Bike shops near Seatac airport

[jackrippah]

Hi,

I will be flying into Seatac airport this spring to begin my 'Northern Tier' trip. I will be shipping my bike separately and would like to find a reliable and service oriented bike shop near Seatac to receive the bike, re-assemble and verify operation.  I will also be mailing a small box of additional stuff that might be a hassle getting through the TSA hoops that I would like them to receive and save for me (tools, batteries etc.).

Has anyone had a positive experience with this sort of issue with a bike shop in the area very near Seatac ? 

Thanks,
Jack

[indyfabz]

A logistics suggestion from someone who tries to get out west every year and ships his bike: Are you going to be spending the night somewhere in Seattle? If so, you might want to consider looking for a shop that is close to where you will be staying rather than one close to where you will be landing. Seattle has a nice HI hostel in the thick of the city. It's close to the Bainbridge and Bremerton ferries. When I did ACA's group Northern Tier tour we met in Seattle, stayed at the hostel's old location and then caught the ferry to start the tour. I went out a few days early so I could have a full day in the city to see the sights and relax.

Also, the hostel is about 2.0 miles from the Seattle REI. Some REI stores will receive and assemble bikes for people who are about to start tours. Two years ago I used the Missoula REI for that very purpose for a tour starting in mid-June, and I will be using them again this June. They only charged me $40 to re-assemble and tune the bike, which is very reasonable. It's also handy because you can pick up any last minute items you might need, like fuel for you stove. You would have to call the Seattle store directly to see if it offers the same service. REI's extended hours are also helpful, especially if you plan to start a tour the day after you land. I landed in Missoula some 4 hrs. late. Had I used a LBS in town, I would not have made it there before the shop closed. REI, on the other hand, is located right next to the KOA where I started the tour and was open until 9 p.m.

If you decide to go that route, I would call sooner than later and get on the schedule. The Missoula REI wanted to have the bike in their hands at least 10 days before my arrival because it gets very busy around that time. I would also make hostel reservations early. When I stayed there in late May of '99 and '00 the place filled up. They are in a different location now, so it may be larger, but I wouldn't chance it.

Finally, I highly recommend using bikeflights.com to ship your bike. They are basically a FedEx discount shipping service for bikes. I have used them twice with excellent results. Their web site has a handy calculator that will provide you with a quote. All you need are the origin and destination zip codes, box dimensions and total weight (which you can always estimate). Last year I shipped my bike from Philly to Rapid City, SD. At an estimated weight of 60 lbs. for the bike, box, racks fuel bottle and stove, I paid $47 each way including $1,400 in insurance and a $5 surcharge for pick up at a LBS (as opposed to taking it to a FedEx shipping place, such as a FedEx-Kinko's store). I believe that included a 10% discount for being a repeat customer. Still, that's hard to beat for four-day shipping.

[adventurepdx]

A logistics suggestion from someone who tries to get out west every year and ships his bike: Are you going to be spending the night somewhere in Seattle? If so, you might want to consider looking for a shop that is close to where you will be staying rather than one close to where you will be landing. Seattle has a nice HI hostel in the thick of the city...Also, the hostel is about 2.0 miles from the Seattle REI. Some REI stores will receive and assemble bikes for people who are about to start tours...
If you decide to go that route, I would call sooner than later and get on the schedule. The Missoula REI wanted to have the bike in their hands at least 10 days before my arrival because it gets very busy around that time. I would also make hostel reservations early. When I stayed there in late May of '99 and '00 the place filled up. They are in a different location now, so it may be larger, but I wouldn't chance it.

All good points. I'll add that you can take light rail from SeaTac into central Seattle. The HI-Seattle is just a block away from the lightrail station. And yes, book your stay as early as you can!

[johnsondasw]

I grew up about 3 miles from Seatac.  Angle Lake Cycle  (206-878-7457) is very close to the airport at 208th and International Blvd.  Also, Burien Cycle is in, well, Burien, a few miles away. 

