A person bikes on the protected bike lane on 4th Ave in downtown Seattle. Photo: SDOT Blog stats: 1,400 words | 7-minute read
At-a-glance:
- Spring is here with lighter days, and we encourage you to enjoy biking all month long as part of Bike Everywhere Month!
- Whether you’re an avid year-round bike commuter or just looking to try out biking for the first time, you’re in the right place.
- In this blog post, you’ll find our latest tips, tools, and resources to get rolling to your favorite destinations:
- We also encourage you to learn more in this related post:
It’s time to dust off your helmet, fill up your tires, and grab your friends and family. We’re kicking off Bike Everywhere Month today and throughout the month of May. We hope you can join the celebration and enjoy biking as part of your everyday trips to work, school, parks, and countless other destinations in Seattle and beyond!
Bike & scooter resources
Get started! Whether you’re pedaling to get somewhere quickly or enjoying a leisurely ride along our city’s many scenic routes, be sure you’re prepared by reading our Seattle by Bike Guide. The guide offers a detailed breakdown of all things biking, from preparing for your ride, to planning your route, to bike maintenance basics, and everything in between.
Don’t own a bike? Seattle offers bike and scooter share options for your trip. Visit our bike and scooter share website for all the details on how to get started. If you don’t have a smartphone, each company provides other ways to access bikes and scooters.
How much does it cost to rent a bike or scooter? Each company’s rates differ, but most include a $1 unlock fee and charge approximately $0.40-$0.50 per minute, plus taxes and fees. If you have ORCA LIFT, a Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP), Apple Health (Medicaid), or you receive discounted utilities, discounted housing, or nutritional assistance (e.g. SNAP), you likely qualify for rides at a reduced cost.
More information on renting equipment, correctly parking, and safely using a scooter or bike can be found on our website.
Protect yourself – please wear a helmet! Make sure you stay safe during your ride by wearing a helmet. You can receive a free helmet at any of these six Seattle Customer Service Centers: Ballard, Lake City, University, Central, Southwest, and Southeast. For all the details about free helmet resources, visit our website.
Bike maintenance and safety
Stay safe by ensuring your bike is in good condition and knowing how to navigate through the city. Before your ride, make sure to do an “ABC Quick Check” – Air, Breaks, & Chains.
- Check your tire pressure as low pressure can lead to a flat tire.
- Visually check the brake pads for wear. If there is less than 1/8 inch of brake pad left, they need to be replaced.
- Check your handbrakes as well by making sure the levers snap back once released.
- Make sure the bike’s chains are silver, with no evidence of rust or gunk. Then turn the pedals backwards to see if the chain travels smoothly.
If you need to buy a new or used bike, a bike part, or get bike repairs taken care of, below are a few of the many local bike shops in Seattle that offer these services.
- Alki Bike and Board
- Bike Swift
- Bike Works Bike Mobile
- Bike Works Non-profit Bicycle Shop
- Capitol Hill Tool Library
- Cassette Club Seattle
- Center for Bicycle Repair
- Dandelion Bike Shop
- Electric Vehicles NW
- Free Range Cycles
- Good Weather
- Gregg’s Cycle
- Mend Bicycles
- Mello Fellos Bike Shop
- Montlake Bicycle Shop
- Rad Power Bikes
- Recycled Cycles
- REI Bike Shop
- Ride Bicycles
- Sharing Wheels
- Shots and Sprockets
- The Bikery
Make yourself known. When making any changes to your biking speed or making turns, use hand signals to let others know.
Visibility can be challenging at night for everyone, so if you plan to bike during the darker hours, protect yourself by using equipment like bike lights, a red rear light, a helmet light, and reflectors. Bells are handy accessories to have on your bike when passing other cyclists and pedestrians. If you do not have a bell, use your voice to signal you are passing other people.
Learn to bike
No matter your skill level, we hope you can participate in Bike Everywhere Month.
Below are a few resources to help you start your biking journey:
Did you know? We partner with Cascade Bike Club, Outdoors for All, and Seattle Public Schools to support the Let’s Go and Let’s Go Further programs, which provide bike lessons to Seattle students. Learn more on our website or read about it in this previous blog post.
Benefits of biking
Biking is not only a physically and mentally beneficial activity for our health, but it also benefits our city’s health. Transportation is the largest contributor to Seattle’s greenhouse gas emissions, but with every new bike trip, we eliminate an average of 366 grams of carbon dioxide for our city.
To reach our goal of carbon neutrality as part of our Climate Change Response Framework, we have been working to support biking by building more protected bike lanes throughout the city as well as Healthy Streets and Neighborhood Greenways.
Bike routes
Seattle offers many scenic routes for you to enjoy your bike ride! Use our trail maps to explore some beloved bike trails in the city. The maps also show landmarks near or on the trails.
A few examples include:
Don’t forget to check out the brand-new bike route along Seattle’s central waterfront that opened earlier this spring! Read all about it in this blog post. You can also learn about our Center City Bike Network for travel in and around downtown Seattle. We’re continuing to expand our city’s bike network for people of all ages and abilities, including building more protected bike lanes.
Plan your trip before you go by checking the locations of various bike facilities throughout Seattle with our interactive Bike Web Map and Printable Bike Map.
Check out these apps for more bike routes around the city:
Community biking events
This month is also the perfect time to kick-start the day right by rolling to school. You can read more about biking to school in Seattle on the Seattle Public Schools website. You can also learn about our Safe Routes to School program here.
Here’s a list of upcoming community events happening throughout May – check it out!
- National Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day – Wednesday, May 7: This is an opportunity for students to walk and bike to school while being active and building community. Dozens of schools in Seattle are participating this year. Learn more here.
- Bike Everywhere Day – Wednesday, May 14: Bike Everywhere Day is the mid-month peak event for Bike Everywhere Month when the community supports bicyclists at Celebration Stations throughout Seattle. Celebration Stations offer bikers a chance to take a break from their ride to hydrate, enjoy social time, and take in the views. Learn more about planned Celebration Stations throughout Seattle on the Cascade Bicycle Club website.
- Join SDOT on May 14 at three Celebration Stations: We’re hosting multiple Celebration Stations on May 14 as part of Bike Everywhere Day. Come visit – we’ll have snacks, hydration, and SDOT giveaways for you to enjoy at the following locations:
- Station 1: North Seattle
- Location: North 130th St & Ashworth Ave N (southwest corner of the Ingraham High School campus)
- Time: 7:00 – 9:00 AM
- What’s Happening: Celebrating the N 130th St and Ashworth Ave N Safety Enhancements
- Station 2: Central/South Seattle
- Location: 12th Ave S & Golf Dr S (south side of the Jose Rizal Bridge, where the I-90 Trail meets 12th Ave S)
- Time: 3:30 – 5:30 PM
- What’s Happening: Celebrating the Beacon Ave S & 15th Ave S Safety Project
- Station 3: Northwest Seattle
- Location: Greenwood Park (where Fremont Ave N intersects with N 88th St)
- Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- What’s Happening: Celebrating the Greenwood Healthy Street
- Stay tuned for more events in May – you can follow us on social media for our latest updates.
