A new bike shop has opened up at the base of the Portland Aerial Tram in the South Waterfront neighborhood. Go By Bike is owned by Kiel Johnson and run out of a refurbished camper. I stopped by on opening day yesterday to learn more.

We counted about 325
bikes parked within yards of
the shop yesterday!

Nestled among well over 300 bikes in overflowing racks outside the tram and the OHSU Center for Health & Healing, Johnson's humble, 7 by 14-foot mobile bike shop awaits the hundreds of people who bike up to Oregon Health & Science University each day. The idea behind the shop is to have people drop off their bikes in the morning and then pick them up on their way home.

OHSU's transportation options manager John Landolfe was at the opening yesterday. He contacted me back in March to spread the word that he was looking for someone to open up a shop. "People asked for it, and Kiel [Johnson] really stepped up with his proposal," said Landolfe.

The old camper doesn't exactly fit in with the modern lines of other buildings in the South Waterfront.

On the inside.

The shop is on a temporary, one-week pilot lease. "Hopefully we can extend it," says Landolfe. One of the issues with how the camper doesn't meet existing architectural design guidelines. (I've asked for further clarification about why only one week was given for the lease and will update when I hear back.)

Johnson's name might be familiar. He's the guy who single-handedly sparked a school bike train revolution in Portland that led him to attention from NBC-TV in Los Angeles and won him an Alice Award from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance earlier this year.

The proud owner is ready for your business.

Johnson did some great work on the trailer, which he bought for $850 off Craigslist. It's small, but he and mechanic Eric Phelan can fit comfortably inside with a bike in the stand, a workbench, and a small selection of basic accessories in stock. As for the name, Go By Bike, Johnson says he got that idea from a 2007 post on BikePortland where I wondered why Portland doesn't have a "Go By Bike" sign similar to ones we have for taxi, streetcar, and bus.

It was too windy to put up the sign.

Go By Bike will be open five days a week from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Hopefully OHSU will extend the lease and it will be around for a long time.

Both Landolfe and Johnson are urging people to send feedback about the shop (especially if you want to see it become a bit more permanent) to them via email at bike at ohsu dot edu or gobybikeshop at gmail dot com.

Good luck Kiel!

Southwest Bicycle (3605 SW Multnomah Blvd) was victim of a smash-and-grab theft last night. Shop owner Dan Houghton says thieves broke one of his windows at around midnight and two high-end bikes were stolen. The bikes are valued at about $10,000.

Please keep your eyes out for a Javelin Barolo Time Trial bike and a BP Stealth TT bike. Both are pictured below...

Javelin Barolo TT bike. Estimated value $6,000.

NOTE: This is not the actual Stealth TT bike that was stolen. Houghton says the stolen one has Shimano 105 components, Hed tri-spoke wheels and a Selle Italia time trial saddle. The bike that was stolen is worth $4,000.

Houghton says both bikes are "very unique."

If you see either of these bikes, please call the Portland Police non-emergency line at 503-823-3333 and reference case number 11-74663.

A strong indication of bicycling's health in Portland is the success and number of local bike shops. In the last year, there seems to be not just more bike shops, but expansions by existing ones too. Below I'll share a report about two local shops that have experienced growth and have had to relocate to accomodate it.

Sellwood Cycle Repair and North Portland Bike Works might be on opposite sides of town, but they have a lot in common. Both shops have been around for a while (in Portland terms at least) — Sellwood for 15 years and Bike Works for nine. Both shops are independently owned and have built a strong loyal following of customers. True "mom and pop" shops, owners of both stores are still highly involved in daily operations and still turn wrenches and help customers on a daily basis.

Another thing Sellwood and Bike Works have in common: a recent move to a much larger location due to growth that had them bursting at the seams.

For Sellwood owner Erik Tonkin, the recent move was a matter of survival. "We were suffocating in the old space, we couldn't grow," he told me during a recent chat outside his bustling shop, "It was change or die." Tonkin's new space — at the busy corner of SE 13th and Miller on Sellwood's main drag — is five times larger than the old one.

Sellwood's new location has lots of foot traffic.

Tonkin owns the whole building, and leases a space to C-Velo Performance Fitness Cycling Studio on the second floor.

A strong focus on service (both of bikes and in a personal, customer sense) has helped Sellwood's bottom line.

