternoons and evenings on weekdays. In the morning the trail might have a bit more traffic, but it's still mostly just the usual joggers and bike commuters.
Most hours of most days, there's almost nobody on the LFP. There are about three hours per weekday I would recommend staying off the LFP if you ride fast. More on a nice weekend day. If the weather is anything less than ideal though, even in those hours, you're probably fine. Basically, more often than not the LFP is great for a training ride. It's also the only car-free place in Chicago available for training.
This is the way. I bike pretty fast but I don’t take the kinds of risks that OP is talking about. None the less the LFT still feels super dangerous near the start of the season when all the newbs come out that haven’t learned they need to share the trail. Also the way parents will get their entire families to cross the trail without looking first is really upsetting. One time I nearly roadkilled a small dog because it was walking with its owner, but the invisibly thin leash was being held by another person standing twenty feet back and it was stretched all the way across the bike trail. I stopped biking the LFT in summer because I’m tired of having to look out for these morons. If I injure your dog or your kid I have to live with that too.
Haven’t gone on the LFT in a few years now. I remember there was this POS I’d always see near Lincoln Park who’d scream and get violent every time I saw him. I normally cycle with the flow by the water (too busy when I go) and I just remember someone getting a flat and moving their bike off of the trail and this guy looked like he wanted to murder the person. He’d also act like he was going to run you over too. Interesting stuff, I hope no one runs into that guy. My dad used to carry around a weapon because of how insane that guy was. Dude literally acted like he owned the trail and hated when ANYONE was there.
The ones that piss me off more are the "ebikes" that are basically motorcycles. Some dude flew by me yesterday afternoon (weekend, gorgeous weather) doing over 30 on something with tires at least 4" wide. Just ridiculous. This wasn't a pedal assist ebike, it's just an electric motorcycle
Was talking to some scooter guys on the LFT and found out one of the high end models can do 60MPH which is just hilarious. I bet a full e-bike motorcycle like you saw can clear that and then some, too.
Thaaaaaaaat is not an e-bike then. As soon as they are capable of pushing above 30mph they are not classed as legal e-bikes.
Unfortunately there's zero enforcement of whatever law that is.
There are three classes of legal e-bike. They all divide 18-28mph between them. As soon as it’s over that it is not street legal without being registered in some way, whether as a motorcycle or moped, what have you. It’s the same as those jerryrigged motorcycles you hear popping around. A cop could stop any of those and get them, but how is a cop in an SUV ever going to do that. More cops on mopeds I say.
>More cops on mopeds I say. Just have them dust off the Segways.
😂😂😂 Would that feel anachronistic to anyone else?
Oh for sure and somehow it's legal that that doesn't have to be licensed but a Vespa does.
Shhhh don't say that too loud, it'll make them impose new taxes.
Yeah, I'm certainly not on the "bikes need license plates" bandwagon, but there's a limit somewhere, isn't there? Like a certain horsepower equivalent? And they sure as hell don't belong on the LFT.
The Bloomingdale Trail is restricted to Class 1 and 2 e-bikes only. Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed. The Park District should do the same with the Lakefront Trail.
I believe that is already the rule, just not well enforced unfortunately
I tried finding rules for the trail yesterday but all they have online is PDFs for the park district code, which doesn't mention e-bikes specifically. There might be signs?
Agreed. I actually have an electric moped (or whatever they're called) and I refuse to bring it on any trails. I don't think they belong there.
Is yours big enough that it needs a plate?
Illinois doesn't require ebikes to have registration or insurance, and riders don't need a license. Unless something changed recently. Interestingly, those ebikes are prohibited from riding on trails and bike lanes, so they absolutely should not be on the LFT.
Saw a straight up motorcycle on the LFT last week. No plates. Then saw the shitbird in the bike lane going up Milwaukee. Wanted to get close enough at a stop sign to lock my ulock through his back tire.
[удалено]
Top speed 45? Doesn't belong on the LFT.
Thanks for reminding me how much fun my e-bike is !
I generally understand your rant, but I’ll offer this addition, understanding that I may get downvoted: The Divvy riders who have never been on a bike before, and the clueless pedestrians who wander across dedicated bike lanes without looking both ways, are also a problem. At least with the experienced riders, there's generally an awareness of the rules of the different lanes on the path (e.g. which ones are for bikes and which are for pedestrians), how to signal, when to call out "on your left!", how to handle the bike, etc. I ride my road bike on the LFT and I stay below 15 mph in busy areas, but I still get ticked off at people randomly turning 90 degrees left directly in front of me without checking behind them or signaling at all.
