This is how you'll feel
at Filmed by Bike.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Filmed by Bike, one of Portland's most beloved celebrations of bicycling, starts tomorrow! This is the 11th annual festival and organizer Ayleen Crotty has put together what looks to be another stellar event. The street party is bigger and more exciting, there are tons of special performances planned including live art creation, bike dancing, and music. And of course there are eight screenings of four distinct programs chock full of the "best bike movies from around the world."

Ayleen recently shared a rundown of special events and other fun stuff you won't want to miss.

The New Belgium Street Fest

• The Street Fest is all mew this year, it's all ages and goes from 3-9pm.
• Dots Cafe is hosting New Belgium Beer and serving up food in the beer garden.

(more...)

The cycling world is reeling today as word spreads of a tragic collision that claimed the lives of a UK-based couple that was touring the world by bicycle together. Peter Root and Mary Thompson were riding their bikes in Thailand when someone driving a pick-up truck drove into their path. The couple had been on global biking adventure that started in July 2011.

Peter and Mary had also just recently learned that a film based on their biking adventures was chosen for the 2013 Filmed by Bike festival slated for Portland this April.

Festival Director Ayleen Crotty confirmed today that the couple's film, Cycling Central Asia, was chosen by a panel of judges to be part of the event. Crotty said this morning that they plan to do a video tribute to Peter and Mary when their film is shown. "Filmed by Bike is producing a short piece to honor the love Peter and Mary had for each other and the adventures they shared." (more...)

Filmed by Bike volunteer Meghan Sinnott
added a bit of glitz to the party.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Despite a bit of water falling from the sky, Portlanders took to SE Clinton Street on Friday night to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Filmed by Bike. There was drinking, dancing, talking, and being seen among a healthy crowd of bike-loving film-goers — or maybe it was film-loving bike riders. Either way, at Filmed by Bike it doesn't really matter.

We even had bike celebrity on hand with mountain biking and bike industry icon Gary Fisher rolling up on the party accompanied by a big group of riders from the downtown Bike Gallery. Fisher's bike (a borrowed Trek Allante) proudly hoisted the Filmed by Bike flag and he posed with scores of fans for pictures while dressed in red plaid suit and matching hat. (more...)

It's hard to believe that Portland's bike film festival — Filmed by Bike — is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The festival kicks of this Friday night and continues through Wednesday with nine screenings and 75 movies on the schedule.

In addition to the usual weekend slate of films, organizer Ayleen Crotty has added two additional days of screenings. Tuesday (4/17) will be a special program dedicated to the "relentless creative spirit of Cyclocross." And on Wednesday there will be two showings of the "Best of the Best!" — a mix of favorite films of the past decade.

With more movies than ever, Crotty says she also expects an unprecedented number of filmmakers to attend the event this year. Among them are a trio of bike-loving movie makers from France who are in the middle of a three-year global bike tour. The way Crotty tells it, these guys made a movie while taking a respite in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and, upon getting it accepted to Filmed by Bike, decided to change course and ride to Portland for the event! You can meet these adventurous Frenchmen after the Sunday 7:00 pm showing. There's also a filmmaker Q & A session following Saturday's 5:00 pm showing. (more...)

Gary Fisher in 2008.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Gary Fisher, a member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame who helped usher in the off-road era, is coming to Portland next month to help kick off the 10th anniversary edition of the Filmed by Bike festival.

Here's the verbage from "Go With Gary" event organizers:

"How are you getting to the 10th Anniversary Filmed by Bike? Don’t go alone, Go With Gary, mt. bike legend Gary Fisher! Portland Bicycle Tours will lead to ride that valiantly winds through Downtown Portland and across the river on the way to the New Belgium Street Party at the Clinton Street Theater."

Despite his off-road roots, these days Fisher is just as likely to be associated with urban bikes (his Gary Fisher Collection is made by Trek) and fashion. Fisher travels a lot and has become familiar with the great cycling cities of Europe. That experience has given him the confidence to raise his voice for bike advocacy in and around his San Francisco stomping grounds (where I met up with him back in 2008). (more...)

Still from Filmed by Bike
10th anniversary trailer.
(Film by Burk Webb)

Our much beloved local film fest, Filmed by Bike, turns 10 this year. To celebrate, fest founder Ayleen Crotty is looking to make it the biggest and best one ever.

Last week she released a special, 10th anniversary trailer. Check it out... (more...)

With Filmed by Bike kicking off tonight, I thought it'd be fun to delve into the photo archives. The images below from years past will give you a small hint of what to expect if you're headed to the event tonight/this weekend...

Timo Forsberg (R) and Bob New at the 2005 event.
(Photos © J. Maus)

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Filmed by Bike has just released the list of 37 films that have made the cut for their 2011 festival. Event director Ayleen Crotty says that over 100 films were submitted and that the festival jury spent two days reviewing and discussing films.

You'll see some familiar names on this list as several of the movies have been covered here in some form before.

View the list below... (more...)

Stills from just some of the
many films that will
screen during the
Bicycle Film Festival.

Get ready to be inspired and entertained by a wide variety of bicycle-themed films. The Bicycle Film Festival and Filmed By Bike are both gearing up for 2011.

The Bicycle Film Festival has just announced dates and screenings for their 2011 Portland stop. This two-day festival, founded by New York City resident Brendt Barbur, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a mind-boggling lineup of the best bike films gleaned from around the globe. I'm looking forward to this documentary about Italian frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli, also known as "Ciocc" (a legendary brand that my stepdad happens to be a huge fan of).

Watch the trailer below... (more...)

The following article is by Jennifer Clunie. Formerly the executive director of the New York Bicycle Coalition, Clunie has been a Portland resident for less than two weeks. She came for no other reason than to immerse herself in a city where bicycles are part of the culture. In the article below, she shares her impressions from opening night at Filmed by Bike.

A DJ kept the crowd moving at
the Filmed by Bike street party
Friday night.
(Photo: BikeRanger/Flickr)

A recent transplant from New York State, I finally witnessed first-hand the remarkable experience of rush-hour bike traffic Friday night. Cyclists poured out of their offices, shops, restaurants, and public buildings and flooded the streets from every direction, whirling and clicking in syncopated rhythm. This phenomenon was part of no group ride, designated charity event or heavily promoted race with cash, points or pride on the line, but rather individuals choosing to transport themselves to their destinations via two wheels, rather than four.

And on this particular Friday night, all roads for cyclists seemed to lead to the Clinton Street Theater for the opening premier of the 8th Annual Filmed by Bike film festival happening this weekend (April 16th-18th). (more...)