[indyfabz]

All good points. I'll add that you can take light rail from SeaTac into central Seattle. The HI-Seattle is just a block away from the lightrail station.

Thanks. I was thinking that was the case, but I wasn't sure. The two times I started tours from Seattle I took Amtrak from the east coast so I ended up right in town, and that was a long time ago. Not sure if the light rail even existed in '00. Personally, if I were going to start from Seattle again I would want to build in an extra day or two to enjoy the city.

OP: While not always the case, traffic conditions around airports can be less than ideal. While I wouldn't have a problem riding an assembled bike around the Bismarck, ND Rapid City, SD airports, no way would I want to do the same near the Philly airport if there were better options.

And you can fly with knives, tools and the like as long as you check them. I just wouldn't pack a stove or fuel bottle because of residue. I ship those items in my bike bike box. I check one duffel bag with most of my gear and two panniers. The other two panniers I carry on partially packed. One counts as my free carry on. The other is small enough to count as my free "personal item."

[jackrippah]

Thanks all for the great responses...

I'm coming in from Honolulu on a 'red eye' so I used some of my hotel points to stay for two days at one of the airport SEATAC hotels.  Probably one of the few hotels I will be staying at all summer. I reserved two nights expecting to take more than a day to deal with bike issues, look around the town and to get a nights sleep before I head to the ferry.

I had not considered the REI bicycle shop option, sounds like a good idea I shall look into that. On that subject johnsondasw, do you have an opinion on which of Angle Lake Cycle or Burien Cycle might be better a better choice?

I have been going back and forth on the shipping options.  At the moment I had tentatively decided to ride my bike to the LBS that will be packing it and calling FedX to pick it up and put it down near SEATAC somewhere and then ride it away.  I looked (briefly) at Bikeflights and liked what I saw but there were a few not so good reviews which got to the paranoid corner of my brain.  I was a little afraid of getting an intermediary between me and my bike shipment while I was in a hotel in Seattle.    indyfabz, you say you have had good experiences with Bikeflights, that bumps me back toward Bikeflights. Shipping, either to or from the islands is often a much harder thing to do than intra-mainland shipments.  And always much more expensive.

[johnsondasw]

On that subject johnsondasw, do you have an opinion on which of Angle Lake Cycle or Burien Cycle might be better a better choice?

I don't have current info on these 2 bike shops.  However, Angle Lake Cycle is much closer, in easy walking distance from Seatac.  I'd give them a call.   

[22hornet]

I shipped my bike from Tacoma to my hotel in Jacksonville last year with bikeflights and rode to Arizona then shipped it home. no issues just pack it good. There are lots of good bike shops close to Sea-Tac  not to sure about Angle Lake it has changed in the past few years and maybe not so good. I work close to Sea-Tac and am a pretty good wrench if you need someone to put your bike together. Jim

[staehpj1]

I prefer to fly with my bike and usually ride right out of the airport.  That works well if you fly a fairly bike friendly airline like Southwest.

That said, yes the light rail is a very handy way to get to downtown Seattle from Seatac.  There was a very friendly bike coop not too far from the hostel I stayed in in Seattle (Seattle City Hostel 2327 2nd Ave).  Not sure if they provide that service, but they were very nice to me when I stopped there.  If I remember correctly it was Bike Works at 3709 S Ferdinand St.

[indyfabz]

I looked (briefly) at Bikeflights and liked what I saw but there were a few not so good reviews which got to the paranoid corner of my brain.  I was a little afraid of getting an intermediary between me and my bike shipment while I was in a hotel in Seattle.    indyfabz, you say you have had good experiences with Bikeflights, that bumps me back toward Bikeflights.

That's surprising. Bikeflights is a "marketing intermediary" but not a physical one that ever handles your bike.  When you purchase shipping through them they email you a pre-paid FedEx shipping document about 10 days before your scheduled ship date. (If you ship date is sooner than 10 days from your purchased date, they email you the label about 30 min. after your purchase. Since there doesn't appear to be any need for you to purchase last minute shipping, you should get your label 10 days before your ship date.) If you don't get your label you have plenty of time to contact them. Before my first use I had some questions. I emailed them and they responded to me within the hour. When I purchased day-before shipping in Missoula a few years ago, my shipping label was emailed to me in about 30 minutes as promised.

