Industry Ticker: Timbuk2 set to open retail store in Portland

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Front of new store on SW Stark.
(Photo: Timbuk2)

San Francisco-based Timbuk2, a bag brand with deep ties into the bicycle industry, will open a retail store in Portland next month. This is the company’s eighth flagship store in North America (they also have stores in Toronto, Venice Beach, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, and Chicago).

The new store is on SW Stark between 11th and 12th, across the street from West End Bikes (and just around the corner from Chrome, another national brand in the same product niche). Bike-centric highlights of the new Timbuk2 store include a repair station with loaner tools and an air pump and a free bikeshare program for customers who need some wheels.

A launch party happens on July 11th and will feature food, music, and a raffle to benefit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

Learn more in the press release below:

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Friends remember Austin Crenshaw; memorial service tomorrow

“Austin Crenshaw, adventurer, animal lover, cyclist, and all around amazing gentleman died during a bike ride in the Columbia River Gorge at the age of 37. He was doing an activity he loved and surrounded by people who loved him.”

Austin Crenshaw wasn’t a Portland native, but his presence and way of living inspired a lot of deep friendships — many of them forged on long bike rides and on the race course.

Austin was on one of those rides this past Saturday morning. With friends at his side, the very skilled rider leaned into a corner and reportedly lost control of his bike. As he overshot the curve, someone was driving a car in the opposite direction and a collision ensued. Despite attempts to save his life, he passed away minutes later.

Austin’s friend Erin Playman was on that ride. Now she’s encouraging anyone who knew Austin and who was touched by his good nature, sportsmanship, and love of life, to attend a funeral service tomorrow in southeast Portland.

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Photo radar bill passes out of committee, moves toward floor votes – UPDATED

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high crash corridors

Map of Portland’s 10 High Crash Corridors.

It’s looking likelier that Oregon’s legislature will give Portland the right to gradually install 20 well-marked but unmanned anti-speeding cameras on its 10 deadliest streets.

House Bill 2621 was approved by the Joint Ways and Means committee in a nearly party-line vote Monday afternoon, sending the bill to the House and Senate floors.

Fourteen Democrats plus Salem Republican Jackie Winters voted for the bill to move ahead with a “do pass” recommendation. Nine Republicans voted against it.

Portland leaders including Mayor Charlie Hales and Transportation Commissioner Steve Novick have urged traffic safety activists to help them push for the bill. At the recent BikeLoudPDX safe streets rally, Hales told the crowd to “Put pressure on the legislature” to pass HB 2621, and said it would, “Let us use technology to make our streets safer.”

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Large crowd at City-sponsored symposium learns evils of free parking

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The crowded auditorium at the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s parking symposium Monday.
(Photos: M.Andersen/BikePortland)

“Our cities have minimum bedroom requirements for cars but not minimum housing requirements for people.”
— Jeffrey Tumlin

If anyone needed evidence that parking policy matters to Portlanders, it arrived at the Portland Building Monday in the form of 130 people, many armed with pen and paper, to attend a five-hour “symposium” on the subject.

The event organized by the Portland Bureau of Transportation drew a who’s-who of neighborhood association and city transportation officials. One was Transportation Commissioner Steve Novick, who said that parking was the transportation issue he hears about more than any other.

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Job: Communications & Marketing Director – Cascade Bicycle Club

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Job Title *
Communications & Marketing Director

Company/Organization *
Cascade Bicycle Club

Job Description *
Communications & Marketing Director

JOB OVERVIEW

The Communications & Marketing Director leads Cascade Bicycle Club’s marketing, technology and communications team.

The position will oversee the 15,000-member organization’s website, monthly print publication, e-newsletters, event materials, technology needs and more. This position also oversees all press and media outreach and works with all departments to create a clear look and feel for the Cascade brand, as well as marketing Cascade rides, events and membership.

The Communications & Marketing Director is part of the Senior Leadership staff and oversees three employees. As a senior staff member, he/she develops and manages annual tech, marketing and communication budgets. The director also works with the leadership team to develop strategies and plans to use marketing materials, publications and technology to meet organizational goals.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

BA/BS in communications, marketing, journalism or related field.
Five years of relevant work experience in communications and/or marketing.
People and project management experience.
Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and familiarity with digital photography.
Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently with direction.
Must be able to follow through on assignments and meet deadlines, have attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects at once in a fast-paced environment.
Must be able to give and receive feedback.
Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as events and project deadlines dictate.
Must be willing to work as part of a team, strive for excellence, be solution-driven and have a passion for communications and for our mission.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Content Management System experience.
Knowledge of bicycles and bicycling.
Understanding of print production and preparing files for printer.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Communications Department leads Cascade Bicycle Club’s communications, marketing and media efforts. It produces all print and online materials for external and internal communication. The Communications Department works collaboratively with all departments to ensure clear, consistent branding and communication.

