Between about 1894-1904, after the horse and before the automobile, bicycles were the hottest new form of do-it-yourself urban transportation in Seattle. The region's many cycling groups regularly sponsored outings along the twenty-five miles of urban bicycle trails which were built, funded, and maintained with the aid of city engineers. Bike cops enforced cyclist speed limits, safety, and dealt with the scourge of bike thefts. There were over 20 bike shops on Second Avenue alone, and it's estimated that there were 10,000 cyclists in a Seattle of about 100,000 citizens.

In this image members of the Queen City Cycle Club (later Queen City Good Roads Club) pose with their bikes after their 30-mile ride from Seattle to the Kent home of Aaron T. Van de Vanter (1859-1907). The group regularly held meetings, races, and parades to promote the improvement of roads and bicycle paths and to protect the rights of the cyclists. Photographer Anders Wilse’s 1900 map of Seattle’s bike paths included the 10-mile-long Lake Washington bicycle path the Good Roads Club built in April, 1897.

Typed on verso: Strawberries and cream inspired the 2nd annual run of the Queen City Cycle Club from Seattle to the Van de Venter home in Kent one Sunday during June 1896. The cyclists followed a roundabout course that was 30 miles long. Cyclists had to pedal along a narrow wooden trestle over water in the South End. After the strawberry feast the club members hoisted their bikes onto the porch and roof of the Van De Venter home for this picture, owned by Harry Leland, Jr. 4526 Beach Dr. Other Seattleites on the run were H. A. Chadwick, George Cotterill, James D. Esary, Herbert Schoenfield and W. B. Taft.

Caption information source: The Seattle Daily Times, July 10, 1922, page 20
Caption information source: http://crosscut.com/2013/09/seattles-first-golden-age-bikes
Caption information source: https://pauldorpat.com/2011/06/25/seattle-now-then-bikers-choice