FREEWHEEL: Good for Seattle Cycling

This week's blog post is from Kevin Lugo. Kevin spotted me zipping around Capitol Hill making deliveries. It reminded him of the kind of biking he had see in Europe. He got in touch and we had a great conversation over a cup of coffee at High 5 Pie. He's got an interesting take on the Seattle cycling scene, how it can grow and how FREEWHEEL may help. I asked him to write a guest blog piece and he was kind enough to do so. Hope you enjoy! - Dan Kohler, co-founder & ceo

p.s. - We plan to run other guest blog pieces in the future. Let us know if you'd like to contribute.

FREEWHEEL's Carbon Free Cargo: Good for Seattle Cycling

It is 8:45 and I am riding up Pine Street like any other morning, having safely navigated all the traffic on my route from Lower Queen Anne. As I approach the Central Co-Op my groggy eyes notice something unfamiliar coming towards me: a giant blue box on wheels. A second glance reveal this box is actually piloted by a guy pedaling away on what appears to be a very sophisticated cargo bike. He must be lost…this is not Europe. Heck, it is not even Portland. Silly guy, bikes are for Portlandia.

The cargo bike I saw belongs to Freewheel, a new start-up providing “carbon-free cargo” for “last-mile delivery.” A passion for cycling and sustainability inspired CEO Dan Kohler to start Freewheel as a way to address the counter-intuitive nature of many urban delivery systems. While delivery drivers sit in traffic Dan zooms by using a combination of bike lanes and side-streets too narrow for large delivery vehicles. While drivers search for parking or block traffic and risk parking tickets to find a nearby space, Dan pulls right up to the door and starts unloading. While those delivery trucks consume gallons of fuel everyday, Dan just needs some food and water. Freewheel is not just delivering time-sensitive packages or picking up lunch like other bicycle delivery companies; it is providing a high-quality delivery service that reduces pollution and contributes less to congestion and parking shortages. Simply put, Freewheel is redefining urban business delivery in Seattle.

So if sensibility is what makes Freewheel a successful business, what makes it good for Seattle cycling? Keep Reading.