A Parking Spot, a Championship, and a Tandem Ride with the Mayor

Hello friends,

Let’s set the scene: The year is 1982.

Bernard Hinault wins the Tour de France.

The world’s first PC virus makes headlines.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller tops the charts.

And right here in Seattle?

A Championship
One of our founders, Glenn Erickson, becomes the Washington State Cycling Champion — a moment that marked more than just a win. It was part of something bigger: a cultural shift in Seattle’s cycling scene, and the evolution of a shop that was quietly pushing boundaries.

Glenn Erickson winning state championships -circa 1982

A Parking Spot
Around that same time, Angel Rodriguez’s persistence with the city of Seattle paid off: he secured the first-ever on-street bike parking spot in the Northwest. Thirty years before it would become commonplace, that first space appeared — and it’s still right outside our Seattle storefront today.

The Northwest's first on-street bike parking space circa early 1980's

But our history isn’t just in the bicycles or the races — it’s in the innovation, too.

Ahead of our time
Angel was always ahead of his time. He built one of the first Apple computers from a kit, computerized our customer database, and was among the first to use a computer-based bike fitting software — as a matter of fact, it's the same software many builders still use today.

Our computerized fitting system in the 1980's

That original system made fit recommendations based on techniques used by cycling coaches for their racers. But we didn’t stop there.

By analyzing data from thousands of in-shop fits — with everyday riders, not just pros — we created our own custom fitting system: NextFit™. It lets us deliver a ride that feels great, whether you’re a racer who wants high performance, or just a cyclist who wants your ride to be comfortable and fun.

We’re sharing a few photos from that era, each with a story:

A staff photo from 1982 — featuring Glenn, Angel, and two frame builders who would go on to become lead builders in other shops around the Northwest. R+E Cycles wasn’t just a shop, it was a launching pad.

The R+E Cycles Staff Photo -circa 1982

Look closely at that photo and you’ll spot Estelle Gray (second from left, middle row), a rising star at the time who would go on to set a world cycling record, become a cycling icon, and eventually, co-owner of R+E.

A Tandem Ride with the Mayor
A photo from the Seattle Times captures the launch of the Burke Gilman Trail, where Angel helped the mayor and city leaders ceremonially ride Rodriguez tandems. Yes, it’s as fun as it sounds.

1978 was the launch of the Burke Gilman Trail - from the Seattle Times

Another gem: a photo from a 1975 Seattle Post-Intelligencer article (remember the P.I.) about the shop.

From an article in the Seattle P.I. -crica 1975

Thanks again for being part of this ride — whether you’ve been with us since the ‘70s or just found your way here. We hope you enjoy these snapshots from our past. They remind us not just of where we’ve been, but why we keep building.

Warmly,

Dan

R+E Cycles

---

Bicycles Hand Built in Seattle Since 1973
5627 University Way NE Seattle, WA 98105