New or used?
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Bicycle Retailer & Industry News reported on an interesting (forthcoming) study from marketing and research firm The Gluskin Townley Group yesterday. The report compared the demographics and buying habits of buyers of used bikes versus buyers of new bikes. Here's more from BRAIN:

Owners of bikes they bought used ride more, buy more, and visit bike shops more often than owners of bikes they bought new, according to a new study.

Used-bike owners also ride their bikes to work more often than owners of new bikes, and, in what the researchers called a big surprise, they are wealthier: 22 percent of owners with household incomes of $200,000 or more own a bicycle they purchased used, compared to 12.5 percent that own a bicycle they purchased new, said Elliot Gluskin, managing partner of The Gluskin Townley Group.

The full study is due out next month. I'll try to track down a copy and share more. (more...)

The owners of Salem-based bike shop, Santiam Bicycle, are set to open a new store off SW Hall Blvd in Tigard near the Washington Square Mall (about 10 miles southwest of downtown Portland). The large, high-profile store (it's in the same shopping center as Target) will not only be a great place to shop for bikes and gear, it could also help spur visibility of bicycling in Washington County.

It's worth noting that the crew at Santiam were integral to the creation of the Black Rock Mountain Bike Area (about 30 miles west of Salem).

To learn more about the new store, I sent a few questions to Santiam Bicycle President Troy Munsell... (more...)

The Velo Cult grand opening party.

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The bar at Velo Cult.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Velo Cult Bike Shop will celebrate its grand opening with a party this Saturday. The shop's owner Sky Boyer and his close-knit crew of employees, have worked tirelessly since January to transform a former antique mall on NE 42nd Avenue in the Hollywood District into what is poised to be one of Portland most engaging and welcoming bike shops.

At a special sneak peek party last Friday, it was clear that my hunches about these guys were right: Velo Cult is not your average bike shop. The first thing you'll likely notice is that when you walk in the front doors there's nothing to buy. That's because Boyer sees his business mission as evenly split between selling bikes/parts and creating community/sharing bike culture.

Instead of racks of clothes and bikes, when you enter Velo Cult you'll step onto spacious wooden floors and a window-seating area, wooden bar with local beer on tap, and Mexican food to go with it. Near the front window there's a free photo booth where customers can pose with friends and have the images automatically sent to the shop's Flickr page. In the service area, there are no walls between employees and customers. In fact, Boyer has set up each workstand with a bench and table for customers to sit at so they can chat with mechanics. (more...)

The thief (thieves) made out
with a Surly LHT.

Southeast Portland bike shop Seven Corners Cycles was broken into this morning. The thieves (or thief) made out with one new bike (a large, black Surly Long Haul Trucker), seven Chrome messenger bags, and some lights and locks.

According to shop owner Corey Cartwright, they entered the store by carefully removing a glass panel next to the front door — using the same method as the "window pane bandit" that hit several bikes shops back in November.
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Velo Cult is moving into this
former antique mall on NE
42nd Ave in Hollywood.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortlanD)

Velo Cult Bike Shop is moving into the Hollywood neighborhood. I swung by the space on NE 42nd Avenue yesterday to meet owner Sky Boyer, and Portland, I'm happy to say, we're in for a big treat.

For a city that prides itself on great bike shops, what Boyer has planned will be something even Portland doesn't have yet — a shop where the art and culture of bicycling gets just as much priority as the bikes themselves.

Boyer spent eight months looking for just the right building to house his shop. "I'm picky," he said, and added that, for the type of space he wants to create, "It's gotta have that feel."

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Epic's logo

Hoping to get in front of a growing interest in triathlons in the Portland area, the venerable Bike Gallery has opened Epic Tri Shop, a new store located in the upper level of their existing Beaverton location.

Although Epic Tri is in the same building as the Beaverton Bike Gallery, it will have its own bike mechanic service, separate from the main store. The new shop carries a variety of running, swimming, and bicycling gear. This past Wednesday was the store's grand opening party.