Tonkin said he was able to buy the entire building (and spend a year making renovations) without incurring any debt. "We have had steady growth every year we've been in business, but the last five years have been incredible... I've doubled my business in the last five years." After pouring all his profits back into the business, Tonkin was in a good position to buy and the market was just right. "It was a lot of money for me," he said, "But it was worth it."

The secret to success for Sellwood has been to focus on service/repair, be the shop for Kona Bicycles (they were the top grossing Kona dealer in all of North America in 2010), do a huge cyclocross business (Tonkin is a well known professional racer and 'cross roots run very deep at the shop), and sell a lot of high-quality used bikes (something Sellwood has a very good reputation for).

Another shop that has found a niche and then leveraged it for success is North Portland Bike Works. After nine years on N. Mississippi Avenue, they have just opened up in a brand new space on the southeast corner of N Shaver and Mississippi (just a block north of the old place).

The showroom area is clean and well-lit.

Bike Works is a non-profit and has all the trappings of a true community bike shop — service with a smile, plenty of affordable city bikes (they sell Linus and Jamis bikes as quick as they can stock them), lots of urban riding accessories on the floor, and drop-in repair classes.

Shop Co-Director Alex McFarland has been helping customers for nine years.

Co-director Alex McFarland says they had outgrown their old space. "We weren't actively looking, but a good space like this is hard to find." Bike Works' new location is not just 300 square feet larger, it's beautiful. Hardwood floors and lots of natural light look out onto an always busy and vibrant corner.

A larger service area will allow McFarland to have more community programs.

"We're really excited to be here, everyone's response has been very positive." (While I chatted with Alex, several customers complimented him on the new space.)

McFarland says the growth of his business mirrors the growth of Mississippi street itself. Like other areas of North and Northeast Portland, Mississippi has seen massive development in the last five years. "Our business has increased every year and we've grown with the street. Absolutely."

There are now popular shops, bars, cafes and boutiques all the way from Skidmore to Fremont. For McFarland, offering the community a bike shop is a healthy thing for the street. "We feel good about our success because we're a service business," he says, "not just another place to get dinner or drinks."

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The success and expansion of these two shops is far from the exception in Portland. Clever Cycles on SE Hawthorne also recently expanded, as has Athlete's Lounge in Northwest Portland. In a time when there's so much negative economic news, it's great to report about healthy local businesses serving a market that just continues to roll along.

Sponsoring race teams and events has been a standard way for bike shops to "support the community" for years. But what about people who don't race? What about people who just ride in the city to get from A to B?

Yesterday, a shop based in Northwest Portland, 21st Avenue Bicycles, launched The 21 Ambassadors program, "to directly support the urban cyclist."

21st Avenue, along with program partners Trustyswitchblade and Portland Design Works, is looking for 21 Ambassadors to participate in the program (applications are due by August 15th). Ambassadors get big discounts on shop purchases and a pre-packaged Road Aid Kit full of tools and parts.

The program isn't set up for the Ambassadors to simply ride around as usual. In exchange for these perks, Ambassadors are expected to live up to their name. Check out the list of Ambassador Commitments that come with being a member of the team:

- To stop and offer assistance to fellow cyclists.
- To follow all rules of the road and set the standard for exemplary riding behavior.
- To carry their Road-Aid kit with them on all rides.

The 21 Ambassadors program supports team members, who are then expected to support others — and support the reputation of bicycling by being model citizens while riding. Sounds like a great idea to me.

Here's more from the program's mission statement:

"We are the 21 Ambassadors. We believe that riding a bicycle is more than just the sum of its parts. To ride a bicycle is to be part of a community, to share a common experience, as much as it is about good health and helping environment. This is a community that we love and support, a community that we all help to grow pedaling through the cold wet winter mornings, the long carefree summer nights and everything between. We believe that as a community we should support each other in bad times as well as good. We, the 21 Ambassadors are here to help you. When tires flat and spokes break, when chains fail and gears groan, when you need a hand we hope to be there to assist. We dream that your bike will always run flawlessly, that the world can be perfect, and yet, until all the stars align, we hope to help with what we know how to do, getting you and your bike back on the road."

It's the hope of program creators that this becomes a model for the industry and they encourage other shops in Portland to set up their own teams. They've set up a website they hope can serve as a hub for the teams.

The 21 Ambassadors officially launches on September 1st, to coincide with the BTA's Bike Commute Challenge.

Learn more at 21Ambassadors.com.

Have a look at the website. http://21ambassadors.com/

It is our hope that this inspires other shops in Portland and other cities to set up their own commuter teams. Ideally we would love to see this website work as a hub. Stay tuned for more updates.

