North Shore Century - Evanston Bicycle Club

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Friends	Family	Food	Scenery	Support

Registration opens July 1, 2025!

ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF A LATE SUMMER RIDE

Join us on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, when the Evanston Bicycle Club presents the 40th annual North Shore Century -- Chicagoland’s premiere cycling event. You’ll ride through beautiful neighborhoods, view unique architectural treasures, pedal down tree-lined streets and feel the refreshing breezes of Lake Michigan while enjoying the flat to rolling countryside between Chicago and Wisconsin. Our new home base is the Lakeview Center at 800 Gillson Park Drive in Wilmette.

The North Shore Century features . . .

A range of “centuries” from which to choose – Classic, Metric, Half or Quarter
Paper and/or digitally downloadable cue sheets and clear pavement markings for all routes
Fabulous food – fresh fruit, PB&Js, bagels, snack bars, Nuun energy drinks – plus something special and unique to each rest stop
Mechanical support from a local bike shop at each rest stop
SAG vehicles providing mid-ride assistance for emergencies
A certificate of completion to impress your friends

The number of riders is capped at 2400. Register early to reserve your spot. Event registration will be closed once the rider capacity is met.

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Registration and Fees

Registration fee: July 1 - September 7, 2025	$40
Registration fee: September 8 - September 20, 2025	$50
Registration fee: September 21, 2025	$60
On-Line Day of Ride Registration is open until 11 am if capacity is available.	$60
Riders age 17 and under (Must be accompanied by a registered adult rider.)	$10

Commemorative performance t-shirts may be included with pre-registration for $20 or purchased on the day of ride for $25, while supplies last.

Registration fees are not refundable. In case of EVENT cancellation, registrations will roll-over to next year. No cash refunds will be issued.

Registered riders will receive their cue sheets and NSC wristband ID at the Lakeview Center in Gillson Park. The wristband is your "ticket" to rest stop and SAG support. To speed check-in, please bring your confirmation with its QR code.

Interested in riding the North Shore Century as a fundraiser for our partner charitable organizations? See details in Ride for Charity!

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Routes / Mileage / Timing

CHOOSE THE RIDE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU

Pick a distance that suits your abilities and goals for the day – whether that’s enjoying a leisurely ride with friends/family or challenging yourself for distance or pace.

All rides begin and end at the Lakeview Center at 800 Gillson Park Drive in Wilmette on the lakefront; we open at 6am and close at 6pm.
100-mile riders should start no later than 7am; 62-mile riders should start no later than 9am; 50-milers 10am and 25-mile riders 11am.
Be sure you allow enough time to complete your ride before the rest stops on your route choice close. All support ends as each rest stop closes.

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The Classic Century -- 100 Miles

Plan to start before 7am and leave Lake Forest by 9am. This ride starts in Wilmette and stretches to Pleasant Prairie in Wisconsin in one very big loop. The southern portion takes a north/northwest route via mostly residential streets in Glenview, Northbrook, Highland Park and Lake Forest to start; the ending of the route heads south from Lake Bluff to return to Wilmette, staying along the lake as much as possible, through the North Shore’s more elegant suburbs. The middle or northern portion (after leaving Lake Forest) heads west and north via Libertyville, Gurnee and Wadsworth to Pleasant Prairie (WI) and then skirts scenic Lake Michigan before heading due south via Zion, Waukegan and North Chicago; this northern section of the ride includes long stretches on busier roads. It’s a great ride for confident and conditioned cyclists.

Rest Stops: Lake Forest/Northcroft Park (6:30am – 1:30pm), Gurnee/Viking Park (8am – 11:30am), Pleasant Prairie/RecPlex (8am – 1:00pm), Waukegan/Bowen Park (9am – 3pm) and Highland Park/Sunset Park (8am – 5pm)

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The Metric Century -- 62 Miles

Plan to start before 9am. This ride adds a 12-mile loop onto the 50-mile route that takes you through western Lake Forest. The loop includes a few stretches on the shoulder of busier arterials. You can decide whether you want to add this loop as you munch the goodies at the Lake Forest rest stop – so long as you make the call before 11am.