Store manager Gordie Cumming says he named the shop Epic because, "It sums up what I think many people feel when they step up to the starting line." It's also an acronym, Cumming explains: "Endurance, Persistence, Intensity, Camaraderie."
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(Photo: Velo Cult)

Bicycle Retailer & Industry News is reporting that Velo Cult, a well-known bike shop based in San Diego, California, plans to relocate to Portland by mid-January:

"Boyer has narrowed his location search to two spaces in Portland that are four to five times the 1,200 square feet he has been operating out of in Southern California. The extra room will allow for a broader product line, adding more cyclocross, 29er and steel road bikes to Velo Cult’s touring, commuter and randonneuring offerings.

The shop, which opened as Velo Culture in 2006, will also increase its already heavy emphasis on cycling culture, such as art and events, noted Boyer. “We’re pretty much a Portland store in the wrong city. We’re very commuter-oriented, very city-oriented,” he said."

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Bill Fasano, owner of Green Garage Bicycle Repair.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Bill Fasano is Portland's newest bike shop proprietor. Green Garage Bicycle Repair just swung open its doors last week in the red-brick industrial building across the street from Widmer Brewery on N. Mississippi and Interstate.

Fasano, 38, is an Oregon native who grew up in West Linn and started racing bikes and working in local bike shops back in the mid 1990s. After leaving a job at Bike n' Hike in 2000, he worked as an assistant project manager for a local home builder. Those were the boom times in the housing business, he told me when I stopped his shop this morning. "I was making good money, then all the sudden it stopped."
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Job Title: Tour Guide/Mechanic
Company/Organization: Pedal Bike Tours
Job Description: Love Oregon, history, people, local culture and showing off your town? (by bike of course!) Know how to fix bikes? Come work for Trip Advisor’s #1 tour company in Oregon!

Skills
Sociable/personable/friendly- Can bond with and entertain visitors from different places, backgrounds and attitudes over a 3-8 hour tour.
A broad knowledge of Portland/Oregon/NW history and culture, local restaurants, sights, shops.

Job Duties
Bike Tours - Safely and knowledgeably lead one or more of our tours consisting of 1-10 guests including Historic Downtown, Columbia Gorge, breweries, Wine Country, The Oregon Coast and culinary tour.

The winning candidate will also possess knowledge on:
Food- Portland’s restaurant scene and food shed
Beer- styles, history, local scene, brewing process
Wine- Varietals, winemaking process, Willamette Valley winemaking and history
Flora, Fauna and Geology of the Columbia Gorge, Willamette Valley and Oregon Coast

How to Apply:
If interested, please send your resume to info[at]pedalbiketours[dot]com or come in person to our shop at 133 SW Second Avenue

Job Title: Sales

Company/Organization: Beaverton Bike N' Hike

Job Description: Beaverton Bike N' Hike is looking for a positive, enthusiastic, outgoing, lover of everything cycling to work our sales floor. Bike shop experience is not necessary but definitely an advantage. We look forward to hearing from you!

How to Apply: Bring resumes to the Beaverton Bike N' Hike location at: 10120 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. Beaverton, OR 97005.

Job Title: Bicycle Mechanic
Company/Organization: Lakeside Bicycles

Job Description: We are looking for a seasoned bike mechanic able to work on and build various makes and models of bikes. Previous bike shop mechanic experience required. Work schedule likely 4 days per week with weekends required. This position is presently seasonal with potential long-term employment. If you love bikes and are passionate about working on them, this could be for you.

How to Apply: Please send resume and cover letter to roberto[at]lakeside-bikes[dot]com.

The following businesses are searching for somebody to round out their respective teams. Maybe they are looking for someone you know. Maybe they are looking for you. Check out the details of each below and be sure to tell them you read it here.
Good luck and happy Friday!

• Shipping Specialist -- Velotoch Inc.
• Retail Sales -- Cyclepath
• Store Management -- Performance Bicycle

For a complete list of available jobs, click here. If you'd like more information about the BikePortland Job Listings, contact us, or visit the Job Listings page.

You can sign up for all the latest job listings via RSS, email, or by following us on Twitter.

