Each day on campus, students weave between pedestrians, racing to class on vintage Marketplace finds or sleek new road bikes. It’s a scene that’s become a hallmark of life at Puget Sound. The Trail sat down with five students who bike regularly, whether they’ve just started or have been riding since childhood. They shared their stories, favorite rides and what makes their bikes uniquely theirs.
Eleanor Winterfeldt, ‘26
Q: How long have you been biking consistently, and why did you get into biking?
“I come from a small town, so pretty much I’ve been biking my whole life. I remember riding in the Burley with my little sister; my dad would bike us to the grocery store, and that was really fun. Eventually it got to my dad dragging along the tandem and Burley and a whole bunch of kids. Poor guy. Those were my roots in biking.”
Q: Can you tell me about your current bike and how you got it?
“My first bike in college was this beautiful purple one with a red basket that I bought with paper route money. One day the bike room was full, so I locked it up outside with two locks. The next day, it was gone. I cried and cried. To cheer myself up, I watched The Muppet Movie, but then Kermit’s bike got crushed by a steamroller, and I was like, ‘Now we’re even.’ [laughs] I eventually found my current bike on Facebook Marketplace for $75. It has this super cool purple basket on the front.”
Q: How does biking make you feel?
“It’s a whimsical and joyful thing to do. For me, it’s a nice break between thinking about work and school. You feel the breeze in your hair. You zoom down hills. I even like going uphill sometimes. Isn’t that crazy? It’s just nice when you get to the top.”
George Slaats, ‘27
Q: How did you get your bike, and what’s the story behind it?
“I found this one on the side of an alley at the beginning of the semester. One tire was completely dry rotted, so I was half carrying it home. This lady in her garden was like, ‘Good find!’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I’m hoping to fix it up.’ It had been sitting there for three weeks. I went to the campus bike shop, got a new chain and tire, and spent $20 more for a second tire. After that, all the gears work perfectly and the brakes are perfect. It’s actually shocking how good it’s been for what it was.”
Q: What do you use your bike for, and how has it changed your experience here?
“I bike to school pretty much every day, and after school I go on rides. It’s been really nice to see more of the neighborhoods, parks and water lookouts. I’m in a mindfulness class right now and I always log my rides; they’re a break from everything else in my day. The changing colors have been beautiful too. This bike is from the ’80s, so I feel like I’m riding around in Stranger Things.”
Q: What would you say to someone interested in getting into biking?
“It’s so worth it. There are so many bikes on Facebook Marketplace; you never know what you’ll find. Mine was literally free on the side of an alley. It’s just so fun and it makes me feel like when I was a little kid and I would bike around everywhere.”
Maya Karpaty, ‘27
Q: How did you get into biking?
“I learned when I was really little, but it was terrifying at first. During COVID, I’d bike everywhere with one friend I was in a pod with, and it became a community thing. When I came here I didn’t have my bike, so I was kind of sad. Then I bought one off Facebook Marketplace for like 70 bucks. It’s so wonky and shitty, but it works. I’ve been tuning it up this semester and try to bike to school every day despite the weather.”
Q: How does biking make you feel?
“It’s very close to flying. I love to soar. It’s like sticking your head out a car window going really fast, but it’s your whole body. I’ve kind of mastered biking with no hands, so that makes it even better. I always listen to music while I bike. It’s in between walking and driving; you can still notice things and take detours, which is nice.”
Q: What would you say to someone looking to get into biking?
“I’d just encourage them to do it, maybe with friends. It’s such a freeing experience, especially if you don’t have a car — I can hop on and go wherever I want. One of my friends just learned this year, and it reminded me of when I was little. It is terrifying, but it’s awesome. Never too late.”
Audrey Blumenthal, ‘26 Deanna Lau, ‘26
Q: How did you customize your bike?
Audrey: “I put a bell on it. I wear flowy skirts and they’d always get stuck in the brake, so I added a tire spray guard and covered it with fabric so my skirt doesn’t fly into it. And it’s cute.”
Deanna: “My bike is pink with flowers and a cup holder — it came like that for $55. I was at the farmers market one day and [my friend] calls me like, ‘Go to Safeway; there’s a house next to it selling a bunch of bikes.’ My perfect little pink one was right there. I was like, ‘Wow, it was meant for me.’ I feel like a Barbie doll on it.”
Q: How does biking make you feel?
Audrey: “It’s a mindfulness thing, especially in the morning. Going to school is basically all downhill, so I don’t really have to think. Especially on Commencement, I’ll stop and look at the trees and take it all in — it’s our last year here.”
Deanna: “Yeah, and I always play music in my headphones. It always ends right when I get there. I’m like, ‘This is freaking awesome.'”
Q: Favorite biking memories?
Deanna: “Over the summer, there’s five of us in our house and four of us have bikes. We’d bike to campus together or go on little rides. Whenever we find a roundabout we just go in circles forever and ever.”
For these students, biking isn’t just transportation — it’s a way to connect with campus and the city, sustainably and on their own terms. So if you’re looking to take your mind off the hecticness of the day, grab a helmet, save some gas and enjoy the ride.
