Well, not quite. However, RAB does offer a course on bicycle repair, riding, politics, and history in conjunction with the Eugene Lang College of the New School. Led by our DUMBO head mechanic Chris Brunson, this group of students can be found at our DUMBO facility for repair and maintenance studies, out learning the best (and safest) ways of riding New York City streets, or back in the classroom expounding and discussing all manner of bicycle related ideas.

"Eugene Lang College the New School for Liberal Arts launched the Lang Outdoors program a year ago to provide opportunities for students to get out and experience the city.  After the success of our marathon course, we decided to expand into boat building, park rangers, murals and cycling.  The first instructor was Karen Overton, former director of Recycle-A-Bicycle...The course is intended to get students out riding bikes (the fun part) but also its intention is to give an understanding of bike politics and history as well as learn about bicycle maintenance and building (the academic part)," explains Ella Turenne, Director of Special Projects, Eugene Lang College.

It was in that "academic" setting that they were met earlier in March by Bike New York's Rich Conroy for a presentation on the rules of the road and safe traffic cycling skills. This lecture sparked a lively debate, many important questions, some insightful criticism: What is a bicycle's true place on the road? What direction should our policy makers and transportation activists take? Integration or segregation? How best do we deal with an activity that is caught between a sport, a method of transportation, and a means of earning a living? Should we really stop at all of those red lights? Though certainly no final resolution was insight for this discourse, the simple fact that more and more people (especially those young energetic ones) are discussing these ideas while also becoming greater masters of the mechanics and navigation of these vehicles takes us far beyond those classroom walls and leaves the future of bicycling and sustainable transportation in good hands.

Ride Club is getting ready to roll!

Our first ride kicks off on Sunday, April 27, at 10am from our Long Island City location.  If you would like to see a schedule of Spring rides and download a parent/guardian permission slip, please click here.  If you are interested in being a volunteer ride leader, please e-mail our Ride Club Coordinator, Patrick. 

Volunteer Spotlight #1

In the first of a series of spotlights on some of our wonderful and committed volunteers, we meet Katie Peplinski. Not long ago arrived from Madison, Wisconsin, Katie has been a very regular participant at the volunteer nights in DUMBO this year. Drawn to the volunteer nights by the recommendation of a friend and a desire to know more about the mechanics of her own bicycle, she has developed an inspired commitment to the goings on at Recycle-A-Bicycle.

Not discouraged by that one stripped crank arm, Katie brings the attention to detail needed for her job as a fabric dyer to bicycles. "I enjoy the craft of getting things right, the fine tuning of things." A little more blue, a little more red, tighten this spoke, loosen that spoke. The greater lesson she has gained from her time at the shop is a renewed awareness of the value of commitment and persistence - the pleasure that comes from working at something week after week, developing skills, learning from others, helping others learn.  And perhaps most importantly, her time with us has made her an even more avid cyclist. "I feel a little more guilty not riding my bike, in a good way."

Thank you again to Katie and all of our other wonderful volunteers!  If you would like to start volunteering at Recycle-A-Bicycle, please click here for more information.

NYC Summer Youth Employment Program 2008

Program participants will have the opportunity to learn some basic bicycle mechanic skills and they will once again be responsible for all aspects of putting on a street sale as their final project.  Stay tuned for more details.  If you are between the ages of 14-18 and planning to enroll in the city's program this summer, you may choose Recycle-A-Bicycle as your job site!  Please check out our website for more information.  Click on the DYCD logo for more information about applying to the NYC summer program for youth.