Even in a down economy, Portland's bike business boom shows no signs of letting up, especially when it comes to bike shops. Throughout the city — from Northwest to East Portland — shops large and small are expanding or opening their doors for the first time.

On the corner of NW Lovejoy and 17th, Western Bike Works plans to open their gleaming new, 10,000 square foot shop this weekend (ironically, the former tenant was a car dealership). I stopped by yesterday for a chat with co-owner and GM Jay Torborg.

A sneak peek inside Western Bike Works

Western Bike Works has been around as an online retailer since 2003. The company s owned by Velotech, the same company that operates BikeTiresDirect.com, which has been around since 2000. Velotech maintains a large warehouse with a small retail shop for Bike Tires Direct attached to it near the Portland Airport, but it's mostly a place where locals can pick up orders.

Jay Torborg

Torborg says they've been considering a new store location for years now. "We wanted to have more of a downtown presence that was easier to get to and has more foot traffic." He adds that Western Bike Works has been "remarkably successful," and pulls in about $4 million in sales each year. "About a year ago," says Torborg, "we thought, now's the right time."

Western Bike Works' new corner location features a large cafe in front ("Corsa Cafe") and an impressive selection of bikes and parts. Bike brands they'll sell include Focus, Cannondale, Felt, Cyfac, Terry, Lapierre, Torker and Soma. There's a grand opening planned this weekend.

Universal's location boasts windows
on both Burnside and Ankeny.

Another local shop with a large online business, Universal Cycles, has moved into a new and expanded location. Universal was formerly based in Northwest Portland but they're now at NE 22nd and Burnside — directly adjacent to the popular bike street of SE Ankeny.

Universal's new retail location is attached to a large warehouse; one of four the company has throughout the U.S. (others are in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Utah). In addition to a huge selection on the showroom floor, customers can also search Universal's entire inventory via in-shop computer and then send a print-out of their order to employees. If the products are in stock in Portland, they can be picked up immediately.

Universal is open for business and there's a grand opening planned for June.

Further east on Burnside, at 57th, a new shop called Cyclopedia has just opened their doors. I haven't met the owners yet, but the website says,

"We’re a small neighborhood repair shop that likes to keep it simple and local. We offer affordable rates on repairs and accessories for your daily commuter or your sunny-day cruiser. We specialize in vintage restoration and single-speed conversions but, of course, we also do general tune-ups and repairs."

Clever Cycles' storefront on Hawthorne.

And finally today, one of Portland's most famous bike shops, Clever Cycles, has just announced yet another expansion. The shop — which almost single-handedly spurred the Dutch and cargo bike craze in North America — will buy the corner space next door to their existing store at SE 9th and Hawthorne.

Writing on their blog, Clever owners say the expansion will mean 2,200 more square feet and four times as many windows to dress up with beautiful bikes and accessories.

A bit further south of Hawthorne, iconic and beloved shop, Sellwood Cycle Repair is slated for a move from their current location on SE Milwaukie Ave to a larger space on SE 13th (7953 SE 13th). Shop co-owner Erik Tonkin says given that the shop turns 20 this year, "It feels like an appropriate time" for a big change.

Sellwood's new location will have over five times the square footage. They're already Kona's largest U.S. dealer and the increased size, Tonkin says, will allow them to stock even more popular models (they also stock bikes from Yuba and Scott). Customers will also notice an expanded repair and service area.

Here's more from Tonkin, whom we contacted via email today,

"I see this move as a major investment in bikes, in our neighborhood, our customers, and, of course, our business and ourselves. We've put a year's worth of work into the building, and it really shows."

Sellwood will be settled into the new location by early June.

With all this bike shop news, one thing is clear: Bikes are a good — and growing — business in Portland.

About a week ago, River City Bicycles built a concrete quarter-pipe in their parking lot outside their store on SE Martin Luther King Blvd just north of the Morrison Bridge. Shop owner Dave Guettler installed the ramp so employees and customers could practice tricks and have a bit of fun.

Guettler had no idea that it might help save a woman's life.

According to Guettler, the ramp has become an instant hit with local skateboarders. "They were out there last night for several hours trying to nail a trick." Then, around 6:00 pm (during shop hours), the skateboarders heard a woman screaming inside a car that was parked in the shop's parking lot.

