There are so many great ways to plug into Seattle’s bicycle community. You probably already know the obvious institutions, but there are many others too.  Join a bike community that fits your style.

Family Biking. Seattle’s family biking community is strong, led by Madi Carlson’s enthusiasm and Davey Oil’s G&O Bike Shop in Greenwood. Familybike Seattle holds regular rides, a monthly Kidical Mass, workshops and expos, and also has a rental library so you can try bikes out. Learn more.

Point 83. Want a fun group of people to ride with who drink beer and don’t bother with liability waivers? Point 83 is your group. With a weekly ride to an undisclosed location every Wednesday (5:30 p.m. start) from Westlake Park, this is a slightly rebellious group of people who look out for one another while having a good time. Learn more.

Dead Baby Bikes. It’s like bike gang without motors. And they organize the West Coast’s biggest punk bike event of the year in the Georgetown Neighborhood — the Dead Baby Downhill. Learn more.

Critical Mass. Yes, it’s still alive. But just barely. Meet at Westlake Park on the last Friday of the month, 5:30 p.m. Learn more.

Bikepacking. Combine the best of biking and backpacking! Unfortunately, there isn’t yet a one-stop online community. Here’s where to start: Off the Beaten Path by Jan Heine of Bicycle Quarterly, Swift Industries’ blog (a local bikepacking bag company), and Vancouver BC’s bikepacking group on Meetup.com.

Randonneuring. Randonneuring is a long ride with check points. Kind of like a race, but it’s not about who come in first. If this laid back lifestyle to vigorous exercise sounds like your kind of cycling style, then join the Seattle Randonneurs who hold several events each year and have regular training rides. Learn more.

Seattle Bike Polo. Definitely the most fun you can have with two wheels, a mallet and a ball. And Seattle is the birthplace to modern bike polo. With an open court for newbies every Wednesday (6-8 p.m.) at Cal Anderson Park, it’s easy to join. Learn more.

BMX. Seattle’s BMX track is in Woodland Park. The Seattle BMX bike shop in Fremont is the heart of this community. Visit the bike shop’s Facebook page.

Mountain Biking. Seattle has a couple places to mountain bike in the city (Colonade Park and soon the Cheasty Greenspace), but most people go to one of the excellent trail facilities outside of Seattle maintained by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, like the Duthie Hill near Sammamish or the Japanese Gulch in Mukilteo. Learn more.

Race. The Washington State Bicycle Association manages the local road racing circuit, and MFG Cyclocross manages the local cyclocross circuit. Teams ride in both. A criterium is held in Ballard each summer (commonly referred to as a “crit,” a criterium is a short race held on local streets for a set time period), and a cyclocross race is held in Woodland Park each fall.