What’s New at Norte?

Youth cycling nonprofit marks its 10th anniversary

Norte Youth Cycling is known for their brightly painted Wheelhouse, neon orange jerseys, and packs of pedaling children that appear on northern Michigan’s sidewalks each summer. But the nonprofit is so much more than just a biking club for kids.

“We’re showing children what’s available in our community, and that there are [locations] they can access by bicycle,” Norte Executive Director Jill Sill says. “That sense of connection, empowerment, and joy naturally flows through what we do. It’s a very different kind of program.”

Norte’s origins began more than a decade ago, and the nonprofit has grown to include a thriving hub of outdoor enthusiasts—with an ever-expanding array of classes and camps—and reaches upwards of 3,500 riders across the six-county region.

“We’re trying to make these experiences available to people of all ages and abilities,” says Sill. “That consistency is important, and I think that’s really what Norte provides: it’s that social interaction where everyone is welcome.”

Just in time for its 10th anniversary, Norte is rolling out a summer’s worth of new projects and a jam-packed calendar. Kick up your stands—it’s time to ride!

From Balance Bikes to Summer Camps

The action starts with the smallest speed demons in the “learn-to-ride” Balance Bike Club. (If you’ve never heard of a balance bike, it’s essentially a two-wheeler with no pedals.) It’s an excellent tool for building confidence in budding riders, which, per Sill, is the very goal of this course. Norte offers this club after school in both spring and fall and in-school during the winter.

In fact, Norte has delivered a four-session series of balance bike lessons to 32 preschool classrooms—and 550 new riders—between January and May this year, and they have even added a full-time School Coordinator position to make the program more accessible.

“We’ve never had this role before,” says Sill. “Schools are often the leveler in terms of accessibility. This [position] is how we can really make sure that connection to our schools is consistent and impactful.”

Norte’s transitional bike program, Pedal Power, is also a recent addition, which the group launched within the last year to facilitate skills for intermediate cyclists. Designed specifically for students who are new to using pedal bikes, these clubs feature notably smaller class sizes (the max for each is just six kids) to ensure that students receive direct instruction.

Once school lets out, Norte’s extracurricular clubs are supplemented by Summer Bike Camps. These are offered for 10 weeks from June through August and accommodate more than 1,000 kids based in Traverse City, Elk Rapids, and Glen Arbor each year. Here’s the breakdown:

There are two traditional half-day options—these are three-and-a-half and four hours, respectively—which pair the social aspects of camp with exercise and some local discovery. Then there’s the six-hour Bike and More series, which account for the majority of Norte’s camps, and combines the fundamentals of daily cycling with another sports outlet.

To facilitate these, Norte partners with a host of community organizations—Elev8 Climbing and Fitness, Discovery Pier, and Mt. Holiday, among many others—which serve as a second camp headquarters and homebase for that week’s “and more” activity (think: fishing, zip lining, curling, etc.).

“We truly do value that exposure and experience with other opportunities,” says Sill. “Those camps are phenomenal and that community collaboration is core to our mission.”

Other Norte summer camp options include the six-hour Shredventure day-camp, which offers longer, more challenging rides and is geared towards more experienced cyclists, as well as the gentler Intro option and two-hour Friday bike repair classes, led by Norte mechanic Tyler Wituszynski.

Rentals, Enrollment, and Facilities

Though kids are welcome to supply their own wheels, Norte’s riders are also provided with access to the free Bike Library, which is stocked with more than 1,000 kids’ bikes—800 of which were checked out last year—as well as a 25-unit fleet of adaptive bikes for users with disabilities, made available through Norte’s Bikes for All program.

The concept, says Sill, works just how you’d think: riders choose a bike they like, “rent” it, and can leave with it in one fell swoop. The only condition is that renters return their bikes every four months for a routine check-up. The program also offers satellite Bike Loan programs in four nearby counties.

