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

Youth Classes:

Partnering with Howard Area Community Center and Project NIA, the Recyclery teaches youth bicycle maintenance, bike safety, environmental awareness, and work ethics. Youth go on rides and work on bicycles in our shop.

Build-a-Bike:

The Recyclery teaches bicycle maintenance to adults through its eight-week Build-a-Bike program. This course is available for people looking to gain knowledge and hands-on experience with their own bicycles and their functions. Participants cover everything from headsets, bottom brackets, hubs, and wheel truing to brakes, shifters, and derailleurs. The class costs $150 (sliding scale). Class times are usually Wednesday evening (6-9pm) and Sunday 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. Fill out the Build-a-Bike sign-up form to enroll now.

FreeCyclery:

By connecting with social services organizations in our area, we build relationships and donate bicycles to those in need. From low-income families to those with mental illness, free bikes provide needed self-sufficiency and practical transportation. We rely on volunteers to fix these bikes during Volunteer Hours and Open Shop times. We have donated bicycles to clients of the following organizations:

Connections for the Homeless
Center on Halsted
DePaul Community Mental Health Care
Evanston Northwestern Mental Health Care
Heartland Alliance
Housing Options for the Mentally Ill
Howard Area Community Center
Inspiration Corporation
Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries
Jewish Child and Family Services
Living Water Community Church
Margaret Manor
Mercy Homes for Boys and Girls
National Student Partnerships
REST
Rice Child and Family Services
The Salvation Army
The Youth Campus
Youth Organization Umbrella

Open Shop:

Use our tools to fix your own bike or volunteer and fix Recyclery bikes. We strive to provide an open, respectful and collaborative atmosphere free of mechanical elitism; if you are just getting started one of our volunteers will be happy to help you out--many of today's regular volunteers patched their first tires at Open Shop! For those working on their own bicycles we suggest a $10/hr (sliding-scale) donation. The Recyclery also offers a shared stereo system, so bring your own CDs or MP3 player!

Women and Trans Night:

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. NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ON HIATUS.

Used Bicycle Sales:

We can't give all our bikes away for free, but we do our best to keep the prices affordable. Providing inexpensive bikes means neighbors have more access to bikes; the community as a whole gets more exercise, reduces oil use, cuts back on congestion and is more open to friendly waves! Bicycle Sales are every Saturday 10am-noon.

Our Structure

The management of the Recyclery is open to anyone willing to put forth the time and effort. A group of core volunteers handles the daily running of the shop and business, but other volunteers contribute to almost every aspect of the Recyclery. Decisions are made democratically, so all volunteers are able to offer ideas and contribute to the discussions. Because all core volunteers can affect the Recyclery's future, it is a more empowering environment than normal hierarchical work situations. Our decision to be organized as a collective is deeply connected to our mission, as it fosters mutual respect and values diverse opinions and talents.

Our Support

The Recyclery is grateful for all the support we receive from the wider community. Please read our support section for a list of some organizations that have contributed.

Get Involved

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

Newsletter Archive

The Recyclery Newsletter not only updates a wide network of people about our projects and events, but serves as a forum for dialogue on the purpose and scope of the Recyclery's programs. All files are in PDF format.

December 2007 Newsletter
Spring 2008 Newsletter