A Map of the 'Mellow' Bike Routes Around Chicago

Not all bike routes are created equal; some are just mellower.

1 minute read

June 22, 2018, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Chicago Bike Trail

Maj.l / Shutterstock

John Greenfield announces a new "Mellow Chicago Bike Map," which is published in an article for Chicago Reader.

Greenfield places the Mellow Map in context of the city's 300 miles of on-street bikeways and a "relentless street grid" that offers a lot of options. That being said, some routes across the city on two wheels are just mellower than others.

I picked the streets highlighted on this map based on the city's bike map, Google Maps, suggestions from local cyclists, and my nearly three decades of navigating our city on two wheels. While I think these routes are generally better for bicyclists, you still should be careful anytime you ride in the city.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018 in Chicago Reader

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