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KATU takes on fixie ticketing issue

KATU, Portland’s ABC affiliate, ran a special “On Your Side” report last night on the fixed-gear bicycle brake issue. The story was given the headline of “Are brakeless bikes safe to ride?”. Of course “brakeless” bikes are not safe. But are fixed-geared bikes technically brakeless? That depends on your definition of brake and it seems … Read more


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Burdick axes fixed-gear language from brake bill

Senator Ginny Burdick accepted an Alice Award in March.(File photo) In a conference committee in Salem today, Senator Ginny Burdick decided that Senate Bill 729 — which sought to update Oregon’s law regarding bicycle brake requirements — will move forward without a key phrase that would have allowed fixed-gear bicycles to not be required to … Read more


Report from Salem: Fixed-gear bill moves forward

Mark Ginsberg and Hazel Gross arrive at the State Capitol to testifyin support of the fixie bill. Senate Bill 729, which intends to clean up Oregon law regarding the brake requirement for bicycles and add an exception for fixed gear bicycles, took a step toward becoming law today. The bill received a hearing in front … Read more


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Fixed gear bill gets public hearing

This coming Tuesday, Salem lawmakers are holding a public hearing on Senate Bill 729. SB 729 is the “fixie bill” that is being proposed to clarify the legal language and shore up confusion around how the bicycle equipment requirement (ORS 815.280) should pertain to fixed-gear bicycles. Since Ayla Holland’s seminal case last July there has … Read more


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Despite ruling, Officer continues to ticket fixed gear riders

[Officer Brett Barnum taking the oath at the Ayla Holland trial.] Officer Brett Barnum of the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division has been at the center of the fixed gear enforcement issue. He was the officer who convinced a traffic court judge to uphold his citation of Ayla Holland back on July 28th (the case … Read more