Month: July 2009

Holiday Weekend Open Thread: Share your bike fun

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Splash Dance Ride

Whatever you do, make sure
there’s plenty of water involved.
(Photo © J. Maus)

It’s the big Fourth of July Weekend… what type of bike adventures do you have planned?

Saturday is the start of the Tour de France with the much-anticipated comeback of a guy named Lance Armstrong (perhaps you’ve heard of him?).

For those of you not in Monaco for Stage 1, check out the TV coverage for the next three weeks on Versus . If you don’t have cable (or can’t stand the reportedly all-Lance-all-the-time Versus coverage), other ways to follow the action are via Twitter from @TDFblog or BikeHugger’s TDF “Hub” also looks like a great bet for full (and interactive) coverage.

I know about 20 people who are joining the Cycle Wild bike camping trip to Big Bottom. My three ladies and I are headed for some bike camping of our own. We’ll join two other familes (that’s six adults and seven kids!) for a ride from Portland to Champoeg State Park.

Out at the velodrome, the Alpenrose Sixday wraps up tomorrow.

Read more

A look at TriMet’s role in MAX ad campaign flap

“I think there are some big leaps being made here with regard to the ad’s message being misleading or in some way endangering cyclists. The ad poses a question. How people interpret it or act on it is not up for TriMet to determine.”
— Becky Witt, Public Information Officer for TriMet

As the debate continues over an ad campaign on a MAX train that asks, “Should cyclists pay a road tax?”, several people in the comments have wondered whether TriMet should have even allowed the ad in the first place.

Yesterday, I learned more about TriMet’s advertising policy from their Public Information Officer Becky Witt. In a nutshell, Witt says an Oregon court ruling prevents TriMet from picking and choosing what ads they run, yet their policy still allows exceptions for offensive ads or ads that could endanger public safety.

In an email exchange/interview last night, I asked to Witt more about this situation.

When it comes to ads, Witt likened TriMet to “an impartial third party” and wrote that:

Read more

SILVER Specialized Sirrus 2006

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2006
Brand: Specialized
Model: Sirrus
Color:SILVER
Size:M
Serial: P5HAZ3627
Stolen in Hillsboro, OR 97124
Stolen:2009-07-3
Stolen From: Stolen from my garage.
Owner: Tom Stein
OwnerEmail: steinthms@yahoo.com
Description: Specialized Sirrus, Silver w/silver plastic fenders, black rear rack, gel seat.
Police record with: Pending
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Volunteers needed for first-ever City of Tigard trail user counts, surveys

A tour of the West Side-28

A view of the Fanno Creek
Trail in Tigard.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Tigard is gearing up for their first-ever trail user count and survey. The counting effort will take place over five days in September and volunteers are needed.

According to City of Tigard planner Duane Roberts, a manual count and a user survey will be done along several popular trails including the Fanno Creek, Tualatin River, and Pathfinder/Genesis trails. The effort is part of a national trail user count that included 60 communities nationwide last year.

Roberts tells us that the data collected will be used to estimate existing and future trail demand and activity levels. In addition, the data will help inform the first-ever Tigard Greenway Trail Master Plan and will help city planners bolster grant funding applications to pay for improvements to the trail system.

Read more

Black and Silver and Pink Accents Specialized Dolce 2006

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2006
Brand: Specialized
Model: Dolce
Color:Black and Silver and Pink Accents
Photo: http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2006&Brand=Specialized&Model=Dolce&Type=bike
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2009-06-30
Stolen From: 19th and Irving
Neighborhood: NW 23rd neighborhood
Owner: Molly Gilbert
OwnerEmail: molly_gilbert@hotmail.com
Description: The seat has two rips on each back corner,
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

City brings bike boulevard plans to neighborhoods

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
BTA Bike Boulevard Ride

City is rolling out public outreach
process for more bike boulevards.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland is about to embark on a series of open houses to inform neighborhoods about their bike boulevard plans.

The Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is busy planning and designing 15 miles of new, low-traffic streets throughout the metro area. PBOT has planned two open houses for each of the six neighborhoods/districts where the bike boulevards are planned.

PBOT has already completed their public outreach process for the N. Wabash and SE Spokane bike boulevard projects and now they’re tackling the outreach component for projects on; NE Going, N Bryant, N Concord, SE Mill, SE Center, and SW Terwilliger/Westwood.

Read more

Job: Part-time Bike Mechanic (Waterfront Bicycles)

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title
Part – Time Bike Mechanic

Company/Organization
Waterfront Bicycles

Job Description
Part-time 2- 3 days a week Bicycle Mechanic with at least 4 years of recent shop experience.

How to Apply
Please send resume to waterfrontbikes@earthlink.net and include references.
Please put RESUME in the subject line of your email response.

Editorial: Marketing campaign asks the wrong question

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

I really hoped to ignore this story, but now that word about it has spread I sort of have to (unfortunately, a mere Twitter update didn’t suffice).

A local web marketing/consulting firm has plastered a MAX train with the question: “Should cyclists pay a road tax?”

The company says they’re doing this campaign to demonstrate how effective they are at analyzing web conversations. They say the question of bike licensing and registration have been hot topics in Portland lately (and then they link to an article we posted way back in March).

Read more

Black Raleigh One Way 2006

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2006
Brand: Raleigh
Model: One Way
Color:Black
Size:60cm
Serial: U6YU62405
Photo: http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/D0E5T1R/Picture002.jpg
Stolen in Gresham, OR 97024
Stolen:2009-06-26
Stolen From: Around the MAX station 197th stop in Gresham/Fairview Oregon.
Neighborhood: Gresham/Fairview/Troutdale
Owner: Dusty Rhodes
OwnerEmail: doesstir@gmail.com
Reward: $ TBA
Description: Bike is Black with large White lettering “Raleigh” on the sloping center tube. There is a Topeak Baby Seat bike rack (black) and a red Cateye rear bike light fixed on the rack.
Police record with: Fairview Police
Police reference#: 09-0617
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Latest Headlines

Transportation Commission says state can move forward with I-5 Rose Quarter project

Weekend Event Guide: Sunday Parkways, Naked Ride, immigrant solidarity, and more

TriMet: Service cuts will start in November

Pause or proceed? Commission weighs future of I-5 Rose Quarter project

From the Archives

Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure