Bicycling in Seattle

Biking is probably Seattle's most practiced sport. Many people bike to work and seem to do their own version of the Tour de France (spandex and all) on weekends. That said, Seattle is not a particularly bike-friendly city. There are surprisingly few dedicated bike lanes, especially in the busiest parts of town. And then there are those hills—Queen Anne Hill and Phinney Ridge should only be attempted by sadists. Fortunately, all city buses have easy-to-use bike racks (on the front of the buses below the windshield) and drivers are used to waiting for cyclists to load and unload their bikes. If you're not comfortable biking in urban traffic, you can do a combination bus-and-bike tour of the city.

Seattle drivers are used to sharing the road with cyclists and with the exception of the occasional road-rage victim or clueless cell-phone talker, they usually leave a generous amount of room when passing; however, there are biking fatalities every year, so be alert and cautious, especially when approaching blind intersections, of which Seattle has many. You must wear a helmet at all times (it's the law) and be sure to lock up your bike—though there are probably more car break-ins, bikes do get stolen, even in quiet residential neighborhoods.

The Seattle Parks Department sponsors Bicycle Saturdays and Sundays on different weekends May through September. On these days, a 4-mi stretch of Lake Washington Boulevard—from Mt. Baker Beach to Seward Park—is closed to motor vehicles. Many riders continue around the 2-mi loop at Seward Park and back to Mt. Baker Beach to complete a 10-mi, car-free ride.

The trail that circles Green Lake is popular with cyclists, though runners and walkers can impede fast travel. The city-maintained Burke-Gilman Trail, a slightly less-congested path, follows an abandoned railroad line 12 mi along Seattle's waterfront from Lake Washington almost to Salmon Bay. Discovery Park is a very tranquil place to tool around in. Myrtle Edwards Park, north of Pier 70, has a two-lane path for bicycling and running. The islands of the Puget Sound are also easily explored by bike (there are rental places by the ferry terminals), though be forewarned that Bainbridge has some tough hills.

King County has more than 100 mi of paved and nearly 70 mi of unpaved routes including the Sammamish River, Interurban, Green River, Cedar River, Snoqualmie Valley, and Soos Creek trails. For more information contact the King County Parks and Recreation office.

Marymoor Velodrome (6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. NE, Redmond. velodrom.org). When not used for competitive racing—National Championship meets, regional Olympic trials, the Goodwill Games—the banked oval here is open to the public. Granted, it's a bit of a haul from Seattle to Redmond, but for serious speedsters, there's no substitute. Since the Burke-Gilman Trail links up in Bothell with the Sammamish River Trail (which is connected to Marymoor Park), you can ride from Seattle to Marymoor, though you may not have anything left for the track once you get here. A free junior program for ages five to eight introduces children to track cycling, with track bikes provided for free during classes and races.

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington (206/224-9252. www.bicyclealliance.org), the state's largest cycling advocacy group, is a great source for information. The Cascade Bicycle Club (206/522-2453. www.cascade.org) organizes more than 1,000 rides annually for recreational and hard-core bikers. Of its major events the most famous is the Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic. It offers daily rides in Seattle and the Eastside that range from "superstrenuous" to leisurely all-ages jaunts, like easy passes through the Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Arboretum. Check out the Web site for a complete list of rides and contact information. The Seattle Bicycle Program (206/684-7583. www.seattle.gov/transportation/bikeprogram.htm) was responsible for the creation of the city's multiuse trails (aka bike routes) as well as pedestrian paths and roads with wide shoulders—things, in other words, that benefit bicyclists. The agency's Web site has downloadable route maps; you can also call the number above to request a printed version of the Seattle Bicycling Guide Map.

Rentals

BikeStation (311 3rd Ave. S, Pioneer Square. 206/332-9795. www.bikestation.org/seattle). This bike storage facility also offers perhaps the cheapest rentals in town. Though the selection is not as impressive as at Gregg's, you can procure a regular, mountain, or electric bike for a mere $3 per hour ($15 per day).

Gregg's Greenlake Cycle (7007 Woodlawn Ave. NE, Green Lake. 206/523-1822. www.greggscycles.com). On Green Lake's northern end, this Seattle institution has been in business since 1932. It sells and rents mountain bikes, standard road touring bikes, and hybrids; helmets and locks are included with each rental. Gregg's is close to the Burke-Gilman Trail and across the street from the Green Lake Trail. Rental fees range from $20 to $50 for the day, $25 to $75 overnight, and $60 to $135 per week. Gregg's also rents in-line skates, jogging strollers, snowboarding equipment, and snowshoes.