Tour de Bainbridge Island
On a Rental Bike
By Kerrie Houston Reightley
Photos Courtesy Bainbridge Bike Barn Rentals
Whether you’re a Bainbridge Island visitor or resident, looking to train intensely for the famed Chilly Hilly bike tour (a 33-mile loop around the island, with 2,700 feet of elevation change) or just planning a short ride to Manitou Beach for a leisurely family picnic, Bainbridge Bike Barn Rentals has you covered.
Bainbridge Bike Barn Rentals, located in the Kitsap Transit Bike Barn just outside the ferry terminal, has been independently owned and operated by Karis Hanson since 2022.
Hybrid bikes (a versatile cross between a road bike and a mountain bike) are available for $30 for two hours or $42 for three-to-eight hours. For those desiring a power assist, her fleet also includes RadCity and RadMission E-bikes, which cost $65 for two hours or $95 for three-to-eight hours. And kids bikes are $25 for two hours or $35 for three-to-eight hours. Weehoo Trailers, Trail-a-bikes and child seats are also available. Helmets and locks are provided, as well as customized itineraries based on the skill and interest levels of her clients.
For Hanson, a 2009 Bainbridge High School graduate, it has been a long journey home. After graduating with a degree in physics from Scripps College, she pivoted to teaching English at the Universidad de Concepcíon in Chile from 2016 to 2022.
“I was dreaming of an opportunity to return to Bainbridge—but not full time,” she said. That dream came true in 2022, when Jeff Groman, former owner of Classic Cycle, retired from his bike and rental business, and sold the latter to Hanson. She now returns yearly, from May through the end of September, to manage the business.
“We’re not only for tourists,” Hanson said. “For residents looking for a meaningful experience for their visiting friends or family, you can rent bikes and be their personal tour guide. We believe that cycling is the best way to connect with the world and the community around us.”
>> More info at bikebarnrentals.com
