Summer Cycling Education Series

The City of Evanston, in partnership with the Evanston Public Library and Recyclery, will launch its second annual Summer Transportation Education Series. This collection of free workshops is designed to teach community members of all ages and skill levels how to ride bicycles, scooters, and e-bikes safely and confidently for transportation. The free public workshops will be supplemented with offerings for City of Evanston staff and students at Northwestern and ETHS.

In recognition of the increasing popularity of scooters and e-bikes, adult courses will welcome scooter and e-bike riders aged 16 or older, provided they ride at a controlled speed set by the instructors. 

Facilitated by The Recyclery, a nonprofit bicycle education organization, the series includes hands-on classes covering everything from learning to ride to navigating city streets and maintaining a bicycle. The series will include a Spanish-language offering and will take place at locations throughout Evanston.

Registrants who do not own bicycles may request a loaner bicycle and helmet during the workshops. Those ages 16 and older are also encouraged to sign up for the standard or equity Divvy membership.

La Ciudad de Evanston, en colaboración con la Biblioteca Pública de Evanston, está organizando una Serie Educativa de Ciclismo de Verano para ayudar a los miembros de la comunidad a aprender a andar en bicicleta de manera segura y con confianza. La serie incluye clases para aprender a andar en bicicleta, habilidades esenciales para circular por calles de la ciudad y mantenimiento básico de bicicletas. Los talleres se llevarán a cabo de julio a septiembre (31/7 Ciclismo Urbano 101, 6/8 Ciclismo Urbano 101, 16/8 Aprende a Andar en Bicicleta, 9/9 Mecánica de Bicicletas, 13/9 Ciclismo para Tutores acompañados de ciclistas independientes de 10 años en adelante). Todos los talleres serán impartidos por The Recyclery, una organización educativa sin fines de lucro, y se ofrecerán en inglés y español.

Workshop Schedule:

Learn to Ride

For adults & youth ages 14+ who do not know how to ride a bike. This off-street class will provide a supportive environment for participants to practice balancing, pedaling, starting, and stopping. After building these step-by-step skills, participants have the opportunity to put it all together and ride!

• Sunday, June 28
• 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Prieto Community Center, 430 Asbury Ave.

City Cycling 101

This 2.5-hour training will cover key skills needed to use a bicycle for transportation. This course is geared toward those who already know how to ride a bike and want to become more comfortable on the road. This is a mostly on-bike course, with the first portion focused on off-street drills and bike assessment skills, and the second part focused on on-street riding in a group.

• Tuesday, June 30
• 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Library Main Branch, 1703 Orrington Ave.

Spanish-Language Family City Cycling

• Saturday, July 11
• 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Robert Crown Community Center, 1801 Main St.

Intro to Bike Maintenance

For adults & youth ages 14+, this class will teach you how to assess the condition of your bike, inflate tires, lube your chain, and fix a flat tire. All tools provided. 

• Tuesday, July 14
• 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Evanston Public Library Innovation Station, 3rd Floor

City Cycling 101 

This 2.5-hour training will cover key skills needed to use a bicycle for transportation. This course is geared toward those who already know how to ride a bike and want to become more comfortable on the road. This is a mostly on-bike course, with the first portion focused on off-street drills and bike assessment skills, and the second part focused on on-street riding in a group.

• Tuesday, July 21
• 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave.

To cap off the summer, participants are invited to join for the annual Bike the Ridge event, Evanston’s beloved open streets celebration on Sunday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ridge Avenue (Howard to Church) will be closed to motor vehicles and open to cyclists of all ages and abilities. 

Registration Information

All participants must register in advance. Once registered, participants will receive a waiver to sign and preparation instructions before class. Register for each class at the link above, by calling the Evanston Public Library at 847-448-8600, or in person at the Evanston Public Library.