Earth Rider
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About Earth Rider

From Country to City
​We are all About Cycling

Facade of Earth Rider Bike Shop in Brodhead, Wisconsin, circa 2005-2010
Earth Rider, Brodhead, WI, 2005-2010

Located on the Chicago cycling super highway

Earth Rider Bike Shop and Hotel started out in a small Wisconsin town at the start of the Sugar River Trail in 2005.  Our fascination with sustainable transportation now extends to the big city and the 606 trail.  We are proud to establish and operate the Earth Rider bike shop (no hotel this time) in the Bucktown neighborhood on the Northwest side of Chicago at 1873 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647 dedicated to urban mobility. 

Interest in cycling continues to grow due to a trend towards health and wellness, awareness of the impacts of climate change, and the desire for engaging, local experiences.  Earth Rider is obsessed to help you ride more often, safely, and comfortably.   While our physical location has changed over the years as well as some of the brands we carry, we still want to help you find the right gear, keep your bike operating smoothly, sponsor opportunities to learn about cycling, and events so you can ride with us and others.  

We strive to bring the small town service we learned early on into the city by providing a warm, welcoming and personal experience, especially for those new to cycling.  
We offer ebike sales from premium brands, non-assisted bike sales (specializing in hybrids and single speeds), basic bike service, bike rentals, events and rides.  We sell a curated selection of accessories for your personal fleet of bikes and items useful when you take advantage of the Chicago Divvy bike shares (helmets, outerwear, and bags). ​ We have a selection of fun bike-themed gifts for friends and family or as a treat for yourself!  For us, it IS all about the bike, because this routine is magic.  We invite you to experience all that we have to offer.

Who We are

We are a woman owned small business who helps people who love the outdoors hit the breaks on low energy, weight gain, and isolation and find the power to feel free, light and fast, with the wind in your face on a bike.  Riding a bike gives you a powerful feeling.

We want to know you if you

  • Are an urban cyclist
  • Never learned to ride a bike but what to learn how
  • Are interested in cycling in the city but not sure how to get started
  • Want to explore the city at the human speed of a bike
  • Are ready to ditch the car and experience two-wheel freedom

Newsletter Archive

2023

Box of candy hearts with custom messages about bike love
Header for March 2023 Earth Rider Newsletter
Ebike with sign and components labeled and carrying Grogu child from the Mandalorian in a basket on rear rack
Flowers and bike in window at Earth Rider
Patriotic red, white, and blue window at Earth Rider
Earth Rider shop window with Barbie and Ken dolls and a bike with slogan, let's ride a bike

2022

Skeleton riding a bike wearing a helmet surrounded by pumpkins
Yellow and orange bright orange bike bags for back to school or work
Bikes outside decorated by woman owned bike shop staff in red, white, and blue for July forth holiday
Bike with butterflies on it
Bike basket filled with flowers
Ebike with superhero decorations
Valentine display with a heart
Bike in winter carrying a bear in a rear seat

2021

Bicycle decorated with lights and greenery
Visible bike clothing on display
Skeleton wearing bike helmet and adorned with flowers riding a bike, ride happy
Stuff bear wearing a helemt riding a tricycle among red/white/blue flowers
Bike in front of donuts
Bike covered with flowers in a business window
Window display with paper clouds and rain drops over rain coats
Star Wars Mandalorian figure standing besides an Magnum Cosmopolitan ebike bike with the child character on the rear rack
Bike love valentines in the window and a red road Jamis bike
Ebike in window display with winter scene of snow, snowflakes, and flowers

2019-2020

Christmas tree made by recycled bicycle wheels in Earth Rider bike shop window
December 2020
Skeletons in Earth Rider bike shop window wearing waterproof bike jackets in reflective black and hi visibility yellow
November 2020
Ebike in Earth Rider bike shop window with superhero sloans
October 2020
Earth Rider Bike shop window with yellow streamers and balloons celebrating the Tour de France bike race
September 2020
Bike with blue lights, flowers, and flags in window of Earth Rider bike shop celebrating July 4th and cycling freedom
July, 2020
Bike spring flowers in Earth RIder bike shop window celebrating cycling in bloom
May, 2020
Waterproof raincoats and bike helmets in Earth Rider bike  shop window
Bike with green lights and shamrocks in Earth Rider bike shop window with theme lucky to be cycling
Bike in Earth Rider bike shop window along with hearts 
 with valentine messages celebrating bike love
Ebike loaded down by presents looking like they are falling over in window of Earth Rider bike shop
Skeleton riding a bike with panniers in the window of the Earth Rider bike shop
Urban Cycling Redefined window of Earth Rider bike shop

Meet us

Photo of Sharon Kaminecki, owner of Earth Rider
Sharon Kaminecki, Shop Keeper
Sharon gave up maintaining large project plans and managing six zoom meetings per day and replaced per business suits with flannel shirts to found and operate Earth Rider.  She is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI #1104) specializing in teaching adults to ride a bike for the first time, completed the Park Tool School Bicycle Maintenance program, is certified as a Bicycle Technician from the United Bicycle Institute, and is Bosch Ebike Certified.  A short list of her favorite things includes clean bikes, weekend bike rides that get back by noon, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, and the Mandalorian and his kid.    

Logo of National Bicycle Dealers Association
Logo of the Leaque of American Bicyclists, founded in 1880
Bike and Chicago skyline for Ride Illinois
Active transportation alliance chicago logo
Logo of Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce
Certified League Cycling Instructor 2023 badge
The bike is a very powerful builder of community.   Nothing says 'me' like an automobile. Nothing says 'we' like a bike. - Harry Wray
Earth Rider logo of earth intersected with a banner with an image of a cyclist and the words Earth Rider in colors blue, green, aqua, black and red

Email

bikefun@earthridercycling.com

Payment methods:
Credits card visa, mastercard, american express, and discover

Hours              

By appointment only 
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