Bikery and Other Links

I just found out about The Bikery and couldn't be more excited. The Bikery is a non-profit organization that promotes and advocates for biking in Seattle - providing the use of tools at low costs, free (suggested donation) workshops and education, as well as work trade programs. I'll be heading to their Basic Bike Maintenance class on December 27 from noon to 2.

They also have a great link and resources page here.

Seattle D.I.Y.

Some of the best routes in Seattle can be found on page 4 of this PDF by Seattle D.I.Y. - the rest is a good read too.

Velo Routes - Elevation Feature

A coworker sent me the Velo Routes link yesterday; letting me know that they've added an elevation feature. I mapped my commute home and discovered that I'm completing a 400 foot hike on my rides home.

Choose Create A Route from the left sidebar to start. Once there, you'll want to enter your start address or double click to get in closer. Left click on your starting point, then continue doing the same to mark your path. Once completed you can either save your route, export it, or create an elevation image (similar to that above, my ride in to work, a must easier ride).

Copenhagenize in Seattle

 

Mikael from Copenhagenize and Copenhagen Cycle Chic will be speaking tonight at the Seattle Nordic Museum in Ballard, along with other lectures to follow in Portland and San Francisco. Marketing Bicycle Culture Lecture is free & starts at 7pm tonight.

Climbing Pine

it was a bit rainy, but still a great fall day. walking toward downtown i had moments of admiration for these riders.

Seattle Bike Fall Style

I love seeing all of the leaves on the ground & bikers sporting warmer clothes. This girls skinny jeans are perfect for fall rides (hopefully there is a little stretch in there). Her purple velvet blazer & flats just added to the lovely. A great example of a flexible outfit for biking, working & socializing.


I loved this girls hat & casual look - layers are ideal for the casual biker. I also wanted to snap a picture, proving that walking your bike up Pike to Capitol Hill is an option, a stylish one at that.

How Will I Get There - A Guide to Seattle

Simply deciding how to get from Point A to Point B can be challenging when you are new to biking in Seattle, or any city for that manner. What about the fastest way, the safest way or the most scenic way? While there are some great visual and printable resources in Seattle, I think the two biggest helps are this: find a bike buddy or a organized casual group ride and practice (the more you ride, the more you know).

As for visual guides for Seattle, you can find maps, guides and routes at all of the following locations:

• Cascade Bicycle Club Maps & Routes
• SDOT Maps
• King County Bike Maps
  
• Seattle Bicycle Club Maps
• Bikely - Seattle - You can search through hundreds of user created maps & guides
• Velo Routes Seattle

If you don't have any friends that ride (or that are willing to be patient as you get comfortable), I suggest trying out craigslist or group rides around the city:

• Seattle Bike Bicycle Club has weekend rides that range from social to expert.
• Cascade Bicycle Club also hosts rides, most seem more intense.
  
• Hello Bicycle has been known to lead some group rides.
  
• I Bike Seattle Tours - see local history with a guided tour, pricey.
• Your local bike shop, they seem to know the most.

Feel free to send me any links to other group rides or routes in Seattle.

Photo via Lisa Randolph and her beautiful Flickr Photostream. Who says it can't just be a pretty bike pic?

Seattle Bikes

Some quick shots of Seattle on bike, most shots taken on Pike/Pine. I need to get out more & shoot - it seems to be getting away from me.

Loading Your Bike on Seattle Metro

Sometimes those hills are too steep, the path too long, the streets too busy. On those days, I wait at the bus stop with my bike, hoping that there is an open spot on the front of the Seattle Metro.

What kind of bike can load onto the Metro? Most conventional bikes will fit on the front of the buses; gas powered, tandem, or three wheeled bikes are not allowed. As frustrating as it might seem, these bikes are not allowed to come with you inside the bus, but folding bikes are.

Can I load my bike anywhere? Used to be no, but it looks like they've started a one year demonstration project earlier this year. From Seattle Metro's site:

Effective February 7, 2009, bicycles may be loaded and unloaded anywhere in the Ride Free Area (RFA) during off-peak hours, including Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays. The only restriction for bicycle loading on surface streets in the RFA is Monday through Friday during peak hours (6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.) at each route's first and last RFA stop.

