The Cycle Saloon — Local services in Seattle

I have participated in the Cycle Saloon tour five times over the past five years. Each one, except for my most recent experience, was an absolute blast and I would have nothing but good things to say. That all changed last weekend on May 11, 2019 and it is unfortunate it has to end this way.

In the early days of Cycle Saloon, the company would ask for you to obtain a Banquet Permit from the City of the Seattle in order to drink on the Cycle Saloon. Additionally they asked that you drink out of red solo cups to make it as discrete as possible. Even the Cycle Saloon I participated in last year (2018), drinking was allowed without a Banquet Permit. Essentially the drivers would "turn a blind eye" as long as the group was responsible.

As for my most recent experience, it couldn't have gone worse. I flew my parents out to Seattle from Idaho as they have always wanted to participate in the Cycle Saloon based on multiple positives experiences I told them about. I reserved an entire bike and convinced friends of mine to join - some of which have done the Cycle Saloon before, some of which were excited to do it for the first time. When we arrived we were greeted by the driver who explained it this was his very first time "driving" the Cycle Saloon. Once we unloaded our coolers into the upper storage areas and handed out the red solo cups the energy of the driver completely changed. He was very upset that we had beer with us and even became somewhat confrontational explaining that drinking was absolutely not allowed on the Cycle Saloon. We were completely shocked and baffled by the situation based on multiple Cycle Saloon experiences in the past. It completely sucked the energy out of our group. We simply wanted to go to the nearest bar (Pono Ranch) to get off the Cycle Saloon as quick as possible. Everyone was stunned at the events at happened and the driver was fairly rude for the rest of the ride. We went to one more location and even decided to return the bike early so we didn't have to worry about it anymore. It was so joyless that we wanted it to end as soon as possible. After talking with other individuals who happened to be on two other bikes that day, the no drinking policy is absolutely in place.

Even as I look at the marketing videos on the front page of their website, it is very clear that people are drinking alcoholic beverages while on the Cycle Saloon. I know the website says no alcoholic beverages are allowed on the Cycle Saloon, so at the end of the day that falls on me. But for those of you reading this, please let this review serve as a public service announcement: DRINKING IS NO LONGER ALLOWED ON THE CYCLE SALOON.

Please don't set yourself for disappointment. With a two hour rental, what is the point of the Cycle Saloon if you are not allowed to drink? Unless you are looking for a novelty way to tour Ballard, this is likely not for you. I would rather bar crawl with friends and family at my own pace then pay $400 for a two hour rental, especially since most of the fun is occurring at your bar or...

Okay so the bylaws don’t allow you to drink on board unlike other cities, no biggy, but I was expecting the driver to add to the experience in some way, fun facts about the city, history of the breweries, literally anything other than just steering. I seriously don’t know what we paid for, I would have preferred to walk.

But it gets worse… I thought it was a little odd that when we arrived we had to help the driver push the cycle saloon out of the yard where it’s kept, but again, thought “no biggy”. When we returned at the end of the tour we were again asked to help push it back in the yard. All she asked is that we help push, and said go, no other instructions, didn’t indicate that we would be pushing it back around the corner further than where we had seen it come from when we got there. Normally not a big deal but because she didn’t communicate, many of us where pushing from near the front (pushing the bike backwards) and it’s like she forgot that when she turns the wheel, it turns the whole front of the bike and would crunch into us where we were pushing from. I got smoked in the back of the calf, yelped a little, and stopped pushing as I stumbled away in pain. No apology, no show of remorse. Tips were asked for before we were asked to help push and I wish we hadn’t tipped her at all, not worth it.

I was left with a lovely black and blue bruise the size of a softball and I don’t typically bruise easily. Very...

We booked spots on the Cycle Saloon for the 4th of July. At first, it was a little awkward since we didn't know any of the other folks who had booked spots too....but after the first bar that all changed!

The guide was energetic, friendly, and fun! He was interactive, respectful, and informative!

Definitely would book again if North...