Rest Stops: Lake Forest/Northcroft Park (6:30am – 1:30pm) and Highland Park/Sunset Park (8am – 5pm)

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The Half Century -- 50 Miles

Plan to start before 10am. This ride goes to beautiful Lake Bluff by a north/northwest route via mostly residential streets in Glenview, Northbrook, Highland Park and Lake Forest before heading south to return to Wilmette and staying along the lake as much as possible. This scenic 50-mile route appeals to both leisurely and speedier cyclists.

Rest Stops: Lake Forest/Northcroft Park (6:30am – 1:30pm) and Highland Park/Sunset Park (8am – 5pm)

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The Quarter Century -- 25 Miles

Plan to start before 10am. This ride starts and ends with the longer rides but follows a route all its own through quiet residential streets in Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe and Kenilworth while avoiding busier roads as much as possible. It’s a wonderful choice for those of you who want a leisurely day out on your bike and an opportunity to see some architecturally impressive homes. Perfect for families and a great introduction for new riders.

Rest Stop: Glencoe Metra Station (8am – 2pm)

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Navigating the Routes

We provide four ways for you to navigate your chosen route -- road markings, paper cue sheets and two types of digitally downloadable turn-by-turn directions.

Road markings use orange arrows painted right on the pavement at every turn. They are put in place a few days before the ride. Below are 2 sample road markings.

Cue sheets and digital downloads are produced through Ride With GPS, which we use to map all routes. Paper cue sheets will be provided at registration when you check in. An email sent to registrants the Friday before the ride will contain links to get either a TCX file downloadable to your personal GPS device or a free Ride With GPS app for your phone which provides turn by turn voice navigation. The phone app will be the only form of digital navigation available to day-of-ride registrants.

Most riders simply follow the road markings and use one of the other modes as back up.

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Rest Stops / SAG Support

We’re famous for our food. No brag; that’s a fact. Be prepared to show your wristband when visiting a rest stop for food or mechanical assistance or when flagging down a SAG vehicle for assistance. Your wristband is your proof of registration and contains the emergency phone number.

Rest stops on all routes are stocked with fresh fruit, PB&Js, nourishing snacks, water and hydration drinks. Each rest stop also has something special and unique. Some of the special items we have had in the past include sub sandwiches, Egg McMuffins, grilled hot dogs, and pizza.

Rest stop hours and featured attraction (while supplies last):

Rest Stop	Hours of Operation	Mechanic
• Lake Forest/Northcroft	6:30am - 1:30pm	On the Fly
• Gurnee/Viking Park	8:00am - 11:30am	Velosmith
• Pleasant Prairie/RecPlex	8:00am - 1:00pm	Zion Cyclery
• Waukegan/Bowen Park	9:00am - 3:00pm	Wheel to Wheel Mobile Bike Repair
• Highland Park/Sunset Woods	8:00am - 5:00pm	Trek - Highland Park
• Glencoe/Metra Station	8:00am - 2:00pm (25 mile route only)	Green Bay Cycles
• Wilmette/Gillson Park	6:00am - 6:00pm	The Recyclery

SAG vehicles cruise all routes and can be flagged down when needed. Each SAG vehicle has a knowledgeable bike maintenance person who can help with flats or minor adjustments. SAG vehicles are also dispatched when the emergency number on your wristband is called.

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Be Prepared / Be Safe

For your own safety and the safety of others:

Bring a bike in good condition, with a spare tube, basic tools and a water bottle.
Wear light or bright clothing to make yourself more visible on the roadway.
Helmets are strongly recommended for everyone; Wilmette requires cyclists under the age of 18 to wear a helmet.
Children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the ride.
Know and obey all traffic laws and signals/signs. Signal your turns. Ride predictably.
Always pass other riders on their left and call out "On your left" or "Passing" as you do so.
Carry personal identification.
Ride within your ability and physical condition.
Our routes are on public roads that we share with motorists. North Shore communities may issue tickets for riding more than two abreast or for disregarding traffic signals and signs.

