The city of Chicago has provided that home away from home at a "cycle center" on the edge of Millennium Park. The facility provides showers, lockers and parking for 300 bikes. (It is now sponsored by McDonald's under a $5 million deal with the city.) And it's NICE. Glistening modern sinks, pristine locker room, indoor bike parking. Even a repair shop.
I was in Chicago last week, so I rented a bike from the cycle center. I rode north along the lake at 7 am on a weekday morning to check out who might be commuting in. Hordes of cyclists came at me with packs on their backs or bikes. In just 15 minutes, I counted 126 people rolling toward me, including three inline skaters. I decided to stop counting after that and just enjoy the view of Chicago architecture on one side and Lake Michigan on the other.
If Chicago is any example, if you build the bike facilities, they will ride.
Lots more pictures after the jump.
bikestorage-1.jpg
bike storage
bikesinks.jpg
glistening sinks
bikelockers.jpg
clean locker room
