Different Spokes: The Life of a Seattle Cyclist

A photo essay by Charles Peterson tracking a day in the life of the Seattle bike scene.

By: Kristen Russell

| June 2012

The Major Taylor Project

Students from West Seattle’s Chief Sealth International High School take part in the Major Taylor Project, a program of the Cascade Bicycle Club (CBC) that aims to put bikes into the hands of kids from diverse communities. With more than 14,000 members, the Sand Point-based CBC is one of the biggest cycling clubs in the nation.

Regarded as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation, Seattle’s love of all things two-wheeled runs deep and wide (like a sharrow). In our city, spirited battles rage over street access, cyclists’ rights and how best to keep pedalers safe, as our streets teem with their growing numbers. Bicycles get us around, but they also define us, refine us and give us a visceral sense of community, whether we’re bike commuters or baby haulers, messengers or mud fanatics—or weekend warriors taking in the sheer joy of a sunny-day spin along the Burke-Gilman Trail. We offer this snapshot of Seattle’s diverse and thriving bicycling scene.

Photographs by Charles Peterson

With additional photos by Stuart Isett, Mike Hone and Russell Lo

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