- Credibility:
JEFFERSON PARK — The Bike 45 Chicago riding series is back this Sunday with a guided tour of taco joints on the Northwest Side.
Cyclists should meet at the Jefferson Park Field House, 4822 N. Long Ave., at 9 a.m. Sunday for the 15-mile Tour de Tacos.
Once the ride pushes off it will mostly hug the perimeter of the city’s 45th Ward but a segment will also cut through the North Branch Trail Extension.
A few of the locally-owned taco spots the ride will swing by include Tatas Tacos, 4929 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago Taco Authority, 4219 W. Irving Park Rd. and Casa de Luna, 5481 N. Northwest Hwy.
“The North Branch Trail Extension isn’t technically in the 45th Ward. But it roughly parallels the outline of the 45th Ward,” said Justyna Frank, one of Bike 45’s organizers. “And that’s obviously a big resource on the Northwest Side and we want to make sure people know about it, and know how to safely get there and enjoy it.”
Bike 45’s community ride series began in 2011 with a focus on touring the city’s 45th Ward. Frank also owns Cosmic Bikes in Jefferson Park. The rides were launched in 2011 by a couple that worked with Ald. John Arena’s office. But once the couple that started it moved out of the area, the ride series was put on hold for a little over a year.
“But prior to that, it was a monthly community ride highlighting sites, destinations within the 45th Ward on the Northwest Side of Chicago,” Frank said. “And the idea was to help area residents become familiar with better bike routes, with using bikes for recreation and for transportation. Really to encourage people in the 45th Ward to use bikes more.”
Around the time she first opened Cosmic Bikes, Frank’s business was featured as a stop on one of the Bike 45 rides, she said. It was a great opportunity to welcome people from the area to her shop, and as an organizer this time around, she wants to give the three recently-opened taco joints that same opportunity, Frank said.
Jac Charlier is a member of the North Branch Trail Alliance, an economic development group that uses cycling tours to promote cultural, shopping and dining experiences along the North Branch Trail.
He said Frank’s experience as a business owner with organized bicycle tours is something that can sometimes be overlooked by people hoping to grow and sustain a vibrant local businesses economy.
“The North Branch Trail is the number one used trail in the Cook County system. So our alliance is leveraging rider numbers for economic development in communities from suburban Glenview all the way down to Albany Park in Chicago,” Charlier said. “Businesses and consumers don’t care about map boundaries, they’re indifferent to that. So you have to think more regionally.”
Charlier said his experience with the alliance has shown him that people are willing to ride a bike for more than just for health benefits or as a hobby.

“People will leave the trail to go purchase things and make runs that they otherwise would do in cars,” he said. “With that we can make the case for building more trails and sustaining trails as economic engines.”
Depending on the weather, the comfortable riding season in Chicago can last until at least October. With that in mind Frank says Bike 45 expects to have its next community ride in August focus on visiting art centers and murals in the ward and a beer themed ride sometime in September.
“But this Sunday is our first ride after a relatively long hiatus. So we hope that people will come out and support it,” Frank said. “We are going to do three monthly rides this year, maybe four if the weather holds up to October.”
Block Club Chicago also reached out to readers who ride their bicycles around the Northwest Side to ask about their favorite places to ride, which streets or intersections are great for cyclists and which ones they try to avoid at all costs. Below are some of their responses.
I avoid Irving Park Rd. like the plague. I ride Elston and Kimball regularly. I enjoy riding on Avondale Av, Kostner is reasonable, and the north branch trail is very good.
— ʎןıɯƎ (@allweeksend) July 1, 2018
Yep, been loving using Laramie to circumvent Milwaukee construction lately (Laramie->Roscoe->Kostner->Diversey down, Diversey->Laramie back). Despite it being on Bike2020, I avoid Long…too narrow. Belle Plaine and Sunnyside are good E/W.
— maskopal (@chownlife) July 2, 2018
Many NWsiders are also concerned traversing W<->E, to find ways to the Lakefront Trail. My preferred route uses a system of park paths and areas around Carmen Ave. to cut across Albany Park and get closer to #chiLFT. Using this and #chiNBT can help cyclists avoid cars completely pic.twitter.com/ymeDFGM4fV
— #BikeCHI (@BikeCHInorth) July 2, 2018
It’s really all about the @FPDCC’s North Branch Trail (#chiNBT). There is no place like it in the city and the southern extension which terminates at Foster/Pulaski is less than 1 year old.
— #BikeCHI (@BikeCHInorth) July 2, 2018
Elston, with no buses, is a cyclists dream and my preferred alternative to Milwaukee Ave
Elston 4 life! I call it the "bike highway". Biking west into Portage is a little tricky if you're closer to Montrose/Irving Park since all side streets are cut off by the Metra tracks and highway. So, I take Montrose (no lane).
— Gretabee (@rolrolbeebee) July 2, 2018
Anywhere north of the #jeffpark station on Milwaukee is to be avoided. Even though there are wide bike lanes, cars do not respect the paint and the intersections are giant. Most ride on the sidewalk. Illegally but much safer.
— Gladstone Park Mask Association (@GladstonePkBiz) July 2, 2018
To avoid the Milwaukee/Central/Foster intersection I like to take the ped bridge at NW Hwy and Austin. Makes for a far easier ride.
— Rob (@lankynchicago) July 2, 2018
Daily bike commute from Norwood to downtown. Avondale to Bryn Mawr to NW Highway is the best route by far. Circle Ave is great for laps. Avoid riding down Devon through Caldwell Woods. Use the trail through the preserve–even though its 50% longer is 200x safer.
— Carl ✶ 14th Amendment, Section 3 (@cillic) July 3, 2018
mid-far NW is a challenge as there's few N-S bike lanes & fewer E-W, not even the most minimal infrastructure, & it's barely changed in my 5+ years here. diagonals can be ok, Elston, some of Milw., & the underrated Northwest Highway
— katherine of chicago ☕ (@kofchicago) July 2, 2018
Elston all the way, baby! (But I hate that industrial air.) No Irving Park. No Pulaski. #deathtraps
— Chicago Mumma (@ChicagoMumma) July 4, 2018
I ride Hamlin or Avers up to Wrightwood now to get west to Laramie or Long. Wish there better East/West streets to Ravenswood/Andersonville. Addison scares the crap out of me.
— Sam Luchsinger (@Luchysinger) July 3, 2018
Elston 4 life! I call it the "bike highway". Biking west into Portage is a little tricky if you're closer to Montrose/Irving Park since all side streets are cut off by the Metra tracks and highway. So, I take Montrose (no lane).
— Gretabee (@rolrolbeebee) July 2, 2018