First day of Spring ride!

Join us this season’s first Brompton Meander on Saturday, March 21 for a casual ride along NW Side neighborhood streets and riverside trails, ending up at Lake effect Brewing.

We’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride of about 9.5 miles.

We’ll stop at Lake Effect refreshments and snacks (food trucks and pop-ups are often available on weekends).

• No worries if you don’t have a Brompton. ALL BIKES WELCOME!

• End time approximate

• You may ride with us back to the shop, or head home on your own (for those who want to ride back with us to the shop, the return trip will be about 3 miles via Milwaukee Ave.

• What to bring:

  • Helmet

  • Lights

  • $ for beverages and food

• Ride at your own risk.

No Brompton? No problem! Join us with the bike you have, or text us to check loaner Brompton availability (min 48 hour notice required).

👇 Please RSVP to participate 👇

We’re kicking off the 2026 season with Coffee Outside, followed by a casual recumbent group ride at Busse Woods Trail. We’ll cover about 10 miles of paved trails wind through woodland, meadows and around serene lakes in a beautiful Cook County forest preserve in a convenient loop. Opportunities for wildlife viewing, including an elk pasture.

Details:

• Sunday, March 29 we’ll meet at Busse Forest South (entrance at Higgins Rd. west of Arlington Hts. Rd. just past the bike/ped overpass — see map & screenshot). We’ll congregate at a picnic grove #5 and start with freshly brewed coffee before the ride, meet and greet any new riders and catch up on what we’ve been doing. We’ll bring everything needed to make coffee including our camp coffee making paraphernalia (you can bring yours too if you’d like). So bring your mug, and perhaps something edible to share if you’d like.
  (NOTE: I did not reserve the picnic grove, and I am banking on it being available this early in the season. If not, there are other groves available off the same parking area. We’ll be flexible 😃.)

• Ride will start at 10am. End time approximate.

• Riding distance about 10 miles

• We’re keeping fingers crossed that trailside facilities will be available. I will try to post an update.

• The official website does not mention any restroom closures at this parking area.

• Ride at your own risk

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Helmet

• Coffee making supplies (or just a mug), Snack/Water

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour or dangerous snowy/icy conditions. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, March 29.

REGISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EVENT:

We’ll ride round trip on the Centennial Trail from Columbia Woods FP to the historic swing bridge in Romeoville. The trail occupies a thin strip of land between the Des Plaines River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and courses primarily through forested areas, and several forest preserves in Cook, DuPage and Will counties.

Highlights:

A level trail with beautiful river scenery, historic swing bride, and opprotunities for wildlife viewing.

Details:

• Sunday, April 12 we’ll meet at the Columbia Woods parking area off Willow Springs Road & Crocoran Rd. (see map) at 9:45 am for a 10 am departure. We’ll make stops for refreshments and bathroom breaks.

• Riding distance about 26 miles. End time approximate.

• Facilities available trailside.

• Ride at your own risk.

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Snack/Water

• Sunscreen

Ride Guidelines:

• These rides are somewhat exploratory in nature. We have not pre-ridden all of the trails, and while we are on the lookout for announced trail closures and obstructions, there can a bit of guesswork involved. Sometimes, we rely on other riders who are more familiar with the trails for guidance. Please maintain the spirit of curiosity and open-mindedness about last-minute route tweaks.

• These are NO-DROP rides. We ride with participants with widely differing abilities, and it is our goal to keep a cohesive group. We will stop periodically throughout the ride to allow everyone to catch up. If you need to make an unplanned stop, the group will wait for you at the next rest stop.
  If you prefer a faster pace, please let us know at the start of the ride that you will be going ahead without us.

• Please observe trail etiquette by staying in the right lane except when it is safe to pass.

• Ride at your own risk

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour or other dangerous conditions. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, April 11.

Registration is recommended for this event:

Come on out for a fun and friendly Brompton Social Ride on Saturday, April 18 exploring Forest Glen and North Branch Trail, ending up the iconic Superdawg.

We’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride of about 8 miles if you complete the loop back to the shop with us.

• No worries if you don’t have a Brompton. ALL BIKES WELCOME!

• End time approximate

• You may ride with us back to the shop along Milwaukee Ave., or head home on your own.

