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the recyclery
the recyclery

3rd Annual Tailwind for Tools Fun-draiser!

Our third annual Tailwind for Tools winter fundraiser is here! Last year we set a goal of $5000 and came very close to reaching it. We came in at $4,257.74, making it our most successful fundraiser yet.Thanks to the generosity of our friends, we were able to sponsor more youth rides, train more young adults, give away more bikes, inaugurate new programming, and continue serving the Howard area community in Rogers Park.

Please consider financially supporting The Recyclery’s educational programs this holiday season. Your gifts go a long way in helping The Recyclery share cycling with our community.

Donate Here!

We love you & we need you!

Our achievements this year at The Recyclery!

  • Our volunteers have logged a record number of 3605 hours this year;
  • We have served 1745 patrons during Open Shop;
  • 168 bicycles were given away through the Freecyclery program to people in need;
  • We trained 5 youth interns in bicycle mechanics and worked with 2 long-term interns
  • 25 youth and 3 adults rode through our door on their new (refurbished) bicycles through our Earn-A-Bike program;
  • We added W.T.F. Night  to our programs;

We are grateful to all of our wonderful volunteers, patrons, donors and moral supporters. We could not have done it without you!

A couple of lessons were learned this year as well. After an unfortunate break-in and theft incident we have seriously upgraded our security system, however the high valued items and bicycles were not recovered.

We have also noticed a city-wide decrease in refurbished bicycle sales (which is the main source feeding our programs and operations), thus your support is needed more than ever:

  • $5 donation buys a flat tire repair kit for 1 youth
  • $10 donation covers an hour of Open Shop time for the many in our community who can’t donate
  • $25 donation buys lock and a helmet for 1 youth
  • $75 donation provides 1  Tune-Up Class scholarship
  • $180 donation provides 1 Overhaul Class scholarship
  • $500 fully funds one Earn-a-Bike program for local youth

Any amount – small or large – is very appreciated and helpful ♥

Some workplaces offer to match your donation. Check to see if your employer has such a program. You could encourage your colleagues to donate as well!

The FUN part

The Tailwind For Tools campaign finale is on Valentine’s Day weekend (‘cause we love our Recyclery friends) . You won’t want to miss this year’s Open House party at the shop. This year we are bringing back the funky bike photo booth, bike-part-upcycling crafts, DIY screen printing, food, live music, and adding more fun activities to our all day event.

Community, Events,

Sign up for our winter Tune-Up Class!

We’ve just scheduled our winter Tune-Up class!

This two-part bicycle Tune-Up Class will be taught by Tzippy and will introduce you to basic bicycle maintenance. We’ll cover tool and component terminology, fixing a flat, chain maintenance, brake pad replacement, and basic shifting adjustments. We’ll also provide some tips for getting through the winter!

Bring your own bike to the class. We do not have storage, but we try to make sure it’s ridable by the end of each session. Geared bicycles are recommended over single speeds or fixed gears. We will provide hand-outs to help with learning.

Cost for both sessions is $75 (more if you can, contact us to negotiate less, if you can’t), or $95 to add on The Recyclery t-shirt and Jay Ryan poster. Attendance is limited, so please use the ticket link below to register, today!

Sign up for a class here!

When?
December 3rd & 10th, 2017
Sunday evenings 6-9 PM

Community

W.T.F. (Women, Trans, Femme) Night!

Our next W.T.F. Night is Sunday, 10/22!!!

Every 4th Sunday 6pm-9pm, The Recyclery hosts W.T.F. (Women, Trans, Femme) Night in collaboration with Women Bike Chicago. This program is run by W.T.F. mechanics from both Women Bike Chicago and The Recyclery.

W.T.F. Night is for people who identify as women, trans, or femme. Participants learn new skills, get practical help with their own bikes, and contribute to the Recyclery’s Freecyclery program. W.T.F. Night is a time for leaders and participants alike to share knowledge and skills with other community members.

For those working on their own bikes, there is a $10/hour requested donation (more if you can, less if you can’t). Check out The Recyclery for more information their programming.

 

Community, ,

Sign up for our Winter Overhaul Class!

We’ve just scheduled our Winter Overhaul Class!

Our six-week winter overhaul class is taught by Matt. Classes are Sunday afternoons 2-5pm. You’ll learn how to disassemble, reassemble, and adjust each major mechanical system of your bicycle week-by-week. We recommend the Tune-Up class before this one if you have never fixed a flat. Costs $180.

Bring your own bike to the class. We do not have storage, but we try to make sure it’s ridable by the end of each session. Geared bicycles are recommended over single speeds or fixed gears. We will provide hand-outs to help with learning. We’ll also provide new cables and housing for the overhaul class.

Sign up for class here!

When?
January 7  through February 11
Sunday afternoons, 2-5 PM

Community, ,

Our Mission

The Recyclery Collective is an educational bike shop that promotes sustainability by giving access to tools, skills, and opportunities for collaboration.

Our Vision

We envision a diverse, resilient neighborhood filled with knowledgeable, self-reliant cyclists.

Our Values

  • Collaboration: We create opportunities for people of all backgrounds to work, share, and learn together to support a practical form of transportation.
  • Social Justice: We provide tools and resources to empower underserved populations and nurture community leaders.
  • Ecological Sustainability: We encourage the mindful use of resources and promote cycling as a part of building more resilient communities.
  • Celebrating Everything We Do: We like to have fun while working hard to make bicycles and mechanics accessible.

Our Structure

The Recyclery is a 501c3 non-profit run primarily by volunteers. All major decisions are made by a quorum of collective members at a twice-a-month meeting. The Collective follows a consensus decision making model and 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. Meet our collective and staff members here.

Our Support

The Recyclery is grateful for all the support we receive from the wider community.