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The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

Along For The Ride: a step by step guide to biking in Chicago

What kinds of DePaul students ride their bike on-campus? Eco-friendly activists? Super athletic type-A students? Beard-sporting hipsters? Zooey Deschanel-impersonating quirky girls? Sure, all of the above would be correct, but actually, anyone can be a part of the Chicago biking community. All it takes is a few simple steps.

Step one: buy a bike

While major big-box stores like WalMart or Dick’s carry bikes, there are plenty of small bike shops in Chicago that offer a greater level of expertise to new bikers.

Shoppers looking for an inexpensive option can try used bike stores or non-profit resale outlets like The Recyclery near the Howard Red Line stop. This non-profit offers a small, but well-curated selection of multi-gear bikes averaging between $100-$400. Another option, Working Bikes, on South Western Avenue is a little farther away but offers a big selection of used and refurbished bikes at similar prices.

When choosing a new bike, there are a lot of details to consider, but it’s possible to keep it simple. Get on the bike, and give it a ride.

“Every bike is different, and you want to find a bike that works well with your bod,” said Wilbur Chang, Recyclery volunteer.

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Step two: buy the gear

Julie Hochstadter, director of social network/online community for Chicago bikers Chainlink, suggests four essential pieces of equipment every new biker should buy.

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Lock – “You can get so many different kinds of locks and a lot of it depends on your budget, but you’re going to at least want a U-Lock,” said Hochstadter.

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“Something to carry your stuff.”  – “I really like a back rack and then from there you can get a pannier,” said Hochstadter.

A pannier is a bag that hangs over the side of your back rack. “You can just carry so much more,” said Hochstadter. She also recommends a bungee cord for securing big items. Another popular choice is using a standard milk crate attached to a back rack.

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Lights – “You want lights for sure. What is mandatory is that you have a front and a back light,” said Hochstadter.

Attach a white light to the front of your bike, and a red light to the back and be sure to remember to turn them on at night or whenever visibility is limited.

“People think that the city is really well lit, so they don’t need lights, but side streets are pretty dark and even on big streets, visibility is so important,” said Wilbur Chang, volunteer at the Recyclery bike shop.

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CTA pass –Bikes are allowed on all city buses, and also on CTA and Metra trains off of rush hours.

“It’s good to keep a CTA pass in your wallet, because you never know what could happen. (For example,) if you get a flat tire and you’re not near a bike shop,” said Hochstadter.

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Step three: Educate yourself

DePaul Outdoor Adventure, The Chainlink, The City of Chicago resources

Interested in getting plugged into the cycling community at DePaul? The DePaul Cycling Club is an on-campus organization that concentrates on both competitive and recreational biking. Although they focus on their competitive season in the spring, they invite all DePaul bikers to get involved.

Look for answers to questions that aren’t covered at DePaul’s programs by logging into the Chainlink, an online community for Chicago bikers. You can get advice on buying bikes, on mapping routes or any other bike-related question from the Chainlink community. http://www.thechainlink.org/

The City of Chicago also offers a variety of resources for city bikers. Access that information by searching “Bicycling Information” at https://www.cityofchicago.org

Step four: Get out there

In the past decade, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that cycling has increased by 63 percent in the largest American cities, but with cars and buses still dominating busy Chicago streets, city biking can be daunting for the many DePaul students who come from places like rural or suburban Illinois, Wisconsin or Ohio.

The number one thing to do, says Julie Hochstadter of the Chainlink, is to get on a bike and ride.

“I’d say, spend some time getting comfortable with your routes, trying and testing it out on a Sunday afternoon, when there’s less traffic,” said Hochstadter.

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Helmets: Not Necessarily a No-Brainer 

Believe it or not, not all bikers would recommend a helmet. In fact, helmets are a controversial topic in the biking community.

DePaul sophomore Jon Ferrari, recommends that students “definitely wear a helmet,” and the Mayo Clinic would agree, saying that wearing a helmet is “the most effective way to prevent a life-threatening head injury.”

However, as the New York Times reports some cycling enthusiasts would argue that forcing helmets discourages people from riding, thereby decreasing the number of cyclists on the road. Less cyclists means less awareness from drivers, making biking less safe.

This principle is put into practice in the Netherlands, where the majority of people use bikes for transportation, only 0.1% of bikers wear helmets, in comparison to 38% of American bikers, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For Julie Hochstadter of the Chainlink, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

“I wear a helmet, I just think it’s like wearing a seatbelt, but if other people don’t want to that’s fine,” said Hochstadter.

Ultimately, with no laws on the books requiring a helmet in Chicago, the helmet question is a personal choice.

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I Get Knocked Down, But I Get Up Again

DePaul sophomore Jonathan Ferrari, 19 of Lisle rides his bike everywhere. Even though he has a car on-campus, he still often chooses his bike to avoid traffic and to get a little extra exercise.

By itself, this fact isn’t too surprising. What is surprising is that just a few months ago Jon was in an accident while on his bike.

“I like to go fast, and also I don’t mind pulling around cars going through cars and stuff like that so when I went ahead and went around that taxi, that lack of fear resulted in a crash.” Ferrari said.

As he pulled up quickly into the intersection, Jon was “doored,” a term used to describe a common risk for bikers, when a parked car opens a door without looking for oncoming bike traffic, resulting in a crash.

“Getting around the city on a bike is unimaginably simple and easy,” said Ferrari. “it’s all about confidence but you also have to kind of curtail your confidence at a certain level. You always need to remember that there’s a risk.”

After the accident, Ferrari rode home on his bike. He advises other bikers not to stop biking after a crash, but to get back on the bike right away.

“If you do get into an accident, don’t stop riding. Assess the situation and decide whether it was your fault, and if it was your fault accept that and try to fix it,” said Ferrari.

Ferrari says his experience taught him to be assertive on the road and to always pay close attention while riding.

“You don’t need to be an expert. What you really need to know is to stay aware and know your rights. You don’t need to get aggressive, but you do have a right [to the road], so don’t be afraid.” said Ferrari.

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