• What to bring:

  • Helmet

  • Lights

  • $ for beverages and food

• Ride at your own risk.

No Brompton? No problem! Join us with the bike you have, or text us to check loaner Brompton availability (min 48 hour notice required).

👇 Please RSVP to participate 👇

Join us for a recumbent ride along the lower half Chicago Lakefront Trail. We’ll meet in Jackson Park at the parking lot at 1971 E. Hayes Dr. on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 9:45 for a 10am departure. It is metered parking.

We’ll head north, snake around Promontory Point, and then up to Solidarity Drive, and make a loop around Northerly Island, where —weather permitting— we’ll stop for a quick trailside picnic and conversation before heading back south to the starting point.

Highlights:

The whole lakefront is a highlight, but viewing the Chicago skyline from this perspective, and riding through the beautifully naturalized sections of the trail is a real treat.

Details:

• Sunday, April 26 we’ll meet at the south end of Jackson Park (exact meatup spot TBD) at 9:45 am for a 10 am departure. We’ll make rest stops as needed.

• Riding distance about 20 miles. End time approximate.

• Facilities available trailside.

• Ride at your own risk.

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Sandwich or snack and a beverage.

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, April 25.

Registration is recommended for this event:

Ride with us to greet our Lonely Satellite as he makes his monthly full-face appearance over the waters of Lake Michigan.

• When: Friday, May 1 from 5 pm to 9 pm

• Where: Meet at Cosmic Bikes for a ride to Gillson Park on the lakefront in Wilmette. We’ll aim to be rolling at 5:30.

• Pace: Moderate pace, no-drop social ride.

• Route: Approx. 24 miles round-trip. We'll use a combination of the North Shore Channel trail and local streets. You may ride with us back to the shop, or head home on your own.

• What to bring: Your bike, helmet, lights, lock, BYOB and cash for emergencies.

Ride at your own risk. Ending time is approximate.

Registration is recommended for this event:

We’ll ride the Pennsy Greenway starting at Centennial Park in Munster, IN to Schererville, IN. This is a linear rail-to-trail with generally excellent surface conditions passing through a mix of suburbia, parkland and greenspace.

Details:

• Sunday, May 3 meet at 9:45am for 10am departure. We’ll gather at Centennial Park (parking location TBD)

• Riding distance about 20 miles

• Facilities available trailside

• End time approximate

• Ride at your own risk

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Helmet

• Snack/Water

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, May 2.

Registration is recommended for this event:

Roll with ust for a fun and friendly Brompton Social Ride on Saturday, June 6 exploring North Mayfair, river trails and Bryn Mawr, ending up at Alarmist Brewing in Sauganash.

We’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride of about 7 miles, or 10 if you complete the loop back to the shop with us.

• No worries if you don’t have a Brompton. ALL BIKES WELCOME!

• End time approximate

• You may ride with us back to the shop via the quiet streets of Sauganash and Forest Glen, or head home on your own.

• What to bring:

  • Helmet

  • Lights

  • $ for beverages and food

• Ride at your own risk.

No Brompton? No problem! Join us with the bike you have, or text us to check loaner Brompton availability (min 48 hour notice required).

👇 Please RSVP to participate 👇

We’ll ride on the iconic North Branch Trail from the parking lot at Linne Woods in Morton Grove (off Dempster) to the trail end at Dundee Road at Skokie Lagoons. We’ll stop at the Chicago Botanic Garden for a mid-ride picnic and a bit of socializing mid-ride, along lakeside views of the Japanese Gardens (there’s no admission fee for stopping at the picnic glade).

Highlights:

The North Branch Trail is surely a gem among Chicagoland's network of bicycle trails. It has everything a great bike trail should have: distance, scenery, variety, along with excellent pavement conditions and generally well-designed street crossings. The NBT will take you through woodland and prairie, along the river and its adjacent wetlands, ending at the Skokie Lagoons (before we double back for the return trip), which can almost make you forget that you are still in the big city.

Details:

• Sunday, June 14 we’ll meet at the Linne Woods parking area off Dempster in Morton Grove (see map) at 9:45 am for a 10 am departure.

• At Dundee Rd. we’ll ride into the Chicago Botanic Garden for a mid-ride picnic.

• Riding distance about 24 miles. End time approximate.

• Facilities available trailside.