"There was a couple fighting out in the parking lot," recalls store manager Jesse Fairbanks, who was working and witnessed the incident. "The man pulled out something sharp and was trying to stab her."

As the fight escalated, Guettler says the woman jumped out of the car screaming for help. When the skateboarders intervened, the man threatened them as well. At that point, Guettler reports, "One of the skaters clocked him over the head with his board."

The skaters then held the assailant down until cops arrived. He was taken away in handcuffs.

Guettler tells he was a bit conflicted before installing the ramp. "How many people are going to get hurt on this thing?" he remembers thinking. But now he says, "I figure we're up one now... We attribute the quarter pipe to saving that lady's life."

BicyclingHub.com's Grand Opening Celebration of its new Portland retail space in Inner SE Portland on Friday, April 15th is planned with a decidedly bike-themed flavor in mind. With free beer from Hopworks Urban Brewery and delicious treats courtesy of Portland Pedal Power (delivered by bike, of course!), special discounts and one-day sales on cycling apparel and accessories (including locally based manufacturers Castelli, Retro Image Apparel and Showers Pass), and the great Classic Paris Roubaix 2011 race aired on our new showroom floor, it's going to a be a great way to GEAR UP for Spring.

BicyclingHub.com recently received a Bicycle Friendly Business Award for its efforts to promote and encourage bicycling from the League of American Bicyclists at the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. It proudly joins other Oregon-based Bicycle Friendly Businesses, including Bike Gallery, Alta Planning + Design, Community Cycling Center, King Cycle Group, Travel Oregon and The Standard, who are committed to creating a more Bicycle-Friendly America.

With the opening of our new retail space at 642 SE Stark St., located near two main corridors for bicycle commuters in the city’s well-mapped bicycle route network, walk-in business is expected to increase significantly during the 2011 cycling season, as well as online traffic from across the nation.

The Grand Opening Celebration is open to everyone in the larger Portland-area bicycling community and will provide an opportunity for those passionate about making their community a safer and more enjoyable place to ride, work and play to come together and connect. Please join us!

Open for business

New logo and wooden sign. - Gallery - (Photos © J. Maus)

Earlier this month, we shared the news about River City Bicycles' new outlet store in Southeast Portland. The shop opened for business this weekend and I stopped by for a quick look inside on Sunday.

River City owner David Guettler caught my attention via Facebook when he shared about the first bike sold at the store. It happened just after opening on Saturday and went, "to a guy who was on his way to Wal-Mart to get a mountain bike for his wife. Instead," said Guettler, "she got a nice Gary Fisher."

Love the Mondrian/Team La Vie Claire
-inspired paint job!

That's the basic idea behind this new outlet store: Nice new bikes at low prices. For a store like River City — known for its racing heritage and jaw-dropping selection of high-end bikes and parts — an outlet store is an interesting direction. But for Guettler, it's all about giving people more options to find the right bike at a good price.

Guettler also notes that his new outlet store isn't beholden to any one specific brand. If you're new to how the bike industry works, brands and suppliers — especially large ones — can have a big influence over what bike shops sell. Wary of that influence, Guettler is excited that his outlet store is not brand specific. He shared more with me about that on Sunday:

"I don't think it is healthy for small independent businesses to become beholden to their corporate suppliers. They, like any business, will make decisions that are in their own interest, not ours or our customers."

The flexibility to sell whatever he wants, combined with decades worth of relationships in the bike industry, means you never know what you'll find at the new shop.

Employee Brian Zeck.

On Sunday, River City Bicycles Outlet Store employee Brian Zeck showed me a few of the bikes they've got in stock right now. From a brand called "Virtue," they've got a nice-looking six-speed for just $370 and a singlespeed,coaster-brake model for $270. Another brand you won't see at the other River City is GT. But at the outlet, they've got a big mix of GT models, including a "Traffic 2.0" urban bike. It's a nice mix of parts and a solid frame for just $550 (retail is $730).

Virtue 6-speed, $370.

GT Traffic 2.0, $550

Zeck also pointed out a full-carbon Bianchi road bike that retails for $3,000 but they're selling for just $1,800. "There's only one of them at that price, but someone is going to get one hell of a deal and be very happy."

Given the nature of how they purchase bikes (a mix of supplier closeouts, bulk purchases, and overstock from River City's other store), Zeck says the inventory will be constantly changing.

