# Best bike shops in Seattle?



## SolidSnake03

Hey everyone,

This coming August I'm taking a family trip to Seattle for a few days and was wondering if there were any awesome bike shops worth stopping in? I'm unfamiliar with the area having grown up in the Midwest so I was looking for a bit of guidance here. Whenever I travel I like to try and stop in a few local shops even if its for nothing else other than to say hi and get a pair of socks to remember the place by.

Anyhow, any suggestions?

Thanks!


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## PSC

Here are some local shops:

Seattle, King County Bike Shops, sorted by company name

Elliott Bay Bicycles is a good one by Pike Place Market. Both shops on Bainbridge Island are cool, plus you get a cool ferry ride. August is a great time to come to Seattle.


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## LC

Gregg's Greenlake is one of the most popular for high end. Recycled Cycles and Elliott Bay are both interesting if your into cycling history.


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## Nicole Hamilton

LC said:


> Recycled Cycles and Elliott Bay are both interesting if your into cycling history.


I was going to suggest Recycled Cycles, myself. Very interesting place, especially with all cool vintage bikes hanging from the ceiling. And an especially good place if you're looking for odd parts nobody makes anymore.


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## gordy748

Also...

Veloce Velo on Mercer island is really easy to get to and sells high-end kit. If you've ever wondered what Assos stuff feels like to wear, or if Pinarellos really do look that ugly in real life, that's your shop.

Another suggestion is Cascade Bicycle Studio. It's an oddity as its not a shop you can stroll into, basically you need to reach out to Zac to book an appointment to stop by. Zac used to work at Seven and knows his stuff. Zac's place isn't very big but they have some amazing kit there.


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## acg

I used to live in Seattle back in the 1990s. There was a bike boutique shop on Lake Washington Blvd owned by a guy by George. Lots of high end European stuff such as Merckx, Olmo, Assos, etc. George supplied some of my racing needs in the late 80s and early 90s. I recollect his son was also active in the local racing scene. The shop is no longer there when I drove around the area last year. Anyone know if the shop still exists somewhere?


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## Nicole Hamilton

gordy748 said:


> Veloce Velo on Mercer island is really easy to get to and sells high-end kit.


Indeed. If you go there, take some money; you're going to want to spend it. They have lots of nice stuff, very pretty bikes and very current accessories. I'm just ticking off mentally how many hundreds of dollars have disappeared for a Lazer Helium, Mavik winter cycling shoes, Gore winter shell, a professional fiting, and so on. This is a very high end store with stylish products and a good staff. Big downside is that everything is list.


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## SolidSnake03

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! The Veloce Velo looks pretty neat and I plan to be near Pike Place Market so Elliott will probably be a must see. These all look good and I hope to pick up at least a few nice little things to remember each place by. Maybe a shop jersey or some socks, just a keep-sake type of thing to look back on.

Thanks!


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## Wicked2006

I use to live in the Seattle area and always went to Center Cycle in Renton. Great staff and cool shop.


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## KurtS

R&E in the U District. Been building bikes there since 1973. Very complete website with cool history. They are building me a Rohloff touring now. They build the most Rohloff bikes in the USA actually.


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## MarvinK

Wicked2006 said:


> I use to live in the Seattle area and always went to Center Cycle in Renton. Great staff and cool shop.


Center Cycle (across from Ikea) is great. I liked them a little better when they still carried Cannondale, but still nice. Also, Bicycles West is only a few blocks from them and always seems to have some absurdly great deals. Either way, both are great... but much closer to the airport than downtown Seattle.

Redmond also has some great shops.


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## 202cycle

acg said:


> I used to live in Seattle back in the 1990s. There was a bike boutique shop on Lake Washington Blvd owned by a guy by George. Lots of high end European stuff such as Merckx, Olmo, Assos, etc. George supplied some of my racing needs in the late 80s and early 90s. I recollect his son was also active in the local racing scene. The shop is no longer there when I drove around the area last year. Anyone know if the shop still exists somewhere?