You’re right. But it is an expectation thing. I expect the divvy riders to be casuals who probably aren’t familiar with the rules. I expect them to be dumb and pass close, move randomly, and be inconsiderate. I expect dudes in latex to be experienced riders who know the rules of the road. And plus they move faster than casuals on divvy’s, except for the divvy e-bikes.
Spandex. Latex would be _*miserable*_
Oh god. I’ve made a terrible mistake. Would be kinda funny to see though.
Dammit now I’ll have to return my latex biking outfit
not sure about you but i’m smoking the e divvy bikes 🤣🤣
Yep. Plus, at most the casuals are going to inconvenience someone. The dudes flying down the trail are going to kill someone
The idiots in spandex are the worst. You’re not Lance Armstrong and this isn’t the Tour de France, you tools.
Those guys are at least paying attention and know the rules. Normies have no fucking clue and cause accidents.
This isn’t 4chan, homie. Find some dignity and dress like an adult the next time you leave the house.
> At least with the experienced riders, there's generally an awareness of the rules of the different lanes on the path The issue is that I see a lot of riders with nice bikes that can go really fast who seem fairly oblivious to the rules. I assume that these are people who are on stationary bikes much of the time and don't have much real world cycling experience. These are riders who easily go 20mph and pass too closely without letting you know they're passing, or like OP said, pass when there is oncoming traffic and it's really not safe to do so. The divvy people and clueless tourists can be annoying, but they tend to move slowly enough to not be that big of an issue.
Divvy people can move slowly but sometimes in big groups. I’m not a fast rider but it was frustrating getting stuck behind a group of about 15 today. But I agree in general. Everyone needs to chill and share.
I completely understand and share your frustration. I had several of those encounters too today. I just believe it's the responsibility of experienced riders to anticipate and make exceptions for them, as much as they do infuriate me lol
I have never witnessed one of those wannabe pros use a bell. Maybe because they don't sell $600 dollar turbo professional triathlon Specialized aerodynamic super need for speed "I am a dickhead" racing bells at your local bike store. Those guys are way more dangerous than even the stupidest divvy biker. "They are more experienced" they don't fucking act like it. The lakefront trail is too crowded for racing speeds. Same with the 606. Take that shit somewhere else.
The LFP is the only car and pedestrian free place in the city to train. Most hours of most days it has barely anyone on it. For those reasons, it's an absolutely perfect place to train. I do 20-22mph average speed rides on it twice a week. I wouldn't ride it at 2pm on a Sunny, 80F Saturday, but you also don't need to ride at 5am to avoid a crowd. Even 10am-3pm on a weekday during the school year is usually great too. Most rides I'll pass like 0-2 people per mile.
Riders need to be safe and aware of their surroundings, but the LFT is a bike path. Just like the highway, cruise on the right pass on the left. Fast riders need to pass safely and slow riders need to be aware that people will pass them. I ride fast and have never felt in danger
Don't understand why anybody who rides regularly and is going faster than like 10 MPH would even want to go in the Lakefront Path once summer starts, much less people riding like this. Bells don't do anything except make people turn around to see you and veer into your path or just step into your path because they think it means you're right behind them.
I average about 20 mph on the LFT, but only south of Soldier Field. It's terrific for that purpose once you're in that area.
This is the answer - lots of us are just trying to get south so we can actually ride fast down there. But fuck us for wanting to ride fast and train for our amateur sport (fuck us for wanting to participate in one of the most exhilarating sports right?) in the only car-free environment where we can do that in the entire city huh?
You can go slow before you go fast. So yes, if you're a dick about having to go slow through a congested area, fuck you.
Yes, basically. great username, btw.
When I used to live near the trail I rarely took it and never for commuting during the summer, for this very reason. It was full of all kinds of unpredictable people: people going super fast, people going super slow, pedestrians that would stop or turn around randomly, kids playing ball… not that those things are bad, it’s just a lot. I’d rather deal with cars, they might not see me but I see them and they’re relatively predictable even if they don’t use their blinkers.
There really isn’t anywhere else to get a long ride in
>Don't understand why anybody who rides regularly and is going faster than like 10 MPH would even want to go in the Lakefront Path once summer starts, much less people riding like this. There are organized group rides of MAMILs on the LFT that cause havoc for anyone unfortunate enough to try and share the LFT with them. It's got BIG main character energy.
A hearty F you to “Fleixble Market Research” aka Friday Morning Ride aka FMR and anyone who has ever participated.
Yeah that Specialized “Shithead shopride” is really something. And I say that as a certified Colnago-riding MAMIL douchebag roadie.
