Editors for the Bicycle Retailer and Industry News publication came away greatly impressed with the Emerald City during their recent Seattle dealer tour.
I know that the bicycling is great here in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s always good to hear praise from those who don’t spend a lot of time here.
As the magazine reports from the industry and retail perspective, the article calls Seattle a “bike retailing dream market”.
The article “Seattle retail: The more things change … “ can be seen at an online version of the December newsletter at the BRAIN website.
The editors found bicycling to be going strong here. Although Seattle is also known for its wet weather, that only means that the city leads the nation in the sales of aftermarket fenders, according to a supplier.
Seattle bike shops featured in Bicycle Retailer
The magazine attributes Seattle’s strength to a young, active, and affluent population. Bike commuting is growing here, and that’s good news for bike shops that specialize in transportation, utility and urban markets
Sidebars report on the shape of bicycle infrastructure reflected in the completeness of bike lanes, bike paths and cycle tracks in the city, which lags behind Washington DC, Portland, Oregon and Minneapolis.
Cyclocross mania is explored, as are the efforts by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance to provide mountain biking in the urban area as well as surrounding parks and forests.
There are also quick profiles of some local bike shops, from 81-year-old Gregg’s Greenlake Cycle to the relative newcomer Ride Bicycles. Other shops profiled include such venerable institutions as Elliott Bay Bicycles, Recycled Cycles, Velo Bike Shop, and Alpine Hut, as well as Speedy Reedy, Herriott Sports Performance, and the nonprofit Bike Works.
Two bike shops at the end of a ferry trip — Bainbridge Island Bicycle and Classic Cycle — also were profiled.
Maybe all the attention will draw more bike shops to the Seattle area.
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