Ride Guidelines:

• These rides are somewhat exploratory in nature. We have not pre-ridden all of the trails, and while we are on the lookout for announced trail closures and obstructions, there can a bit of guesswork involved. Sometimes, we rely on other riders who are more familiar with the trails for guidance. Please maintain the spirit of curiosity and open-mindedness about last-minute route tweaks.

• These are NO-DROP rides. We ride with participants with widely differing abilities, and it is our goal to keep a cohesive group. We will stop periodically throughout the ride to allow everyone to catch up. If you need to make an unplanned stop, the group will wait for you at the next rest stop.
  If you prefer a faster pace, please let us know at the start of the ride that you will be going ahead without us.

• Please observe trail etiquette by staying in the right lane except when it is safe to pass.

• Ride at your own risk

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Picnic food for yourself (but feel free to bring something to share if the spirit moves you 🙂).

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, June 13.

Registration is recommended for this event:

Join us for a midsummer Brompton Social Ride on Saturday, July 11 along the southern part of North Branch Trail with a visit to historic Old Edgebrook, and an evening picnic at a scenic spot along the trail.

We’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride of about 8-10 if you complete the loop back to the shop with us.

• No worries if you don’t have a Brompton. ALL BIKES WELCOME!

• End time approximate

• You may ride with us back to the shop, or head home on your own.

• What to bring:

  • Helmet

  • Lights

  • Portable seating (or blanket)

  • Food and beverage of your choice to enjoy at our picnic spot.

• Ride at your own risk.

No Brompton? No problem! Join us with the bike you have, or text us to check loaner Brompton availability (min 48 hour notice required).

👇 Please RSVP to participate 👇

This week we’ll ride on one of our favorite local trails: the Old Plank Road from Matteson (see parking info below), to the scenic Hickory Creek Trail detour, and back, for a total of about 28 miles. To avoid the mostly-uphill return on Hickory Creek, we’ll take a shortcut along the un-scenic Route 30 Bikeway back to OPRT.

OPR Trail ins a linear rail-to-trail and offers views of oak trees and sugar maples, prairie grasses, and wildflowers, as well as opprtunities to view wildlife (including bald eagles!) while passing through nature preserves adjacent to the trail.

If we return back in time, those who wish can stop with us at the Farmers Market in Frankfort for snack and refreshments.

Highlights:

The trail passes over an award-winning, arrowhead-shaped suspension bridge, which takes trail users over US 45. Frankfort, the trail's physical and spiritual center greets riders with an archway overhead emblazoned with the trail's name.

Details:

• Sunday, July 12 meet at 9:45am for 10am departure. Parking and route details coming soon. Ride end time is approximate.

• Riding distance about 28 miles

• Facilities available trailside.

• Ride at your own risk

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike (no recumbent? your regular bike is welcome!!)

• Helmet

• Snack/Water

• Money for farmer’s market purchases if you decide to join us.

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour or dangerous snowy/icy conditions. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, July 11.

REGISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EVENT:

Join us for a very nice ride Des Plaines River Trail from Independence Grove in Libertyville to Half Day Forest Preserve for a total distance of about 23 miles, with the scenic loop around the lake at IG, and a ride finale at the Beer Garden for those who wish to join.

The trail is unpaved, but consists of smooth crushed gravel and dirt. It’s well maintained and very wooded in sections so there will be leaves, acorns and other droppings from trees and greenery in some areas.  The trail is not striped or divided into two way traffic. On a Sunday there will be a fair amount of cyclists and pedestrian traffic. Possibly a person or two on horseback.

Details:

• Sunday, October 12 we’ll meet at Independence Grove parking area K ($6 entrance fee for non-lake county residents) 16400 Buckley Rd, Libertyville, IL 60048 (see map) at 9:45 am for a 10 am departure.

• Riding distance about 23 miles. End time approximate.

• Facilities available trailside.

• Ride at your own risk.

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Funds for refreshments if you decide to join us at the Beer Garden after the ride.

• Snack/Water

• Sunscreen

Ride Guidelines:

• These rides are somewhat exploratory in nature. We have not pre-ridden all of the trails, and while we are on the lookout for announced trail closures and obstructions, there can a bit of guesswork involved. Sometimes, we rely on other riders who are more familiar with the trails for guidance. Please maintain the spirit of curiosity and open-mindedness about last-minute route tweaks.