Just in case this week's employment opportunities quietly slipped past while you nodded off at the control tower of your current job...WAKE UP! Here they come again featuring shiny new bikes, born again bikes and bikes that need your love. Best of luck!

• Bike Builder -- Bike Gallery
• Used Inventory Coordinator -- Community Cycling Center
• Bike Mechanic -- Bike Gallery

For a complete list of available jobs, click here. If you'd like more information about the BikePortland Job Listings, contact us, or visit the Job Listings page.

You can sign up for all the latest job listings via RSS, email, or by following us on Twitter.

Sunset's new location.
(Photo: Sunset Cycles)

Citing steady sales growth, Sunset Cycles owner Roger Colwell announced today that he plans to open a second shop in June.

Colwell has owned Sunset Cycles, which is in the Bethany area of unincorporated Washington County just west of Portland city limits, since 2003. The shop boasts a perfect location, with miles of rural roads in one direction and the challenging climbs of the West Hills in the other. (more...)

Job Title: Bike Builder
Company/Organization: Bike Gallery
Job Description:

Bike Gallery is now accepting applicants for our central Bike Assembly Department. This is an entry level, seasonal position and offers the following:

• Full time hours available during the season
- Some weekend hours available
• The opportunity to further develop existing mechanical skills
• A production oriented work environment with no customer contact requirements
• Tools and work bench provided

Requirements include:
• Strong mechanical aptitude
• Reliable, hardworking and team oriented
• Capable of working while standing for extended periods
• Capable of lifting 50 lbs. to shoulder height
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks accurately and efficiently
• Ability to perform detailed tasks based on verbal instructions

Preference will be given to applicants with previous experience assembling bicycles and training is available.

Bike Gallery is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply:
Send a resume and cover letter to resumes[at]bikegallery[dot]com

Crank, a new shop on SE Ash,
will have a grand opening tonight.
(Photos: Crank Bicycles)

Southeast Portland will welcome a new bike shop to the Laurelhurst Neighborhood tonight when Crank Bicycles throws open its doors for a grand opening party. Crank is the new shop opened by business partners Chris Harbert and Justin Tutor, the duo formerly behind the Kinetic Performance bike shop in downtown Portland. (You might recall our story of a break-in at Kinetic last May.)
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Splendid Cycles owner Joel Grover
(bottom left), talks up a Cycle Truck.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Southeast Portlanders and well-wishers from all over town helped welcome a new bike shop to the neighborhood last night. Splendid Cycles, a new shop on SE Belmont at 14th that specializes in cargo bikes, held its opening night bash.

The HUB Beer Bike by Metrofiets was on hand to provide music and cold beer and a crowd that included owner Joel Grover's dad, friends of Joel and his wife Barb, and cargo bike enthusiasts, took a closer look at what Splendid has to offer. (more...)

Coventry Cycle Works is a Portland gem.
(Photos © J. Maus)

With over 25 years of service, Coventry Cycle Works at 2025 SE Hawthorne is one of Portland's oldest bike shops. Last year, Marilyn Hayward took the reins from a retiring Sherman Coventry and has brought a renewed energy to the business. I dropped by a few days ago to meet Marilyn and learn more about this little gem of a bike shop.
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[This is the first of several vendor profiles we'll share in the next month as we prepare to entice you to attend our super-excellent BikeCraft V event coming up on December 5th.]

Bike Cozy's "Toe Cozies to Keep Feet Dry"
were a hit at BikeCraft IV.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Do you ever wonder how to solve that problem of cold, wet feet on your bicycle? Or do you have trouble finding a cycling cap that will actually fit your head and your sense of style? Ever wish you could carry and organize your cycling tools in a practical (yet oh-so-aesthetically-pleasing) way?

No problem! Check out Bike Cozy, a local, NE Portland based business that sells handmade cycling caps, tool rolls, shoelace wranglers toe cage covers, and more for "the fashionably practical rider." Bike Cozy’s tag line doesn’t lie: its products come in a variety of colors and patterns and are made from practical, durable materials such as wool, canvas, and cordura. (more...)