Q: Why a Cycle Collective and not a Cycle Club?
A club sounds waaaay to formal for what we're all about.
Q: What are you all about?
Riding bikes in the Madison Street Bike Lane.
Q: What stretches of the Madison Street Bike Lane do you ride?
We default to the Oak Park segment between Harlem and Austin. We're particularly fond of the parking-protected stretches between East Ave and Lombard (getting dooored suuucks).
Q: Does any ride that occurs in those segments count as a collective activity?
Yes!
Q: What if its only for a block?
Like we said. We're not a very formal group.
Q: Do you have any formal group rides planned?
Stay tuned! The more the merrier, but we're still new at this and figuring out details.
Q: Where can we find you on social media?
We're on Instagram and Strava for the time being.
Q: Are there any places to get coffee along the Madison Street Bike Lane?
Yes! Whirlwind is easily accessible from the Madison Street Bike Lane and has high-quality bike racks. There's also the Dunkin location at Madison/Harvey and we frequently see students' bikes there.
Q: Are there any places to stop for ice cream along the Madison Street Bike Lane?
Sticks and Cones is the first place that comes to mind. Try them out and let us know what you think!
Q: Do you think it's weird that the first two types of businesses you think of our coffee and ice cream?
No. Cyclists are hiiighly motivated by those two food groups.
Q: Are there any Oak Park municipal buildings along the Madison Steet Bike Lane
Yes! Village Hall is easily accessed from the bike lane and we've bumped into many a friend on their way to- and from Transportation Commission and Village Board meetings about improving bike infrastructure in our village. There's also the Community Recreation Center (CRC) as well as administrative offices for the Park District of Oak Park (PDOP) and D97 schools.
Q: Are there any grocery stores along the Madison Street Bike Lane?
We can think of at least two (Jewel and Sugar Beet) with a new Pete's location scheduled to open in Winter 2025.
Q: Can I park my car in the Madison Street Bike?
Parking in the bike lane forces cyclists to merge into the lane designed for vehicular flow. This can create dangerous interactions due to both visibility (bikes merging from behind a row of parked cars) and relative speed. It also means that the bike lane is less likely to use by less experienced cyclists (seniors, families with kids, etc.). The goal for cycling in Oak Park is an all ages and abilities bicycle network.
Q: What if its just for a minute?
Just no.
Q: I'm concerned about cyclists following rules. Can you commit your collective to stopping at every stop sign on your rides?
Yes! We'll make sure to stop at every stop sign along the route
Q: How come I never seen any cyclists using the Madison Street Bike Lane?
We can't explain the phenomena that governs its existence but driver struggle to see cyclists using the Madison Street Bike Lane. This phenomena also extends to pedestrians who activate the RRFB (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon) and remain invisible to drivers.
Q: Is that seriously your answer?
More realistically, most bike lanes operate with a Class A Level of Service. This means that bikes are almost neeeever stuck in traffic. If your metric for utilization is congestion, it makes sense that you never see anyone using the bike lane. It also might because drivers are too busy looking down at their phones.