Trek Portland and Jorg & Olif

[Klixi]

I'm looking into selling my current (gary fisher) and buying 2 more.. a classic dutch style bike and something for my longer and more enduring rides.

Have any of you used or owned a Jorg & Olif or Velorbis? If so, what model and what were your opinions? Keep in mind I live in the Pearl District and would use the Dutch primarily for trips to Powells, Whole Foods and all the other places I need to go to. The lack of gears is not an issue as I won't be climbing hills with it. I'm also not interested in the Electra Amsterdam.

Next, is the Trek Portland a good one? I've been researching this one for a while and I am super psyched to give it a test ride this week, but I'd love to get some input from those of you who have tested or owned the Trek Portland, especially the newest one as opposed to the original model. What were your impressions? What should I know before buying?

Thanks!
Chelsea

[Attornatus_Oregonensis]

If you search bikeportland, you will find a thread on the Trek Portland, complete with me raving about how much I love mine. You just can't beat those disc brakes for the rainy season. The versatility is also great, and the bike is pretty durable for urban use. After a year and a half of daily commuting (~12 mi/day), I have actually worn through the outer wall of my tires!

[brettoo]

I just scored a year-old J&O Original Oma for less than an Amsterdam (thanks, craigslist!), and am loving it after a couple of rides, the first of which ended at Green Dragon for a celebratory microbrew. I haven't tried steep hills yet, but have had no problems climbing up to the east and west sides from the river. I even toted a 20 pound battery on the back rack for an errand -- couldn't do that on my hybrid! It is heavy, and you won't go too fast as you climb, but on flat terrain and downhill, I go as fast as I'd want to. The steering takes some getting used to, but now I prefer it to the regular posture. Overall, a much more comfortable and smooth ride than my hybrid, thanks in part to the weight, in part to the geometry, in part to the fab Shimano 8 speed gears. If you really want to get somewhere in a huge hurry, or need nimble cornering, you might go for the Portland (I've never ridden one). But I think the J&O (which is really a rebranded Azor with roller brakes and shimano 8 speed, I think) would be ideal for the purposes you describe, although if you load it up with all the Powell's books it'll hold , it'll cost you a lot more money than just the bike! I'm happy to respond to specific questions after I get to ride it a bit more, but the overall impression so far is: terrific, and VERY different feel from a typical American ride. You'd certainly want to test ride one, or an equivalent Dutch bike from Clever Cycles or some other shop.