Getting There / Parking

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By Car

By Car -- Click for map

Wilmette is easy to get to by car, but parking at Gillson Park is limited. We recommend that you use one of the three downtown Wilmette Metra surface parking lots. Parking is free on Sundays. If you choose street parking west of Sheridan Road, please mind the parking signs and do not block resident driveways.

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By Metra / CTA L Train

By Metra / CTA L Train -- Click for map

Metra U.P. North Line serves Wilmette. From the Wilmette station, ride east 8 blocks on Central Ave. to 4th Street, north 2 blocks to Lake Ave., then east into Gillson Park.

CTA Purple line serves Wilmette. From the Linden station, ride north 4 blocks to Lake Ave., then east into Gillson Park.

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Ride For Charity!

Almost $100,000 is raised annually by our partner charitable organizations who participate in the North Shore Century as a fundraiser. If you wish to ride in the North Shore Century with these organizations, the links below will take you to their registration or donation sites.

Over The Rainbow Association, the OTR Challenge Tour - Builds affordable, accessible apartment communities and provides services for individuals with physical disabilities to live high quality, independent lives.

https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/OTRTOUR2024

Climate Action Evanston (CAE) fundraising team is participating in the North Shore Century bike ride to support CAE efforts to foster meaningful climate action and environmental justice that creates a livable planet for all. Please follow this link, https://greenerevanston.rallyup.com/cae-nsc/Campaign/Details to learn more and register.

The Children's Tumor Foundation is dedicated to finding effective treatments for all types of Neurofibromatosis (NF) by funding mission-critical research. Affecting 1 in 2,000 people worldwide, NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. In addition to benefiting those who live with NF, this research is shedding new light on the treatment of several forms of cancer, brain tumors, bone abnormalities, and learning disabilities, ultimately benefiting the broader community. Please click this link to join the team: http://nfendurance.org/cyoc. For more information, contact Lydia Vanderloo at nfendurance@ctf.org.

NF Midwest tackles Neurofibromatosis (NF) head-on in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and eastern Missouri. Through our C.A.R.E.S. program, we support specialized NF Clinics, raise Awareness, fund essential Research, provide Education, and connect patients with Support. If you or someone you know faces NF, NF Midwest is here to help. No one Fights alone! Use the link to join the fight against NF: https://give.nfmidwest.org/NorthShore2024. For more information, contact Ted Woodlock at tedwoodlock@nfmidwest.org.

Erika's Lighthouse is dedicated to educating and raising awareness about adolescent depression, encouraging good mental health and breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues. We provide schools with mental health education programming to create a positive school culture around mental health. All our high-quality programs are provided free of charge, so cost is never a barrier for schools. To learn more, go to www.erikaslighthouse.org and join our ride team at teamresilience.run.

The Recyclery Collective is a 501c3 nonprofit educational bike shop in Rogers Park that promotes community and sustainability through the repair and reuse of bicycles. They believe that bikes are both essential and empowering and strive to provide the resources to make biking accessible to everyone. Please follow this link to find out how to contribute to the shop with your registration: https://www.therecyclery.org/north-shore-century-charity-partnership/

Camp One Step offers free in-person and CONNECTED digital camp programs serving kids with cancer, survivors, and their families since 1978. Camp One Step brings happiness, support, strength and hope to hundreds of children and families each year, and thanks to our community of campers, families, over 400 volunteers, and generous supporters, the magic of camp can be felt anytime, anywhere.
https://secure.qgiv.com/event/northshorecentury/

It is the mission of TPAN –Vivent Health to be a relentless champion for people affected by HIV and do all we can to help them thrive, because we believe every person has value and should be treated with respect.

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/tpa-network-inc/north-shore-century-team-tpan

EBC thanks the following for their support: