Month: November 2005

Bike-powered sewing machine

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
sewbike1
sewbike2

Just got these photos from Maggie Burrus-Granger. Maggie is a local artist and biker who combined her passions into this very nifty bike-powered sewing machine. She also makes embroidered pillowcases (Juli got me a set for our 5th anniversary!), knit sweaters and inner tube bags all with bikes on them. The name of her company is amelia b.

I asked Maggie why she creates bike crafts:

“When I’m not riding my bike, I’m crafting, and when I’m not crafting I’m riding my bike, and sometimes I make crafts on my bike. I dream about bikes.”

You can see the bike-powered sewing machine in action, meet Maggie, and peruse lots of great bike-themed crafts at the upcoming BikeCraft Faire on December 7th. Save the date!

Stolen: Gary Fisher Mamba

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Last night my Gary Fisher Mamba was stolen from our porch in NE Portland. The bike was locked to our porch with a keyed, Trek cable lock woven through the wheel and frame and locked directly to the porch. Obviously someone came through the gate and up to our front door while we were sleeping last night and either picked the lock or clipped the cable. The lock was taken with the bike.

The bike is an orange Gary Fisher Mamba, purchased in 2000 with black writing. Uniqueness–the hand grips are taped with black electric tape due to previous stickiness. The bike is large framed, with Shimano Acera components, v-brakes, slightly rusty chain, slightly bent rims (it’s well used), head and tail lights.

Unfortunately and identification numbers are back in Wisconsin…so we will work on getting that information.

Any help with this would be appreciated.
efisc766@yahoo.com

Catching up with Sacha White

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Vanilla Bicycles shop sign
[Sacha’s new sign]

Met with Sacha (the man behind Vanilla Bicycles) today to talk about a project we’re working on and he mentioned some very cool news.

First, he’s commissioned Dan Gillsdorf of Atlas Tattoo to design the first-ever, limited edition Vanilla Bicycles poster. I didn’t see the sketches, but Sacha says it will be in the style of a vintage, art-nouveau advertisement and will feature his wife and daughter riding on their Vanilla stepthrough city bike with the cityscape in the background and something about a flock of swallows flying around. Sounded very cool.

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Stolen: Mongoose

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

I had my ten year old Specialized stolen last wed. I really loved the the bike but hadn’t put any really hard miles on it until I moved to PDX. I just started to bike as a full time mode of transport this spring and I really started to love my Specialized as I know the difference between riding a good bike and pap.

Two weeks ago my Rockhopper was stolen (someone cut my lock) I was heartbroken. I filed a report and kind of got over it. Then two days later I bought a used Mongoose from the Community Cycling Center. I had it for less than two weeks when it was taken in what was basicly a snatch and grab. it wasn’t locked but was less then Five feet from me and I let it out of my sight for less than five seconds. They also got my checkbook, my wallet, all or my credit cards and much more. The model # for my Mongoose is 938258

the serial # for it is m99x0354903 I think as the seller added an / through some 0s and not on others.

The Serial # on my Specialized is PQ546400 . In the last theaft they also got my checkbook, my wallet with all of my credit cards ans prety much everything as far as my identidy. please help.

My chat with Commander Bill

Bill Sinnott

Yesterday I met with Bill Sinnott, Commander of the Traffic Division of the Portland Police. First, I want to thank everyone who emailed and left comments with questions for him. I printed them all up and left a copy with him so he could see first-hand what’s on your mind.

You might be thinking…isn’t this site about bikes? What do cops have to do with it? Good question. The fact is that the cops – especially the Traffic Division – effect our experience as cyclists in many ways; they interact with us at Critical Mass, they try and keep our streets safe, and they’re involved if/when we get in a serious crash with a motorist.

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“Everybody Bike!” T-shirts are here!

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Just picked them up yesterday. They look super cool. The print came out very clean and the “sienna brown” ink looks great with the natural organic cotton fabric. I’m glad I went with American Apparel shirts because they’re amazingly comfy and quite nice feeling. Find out more on my Stuff page.

Remember, $1 from each shirt goes to Shift and the rest helps to support this site!

I tried to get Bill Sinnott to model one for me yesterday but it didn’t happen.

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Stolen: Grey Specialized

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Someone stole my bike two days ago. It is a specialized hard rock sport grey 2005. It is stock but it looks like it has been used a good bit. I was at wired coffee shop 39th and lincoln when a man with bolt cutters took my bike and started heading SEish.

Please help I have no car and no cash to buy a new one. If you have any advise about hot shops I can check out or any segestions where I can look please help.

The S/N is P4EE42048…

PLEASE if you see it will you call the cops and send me an email at UrbanDrops@gmail.com, or put a post on here.
Thank you all so much,
Jon

It’s cold. You need gloves.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

It was in the low 30s this morning. Ouch. Without a good pair of gloves for your morning commute, it makes it awfully easy to climb into the car.

Resist the tempation! Embrace the cold, morning air!

Ayleen over at the ORBike Blog is collecting comments and recommendations about which gloves work for both cold and rain. Good tips. Check them out and check back for the complete list in a few days.

Latest Headlines

Portland to launch $10 million Bike Lane Maintenance Program this summer

Funding crisis dominates first ever meeting of Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

Portland bike shop offers e-bike subscriptions

Opinion: Portland needs more cul-de-sacs

From the Archives

Guest essay: A plan for a ‘passoire’-filled Portland