All in all, the nonprofit’s “napkin math” estimates that the organization will have provided 25,000 hours of instruction to riders of all ages and covered 90,000 miles of trail in 2024. And they have no plans to pump the brakes (pun intended!).

For starters, Norte enrollment numbers—in particular, for annual summer camp slots—have continued to rise, with 804 excited bikers already scheduled for this year’s books. The organization has also seen a significant uptick of girls enrolled in their programs, spurred in large part by their More Girls on Bikes Initiative, which was launched last year.

“We might even need to start capping our Mother-Daughter rides [which often exceed 30 guests],” Sill says laughing. “They just continue to grow!”

Plans for a united Norte complex are also on the docket, she notes, though the group is still waiting on the official okay for the Civic Center Master Plan which would involve consolidating Norte’s offices under a single roof. (Norte currently occupies three separate Civic Center buildings.) The revamp would also include new facilities, namely a bicycle education center, a traffic garden, and even a pump track.

Growing the Team

Other earmarked initiatives include biking and swimming projects through Traverse City Area Public Schools, as well as adding a few new Norte positions—in particular, a Community Liaison spot in Elk Rapids and Timber Ridge Site Leads.

“There’s always been a demand for this type of community support and engagement,” Sill adds. “There are so many asks, and being able to bring in those features would greatly expand opportunities to riders in our community.”

None of those initiatives, though, would be feasible without community support. Sill says Norte still has several open coaching positions for spring and summer, as well as an ongoing need for the 300 volunteers their projects require.

Funding is another biggie, in particular as it relates to the support and training of additional staff in a “program- and people-heavy” team like Norte. Sill explains the realities of fundraising often involves navigating donors and grants that are more interested in financing gadgets than the people who build them into meaningful programs.

“At some point, I have enough bicycles. I need to be able to hire and train high quality staff to make that impact,” she adds.

Though Sill also admits that she’d love to see a bike lane on every street if she could, she underscores the importance of working with other organizations to make real change.

“I think it’s important to look at how we can collaborate with partners in the area. We have to learn from each other to create the best outcome with the resources we have,” she concludes.

For more information, visit norteyouthcycling.org. Be sure to check out their Family-Friendly Bike Events schedule, and mark your calendars for the upcoming “A Decade in Motion” celebration on May 17!

Spring Tune-Up

Feeling like you and your bike might need a refresh after a long winter’s break? Here are some of Norte’s top tips for bike safety and following the rules of the road!

Bicycle Maintenance: Before you go out for a ride, Norte recommends practicing their ABC Check to ensure your bike and safety accessories are in working order.

A: Let’s talk air. It’s important to give both your front and back bike tires a squeeze before you hit the trails. If they feel soft, check the tire sidewall to see if it’s time for an air top-off. (Psst: If your specs list a PSI range, start with the lower number.)

B: Next, it’s time to test your brakes. Start by pulling both brake levers—if they reach back to your handle bars, your cable is too loose and needs adjusting. If you can’t squeeze at all, it’s way too tight! Mechanical brakes can usually be tweaked with a barrel adjuster, but if you have hydraulic disc brakes, it’s time to contact your mechanic.

C: Your final step is testing your chain. If it’s squeaky when you pedal backward, chain lube is an easy fix. For best results, coat the whole chain with a light layer of oil before your ride (about four rotations should do the trick).

Wear a Helmet: A well-fitting helmet is your first line of protection if you find yourself in a cycling accident! Start by assessing yours before mounting your bike; it should sit about two fingers above your eyebrows, and the strap should feel snug when you open your mouth. Some helmets even come equipped with a dial that can adjust to your head size! If you’re unsure about the fit, it’s likely time for a new one.

Riding Etiquette and Respect: Once you’re out on the road or trail, it’s important to keep tabs on other riders, both for their safety and your own. The first step, per Norte staff, is to leave audio devices at home, which are often distracting and can slow your reactions. Be sure to ride with your eyes up, and respect other cyclers by using a reasonable speed and offering extra space when passing.

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