• These are NO-DROP rides. We ride with participants with widely differing abilities, and it is our goal to keep a cohesive group. We will stop periodically throughout the ride to allow everyone to catch up. If you need to make an unplanned stop, the group will wait for you at the next rest stop.
  If you prefer a faster pace, please let us know at the start of the ride that you will be going ahead without us.

• Please observe trail etiquette by staying in the right lane except when it is safe to pass.

• Ride at your own risk

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, Oct. 11.

Registration is recommended for this event:

We have a great ride coming up for our Brompton Social Ride on Saturday, August 1. We’ll ride front he shop to Sauganash and follow the linear Skokie Valley Trail straight to the welcoming front door of Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie.

We’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride of about 7 miles one way, 14 if you complete the trip back to the shop with us.

• No worries if you don’t have a Brompton. ALL BIKES WELCOME!

• End time approximate

• You may ride with us back to the shop, or head home on your own.

• What to bring:

  • Helmet

  • Lights

  • $ for beverages and snacks

• Ride at your own risk.

No Brompton? No problem! Join us with the bike you have, or text us to check loaner Brompton availability (min 48 hour notice required).

👇 Please RSVP to participate 👇

Join us for the ride on the Erie-Lackawanna Trail in NW Indiana. We’ll start at the Indiana Welcome Center at 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond, IN 46323, which has convenient parking and restrooms (and a very interesting building). We’ll ride to the southern trailhead in Crown Point, with a short detour at the Ivan Gatlin Nature Preserve, for a total distance of about 24 miles.

Brewery lunch option: on the return trip, anyone who want to can join us for lunch and refreshments at Fuzzyline Brewing Co., which is just off the trail, less than a mile south of our starting point.

Details:

• Sunday, August 9 meet at 9:45am for 10am departure. We’ll gather at the Indiana Welcome Center at 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond, IN (see map)

• Riding distance about 24 miles

• Rest stops: We will make regular stops where facilities are available trailside, and we will wait there for any riders who may have stopped at other points.

• End time approximate

• Ride at your own risk

What to bring:

• Your recumbent bike or trike

• Helmet

• Snack/Water

• Funds for lunch if you decide to join us

Ride Guidelines:

• These rides are somewhat exploratory in nature. We have not pre-ridden all of the trails, and while we are on the lookout for announced trail closures and obstructions, there can a bit of guesswork involved. Sometimes, we rely on other riders who are more familiar with the trails for guidance. Please maintain the spirit of curiosity and open-mindedness about last-minute route tweaks.

• These are NO-DROP rides. We ride with participants with widely differing abilities, and it is our goal to keep a cohesive group. We will stop periodically throughout the ride to allow everyone to catch up. If you prefer a faster pace, please let us know at the start of the ride that you will be going ahead without us.

• Please observe trail etiquette by staying in the right lane except when it is safe to pass.

• Ride at your own risk

Weather:

• We’ll ride in any weather, except steady downpour or dangerous snowy/icy conditions. Notification, if necessary, will be sent by 6pm Saturday, Aug. 8.

REGISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EVENT:

The details of this ride are still in the works. Stay tuned!!

Ride with us to greet our Lonely Satellite as he makes his monthly full-face appearance over the waters of Lake Michigan.

• When: Friday, August 28 from 5 pm to 8-ish pm

• Where: Meet at Cosmic Bikes for a ride to Gillson Park on the lakefront in Wilmette. We’ll aim to be rolling at 5:30.

• Pace: Moderate pace, no-drop social ride.

• Route: Approx. 24 miles round-trip. We'll use a combination of the North Shore Channel trail and local streets. You may ride with us back to the shop, or head home on your own.

• What to bring: Your bike, helmet, lights, lock, BYOB and cash for emergencies.

Ride at your own risk. Ending time is approximate.

Registration is recommended for this event:

The details of this ride are still in the works. Stay tuned!!

The details of this ride are still in the works. Stay tuned!!

We’re planning a special Halloween themed Brompton ride for the season finale.

As usual, we’ll gather at Cosmic Bikes at 4pm for a 4:30pm departure. This will be a low-key, no-drop social ride, but with some extra Halloween festivities. Stay tuned!