BENEFITS:

Why should you work for Cascade?

Employer sponsored health, dental, vision and life insurance coverage.
Matching contributions to a retirement account.
Beautiful office on the shores of Lake Washington with easy access off the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Cash incentive for commuting by bike.
Office-wide winter recess between December 25 and January 1.
Free entry and guest pass on all Cascade rides.
Fun and passionate co-workers.
Meaningful work making the Puget Sound region a better place for bicycling.

THE ORGANIZATION:

Cascade Bicycle Club, the nation’s largest locally based bicycle organization, is 15,000-members and 36-staff strong, and serves bike riders of all ages and abilities throughout the Puget Sound region. With a mission to improve lives through bicycling, we teach the joys of bicycling, advocate for safe places to ride, and produce world-class rides and events.

Our signature programs include the STP, Connect Puget Sound, Free Group Rides, the Bike Month Challenge, Basics of Bicycling, and the Major Taylor Project. Learn more at www.cascade.org.

Cascade Bicycle Club is an equal opportunity employer. Women, persons of color and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Employment at Cascade is of an at-will nature.

How to Apply *

TO APPLY:

Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample and references all in a single PDF document to resume@cascadebicycleclub.org. Please mention how you heard about this position. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

Job: Communication Coordinator – Velotech, Inc. – FILLED

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Sorry, this job has been filled. Browse more great jobs here.

Job Title *
Communication Coordinator

Company/Organization *
Velotech, Inc.

Job Description *
MARKETING & SALES: Promotional Email & Internal Communication Coordinator

The Promotional Email & Internal Communication Coordinator is an integral, mission-critical member of the Customer Retention team within the Velotech Marketing & Sales Department. This team member is responsible for the construction of promotional email campaigns for all Velotech properties, updating and maintaining email subscriber lists, testing email campaigns to ensure they are ready for public consumption, assisting the Customer Retention Team in promotional email planning and organizing, and contributing to various, ongoing, Marketing & Sales Department projects. Finally, this team member will collaborate with the Human Resources department to construct the monthly company newsletter, Velotechnically.

In order to succeed in this position, the candidate will need to be a self-starter capable of operating efficiently under minimal supervision, and have a critical-eye for detail. S/he will be an excellent team player, have a working knowledge of basic HTML & CSS, familiarity with marketing newsletters, advanced communication skills, excellent time management while juggling multiple projects, and a passion for the outdoor industry. This position also requires someone with ample experience authoring informational content for publication and distribution within a fast-growing and dynamic organization.

Essential Job Duties

-Report Directly to the Customer Retention Manager while constantly refining a workflow that ensures error-free marketing content is delivered in a timely manner

-Use Mailchimp to author subject lines, construct, and send sales emails based on existing email templates

-Maintain and update email subscriber lists per website, per customer group utilizing Velotech Admin and Mailchimp

-Check to ensure that all marketing emails in the send queue are free of typographical errors, broken and/or missing links and are ready for public consumption the moment they land in subscriber inboxes

-Recommend and implement graphical and/or sales copy changes/additions as needed throughout the campaign creation process

-Schedule and send email campaigns in line with active sales and promotional windows–quadruple check through Velotech Admin that links work per individual campaign per site

-Learn the ins and outs of the Velotech Admin system while utilizing the latter to build email landing pages

-Work directly with the marketing team’s Sales Coordinator on select product sets, discount code links, and featured products as needed per email campaign

(Promotional Email & Internal Communication Coordinator-CONTINUED)

-Communicate weekly with the Marketing & Sales Department at large regarding upcoming sales and promotions

-Work Directly with the Brick & Mortar Events and Marketing Coordinator on local-customer emails and event promotion by way of newsletters

-Work directly with the marketing team’s Digital Strategist to track performance of individual campaigns

-Coordinate with Customer Retention Manager and Creative Services team members on new sales email templates

-Participate in promotional planning alongside the marketing and sales teams (customer retention, customer experience, and customer acquisition).

-Work directly with the Finance, Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources departments while authoring and owning Velotech’s monthly company newsletter, Velotechnically

-Coordinate with department heads and supervisors to mine newsletter content as needed from Velotech employees

-Contribute to marketing & sales department efforts as needed (social media posts, item descriptions, discount code building, analytic tracking)

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, pregnancy or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

How to Apply *
Send your cover letter and resume to Jobs@velotech.com

How was the Naked Ride for you? (I’m hoping you can fill me in)

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https://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/615042375304413184/photo/1
I missed the World Naked Bike Ride this year so I’m hoping you can fill me in.

There are not many things that would keep me away from this ride. It’s not only one of the most fun and inspiring nights of the year for me personally, but the recap and photos I usually post are by far the most popular of the entire year (by a mile).

