Where to cycle Seattle's steepest streets
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Seattle-area cycling YouTuber Hanoch Yeung powers up W. Dravus St. in Magnolia. Photo courtesy of Hanoch Yeung
With spring just around the corner, both seasoned cyclists and newcomers are gearing up for prime riding season — and in Seattle, with seven summits and a hill on nearly every east-west route, there's almost no avoiding an incline.
Why it matters: Seattle's legendary hills have long been something to avoid, and while some cyclists embrace them, e-bikes are making once-daunting climbs accessible to more riders.
By the numbers: The city's steepest streets, with grades ranging from 22% to 26%, include blocks of East Roy Street, East Boston Street, East Highland Drive, and Mercer Street, according to Seattle Bike Blog.
- Cherry, Madison and James streets (17% to 19%) are no joke, either.
- The Queen Anne Counterbalance — an early feat of Seattle engineering — was designed to help streetcars climb the street's 18% grade using a hidden rail system with weighted cars.
- By contrast, the world's steepest street is Baldwin Street in New Zealand, with a nearly 35% grade.
State of play: Cascade Bicycle Club board member and Best Side Cycling YouTuber Hanoch Yeung tells Axios that when he first got into riding during the pandemic, he couldn't make it up the hills without stopping.
- He embraced conquering them as a personal challenge and has become something of a celebrity in the local cycling community by filming himself scaling the city's steepest streets.
- Among Yeung's favorites, which he describes as rites of passage for Seattle-area bikers, are Juanita hill on the Lake Washington Loop, Discovery Park's lighthouse hill, and the famous zoo hill climb in Issaquah.
Pro tip: You don't have to mash up the hills, he says; it's all about zigzags and gears.
What they're saying: "Cycling is unforgiving, but it's also giving," says Yeung. "Each time, you get stronger."
Between the lines: Not everyone is looking to push their limits, and that's one reason e-bike sales are surging in Seattle, Cascade Bicycle Club spokesperson Paul Tolmé tells Axios.
- "E-bikes are making hills far less intimidating," he says, and they let a lot more people ride, whether they're returning to cycling or want to commute without breaking a sweat.
The fine print: The club encourages e-bike riders to join events like the Seattle to Portland ride and the upcoming Ride for Major Taylor.
- It also offers classes for brand-new riders looking to build confidence on two wheels.