I live in Knoxville,TN but my older brother got a job working for Microsoft and moved to Seattle, WA. I'm coming out to visit him 6/5-6/9 and I'd like to experience at least a little of the left coast bike culture that I'm missing out on here in Tennessee. I'd especally like to visit a shop or shops that sell the type of bikes we don't see here in TN (Dutch-style commuter bikes, cargo bikes, hand made bikes, folding bikes, etc.). If I have time, I might even be looking for someplace that could rent me a bike for a few hours to explore the city. Because my trip there is short and spending time with my brothers is the main focus I know I won't have time to fully experience the cycling mecca that is Seattle but if i can only go see 1-2 things what do the locals reccomend? If it makes a difference I'm a recreational mountain biker and greenway/MUP rider. At home I ride an 07 Felt Q720 MTB and an 08 Raleigh Detour Deluxe comuter/city bike.
Any sugestions on where I should go or what I should try to see?
Your advice is appreciated.
-Ryan
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
If you like vintage/interesting bikes you *must* visit:
- Elliott Bay Cycles, downtown Seattle near Pike Market. That's where Davidson Handmade Bicycles are made.
- Il Vecchio Cycles, in a neighborhood called Leschi. Very small "boutique" shop, has a bunch of handmade vintage French bikes hanging on the wall (Alex Singer, Rene Herse).
- R&E Cycles, U-District, where Rodriguez Bikes are made. (get a tour)
- There is a folding bike dealer in Ballard called Folding Bikes West.
All of these address/links are at www.cascade.org (http://www.cascade.org). Look at the Community Page. Tons of links. Including long list of shops that rent.
Pick up a Seattle City Bike map before you come (they'll mail it to you). Good routes in and around the city.
I was going to create a route on mapmyrides.com showing visitors how to hit all these great shops in one day on a ride, maybe I'll get off my rear and do it this weekend...
ollo_ollo
Check out the Burke Gilman MUP, Recycled Cycles on Boat St near the U.W. and if they take you to Olympia to see the Capitol: Go to The Bike Stand shop, downtown at 4th & Adams(they rent bikes), the Chehalis Western MUP runs from East Olympia South to Rainier & Yelm. Some of the best close in Mountain Biking is found in Capitol Forest minutes from Downtown Olympia. Enjoy your visit! Don
edit: You can take a short ferry ride from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island & visit "Classic Cycles" http://www.classiccycleus.com/
They used to be in Kingston, WA when I lived there but moved the shop to Bainbridge. Lots of Vintage stuff on display!
kellyjdrummer
If you like vintage/interesting bikes you *must* visit:
- Elliott Bay Cycles, downtown Seattle near Pike Market. That's where Davidson Handmade Bicycles are made.
- Il Vecchio Cycles, in a neighborhood called Leschi. Very small "boutique" shop, has a bunch of handmade vintage French bikes hanging on the wall (Alex Singer, Rene Herse).
- R&E Cycles, U-District, where Rodriguez Bikes are made. (get a tour)
- There is a folding bike dealer in Ballard called Folding Bikes West.
All of these address/links are at www.cascade.org (http://www.cascade.org). Look at the Community Page. Tons of links. Including long list of shops that rent.
Pick up a Seattle City Bike map before you come (they'll mail it to you). Good routes in and around the city.
I was going to create a route on mapmyrides.com showing visitors how to hit all these great shops in one day on a ride, maybe I'll get off my rear and do it this weekend...
Leschi is pronounced as Lesh'-eye.
You can get a free biking map at the Municipal building on 4th avenue and James st. downtown. Correct me if I'm wrong on the James location. Haven't been out there in 7 years, so my memory is a bit slight.
BengeBoy
edit: You can take a short ferry ride from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island & visit "Classic Cycles" http://www.classiccycleus.com/
They used to be in Kingston, WA when I lived there but moved the shop to Bainbridge. Lots of Vintage stuff on display!
+1
The ferry ride to Bainbridge and back is one of the best inexpensive tourist activities in Seattle. The fact that you can walk off the ferry, visit the bike museum at Classic Cycles, grab a bite to eat, and return via the ferry makes it a MUST do for cyclists visiting Seattle. There also is a kayak rental place in Bainbridge, and if you want a nice ride, rent a bike and do the 30-mile loop of Bainbridge Island...look on the Cascade Bicycle Club website for an annual ride called the "Chilly Hilly," you can follow that route around the island if you want to have a nice ride and experience 30 miles of rolling hills.
