About Us
Woman owned bike shop for adventurers of all kinds. Located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood since 1997.
We specialize in selling new steel bikes of the utilitarian wide-tire variety. We work with commuters, bike packers, cycle tourists, randonneurs and adventurers of all kinds to help folks navigate this city and roll beyond it under their own pedal power.
In everything we do, we strive to provide kindness, excellent technical support, thoughtful products, and reliable workmanship to people who are excited about bicycles
Shawna
She/Her
Owner/Janitor
Specialties: Wheel Building, bringing old parts back to life, remembering to buy toilet paper
My fascination with bicycles was sparked by my brother shortly before college. He bought me my first Peugeot Mixte for $100 and I’ve been riding and tearing apart bikes ever since. After college and a stint at United Bicycle Institute in Portland, I managed to snag my first job as a mechanic at Free Range Cycles under the seasoned eye of then-owner Kathleen Emry. My first year as a bike mechanic was a learning curve the size of Rainier, but Kathleen’s patience, a lot of grit and hundreds of youtube videos finally forged me into a passable wrench. After Free Range, these skills were solidified in my role as an instructor and Program Manager at Bike Works, a non-profit in Columbia City that helps youth and adults connect with bikes as riders and mechanics.
In the spring of 2018, Kathleen announced that she was retiring and I began to allow myself the secret dream of taking over the shop that had brought me up. The quirky and kind customers, the beautiful steel bikes, and the opportunity to carry on a woman-owned bike shop pushed me to make the jump. My hope moving forward is that this shop continues to have the same spirit of wackiness, inclusivity, and kindness that has made it a haven for me and so many others over the years.
Luke
He/Him
Mechanic/Shop Bureaucrat/Custom Build Expert/Sommelier
Specialties:
Older bikes and parts
Post mount cantilever brakes
Metal fender installation
Fitting parts that aren't supposed to work together
I’m the sensitive one
I worked for Kathleen at Free Range back in the day, and came back in 2022 for a second round! I like vintage bikes, short(ish) rides with my friends, and friction shifting.
Donald
He/Him
Mechanic/ The one who rides the most
Specialties:
Family Biking
Bosch e-systems
Making fruit/veggie bowls for my kid
Donald here! I’ve been around Seattle doing bike stuff for a minute. From The Bikery, to Bike Works, Seattle Rando, G&O Family Cyclery, Outdoors for All ACC, and more… I’m always happy to help with a smile and I’m so stoked to add Free Range to my list! I can’t wait to see new and familiar faces come through the shop.
Likes:
200k rides
Peanut butter
Summer Time
Dislikes:
Cold hands and feet
Driving
Running out of snacks
Moira
She/Her
Customer Service/Retail Coordinator/Guest Mechanic
Specialties: Brake bleeds, custom dynamo light installs, trail recommendations
Hey! I’m Moira, and I like to ride bikes. Here are some other things I like, in no particular order:
Plotting my next gravel adventure
Reading books about epidemiology
Helping folks get set up on their first steel bike
Making dirty bikes shine and brakes stop on a dime
Curating David Bowie playlists
Drawing sketches of scenes that unfold outside the shop
Identifying the birds that visit the shop garden
I’ve spent 3 years at Free Range honing in my brake bleeding skills, using my background in bio-research to attempt to answer all of Shawna’s questions about the natural world, helping folks get on the best possible bike for their needs, and being the only person who consistently swept the shop floor at the end of the day. I got my start here working with Kathleen, and it feels good to help carry on the quirky, woman-powered spirit of this shop. I moved to Eastern Washington in 2022 but if you send us an email there’s a good chance I’ll be the one responding on the other side!