There is a website for Illveccio, and it does say by appointment only. I grew up racing with young George, and always enjoyed popping in the store whenever I was in town. He had the actual Merckx hour record bike in there for a while. Great guy.

Having worked at R&E, Greggs and all of the Velo Stores locations, I enjoy stopping by all the old haunts. Elliot Bay is a must for me as well as Samammish Valley Cycle in Redmond, where I took my first Repair class, and purchased my first racing bike.


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## Nicole Hamilton

SolidSnake03 said:


> Hey everyone,I plan to be near Pike Place Market ...


If you're going to be near Pike Place (and if you're from out of town, why not), you might also check out a local builder, Davidson Bicycles, who's only a couple blocks away.

Also, though it has nothing to do with bicycling, if you're visiting Seattle and wondering what's fun to do, check out the Seattle Underground Tour in Pioneer Square. There's a pretty funny story about the plumbing problems early settlers faced and how they solved(?) them. (I don't want to spoil it for you.)


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## MarvinK

202cycle said:


> ...I enjoy stopping by all the old haunts. Elliot Bay is a must for me as well as Samammish Valley Cycle in Redmond, where I took my first Repair class, and purchased my first racing bike.


Last time I was over there I drove past the shop I bought my first bike at in Auburn. It got bought out by Bike-Tech quite a while ago, and has since been closed. Some real nice shops in Tacoma, but not much else once you get south of Renton.


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## Blue 58

Cascade Bicycle Studio used to be "by appointment only", but it recently switched over to normal business hours. Cool little shop. Seven, Ibis, Focus, Parlee. The only clothes line they have is Rapha, so it's pretty high end. The owner, Zac, also created the MFG Cx series here in Seattle.


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## SolidSnake03

Nicole Hamilton said:


> If you're going to be near Pike Place (and if you're from out of town, why not), you might also check out a local builder, Davidson Bicycles, who's only a couple blocks away.
> 
> Also, though it has nothing to do with bicycling, if you're visiting Seattle and wondering what's fun to do, check out the Seattle Underground Tour in Pioneer Square. There's a pretty funny story about the plumbing problems early settlers faced and how they solved(?) them. (I don't want to spoil it for you.)


Hey thanks for the Davidson suggestion, I might have to stop in there and see. I'm always interested in local builders and think it's neat to see everyone's distinctive take on bikes/frames


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## mgringle

*cascade bicycle*



gordy748 said:


> Also...
> 
> Another suggestion is Cascade Bicycle Studio. It's an oddity as its not a shop you can stroll into, basically you need to reach out to Zac to book an appointment to stop by. Zac used to work at Seven and knows his stuff. Zac's place isn't very big but they have some amazing kit there.


Cascade is now open regular hours and has expanded. I just purchased a Seven and they are awesome. They have some really nice bikes to check out. Web page has their hours.


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## Travis

If you rent a bike you can ride to all these on some great roads/trails. The I90 floating bridge trail is very unique and there are many options from the core of downtown north to Green Lake. Riding out to West Seattle is very nice as well


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## SolidSnake03

Cascade looks really promising, that is for sure! Thanks again everyone, have a nice little list put together here of places to check out.


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## _Forza_

Sammamish Valley Cycle in Redmond appears to be missing from the list. Also upper end..

Bikes:

Parlee, Pinarello, Colnago, Cervelo (they even have an RC5a), De Rosa, Serotta

Clothing:

Assos, Capo. Craft, etc...

One more pure speed shop is Herriott Sports Performance in Queen Anne...They focus on coaching and physiology.

Bikes: BMC, Look, Guru, Ridley

Up and coming shop:

Peterson Bicycle in Renton, right off the Lake Washington Loop and across from the Seahawks headquarters...owned by Tom Peterson of Garmin-Barracuda...other known teammates have been spotted there as well.

Also good to stop in Gerk's in either Issaquah or Redmond. Mainly a Specialized shop, but great staff.


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## Mellow Yellow

Gotta go with Center Cycle in Renton. 600+ bikes built and in stock at any time! It's a sight to see! Staff is cool and friendly.


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## epicus07

+1 on recycled cycles


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