Local

Cyclists concerned about bike racks on Bremerton Fast Ferry

BREMERTON, Wash. — The Bremerton Fast Ferry officially begins service to Seattle on Monday, but cyclists may find that their bikes don’t fit on the racks installed on the vessel.

Paul Dutky, who’s the president of the West Sound Cycling Club, is one of many in the cycling community who are

very concerned about the bike racks on the Rich Passage 1 vessel.

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“We were told that disc brakes and racks, and fenders to the bike, would not fit in the bike racks, which is almost everybody,” Dutky said. “I have four bikes (and) none of them would actually fit under those circumstances.”

Kitsap Transit contacted the West Sound Cycling Club to give its members a chance to test the bikes on the racks.

“What we told them is that it’s difficult to get the front tire in the rack, which is a cradle,” Dutky said. “Most racks are perpendicular to the wall, and these racks mount the bike at 45 degrees to the wall so that they can fit in. The rear tire isn’t supported. And so on a 45-degree wall, the back tire actually slides across the wall.”

Dutky said the racks could actually damage bikes. KIRO 7 has learned that electric bikes are not allowed on the vessel, due to weight concerns.

“It’s important to keep in mind that this vessel was developed to get through Rich Passage at a high speed, but with a low-wake profile,” Sanjay Bhatt, a Kitsap Transit spokesperson, said. “There are very specific weight ratios that we need to stay within, and for that reason we don’t allow electric bikes.”

“Our (cycling) club is going to try and do a mock-up and see if we can’t build something that will mount to 45 degrees to the wall that might better accommodate cyclists,” Dutky said.

“Right now, we don’t have a specific time frame (of when we can accommodate all cyclists),” said Bhatt. “We are going to continue to work with the cycling community and the vessel's manufacturer to find the bike rack that will work for the ferry service so that it can operate in the salty air and the sea conditions and will be safe for our passengers.”

Kitsap Transit said the Rich Passage 1 can accept 12 bicycles on a first-come, first-serve basis.