HandsomeRyan
Thanks for all the great tips! (and keep em coming.)
I'll probably send my brother a link to this thread so he can help me figure out what might be the easiest places to see based on where he lives and what non-cycling activities we have planned.
I'm excited to go to a city that has a[n] [inter]nationally known bike-friendly community. Knoxville is okay for biking but it won't put us on the map anytime soon.
FlowerBlossom
I have to contradict ollo-ollo; bike shops in Olympia aren't as specialized as some in Seattle. You can see all the stuff in Olympia in the same non-special shops in Seattle. Trails around Olympia are great. But, the drive to Olympia will probably not be part of seeing Seattle, so, it might not be an issue.
allan6344
Ryan said "I'd especally like to visit a shop or shops that sell the type of bikes we don't see here in TN (Dutch-style commuter bikes, cargo bikes, hand made bikes, folding bikes, etc.)"
Check out Aaron's Bicycle Repair http://www.rideyourbike.com/ in West Seattle, they always have a cargo bike out front and they have Rohloff hubs in the store. There's also Dutch Bike Co in Ballard (Seattle) although I have not been in this shop http://www.dutchbikeseattle.com/. Momentum magazine published in BC http://www.momentumplanet.com/ is a good source also. Recycled cycles near the UW rents bikes http://www.recycledcycles.com. The challenge in this area is deciding which good shop to visit not finding a good shop.
mattm
if you've got time & legs, hit up cougar mountain! http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=5174
Bekologist
Yes, the boat ride to Classic Cycle is most worthy; do it by bike if you can, and pick up a 'bike bainbridge island' map and do a loop before heading to the harbor house restaurant for lunch on the patio, looking across eagle harbor at the seattle skyline.
If you want to see 'left coast' bike culture while visiting Seattle, you're going to have to go to Portland!!!
Seattle, despite being a city with a large number of bicyclists, is largely void of cargo cultism (ha!), dutch bikes, etc.... sloo oooowly catching on, but nowhere near portland's bike hip.
Seattle is filled with club riders, the racer contingent is strong here (cyclocross, circuit and velodrome), the yellowjacket contingent, the fixie riders and the drunks.... check out www.point83.com for any glimpses into what passes for seattle bike culture.
Shops already mentioned above are good for alt bike culture, for a big family owned bike shop with large, quality bike selection, go to a Greggs Cycle. www.greggscycles.com
There's a lot of us here, but we ain't doing much 'alt' or 'cargo' IMO! you might catch a cascade bicycling club velo movie night, a starlight velodrome racing night, or an event like that.... lots of 'mom safe' cycling at www.cascade.org
marqueemoon
Check out the velodrome.
http://velodrome.org/cms/
BengeBoy
if you've got time & legs, hit up cougar mountain! http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=5174
Matt, you have an unusual sense of humor.
We're supposed to be *nice* to guests.
BengeBoy
I shoulda mentioned Mobius Cycles, downtown Seattle. Hard to find, worth visiting. Fixie heaven.
http://mobiuscycle.com/
Check out the "Bike Porn" under their gallery in the website..
retros
+1
The ferry ride to Bainbridge and back is one of the best inexpensive tourist activities in Seattle. The fact that you can walk off the ferry, visit the bike museum at Classic Cycles, grab a bite to eat, and return via the ferry makes it a MUST do for cyclists visiting Seattle. There also is a kayak rental place in Bainbridge, and if you want a nice ride, rent a bike and do the 30-mile loop of Bainbridge Island...look on the Cascade Bicycle Club website for an annual ride called the "Chilly Hilly," you can follow that route around the island if you want to have a nice ride and experience 30 miles of rolling hills.
+2 for the ferry ride. Bainbridge and Classic. FYI though,Classic has recently moved to a new location in town @ the Harborview. Its the condo complex accross the street from the ferry terminal parking. I believe that have scaled down the museum a little but still worth a look. Also, they are now renting
Specialized Roubaix road bikes in addition to the hybrid Treks.