Once you get your label, you handle the remained of the logistics. You can have the bike picked up at a LBS, if you have paid for that option, or take it to a FedEx drop off location, including FedEx/Kinko's locations.

My only complaint about them is that, for return shipping, they won't send you the label at the same time they send you the first label even if you purchase both at the same time. That means that at the end of a tour longer than 10 days, your will return shipping label will be waiting for you in your in box, which means you will need to have access to a computer with a printer. The two times I used them I was shipping back from Missoula and Rapid City, SD. Both cities had easy access to computers and printers via their public libraries.

BTW...Make sure you make an "appointment" with the shop you choose as early as possible. The Missoula REI wanted the bike there 10 days ahead of my arrival because my arrival was scheduled during a very busy time for them--a time when they usually get a consistent stretch of good weather and people realize they need to take their bikes in for service or decide to buy new ones.

[jackrippah]

Again, all good advice.

When I referred to Bikeflights as an intermediary what I meant was that if there were problems with the shipment of some kind (late/lost/damaged/etc.) that I would have to deal with Bikeflights who would then deal with FedEx.  If they only arrange the shipment and then stand back and if problems arose I would just talk directly with FedEx that resolves my concern.

[PeteJack]

Riding from SeaTac or Burien Cycles to downtown can be a pain although the light rail would be painless. Send me a PM and I'll take you the Secret Low Traffic Route to Pioneer Square. If you're up for it I'll take you along Alki Beach with its fabulous views of downtown, it's a bit further but nicer riding. After that you're on you're own. Chances are I'll be around because I'm retired. I live about 3 miles from the airport. BTW I highly recommend Burien Cycles. In my experience they are keen competent young guys who charge very reasonable prices.

[jackrippah]

PeteJack

A very kind offer.  What I've decided to do is have my bike shipped to BackAlley bike shop in Pioneer square.  It is very near the light rail line and near the ferry.  Also because of good yelp reviews and the fact that they sell Surly bikes (I am riding a 'LongHaulTrucker') .

I'm really excited to get going!

Thank you all for your generous advise and help.

Jack

[PeteJack]

How are you getting onto the NT route from Seattle? there's a couple of options comes to mind. The easy way is to take the train to Mount Vernon, it's about 10 miles from there to Sedro Wooley (love that name) and you can join the ACA route just before SW. There's a bike path shown north of the Skagit River on the ACA map, the official route is to the south. Resist the temptation to try the bike path, it's horrible: soft gravel and pretty much unrideable on a road bike. Unless you go back to Anacortes from Mount Vernon you'll miss the about 15 miles of the whole NT. By the time you get to Bar Harbor you won't miss it.

OR you could go the scenic route to Anacortes. Catch the ferry to Winslow from downtown. Head up Bainbridge Island to the Hood Canal Floating Bridge and thence to Port Townsend. From PT catch another ferry to Whidbey Island and across Deception Pass to Anacortes. The ACA route to PT goes through Bremerton (it's part of the Pacific Coast route from Vancouver BC). There is another ferry to Bremerton but wouldn't recommend going that way; Bremerton is a bit of a dump and the traffic is awful. There's camping at PT and Deception Pass State Park and lots of motels in the towns.

If the weather is hot when you go over the North Cascades make sure you have plenty of water when you leave Newhalem, it's 60 miles before you can get any more, in Mazama. There's a few creeks by the side of the road but you should purify or you takes your chances. Newhalem is where the climbing starts. It's this stretch that will give your legs their first proper workout. The whizz down from Washington Pass is a treat, it's about 15 miles of downhill.  Here's the start of it.

[johnsondasw]

Nice pic!  I've been there many times on climbing and hiking trips, but have not yet biked over that pass.

I'm wondering how you load pics onto the message?  I've tried a few times, but the site reject the photo every time.