• Bicycles may be loaded or unloaded at any Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel station during all hours the tunnel is open.
• See the list of actual first and last stops in the Ride Free Area by route number [.PDF 25kb] (revised 6/17/09)
• King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit are currently sponsoring a demonstration project that allows bicyclists and other transit customers to ride free across the SR-520 Evergreen Point Bridge on out-of-service Metro and Sound Transit buses.

Alright, how do I get my bike on there? Well, read it here or watch it here.

Here is Seattle Metro's bike page, check it out for further information.

Ballard Bridge

A quick post on The Slog about the new curb cut on Ballard Bridge. Savage makes a good point saying that this much discussed filter of southbound cycles back into traffic is just one tiny piece of what is scary about the bridge; he also makes the point that Ballard is a prime ride to/from downtown, with no hills. 15th Ave W & the bridge need dedicated bikes lanes if we are going to keep pushing all residents to bike; even experience & aggressive riders avoid it.

Image via Subsetsum.

Seattle Bike Trail Etiquette

Some of Seattle's most prominent bike trails include the Burke-Gilman and Interurban, both can be really convenient & an easy way to get around Seattle by bike. I've never ridden the Interurban, mostly because I rarely ride north. Biking on the Burke-Gilman can be tricky, depending on the day & time. Some days you'll be alone for long stretches, others you are avoiding a head-on collision while missing the couple & their baby stroller. I've also had some weird (horrid) interactions with aggressive riders on the trail, forcing me to pull off to let them pass as they speed by. I also was scolded by another biker for not giving him an "on your left." I was miffed by this; on a busy day on the trails do I really need to tell every person that I'm passing them if there is no oncoming traffic or danger? Turns out, you're supposed to. To me it seems like the "Good morning" rule. You might say hello to a person you pass walking to work on your street, but you wouldn't say something to everyone you pass on Broadway, would you?

See the City's website more information on Seattle Trail Etiquette.

SDOT Bicycle Improvements

Seattle Department of Transportation has been busy this summer, visit here to learn about Seattle Bike Infrastructure, wayfinding and paving markings. There are some quick explanations how to behave and what the intentions are.

You can also view or download a Fact Sheet or Bike Facilities by Neighborhood Sheet from the West Seattle Herald, each talking about city-wide improvements.

Seattle Bike Codes - An Intro to Your Rights & Responsibilities

Knowing your rights & responsibilities can be a big barrier when thinking about starting to bike. I sort of hopped in, not knowing. When people glared at me while riding the sidewalk on busy streets, I felt bad (little did I know that I have every right to be there). For those of you new to cycling or cycling in Seattle, here is a quick run down of the code.

For Cyclists:

1. When biking on the road, you have all of the same rules & responsibilities as the driver of a car.
2. You must avoid colliding with any pedestrian or other biker & should use a bell when necessary.
3. Biking slower than the average speed of traffic requires you to ride closest to the right side of the right lane. This excludes safely passing another rider or executing a turn.
4. In a one way, two (or more)-laned road, cyclists may ride closest to the left side of the left lane.
5. You have the right to ride on a shoulder of the road or other bike lanes specified.
6. You may ride two abreast, no more.
7. You have to use hand signals (left, right, or stop)
8. You may not hang on to a moving vehicle.
9. You can not haul any package or bundle that prevents you from keeping at least one hand on the handlebars (no going no-handed).
10. When dark you must have a white light on the front & a red reflector on your back. You may also use a red light on your rear in addition.
11. Those brakes have got to work!
12. You can't carry a passenger unless your 18+ & that small child is attached to their person.
13. When along a crosswalk, you have all the rights & rules as a pedestrian. You shouldn't cut into a crosswalk if cars are present or passing through.
14. You can ride on the sidewalk! You should ride in a manner & of a speed that is proper to the conditions (pedestrian traffic, grade, condition of surface).
15. When on the sidewalk or public path you must yield the right-of-way to an pedestrian & signal (bell or "on your left" it) when overtaking (passing) any pedestrian.
16. Wear a helmet (it's a $100+ ticket now)
    

Drivers Must:

1. Not enter, leave or open the door of a motor vehicle adjacent to moving traffic unless safe to do so. Drivers are responsible to make sure that there are no bikers traveling past.
2. Drive at a speed, avoiding collision with cyclists or pedestrians.
3. Not drive in a bicycle lane, unless executing a turn. In which case they must yield to you, the biker.

Further resources through Bike Smart Seattle and review codes at SDOT.

