can u ride the bike year round in Seattle? (Redmond: safe, commuting)

[sendij1]

Is it too cold to ride in the winter? What about the rain, is it too cold when it's raining? If so, what month can you ride in the rain where it's not so bad? I hope to ride my bike most of the year, but wondering how people do it in Seattle (both commuting and for exercise/pleasure). Thanks

[Hemlock140]

Sure! In fact, Redmond WA (across the lake from Seattle) is known as the biking capital of the U.S., even has a velodrome. people I work with ride across the I90 bridge from Issaquah to Seattle daily. Only those few icy/snow days will prevent it. While we get 40" of rain annually, it's spread out over 8-9 months. Most of the time it's a light misty rain, not like they get most places. In fact, few people here ever use an umbrella. I go for a walk along the waterfront in Seattle every day at lunchtime rain or shine. We also have great trails for quite level biking (10+ miles) or more difficult mountain biking trails through the woods.

[Ira500]

I did some bike commuting in all kinds of weather. You really want a fender on your bike, wear gloves, and you'll be alright. Most of the time it's not raining hard enough to be unsafe or very unpleasant, but it's also pretty dark pretty early in the winter, so a good light is also useful.

[noexcuseforignorance]

What they said (although Portland would dispute the Redmond claim). You can bike year round with the exception of a few bad days with snow. You just need to dress for it. You can play outdoor night sports in the city year round too.

[vandygirl]

Heads up: You might want to watch out for ice in the winter, especially near the curbs.

[OregonYeti]

I'd say you have to be a pretty hard-core biker. If you are, then good. If not, it will take some getting used to.

[tobester]

I am a bike commuter, but limit my riding to February through October. And, it's not the cold or rain that stops me ... it's the darkness. As other as commented, there are very short days in the winter months and I just don't feel safe on dark damp roads ... this philosophy has kept me accident free for the last 30 years of bike commuting.

[Hemlock140]

On my morning commute I see many bicyclists crossing the I90 bridge in the dark at 7am rain or shine, with front and rear bike lights and often a helmet light too. Probably are die-hard daredevils, but it is done. Many bike from Issaquah to Redmond (Microsoft) in the dark, but the nice 10 mile trail is not near the traffic.