The Chainlink

No more free parking at McDonald's Cycle Center

I found out yesterday that the Cycle Center will no longer allow non-members to park their bikes there. The explanation was that with all the construction going on, they were having issues and the city was making it worse. This starts on May 1. I for one, am totally bummed. 

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Permalink Reply by WillG on April 24, 2013 at 8:45am

Talked to them this morning. Here is what I heard:

Free INSIDE parking ending

Free OUTSIDE parking staying

Day membership staying (currently $5, price maybe lowering?)

Monthly/Annual membership staying

The construction at Maggie Daley Park was cited as a reason. I am not entirely sure of the specifics but that lower inside area is somehow connected to the inside area by Maggie Daley Park (?) and the city has somehow taken some space back (for construction staging? for an evil McDonald's Executive Puppy Kicking Arena? we'll never know!) and/or made less space available for the cycle center.

The guy (can't remember his name, the one there in the mornings) said that they were aware of the massive amount of misinformation and pitchfork waving going on here and are considering (already did?) joining the conversation.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on April 24, 2013 at 8:50am

thanks for clarifying!

Will G - 10mi said:

Talked to them this morning. Here is what I heard:

Free INSIDE parking ending

Free OUTSIDE parking staying

Day membership staying (currently $5, price maybe lowering?)

Monthly/Annual membership staying

The construction at Maggie Daley Park was cited as a reason. I am not entirely sure of the specifics but that lower inside area is somehow connected to the inside area by Maggie Daley Park (?) and the city has somehow taken some space back (for construction staging? for an evil McDonald's Executive Puppy Kicking Arena? we'll never know!) and/or made less space available for the cycle center.

The guy (can't remember his name, the one there in the mornings) said that they were aware of the massive amount of misinformation and pitchfork waving going on here and are considering (already did?) joining the conversation.

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on April 24, 2013 at 9:36am

I would guess that either they haven't joined the conversation, or if they have, they have not joined it with disclosure of their actual interest in the operation.   I would hope that they would be intellectually honest enough to admit that they are not a dis-interested participant in the discussion as opposed to being a "user" of the facility.

Will G - 10mi said:


The guy (can't remember his name, the one there in the mornings) said that they were aware of the massive amount of misinformation and pitchfork waving going on here and are considering (already did?) joining the conversation.

Permalink Reply by WillG on April 24, 2013 at 9:39am

David, please take your tinfoil hat off. The world is not out to get you.

Permalink Reply by Wendell Reeves on April 24, 2013 at 9:40am

According to the facility there will be outside parking which should be fairly safe with the CPD hub being in the building.  Seems to be a natural outcome as the membership grows and paying members are jockeying for parking space too.  The current manager is doing a great job of trying to make things work for all but retaining a value to paying for monthly membership.

Thank God we don't have to pay for the CTA or the highway robbery parking situation in the city!

Very few things stay free the length of time the indoor secured parking was offered as a courtesy:)

Permalink Reply by Sarah Lewert on April 24, 2013 at 10:06am

I was told by someone working there the daily option was going away and the only option would be the monthly membership.

Will G - 10mi said:

Talked to them this morning. Here is what I heard:

Free INSIDE parking ending

Free OUTSIDE parking staying

Day membership staying (currently $5, price maybe lowering?)

Monthly/Annual membership staying

The construction at Maggie Daley Park was cited as a reason. I am not entirely sure of the specifics but that lower inside area is somehow connected to the inside area by Maggie Daley Park (?) and the city has somehow taken some space back (for construction staging? for an evil McDonald's Executive Puppy Kicking Arena? we'll never know!) and/or made less space available for the cycle center.

The guy (can't remember his name, the one there in the mornings) said that they were aware of the massive amount of misinformation and pitchfork waving going on here and are considering (already did?) joining the conversation.

Permalink Reply by Wendell Reeves on April 24, 2013 at 10:09am

I know they would like to attract more women riders, perhaps they can make some accommodation price wise for this year?  It's nice to see men and women using the facility and riding:)

Permalink Reply by WillG on April 24, 2013 at 10:48am

I suggest that you confirm that with someone else. I was assured that that wasn't the case. Who knows?

Sarah Lewert said:

I was told by someone working there the daily option was going away and the only option would be the monthly membership.

Will G - 10mi said:

Talked to them this morning. Here is what I heard:

Free INSIDE parking ending

Free OUTSIDE parking staying

Day membership staying (currently $5, price maybe lowering?)

Monthly/Annual membership staying

The construction at Maggie Daley Park was cited as a reason. I am not entirely sure of the specifics but that lower inside area is somehow connected to the inside area by Maggie Daley Park (?) and the city has somehow taken some space back (for construction staging? for an evil McDonald's Executive Puppy Kicking Arena? we'll never know!) and/or made less space available for the cycle center.