My philosophy with biking in Seattle is this - stay safe, don't apologize for biking, pay attention, and run red lights if you've looked both ways, checked for pedestrians, etc. Two other things that have really helped me to stay safe are:

1. Riding out from parallel cars & taking my place in the lane (this prevents doors from opening on you and forces cars passing you to slow down & move quite a bit out)
2. Riding on sidewalks when traffic is heavy or fast
   

This just may be my favorite article on the subject, Bicycles Don't Matter. No Really. They Don't. by Dan Bertolet at Hugeasscity. Read other biking related articles here.

Image via sparkling allison.

Seattle Sharrows

There has been a lot of street painting in the last few months (apparently not helping Nickels all that much). It seems that every day I notice a new street with Shared Lane Pavement Markings or sharrows, most recently I saw the little white bike on 15th Ave E. Taken from SDOT, "Shared lane pavement markings (or “sharrows”) are bicycle symbols that are placed in the roadway lane indicating that motorists should expect to see and share the lane with bicycles. Unlike bicycle lanes, they do not designate a particular part of the roadway for the use of bicyclists." This is all a part of the Bicycle Master Plan; sharrows will make up 1/4 of the planned routes.

Some residents will argue that it doesn't do much for bicycle advocacy or make riding in Seattle that much easier - I disagree. There is an interesting discussion over at Totcycle. At this point motorists still need to be made aware of cyclists & more people need to feel comfortable & safe riding in Seattle (as if the hills aren't intimidating enough, safety makes it even scarier). In an ideal world, Seattle streets would look like Stockholm; with seperated cycletracks, three sets of lights at intersections (pedestrian, bike & motorist), & people of all walks would be riding their bikes. Until then, I'm happy about the sharrow boom. It's just a little more proof that I (cyclists) deserve my part of the road.

Seattle Bikes

I love this Critical Mass set from Dapper Lad Cycles - vivid colors, great people shots & a view on cycling in Seattle.

South Lake Union to Pioneer Square

After a great visit with my brother in South Lake Union, I decided to kill a couple of hours on the bike before my dentist apt. From his place near Snowboard Connection & Alley24 I headed toward 9th Avenue on Republican. 9th is a one way street with a clearly marked bike lane that will lead you straight to Bell Street Once you hit Bell, you can take a right on 3rd to go to Seattle Center or head straight for shopping & eating in Belltown. Around 2nd, I took a minute to check out Roq Le Rue & Halogen Galleries; if there was more time in the day I'd also stop by Mama's for mexican food or Shorty's for hot dogs, beers (also home to a classic Seattle pour) & pinball.

After a Belltown stop, I headed down to Western & hopped on the Eastern sidewalk until the Pike Place Market because of one way traffic; it gets pedestrian heavy at this point, so make sure to watch out for them. Once I hit the market I crossed the street to the bike lane that starts where Western splits to go to the waterfront. This is smooth sailing; make sure to pop into a couple of the great design, furniture & interior shops that line the street on both sides. Take a left on Yesler then Right on 1st, there is another bike lane on 1st. I took a left on Jackson & wiggled all around King Street Station, Punch Gallery, 4Culture Gallery, All City Coffee & then shot onto 4th back to downtown.

My last (fun) stop was the Seattle Central Library, seeing that I'd only been there once before at night for a private party, I decided to spend an afternoon taking pics & taking it in. It's a beautiful space inside & out; I can't believe it took me this long to get there. Heading home, 4th is a decent option because it's one way traffic, but busy none the less. At some point a bike lane starts on the left, maybe around University. The trip ended at 5th & Stewart where I got my teeth scrubbed for 45 minutes. Ugh.

Aside from the stop at the dentist, I recommend the urban jog. Here's the route & here are some pics.

Happy Hour Ride to the International District

There seems to only be one neighborhood in Seattle that sells bean thread (cellophane noodles) & considering that it was a main ingredient to my girls' night dinner - I got on my bike after work to head to Uwajimaya in Seattle's International District. Not only do they have some great Asian treats, housewares & gifts, but you can pop over to the Kinokuniya Bookstore for a fantastic selection of books and writing supplies (ohhhhh notebooks & gel pens). If you have a minute, I also recommend heading to Kobo & Momo on Jackson for a little shop stop.

Once I picked up my goods, I was ready to head home to Capitol Hill. Here's my route from work to Uwajimaya in the International District & then the route from there home. The whole ride was modest, each leg taking about 25 minutes.