(Don’t feel sorry for me not being there, I was at another event where love, celebration and optimism filled the warm night sky — the wedding of your favorite bike journalist Michael Andersen to his wonderful partner Maureen Young!)

So… How’d it go?

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With 40% rise in roadway deaths, activists plan to target ODOT

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A man died in this collision on Saturday
on Highway 6 near Tillamook.
(Photo: Oregon State Police)

As long as roadway fatalities and injuries keep piling up, local activists plan to keep protesting.

Fresh of last week’s rally and demonstrations at City Hall, volunteers with BikeLoudPDX will continue their actions with a Death Toll Memorial event tomorrow at the headquarters of the Oregon Department of Transportation in downtown Portland.

“Several of us feel the need to publicly acknowledge that 30 people lost their lives in June on Oregon roads in preventable wrecks,” wrote event organizer Dan Kaufman. Kaufman, the same man who organized the protest on SE Powell Blvd back in May, is fed up with the loss of life and injury on our roads.

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‘Scenic Bikeways’ now available on the coast and southern Oregon

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This stellar road inside Cape Blanco State Park is now officially recognized as one
of the best places to ride a bike in Oregon.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Last week the Oregon State Parks Commission unanimously approved two new Scenic Bikeways; the Wild Rivers Coast and Cascade Siskiyou routes. The new routes are the first time the Bikeway program has included the coast and the southern Oregon region.

The Wild Rivers Coast Scenic Bikeway is a a 61-mile route based out of Port Orford. It heads southeast along the curvaceous Elk River and then north up to Cape Blanco State Park, the westernmost point in the entire state. The park includes a lighthouse and the historic Hughes House, both of which you might recall hearing about when I explored the area myself a few years ago during a ride down the coast.

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The Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway begins in the southern Oregon city of Ashland. The 55-mile loop heads east and takes you around Emigrant and Howard Prarie Lakes. There’s even a nice bikepacking option if you’re ready to sleep overnight.

With the addition of these two new Scenic Bikeways, Oregon now boasts a total of 14 routes that have been officially recognized since the program was established in 2008.

The Bikeways program does not come with any funding for infrastructure improvements, except for special way-finding signage. The routes themselves are mostly on standard roads and highways, however the selection committee takes into account the general safety of the road in making their decisions.

You can learn much more about them and the other 12 Scenic Bikeways at RideOregonRide.com.

The Monday Roundup: Turn signal projectors, Nepalese disaster response & more

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Screenshot 2015-06-29 at 8.05.35 AM
— This week’s Monday Roundup is brought to you by Spinlister, where you can earn money by listing your bike for rent or choose from local listings to try a new (to you) bike today! Here are the bike links from around the world that caught our eyes this week: Signal projectors: The Cyclee lets you signal without raising your hands by projecting symbols onto your back. Disaster response: In the aftermath of Nepal’s earthquake, its national mountain bike team discovered that it could “ride to remote mountain communities that vehicles could not reach and use their knowledge of mountain trails to deliver aid and gather information.” So that’s what they’re doing.

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Portland man dies in collision while riding near Larch Mountain

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Austin Crenshaw

37-year old Portland resident Austin Crenshaw died Saturday morning from injuries sustained in a crash on East Haines Road near Corbett.

According to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Crenshaw was riding downhill with a group of friends when he “crashed on a curve” and veered into the opposing lane of travel. Someone driving a car in the opposite direction collided with Crenshaw. Friends attempted to revive him, as did emergency responders, but he was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the car remained at the scene.

The collision happened on East Haines Road near the intersection with E Larch Mountain Road. This is a very popular place to ride as Haines connects to Alex Barr and the Historic Columbia River Highway. I’ve ridden this exact same stretch of road myself many times (it’s featured on one of my RideWithGPS Ambassador Routes). It’s very quiet and rarely has traffic; but the curves are sharp and the road is very narrow in some spots.

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Column: Whether we like it or not, bicycles are peace machines

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Occupy Portland bike swarm-10-9

(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

If you want to stage a violent protest or go to war, don’t do it on bicycles. Bicycles are inherently non-violent.

Last month, a gang of indignant and ignorant motorcycle riders decided to stage an armed protest outside a Phoenix mosque against the “tyranny of Islam” in response to an incident where two Arizona residents were killed by police outside a Muhammed cartoon-drawing contest in suburban Dallas.

“Armed Bikers Plan Anti-Muslim Protest Outside Arizona Mosque,” headlines read. The protesters strutted in front of the mosque during Friday prayer in t-shirts that said “Fuck Islam” while brandishing firearms.

I was shocked and dismayed by the hate and bigotry. But the headlines got me thinking: what is it about bicycling — in contrast to motorcycling or driving — that is incongruent with what happened in Arizona?

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