It's FASTER to Travel by Bike Than CTA! (Chicago, Cicero: home, versus)

[Jesse69]

Today I did a short 7.8 mi money saving bike / travel shopping workout. Went from my Wicker Park home near North Ave & Western and I casually biked in my Trek 3.1 modified with Campy Scirocco wheels and a Vaude Kerkoriam panniers. Hit Food4Less on Cicero in 20 minutes. My heart rate monitor finally broke, so every time I bike I spin at a rate of casual resistance and not to hard so I would go at a speed that BURNS FAT. I was against a slight headwind and when I bike near cars that can pop open doors - I'm usually in the 17 to 18 mph range. The funny thing about this ride - I WAS TAKING IT EASY SO I WOULDN'T SWEAT, and yet I caught up with a CTA Bus and left it far behind! I then remarked to people standing for a bus that's it's way faster to bike!

This has happened many times, - I often pass buses going in many city streets, like North Ave and Western. And it's faster for me to go downtown by bike - 18 minutes, then to wait and catch the train downtown.

So I hardly use the CTA. So if you're a Chicagoan that relies on the CTA a lot, GET A BIKE!

And so far this year I saved $68.66 in gas by using my bikes instead of a vehicle. More money saved if I count the equivalent parking meter fees and CTA fares saved.

My Trek 3.1 modified is worth around $2230. The stock wheels were junk and sold on Craigslist for $110.

[irvparkrez11]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

So if you're a Chicagoan that relies on the CTA a lot, GET A BIKE!

Correction: get one of those good road bikes. Hybrid bikes in Chicago are useless.

[emathias]

Yes, I'm going to recommend a bike to my grandmother. I'm also going to bike frequently in my suit. And I'll bike while trying to listen in on a conference call and keep tabs on my email. Sounds perfect.

I'm not anti-bike. I ride my bike to work sometimes. Bikes are an important part of urban transport. But they're not universally usable by everyone for every activity.

[rparz]

Not surprised one bit. You can keep up with most car traffic as well. They'll pass you in the straights, but you'll make up time rolling past the cars at a stoplight.

If you don't want to pedal the whole way, check out the Bionix system to keep you moving at a nice clip.

[marothisu]

The problem is that you're comparing it to a regular bus which has numerous stops along the way. Unless it's an express bus, buses are pretty slow and I avoid them when I can and take the train instead.

f that same stretch had a train, the train would be faster than the bike. Try getting from say Wrigley to the Chicago Red Line stop. On the bike it'll probably take you 30 minutes if you're lucky. On the train it's half of that. You would have to go a constant 16 MPH on the bike for the entire 4 miles to stay about even with the train. With traffic and all, that's a little hard to do. You might be able to swing it early in the morning/late at night on a weekday when not many cars are out.

If you are carrying something you bought like clothing is food or whatever, then most people wouldn't even be able to do that and bike at the same time, which is when public transit comes even more into handy. But sure, if you're going to compare a bus versus a bike going a few miles, then the bike will almost always be fast, but not versus a train.

[MannheimMadman]

I am a bicycling enthusiast, and even I thought this post was ridiculous.

[tomcho]

The level of detail by the OP is fascinating, or not. My commute time door to desk via metra and bicycle is identical.

(those campy wheels are marginally better at best than what comes standard on a 3.1)

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

I am a bicycling enthusiast, and even I thought this post was ridiculous.

Me too. If I was waiting for the bus and had some prick on a bike tell me it was faster doing it his way, I'd tell him to go **** himself.

[rparz]

There's a lot of variables in play here, but it all depends...

Depends on how far you're going, how far your start and destination is from el stations, and how the parking situation shakes out.
I think the point is that there are some cases where a bike is the logical choice.

[long101]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

And so far this year I saved $68.66 in gas by using my bikes instead of a vehicle.

A whole $68.66 in 9 months huh? So in 40 years it will pay off