Our Mission Statement

"The Recyclery Collective seeks to build community through the restoration of donated and discarded bicycles. We share resources and knowledge in order to support an affordable, independent, and sustainable mode of transportation. In this spirit of education and mutual aid, we encourage discussion about how our transportation choices affect the health of our communities and our environment."

Our Programs

Open Shop:

Use our tools to fix your own bike with the instruction of Recyclery mechanics. We strive to provide an open, respectful and collaborative atmosphere free of mechanical elitism. One of our volunteers will be happy to help you figure out how to get your bike running well. For those working on their own bicycles we suggest a $10/hour (sliding scale) donation. Cash or check only.

Saturday Bike Sales

We sell bicycles every Saturday morning 10 am - noon. We offer a variety of bicycle styles and prices. All bikes are repaired by a Recyclery mechanic and sold as is. We also sell locks, helmets, lights, and other accessories. Your purchase keeps a used bike running and funds our educational programs. We take cash or check only. Find out more.

Youth Classes:

Partnering with Howard Area Community Center and other local organizations, the Recyclery teaches youth bicycle maintenance, riding safety, environmental awareness, and work ethics. Youth learn about safe commuting skills while on group rides and main maintenance skills in our shop. Check out our Bike Club blog.

Overhaul & Tune-Up Classes:

The Recyclery teaches bicycle maintenance to adults through a variety of classes. A two-day Tune-Up class provides basic skills and introduces people to bike maintenance. A six-week class, Complete Overhaul 101, gives participants hands on experience with every component system of their bicycle. Sign up here.

FreeCyclery and Volunteer Hours:

By connecting with social services organizations in our area, we donate bicycles to those in need. Donated bikes, locks, and helmets provide self-sufficiency and practical transportation to refugees, people experiencing homelessness, and low-income families. We rely on volunteers to fix these bikes during Volunteer Hours and Open Shop times. Freecyclery candidates apply for a bike through a social worker at these partner organizations:

Chicago House
Connections for the Homeless
Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago
Expanding Lives
Franciscan Outreach Association
Goldie's Place
Heartland Alliance
Howard Area Community Center
Inspiration Corporation
LIFT Chicago
Refugee One
Stockton School
Thresholds
Youth Organization Umbrella

Women and Trans Night:

NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS. We try to make all shop times inclusive. Two of our Open Shops are hosted by women mechanics.

An open shop time only for women and transgender people. We provide free training and a welcoming, comfortable space in the male-dominated field of bicycle mechanics. Occasional group rides around North Chicago and mini-classes on specific parts also help create more confident and independent cyclists.

Our Structure

The Recyclery is a 501c3 non-profit. All major decisions are made by a quorum of collective members at a bi-monthly meeting. Decisions are made by consensus and the collective is open to anyone willing to put in the time and effort to fulfill collective entry requirements. A few staff members are paid for administrative tasks, fixing bikes for sale, and teaching classes. Regular volunteers fix bikes that we give away and help during Open Shop.

Our Support

The Recyclery is grateful for all the support we receive from the wider community. We'd especially like to thank The Chicago Community Trust, Evanston Bicycle Club, Evanston Community Foundation, Planet Bike, Reba Place Fellowship, and the Chicago-area bicycling community.

Get Involved

If you would like to join us in our mission, we invite you to volunteer or donate.