The guy (can't remember his name, the one there in the mornings) said that they were aware of the massive amount of misinformation and pitchfork waving going on here and are considering (already did?) joining the conversation.

Permalink Reply by McDonald's Cycle Center on April 25, 2013 at 11:58am

We wanted to clarify the upcoming changes to the supervised indoor parking policy at the McDonald’s Cycle Center.

Starting May 1st, 2013, free supervised indoor parking will no longer be offered at the McDonald’s Cycle Center.

Options for secure indoor supervised parking will be:

  1. Day Pass for $5 (includes access to showers and towel service)
  2. Monthly Membership for $30 per month
  3. Annual Membership at $169 per year

FREE outdoor parking will still be available outside behind the McDonald’s Cycle Center (South side of building).

In addition, during summer concerts at Millennium Park, FREE parking will be available inside of the bike center to meet the increased demand.

The recent closure of Maggie Daley Park (formerly the park adjacent to Daley Bicentennial Plaza) has cut-off the primary lakefront trail access point to/from the Bike Center for the next few years.  This closure has forced us to change the access point to the McDonald’s Cycle Center and this new access point will require a membership card to open door/enter the bike center.

It is important to note that comparable facilities in other cities do not offer secure free parking.

Some of the benefits to consider if you are evaluating becoming a member of the Bike Center:

  • 24/7 access to secure indoor bicycle parking area in atrium
  • Access to additional secure indoor bicycle parking
  • Showers
  • Lockers
  • Changing area
  • Towel Service
  • 15% OFF bike repairs. Most mechanic services available same-day, drop-off in morning / ride out in evening.
  • 10% OFF retail items
  • “Getting started” bike commuting consultation

For additional information on membership benefits and rates please visit: http://bit.ly/15HuATK

If you are interested in trying out the facility to decide before you join as a member, we are offering a FREE 1-week trial for new members. Please email info AT bikechicago DOT com for additional information on how to participate in this free 1-week trial. 

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on April 25, 2013 at 12:29pm

Thanks for clarifying all this!

Given where I live and work, the storage and shower facilities are not something I need, but it has been super handy on several occasions to have a bike shop there for picking up a tube or for service. Am I reading correctly that during the park destruction/construction, non-members will no longer have access to the bike shop? 

McDonald's Cycle Center said:

We wanted to clarify the upcoming changes to the supervised indoor parking policy at the McDonald’s Cycle Center.

Starting May 1st, 2013, free supervised indoor parking will no longer be offered at the McDonald’s Cycle Center.

Options for secure indoor supervised parking will be:

  1. Day Pass for $5 (includes access to showers and towel service)
  2. Monthly Membership for $30 per month
  3. Annual Membership at $169 per year

FREE outdoor parking will still be available outside behind the McDonald’s Cycle Center (South side of building).

In addition, during summer concerts at Millennium Park, FREE parking will be available inside of the bike center to meet the increased demand.

The recent closure of Maggie Daley Park (formerly the park adjacent to Daley Bicentennial Plaza) has cut-off the primary lakefront trail access point to/from the Bike Center for the next few years.  This closure has forced us to change the access point to the McDonald’s Cycle Center and this new access point will require a membership card to open door/enter the bike center.

It is important to note that comparable facilities in other cities do not offer secure free parking.

Some of the benefits to consider if you are evaluating becoming a member of the Bike Center:

  • 24/7 access to secure indoor bicycle parking area in atrium
  • Access to additional secure indoor bicycle parking
  • Showers
  • Lockers
  • Changing area
  • Towel Service
  • 15% OFF bike repairs. Most mechanic services available same-day, drop-off in morning / ride out in evening.
  • 10% OFF retail items
  • “Getting started” bike commuting consultation

For additional information on membership benefits and rates please visit: http://bit.ly/15HuATK

If you are interested in trying out the facility to decide before you join as a member, we are offering a FREE 1-week trial for new members. Please email info AT bikechicago DOT com for additional information on how to participate in this free 1-week trial. 

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on April 25, 2013 at 12:33pm

Any idea how many spaces there will be for the shows, or will it depend on how many spaces are filled up with paying customers, etc? The outdoor parking for bicycles is a hornswagglin mess. 

Thanks for dropping in to clarify. 


McDonald's Cycle Center said:

"In addition, during summer concerts at Millennium Park, FREE parking will be available inside of the bike center to meet the increased demand."

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on April 26, 2013 at 10:41am

Folks,

Here's a Streetsblog post with full info about the changes at the bike station, straight from the horse's mouth. Thanks for the tip on this story. http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/04/26/not-lovin-it-chainlinkers-pan...

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