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the recyclery
the recyclery

You are invited: Open House Party, Sunday, January 31st!

tailwind for tools event-01Our fundraising campaign Tailwind For Tools is coming to an end. Thank you to everyone who contributed and if you haven’t yet, you still have a chance (click here to make a contribution)!

We are hosting an open house party Sunday, January 31st. We will start at 2 pm and will stay open till 8 pm. Join us for activities throughout the day including bike-related crafts, silk screen printing (bring your own shirt or apron), light snacks, drinks and more!

Event program:

  • 2:0o pm – doors open
  • 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm – repairing bikes for local kids (no prior bicycle mechanics knowledge necessary)
  • 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm – History of Bicycle – presentation by Matt Ford
  • 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm – Biking in the city? informal discussion, tips and insights
  • 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – documentary screening: American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs

All day:

  • Ongoing craft station – bike part jewelry making, silk screen printing (bring your own shirt, apron, etc)
  • Snacks and light refreshments
  • Prize wheel
  • Raffle!

Families are welcome, youth under 18 must be accompanied by adult.

Suggested donation – $5

Donations are welcome throughout the event – online, cash, check, you name it 😉

howardlogoAll kale related foods generously donated by The Amazing Kale Burger. Their lunch counter is an all vegan cafe located on Howard street, serving up tasty, healthy, veggie filled burgers and re-imagined brunch favorites.

logo3 Thank you Caribbean American Bakery for donating cocktail patties! Caribbean American Bakery is the producer and reseller of the finest Jamaican Style baked products in the midwest.

Events

Polkaholics and Chicago Critical Mass at Red Line Tap, Jan 29th

Prize wheel at Polkaholics showThe plan for this last Friday of January (29th) is to lead the Critical Mass ride to the Red Line Tap to see The Polkaholics play. The Polkaholics are a Chicago band that plays a high-speed collision of polka and rock ‘n roll!

It’s an annual tradition for Critical Mass. Polkahlics are a hoot!

We will be there too and are bringing our rad prize wheel! You are warmly invited to join the Critical Mass gathering at 5:30 pm at Daley Plaza, leaving at 6 pm. Or just come straight to Red Line Tap around 7 pm!

Doors open at 7 pm, the band starts around 8 pm and will play three sets. Critical Mass should arrive sometime during the first set.​​

Our good ol’ friend Red Line Tap is at 7006 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626

And here’s a music sample:


Hope to see you there , and HAPPY FRIDAY!

Events

Upcoming Classes

learn bike mechanics

We have a number of changes for 2016. We are scheduling the classes farther out in advance to help you plan better. Check out our schedule below!

We also added the ability to pay a little more for the class and get a Recyclery t-shirt and Jay Ryan poster. (You pay $20 for a $38 value.) What better way to announce your new skills and impress your friends?

Sign up for a class here!

Tune-Up Class
Three options:
All Sunday evenings 6-9pm

  • February 7 & 14
  • March 6 & 13
  • April 3 & 10

Our two-part bicycle tune-up class taught by Tzippy. This class 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 talk provide some tips for getting through the winter! Costs $75 or $95 with shirt and poster.

Overhaul Class
Four options:
All Sunday afternoons 2-5pm

  • January 10 – February 14
  • March 6 – April 10
  • May 1 – June 5
  • June 26 – July 31

Our six-week overhaul class taught by Froilan. 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 or $200 with shirt and poster. Sign up!

Uncategorized

Winter fundraiser: Give a Tailwind for Tools!

Everyone knows what a difference does it make to ride with a tailwind. We are looking for one too! Starting today, we are launching an online fundraiser “Tailwind for Tools”. We’ve set a high goal – $10,000! But our dreams are big too.

Here is what we will do with that amount:

  1. SprocketsUpdate our space by installing two new repair stands in what is now only a storage area.
  2. Replace our most heavily used and worn tools.
  3. Upgrade our light fixtures and bulbs to more sustainable standards.
  4. Remodel our front desk, add a theft-protected display area for bicycle parts, and create a small lounge area for our patrons and volunteers.
  5. Update our computers to increase productivity.

Give us a tailwind!

With new bike stands, we can run full-time programs at the shop without interrupting our staff mechanics’ work schedules, and we can ensure that our more specialized tools are protected from theft.

We purchased many of our tools when we started ten years ago. With over 1,500 annual users coming to our Open Shop, they have seen a lot of use and many of them need to be replaced.

Our current light fixtures are for old fluorescent bulbs which are no longer manufactured in the U.S. New lighting will help everyone who uses the shop to see what they’re working on. It will also be more energy efficient and sustainable.

A smaller and more efficient front desk will protect our higher-value items from theft and will optimize the check-in/check-out system.

A lounge area will let our volunteers rest during their shifts and give our patrons a place to wait comfortably without crowding the busy routes through the shop. It will also add life to our community gatherings and events.

Newer computers will help our staff productivity. We’re not looking for cutting edge here, but our current machines practically lock up when attempting to multitask.

We know this goal is high, but $10,000 will let us make all four dreams come true.

We appreciate every donation big and small. Every dollar counts!

If we reach our $10,000 goal by January 31st, all our donors will be invited to a celebration and a Goodbye-to-the-Old-Space party. On Sunday, January 31, we will be open all day, sharing stories, starting new friendships and maintaining old ones, and working on kids’ bikes that will be given away to newly arrived refugee children. Light snacks and refreshments on us! You know, we’ll make a party even if don’t reach that goal 😉

Thank you from all our pink sprocket hearts!

Donate here

Events, Recyclery Collective, , ,

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.