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West Town Bikes: News and Updates

The overreaching goals of West Town Bikes are to promote bicycling in the city of Chicago, to educate youth with a focus on under-served populations, and to foster and serve Chicago's growing bicycling community. While maintaining headquarters and a workspace in Chicago's West Town neighborhood, WTB has become a city-wide service provider for youth programs in the city of Chicago. Check out a great article on our new shop and youth programs recently published in mode>>shift.

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September 12th Urban Assault Ride will be coming to Chicago! Proceeds from the event will go to supporting youth programs at West Town Bikes. We need volunteers to make sure the event goes well. If you are interested in VOLUNTEERING please click here and help us! If you're interested in riding the race Sept 12th please ride register online .

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Ruben and the Mural-smiling

Thank you for all the support this summer! We have a new beautiful mural in our alley, and thanks to the community's support we were able to purchase a hand-cycle for Ruben Daniels! He is an assistant teacher for West Town Bikes’ youth programs and uses his hand-cycle to accompany kids on group rides through-out the city.

Thank you for contributing support for our important work of promoting personal independence and healthy transportation for our community! To see more pictures of our summer youth programs check our flickr!

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The Chicago Reader named West Town Bikes as the "Best Place to Restore Your Own Bike" in it's 2010 Best of Chicago issue. Read more about it here!

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Thank you to all who attended the 2010 Tour de Fat in Chicago! A very special thanks to all of our volunteers who made it happen and helped raise over $20,000 for West Town Bikes and the community programs that we offer. Thank you to Alderman Rey Colon, the residents of Logan Square, the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, Open Streets and of course New Belgium Brewing Company for another fantastic festival!

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We've Grown!

West Town Bikes has expanded it's facilities to better serve the community. You can help us to continue to grow our programs by donating to West Town Bikes and spreading the word.

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West Town Bikes is hiring! We need someone from the community to help us with bookkeeping and office management starting in the next few months. Please check our job description for Office Manager and spread the word.


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Check out our Calendar of Events for a full schedule of our classes and workshops including upcoming DIY Tune-Up and Wheel Building classes. Sign up now, spaces are filling up quick!

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Find out more about our new shop, Ciclo Urbano at www.ciclourbanochicago.com.

West Town Bikes is excited to announce the opening of our new sales shop:

CICLO URBANO

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Thanks to all of those who participated in the tour of West Town. Thanks also to those who participated and enjoyed the parade and festivities along Huanted Paseo Boricua!

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Looks like Fun!!
Here's a link to photo coverage of the latest Adult Build-A-Bike Class on Flickr.

West Town Bikes Development in 2009

New Location
West Town Bikes (WTB) is happy to announce it has outgrown its home at 2418 W North Ave. and is in need of a new space. We will be moving to a larger facility in the Spring of 2009. The new location will have more room for youth and adult classes and a retail section. WTB is committed to staying close to the constituents who have supported us, and the community we serve in the West Town/Humboldt Park neighborhoods.

New Retail Shop
To help support WTB’s mission we will be opening a retail bike shop May 1, 2009. The shop will offer bicycles, parts, accessories and repairs. Students will be able to buy supplies for classes on-site. Most importantly the shop will offer teen apprenticeships and professional work experience for youth. Profits from the shop will further fund WTBs youth programming.

Youth Programming
WTB has exciting plans for the development of youth bicycle programs in Chicago. WTB has been funded in 2009 to develop and pilot an Instructor Training program. Our published curriculum will be coupled with an intensive three-day training program piloted in the spring. Through the program we will cultivate instructors from diverse Chicago neighborhoods who will go on to run their own community bike programs.
With the help of community partners, graduates of WTB’s Train the Trainer Program will put their skills to use. Instructors will run youth mechanic and riding programs in several new summer camps. The successful pilot and launch of this plan will establish West Town Bikes as the premier provider of youth bicycle programs in Chicago as well as tie together the valuable resources of our community partners.

Membership
WTB will offer a membership program starting May 1st. Membership will create a steady financial support for WTB, identify donors, and reward those who help support WTB. Membership levels and benefits will be unveiled at the West Town Benefit and Bike Winter Art Show Closing Feb 27th. Membership details will be available on our website as of March 1st.

Staff
WTB will hire a Shop Manager to run the new retail operation. The position will be posted publicly Jan 15th. WTB’s hiring committee will interview qualified applicants in February. The Manager will begin work mid-March with their primary responsibility being the creation and management of a successful retail operation. The Shop Manager will direct mechanics, volunteers and teen apprentices.

WTB Newsletter
WTB will unveil its first quarterly newsletter Feb 27th. The newsletter will be published online and in zine format. Contents will cover current events and programs in addition to general mechanic and riding tips.


Don't Let the Snow Get You Down!

Learn winter bike basics and maintenance at West Town Bikes. Check out the Calendar for our new line up of classes and workshops for 2009 including Build-A-Bike and DIY Winter Tune-Up. Join us for Open Shop or a special Bike Winter Basics class to make sure you keep rolling all winter long! Also check the Bike Winter website for community rides and snow celebrations.


Youth Track Racing Calls for Volunteers
Yojimbo's Track Cats, a West Town Bikes project that provides Chicago Youth with the opportunity to learn and compete in Velodrome Track Races is looking for adults who are interested in supporting the team in the 2009 season. If you're experienced or want to become experienced in coaching, administrating or the art of fund raising please join us December 7th at 7pm at Yojimbo's Garage, to RSVP contact Nicole Kemerer, nicole@yojimbostrackcats.org or 312-342-6338

Successful WTB Benefit
On November 2nd, Friends of West Town Bikes celebrated and raised $900 in support of West Town, community cycling and youth programming. Special thanks to all the volunteers who provided delicious food and drink and the talented musicians in Purricane and the duo of Al & Drew. West Town Bikes would not be here without our community support, so thanks again!

West Town Bikes is a community bicycle learning workshop. WTB offers bicycle mechanics workshops, youth programs and special events to members of the community. WTB is also used as a creative workspace for special bicycle building, utilitarian human powered design, kinetic art, advocacy projects and all sorts of constructive creation.

WTB is proud to have become a hub of bicycle activity in Chicago!

Check out the Calendar for a listing of evening and weekend classes and events. Look at the Photo Gallery to see some of what we do. Visit the Youth Programs page to learn more about our Youth Programs.

Donate to West Town Bikes to help support our youth programs.

Thanks to the monetary and volunteer contributions of many kind individuals, the work of West Town Bikes continues. Please help so we can continue the work that we do. Please click on the button/link below to make a donation in any amount you can. Thank you!

Donate

West Town Bikes also appreciates donated bicycles for use in the youth programs we provide. Contact Alex Wilson at alex@westtownbikes.org to make arrangements to donate your old bike, parts or other accessories.