Bike rental along Chicago North Branch Trail?

October 3, 2022 6:35 AM

I'm in Chicago tomorrow and would like to bike the North Branch Trail from Gompers Park (or nearby) to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Is there a bike rental that I can use?

I'm finding conflicting info online. Looks like there used to be a bike rental setup for the North Branch Trail but it might not exist anymore.

There are some Divvy ebike rentals near Gompers Park just inside Chicago City Limits, but their range might only just get me to the Botanic Garden. And since there isn't a Divvy dock at the gardens, and I didn't bring a lock, I don't have a way to lock up the bike while visiting the garden.

Any ideas on how to do this? Thanks everyone!

posted by aquamvidam to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

The bike shop in my neighborhood - Roscoe Village Bikes - has some rentals. You would have a ~3-4 mile ride from the shop up to Gompers Park, much of it along the river path. (You would ride over to Clark Park/boathouse on the river near Lane Tech high school and then NW from there.) They are a great neighborhood bike shop and will give you advice including if there is something better/closer for you.
posted by Mid at 7:06 AM on October 3, 2022

There used to be a little bike shop on the corner of Foster and St. Louis (Cog Cycles), I think they moved but are still in the neighborhood and might be able to recommend.

It feels like Divvy kind of took over the bike rental market in Chicago, so this might not be easy. That part of town isn't super bike-ey either, so it just makes it harder. (Which is crazy, because that new path infrastructure is totally amazing. Watch your head going under Cicero.)
posted by hwyengr at 7:30 AM on October 3, 2022

Also, if you do rent somewhere else in the city and ride to Gompers, Foster Ave (known locally as Faster Ave) is not a safe route. Use Argyle through the neighborhood, 2 blocks south. There's a light on Tripp to cross into the park, but you'd have to do a local wrong-way ride for a bit to get there.
posted by hwyengr at 7:40 AM on October 3, 2022

The Cook County Forest Preserve District ran a bike share with docks at the Botanic Gardens but it appears to be defunct now. In 2019 I wanted to rent a Brompton folding bike in Chicago and was directed to Cosmic Bikes, where the fee was $30 daily per day plus $500 refundable security deposit (and signed waiver). They're at 4641 N. Milwaukee Ave, about 2 miles from Gompers Park.

Tailwind Cycles in Albany Park may be a tad closer to Gompers. I don't know if they do rentals/loaners but they were friendly, affordable and efficient when I patronized them.

Divvy is contractually limited to Chicago but I've seen the classic non-electric models outside the city, including at the Botanic Gardens. I've seen the e-bikes outside the city boundaries as well, but not as far as Glencoe. I don't know if they are geo-fenced to keep you from going that far. Their advertised range is 60 miles, more than enough to round-trip to the CBG, assuming a full battery, and possibly how much you peddle. There are no hills but there are a few overpasses. I believe the Divvy e-bikes have an integrated lock, but haven't used that feature myself. There's a Harbor Freight just off the bike path on Dempster in Niles where you can get a basic cable combo lock that should do the job for under $10.

FYI the CBG no longer has free entry. See www.chicagobotanic.org/visit for details.
posted by kgander at 9:11 AM on October 3, 2022