Despite looking like a solo activity (aside from those occasional bicycles built for two) biking in Chicago can be a very communal experience. And the website The Chainlink is a sort of online community center for city’s cyclists.
The Chainlink is an independent (read: unbiased) source for the needs of bike-minded Chicago.
“It’s entirely user driven,” says Melissa Simon, spokesperson for The Chainlink. “Unlike a non-profit or an advocacy organization, we’re not tired to a particular agenda. It’s really just a space for Chicagoland riders to share their thoughts and ideas. It’s also a place for people to give a lot of input and get a lot of insight on how they can ride in the area.”
Like a traditional community center, the site has area to posts about upcoming events, bartering and swapping opportunities, even an area to help recover stolen bikes. And like a community center, there’s places for discussions – everything from routes to activism to safety.
“Anything goes on the Chainlink,” says Melissa.
The site has been around for about 4 years and has grown to 7000 members.
Executive director Julie Hochstadter says rider will connect on the site over bigger events like Critical Mass and charity rides, but also over smaller, personal rides.
“Someone will have just have Friday afternoon off on a beautiful day and they’ll post on the forum looking for a couple of people to ride with, and 10 people will show up.”
So if you’re looking for tips or have a question about biking in the city or just looking to meet a friend on the road, log on to The Chainlink.org