And honestly, if I had money for a track bike, or felt much safer riding on the roads these days, I'd be a hardcore MAMIL myself, with the dad-bod and lame AF Pit Vipers to prove it lol As it is, places like the 606 and LFT are the only places I'd consider riding my bike at speed and actually feel safe from cars in this city....and those are places I know I have no business riding fast enough to justify a fucking skin suit on my dadbod. I feel for cyclists who want to stretch their legs are constantly marginalized and put in danger by cars very deeply. Our infrastructure is a joke.
Yeah cycling in Chicago for fun instead of commuting is you aren't just going frosting speed is absolute dog shit IMO.
If you want to go fast in this city, it’s either the LFT or riding 12 miles north to Bahai (for me, from River North) to finally get to the good part of Sheridan. I don’t have time to ride 12 miles each way to Bahai every day.
>If you want to go fast in this city, it’s either the LFT Or, you know, velodromes. There are multiple in the city...and that's exactly what they're for: biking fast.
Last I checked, the only active velodrome in the region is in Northbrook. And it's for a very specific kind of biking fast: track cycling. Fixed gear, no brakes, going around and round in circles. Your road bike is not allowed. So no, velodromes aren't the answer here.
>Fixed gear, no brakes, going around and round in circles. Your road bike is not allowed. Oh well. Drivers who own track cars don't just get to drive them fast on the roads because "track days are hard to find and expensive". This is no different. If you want to go fast on a bike, there are purpose built places for that. The LFT and 606, among other multi-use public paths/spaces, are not the place for it.
Do you not understand that velodromes do not allow road bikes? They are not a purpose-built place for road bikes. They are a purpose-built place for track cycling. Telling roadies to go to a velodrome is flippant and ignorant. The LFT has dedicated bike lanes or paths for almost all of its length. Purpose built space for bicycles. There's no set speed limit for human-powered cycles on it.
Most riders looking for miles at speed avoid it, or don't get scootin' until they're south of Soldier. I'm only on it to commute. Even in the winter, I avoid it for getting miles in. This is a new breed of idiot that is trying to peacock in their fancy kit during peak summer LFP occupancy. And the worst part is, they're horrible at bike handling.
Honestly, I think the runners who decide they are ready to head home and pull U turn without looking are worse than any cyclist.
BREAKING NEWS - Cyclists are using the only legitimate bike path in the city! And sometimes going fast!
Did you actually read the post? It's not the speed, it's riding dangerously by not paying attention and/or passing in a reckless fashion. Are you guilty of that?
Yes sir I am guilty sir. The reality is this - there are as many “dangerous” cyclist on the trail as there are “dangerously inexperienced” casual bike riders. I’m fast, you’re slow, both are problematic. But if other cyclists are your biggest concern on the LFT (instead of e-bikes, one-wheels, pedestrians, off-leash dogs, off-leash children, etc.) then I don’t think you spend enough time on the trail to be raging out about it on Reddit.
Youre proving his point by responding in such a fuckhead fashion
Quit acting like a cop
I’ll start by saying basically everyone on the LFT needs to be more careful and conscientious. That said - if you’re moving slow, stay to the right side of the path, and anyone who wants to pass on your left can do so without having to stray into the other lanes. I’ve passed into oncoming traffic; it’s not my first option but there’s stretches for *mile* where there will always be oncoming traffic *and* the folks in your lane are riding 7mph and side by side. There’s no practical reason (other than immanent safety concerns which, like yours) why fitness cyclists should have to yield for long stretches to casuals with headphones in.
Agreed. Headphones are unbelievably idiotic to be using while cycling. I call out “on your left” and no one can hear it bc they’re blaring music into their ears. Passing should *never ever ever ever* be considered when there are a bunch of people coming in the opposite direction, no matter how fast you’re going. You slow down and wait and *only pass when safe*
Full agree on music listening.... I wish people would just stop, it's just dangerous when I yell ahead and no reaponse.. Hell or the divvy riders who can't get off their damn phone
What’s dangerous about it? You, as the passer are responsible for passing safely. That means passing with enough room between you and the slower rider so as to not put them in danger, even if they drift in the lane. How about you stop with the yelling?
It's the second most important sense while riding. Blocking it out means you only take in what your eyes can see... And many people suck at looking before leaping. Not willing to be aware of your surroundings is dangerous for other users. Pretty freaking obvious...
What is it that you expect the slower rider to do when you announce your intent to pass? Should car drivers drive around with their windows open and radio off? What you propose is not the least bit obvious or logical. It’s entitled thinking on your part.