From South Lake Union to the International District tips:

• Dexter has a nice wide bike lane & traffic is accustomed to cyclists on the road, that's where I hung out until Lenora
• I hopped onto 5th for a straight shot, because of rush hour traffic I spent Lenora to Yesler on the sidewalk
  

From the International District to East Capitol Hill tips:

• The whole stretch is a modest hill that goes slow & is very ridable
• I hop onto the sidewalk & crosswalks at Jackson & 12 Ave S intersection to get on the east side of 12th, heading north
• I use the sidewalk from Jackson to Yesler, where a bike lane starts mid-block
• This is also a great way to get to the Pike/Pine district or North Capitol Hill
  

Best Cycle Street Clothes

In the last few years I've been able to do some"research" on what works best while biking. It's been cold, it's been hot, it's been raining & I've found myself in some awkward clothing-related biking situations.


In the summer months I love to put on a dress & putz around town on my bike. If you're at all modest you'll want your dress to be a little heavier fabric (so it won't fly up) & not much up from your knee. I have a great jersey tube dress from Gentle Fawn that serves as my go to biking dress. It has a built in bra, exposes my shoulders & back (no tan lines), and is a-line with a free flowing bottom. My other go to summer outfit is an American Apparel pencil skirt & tube top, it takes me most places (on & off the bike). All in all, cycling in the summer means that you need comfortable, breathable clothing, for me that means jersey & other knits. If you are worried about a little too much skin, grab a pair of hot pants from american apparel or twin syndrome on etsy.


For a while I was anti leggings as pants, but they are creeping up into my wardrobe. While in Stockholm I found myself wearing leggings with oversized button ups a few times & thought that they'd make a lovely outfit for bike riding.


Another tip - riding in heels is just as easy as biking in flip flops.


A nice romper would be great too, don't you think?

Some no no's you ask? My biggest are skin tight denim, unless of course they have a little lycra in them. I also avoid too short skirts or shorts; it's less about giving sneak peeks & more about feeling my bare ass on the saddle.

All images via Zakkaliciousness.

What Should I Wear Biking?

Call me vain, but when I first considered biking around town, the first thought to go through my head - "Do I have to wear that God-awful get up?" Everywhere I look it's biker after biker in special clip shoes, spandex-butt padding shorts, yellow or green nylon jackets & some sporty eye protection. I don't mean to judge; some people want to bike fast, not have a sore ass, be easily spotted by cars & not get a rock in their eye. It seems like the best spots to get hi-tech cycling gear in Seattle is REI; there, plus EMS or Sierra Trading Post is great for online purchases.

I like to think of it this way, if you are going to be an aggressive cyclist (either speed or longevity), the gear is worth it. If you are going to ride casually or for only a short commute, you really just need to think about comfort & keeping your pant leg out of the chain. While I consider myself a casual commuter, I understand that in Seattle - biking in skin tight (no lycra) denim & heals can feel pretty constricting taking Pine from Downtown to the top of Capitol Hill. Check out the following links for places to grab functional & stylish cycle gear.

Cyclodelic (London based)
London Cyclechic & their fashion tips
Swrve Cycle Apparel
First Look Commuter Pants
Lindland Cordarounds
Styley helmets by Bern

Keep in touch this week as I get a little deeper into cycling in style.

8 Reasons Biking in Seattle Had Me Freaked

I fantasized about biking in Seattle, a Seattle with no hills & me on a beautiful cruiser. But when I decided to make it happen, reality set in & I was intimidated. It seemed I had so much to learn; what kind of bike should I get, how the heck am I going to haul my stuff around, what do I really need to buy, how am I going to avoid dying? I had some friends to ask questions & coworkers that helped me get used to commuting, but what I needed most was to just start riding.

So, here we are - the 8 reasons biking in Seattle had me freaked...

1. What kind of bike do I need & how much is this going to cost me?
2. What am I going to wear (do I really need spandex shorts)?
3. How will I haul my stuff around?
4. How can I avoid dying & what are Seattle's bike laws?
5. How can I avoid dying & how do I deal with cars & heavy traffic?
6. What's the deal with loading my bike on the bus?
7. How will I get there?
   
8. Ummm, won't I be super sweaty (is there any route without a huge hill)?
   

In the next few weeks tell you all what I wish I would have known then. Just one girl that wanted to bike around a bit to another.

Image via Copenhagen Cycle Chic.