Who are we?

The Evanston Bicycle Club has been a strong presence in Evanston and the North Shore for more than 25 years.  Our members are a very diverse group, whose cycling interests range from short recreational rides to ultra-marathon events, from rides to the coffeehouse to state-wide, week-long rides, and from loaded touring to criterium racing.    No matter where your cycling interests lie, you can be sure to find one or more EBC members who shares your interests... and you may find yourself trying new things, thanks to other enthusiastic members.

What do we do?

The club's annual fund-raising event, the North Shore Century, is held on the third Sunday in September, and has become the most popular invitational ride in the Chicagoland area, attracting over 1,500 participants.  Proceeds from the North Shore Century are used to fund many club activities as well as those of other cycling organizations.  A percentage of the profits are annually distributed to local, regional, and national bicycle-related organizations.  More than $35,000 has been donated to bicycle-advocacy organizations and other cycling-related groups.

Our "ride season" runs from March through October, and on each weekend we schedule rides to new and interesting places as well as old familiar haunts.  All rides are led by experienced cyclists who provide cue sheets, helpful hints, and usually guide the group to a locale for brunch or a picnic.  (Okay, "nearly always".  Club pundits point out that EBC also stands for Eating Bicycle Club, a name which our rides - and riders - live up to.)

For the beginning rider we offer a series of novice rides with emphasis on safe group riding skills and usually at a slower pace.  Stronger riders may choose longer and faster rides, with many rides being century-length (100 miles) and over.  We also offer a "Slo-o-ow Century", a sag-supported 100-mile ride designed to allow riders who might not be able to maintain high speeds to complete a century.  We offer multiple rides so that you have a choice of destinations, distances, and pace.  In addition, there are "show 'n' go" rides on Saturdays, Sundays, and some weekdays; our weekend "show 'n' go" schedule runs year-round (as do many of our riders).  Our monthly newsletter describes upcoming rides.

EBC strongly encourages all cyclists to wear helmets while riding, and offers a $10 rebate to members who purchase a new helmet.  The club also offers partial rebates to its members who successfully complete an Effective Cycling™ course.

Where do we go?

Obviously, being based in the northern suburbs, we have lots and lots of rides in northern Cook and Lake Counties. However, we also have a good number of "remote start" rides in other parts of Chicagoland (and beyond). Some of these rides include excursions on the Illinois Prairie Path and Fox River Trails, trips to nearby festivals, shorter rides in outlying areas, as well as longer trips to more remote destinations. We have monthly start rides just across the border in Wisconsin to enjoy scenic rides on low-traffic country roads. 

EBC members also participate in other area rides and events, such as RAGBRAI, GRABAAWR, the Hilly and Horsey Hundreds, and the National 24-Hour Challenge; EBCers are also active in randonneuring, with many members participating in brevets, and some members quailifying for, and participating in, the Paris-Brest-Paris randonnee.

In addition to scheduled rides, EBC offers a number of other related social events such as cycling weekends, a night at the races at the Northbrook Velodrome, a summer club picnic, and a progressive-dinner ride.  Each year the club subsidizes an annual recognition and appreciation dinner, an acknowledgement and celebration of the volunteer efforts of the many members who are responsible for the success of the Evanston Bicycle Club.

We invite you to join us in the joy of cycling... and remind you that when you ride with EBC, you travel in the best of circles!

Evanston Bicycle Club members enjoy the following benefits:

• Monthly club meetings at which you can meet new members, see what our members have been doing, and learn all sorts of interesting things about cycling and cyclists
• A year-round riding community, with a published ride schedule including over one hundred scheduled rides in 1999
• A subscription to the EBC Newsletter, providing timely information, thought-provoking commentary, and some random silliness
• A yearly club-subsidized Member Appreciation dinner
• Eligible to rent club-owned Trico Iron Case bicycle cases for the low rate of $20 per week
• Discounts at area bicycle stores with a valid EBC membership card
• $10 rebate (paid by the club to the member) on member's purchase of a new bicycle helmet
• Partial rebate (paid by the club to the member) of member's registration fee on completion of an Effective Cycling™ Road I course
• And last but not least, the camaraderie, expertise and enthusiasm of hundreds of people who love cycling as much as you do!

Membership Information

Individual memberships cost $15 per year, with family memberships at $20.  The membership year is April 1st through March 31st.

To Join EBC click here for a membership application.