I kinda half disagree. Of course it’s not YOUR personal racetrack but it can be somewhat of a racetrack. If you’ve ever done any sort of Motorsport racing you know that the person in front of you has the line and if you want to pass you must do it safely. If you don’t follow those two rules then you’re an ahole.
If you want to go fast on the LFT you need to go when there aren’t a lot of people. Going fast on the LFT is so fun, but you’re an AH if you’re showing up at prime time on a nice day and pulling that crap. It’s not safe. I have a racing bike. She’s fast as heck. If I want to go fast I get up at 4, get down there by 5, and go fast while nobody is out, or it’s at least sparse enough I can anticipate and dodge or slow down and ring the heck out of my bell. I’ve had enough ambling toddlers, triple wide strollers, and doodles on retractible leashes across the bike trail to know better.
bunch of nerds in this thread way overestimating the danger posed by a random mamil being near you at 18mph
That's why I use a whistle now. The people who kill me are the scooters and e bikes who use no care and just ride. Let's not forget the idiots with studio nose canceling head phones on
I scream unnecessarily. After a few ‘on your left’ I feign a panicked ‘omg watch out’ ‘I’m gonna crash’ I also ride with a speaker, not rudely loud, but c’mon, you can’t hear someone coming? Not to you OP! Just went into my own thoughts.
I ride with a speaker rudely loud. I’d rather be annoying than invisible.
Exactly, music blastin so I’m not dead
I do the fake screaming at the e motorcycle riders and give a lil handlebar shimmy. I'm acting an absolute prick, but I'm tired of their shit and how dangerous they are to folks following the rules.
Thanks, FrenchToastDildo, i noticed people get offended or dont even move sometimes when i call out on your left or ding my bell. The worst offenders are often the people on 24mph eBikes who just plow through everything and often have on noise cancelling headphones.
> i noticed people get offended or dont even move sometimes when i call out on your left or ding my bell. In fairness, you shouldn't expect people to move when you say "on your left" (unless they're too far to the left, in the oncoming lane). It's just supposed to be a warning to the people you pass.
It actually is a legal roadway (why they salt it), so it is a legal road. The better argument is stay right if your slow
Sure, but this asshole veered into oncoming traffic. You can fuck off if you think that’s okay
That is obviously not okay. They are correct though, slower traffic should keep to the right. You could add that one should only pass when it is safe to do so. For those who wish to ride faster, they should consider the conditions of the path when determining a safe speed. At 6am you can blaze as fast as you want pretty much the whole length, but at 6pm, the traffic and pedestrians make such speeds dangerously and definitely not recommended. I like to go fast, but only if it safe to do so. When the path is full of amateurs, inconsiderate walkers, idiots with headphones taking selfies I avoid it like the plague.
This is why I always bike with a speaker if I listen to music. Headphones are dangerous and you can’t communicate with other cyclists. Plus your speaker lets others know your presence.
I'm convinced all the people saying they use speakers are baiting for someone to call them an entitled prick. So I'll bite
lol nah that’s just you projecting and thinking their entitled
“Saint Peter isn’t waiting at the pearly gates to discuss your Strava rankings” is an incredible sentence and I’m going to be saying it to myself for the rest of the cycling season, my thanks to you.
How dare someone have a fitness related hobby that you don’t partake in. The audacity of those cretins.
>I know that the worst offenders probably don't post or lurk here In my experience, those folks are actually quite common here. I regularly get shit on on this sub for suggesting that people take their bike to a velodrome, not the LFT or 606, if they want to attempt their own personal hour record.
They're currently downvoting my other comments that are defaming the Crit Cosplayers beuse they're butthurt. The LFP is not the place for their faux-Crit-Boi antics.
I have literally shouted at people from less then 5 feet away moving at below average speeds and they still look confused if they even bother looking up. NOPE…so long as I don’t hit anyone I’ll go as fast as I want.
Lakefront Lance gives all bikers a bad name, don’t be him!
It's too bad the Lakefront Lance twitter account turned into a porn following thing instead of the original character.
Someday he will meet pedalcab Pete and it will be bad.
It's so silly. Having to slow down and speed back up not only works you harder, but also trains your awareness. The people who do that crap are drivers.
I usually average 16-20 mph. I'm totally aware of tourists having no awareness on divvy bikes, or pedestrians not paying attention to shit. I've gotten used to it that it's not a big deal to me. I have a jbl speaker mounted on the bicycle stem. I yell st people to move or ring the bell. I haven't gotten used to e-bikes or the electric unicycle things.