With its corner location right of Belmont at SE 6th, the shop is sure to get a lot of traffic. Will it spur other shops to consider outlet stores? Will it spur the demand for more low-cost brands in Portland? It will be interesting to see how it evolves and how its presence alters the local bike shop ecosystem.

— View more photos in the gallery.

Get ready Portland, a major new bike shop is set to open its doors. West End Bikes, a gleaming store that beckons passersby on the corner of SW 11th and Stark will officially open for business any day now. On Sunday, I just happened to bump into shop co-owner Mark Ontiveros and he offered to show me around.

I know it seems like bike shops open up here in Portland every other week, but this is different. With its size, the experience of Mark (a bike business veteran) and his partner Mike France, backing from Specialized Bicycles Inc., and a professionally crafted brand, West End Bikes is likely to become one of the top shops in town the moment it opens for business. And in Portland, that's saying something.

Scroll down for more photos and notes from my quick look around...

The gorgeous line of Beloveds dominates the front window...

West End is a Specialized concept store, which means you'll see lots of parts and a full line from the big "S" in addition to their other brands...

I guess since saddles are sort of boring, Mark and Mike decided to spice up the display with a full-carbon custom Calfee tandem...

While West End carries several very high-end brands (Wilier, Calfee, Beloved, Assos, Mission Workshop, and others), they also carry Surly...

Mark has a real expertise in apparel, so expect West End to be the shop for the best-looking bike clothes you'll find anywhere. Here's Mark showing off a pair of bike-friendly dress pants from Outlier. Outlier is made in New York City's garment district and it's very, very nice stuff (West End is their exclusive dealer in Oregon)...

Now this is my kind of riding shirt (also from Outlier)...

The signage is very pro (the branding is by Portland-based weights&pulleys, the same firm that developed the Beloved Cycles brand and that did Lance Armstong's Mellow Johnny's shop in Austin). The vertical letters are raised up from the wall a few inches...

And the shop makes a proud pronouncement on the corner of SW 11th and Stark...

With floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, the shop has tons of natural light, and it's even got a remnant of its former resident, Django Records...

Mark was very excited to show off the new Team West End Bikes kit...

Here's a wide shot taken from the loft at the back of the shop (which will be their fitting studio)...

Mark and Mike were beaming. They're extremely excited to be so close to opening. They've put a ton of hard work into this shop and they are both passionate about the bike business and about our community. I wish them nothing but success and urge everyone to give them a warm welcome...

And there are a few more surprises yet to come... On the SW 11th side, a roll-up garage door will be going in. It will open up to a lounge with comfy chairs, magazines, a library of books and a big screen TV. Also to come on the SW 11th side is a big mural of the City of Portland bike map. I can't wait to see how that turns out!

Check out a few more photos in our gallery and follow us on Twitter for an update on West End's official first day of business (which Mark says could be tomorrow or Wednesday).

River City Bicycles has purchased a new, 5,000 square foot building that will soon become a new outlet store selling discounted bikes and clothing just a few blocks from their existing location. The River City Bicycles Outlet is set to open for business in the next few weeks at 534 SE Belmont (the southwest corner of 6th and Belmont).

According to River City Bicycles owner David Guettler, the new store will carry closeouts from a variety of brands. The bulk of the offerings will be new bikes and clothing, but he says he'll also offer high-quality road bike rentals as well as used bikes that have come in as trade-ins from purchases made at their flagship store on SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Guettler has owned River City for 15 years and is coming of a national "Retailer of the Year" honor he earned in 2010. He says the new outlet store is a response to what people have been asking for: "All this came from customers telling us what they want. People are looking for a deal... They don't care if it's last year's bike, if they can get a brand new bike at a used price, obviously in a win-win for everyone."

Guettler sees the new store not as a second location, but as a complement to his existing operations. "We're just trying to come up with a way to enhance what we already do."

The River City Bicycles Outlet will be a supplier-independent store — meaning Guettler will sell a wide variety of brands, not just the brands he represents at his existing store. He mentioned GT, Scott, Raleigh, and others. The bulk of the bikes sold at the outlet will come directly from suppliers, who are looking to get rid of old stock, closeouts, odd sizes, and other bikes sitting in their warehouses.

The new store will also have a different showroom than you're used to. It will be sectioned off into sizes. "We'll have different color tags and every color is going to be for a different size... So, if you're between 5' and 5' 4", everything with a red tag will fit you."

Sounds interesting. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Stay tuned for photos and a report once the new store opens its doors to the public. Good luck Dave and the entire River City Bicycles crew!