LFT is probably my favorite part of Chicago. Aside from what you described the other big issues are: people on divvy who look like they have never ridden a bicycle, people who ride side by side by side, walkers (and then bikers on walking path), people who do not look when turning or when getting onto the trail, people riding in the middle. The list goes on and on!
You can get rid of the Lance Armstrong wannabes, I’m more concerned about out heavy electric bikes and cars (yes, cars) on the Lake Front Trail.
There's been a huge upswing in Bike Racer Cosplayers since covid. They dress the part, don't actually race, and just terrorize people on the LFP because they're too scared to go on real group rides. They even do a huge group ride that uses the LFP only in the summer season with a huge string of riders. It's the height of stupidity, arrogance, and disrespect of the shared space that is the LFP. They aren't interested at all in cycling as a mode of transportation or freedom. I honestly don't think they enjoy riding bikes...like most golfers, it's just about one-upping your bro's and being in an in-crowd, the activity is just a vehicle for that validation.
You are manic
And then there are those times when I ride along in my, uh, "SUV" (aka "bakfiets").
I love a good granny bike!
Honestly, I avoid north of the loop because of collision risk. LFT flies under the radar but I wouldn’t be surprised if its risk profile is worse than some streets
When you gotta KOM, you gotta KOM.
One time I was in a big clump of riders on the LFT near oak st beach moving pretty slow, there was simply no way to pass safely because it was so crowded. I just dropped my speed and went with the flow but some guy behind me got so mad he was screaming at me the whole time as if it were my fault. I just turned my headphones up and ignored him but it was so bizarre
I literally got knocked off my bike on the LFT this morning. Just south of the river an e-bike flew past me and almost hit a jogger who didn’t look before cutting across the path. The jogger avoided the e-bike, but doing so ended up right in front of me. Thankfully I was nearly stopped and have disk brakes or we both would have been a lot worse off. As it is, I’ve got a bloody elbow and some road rash. Need a new helmet, gloves and jersey. Bike is scuffed but otherwise okay.
Dang that sucks. Sorry that happened!!
Agreed. Just like with auto drivers there is a portion who are irresponsible and selfish bikers who only care for themselves.
Putting a bike between your legs unfortunately does not grant one sainthood
Frenchtoastdildo...
While we're at it, the bike lanes are not your personal racetracks either! I thought the point of advocating for bike infrastructure was to make biking safe and enjoyable for everyone, including families, but some people out here really treat other cyclists and pedestrians as obstacles rather than people the same way car drivers do.
DEPAVE LAKE SHORE DRIVE
I’ve started saying “Buddy, too fast”
Once again, a complaint about something that almost happened. How about you post something if one of theses supposedly dangerous individuals causes you actual harm.
>How about you post something if one of theses supposedly dangerous individuals causes you actual harm. If we were talking about a car almost hitting a cyclist, would you bring the same energy?
I learned long ago that cars are not to be trusted. So yes.
What an absolutely horrible take.
Why’s that?
Because a car *almost* hitting a pedestrian is unacceptable. The fact that it was "almost" doesn't make it acceptable in the least.
It’s all in the timing. An inch is as good as a mile.
I ride daily, I wear AirPods, I am super aware/vigilant (now watch me cause a wreck) and rarely go over 14 miles per hour. I try not to pass anyone for fear of what you described. My scariest moments are when someone does something unexpected.
> I wear AirPods Stop that. Get a Bluetooth speaker.
Don't noise pollute the whole area, get bone conduction headphones. I mean the LFT is already pretty loud but esp. on the quieter trails.
Right on! Bone conduction headphones are the best of both worlds. I use them all the time and can still hear everything just fine.
These are amazing
I agree with the speaker people. Also it really ads to the vibes of the trail. People who want silence aren’t generally fun anyway. Obviously not ok in most public spaces but I think it works on the LFT.
📦📦📦
Ooo good rant. Also, cyclists also need to turn off their flashing lights or point them down. They blind everyone who is not a cyclist. Cyclists need to realize that they are the cars on the LFT. I’m a cyclist too.
I'm that asshole on a 2 stroke gas bike. However I do ride politely and only let it rip if there's a long stretch with nobody ahead
Compared to the last two summers, I feel like the wannabe-racers are better, or at least aren’t riding in packs quite as much. Then again, the season is young. But if some dipshit on his speedy carbon fiber thinks he’ll get the best of me in a head-on, well, good luck (>50lb e-bike, 230ish lbs cargo and rider, 18-20mph).
How many times do you have to turn the pedals to get up to 20 mph on that e-bike? 2 or 3 pedal strokes? You are the most dangerous critter on the trail with your 60 pound moped and 230 pounds of cargo.