April 2010 Archives

silver/black Gary Fisher Zebrano 2002

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2002
Brand: Gary Fisher
Model: Zebrano
Color:silver/black
Size:17″
Serial: SC62ER429
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2010-04-7
Stolen From: My house.
Neighborhood: NE Portland
Owner: Rainbow Drgon
OwnerEmail: rainbowdrgon@gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: Hybrid commuter bike, 24-speed, tricked out with two beverage holders and a rear rack, front and rear minifenders and a rear battery red light. Frame not men’s, not women’s but in between. Cushy seat.
Police record with: Officer Rob Simon
Police reference#: # 10-28958
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Silver K2 Easy Street 2008

Year: 2008
Brand: K2
Model: Easy Street
Color:Silver
Size:Large
Serial: 1CK27K03942
Stolen in Milwaukie, OR 97267
Stolen:2010-04-18
Stolen From: Dolinda St. and Webster Rd.
Neighborhood: close to Gladstone
Owner: Paul Vetsch
OwnerEmail: paulsyvet@comcast.net
Description: Standard K2 model. Silver Grey. It had a speedometer setup on the handle bar.
Police record with: Clack Cty.
Police reference#: 10-11783
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

neon yellow Unknown Unknown Unknown

Year: Unknown
Brand: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Color:neon yellow
Size:26
Photo: http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3551/mybike.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97266
Stolen:2010-04-26
Stolen From: Bike was taken from my apartment patio; near 118th and SE Powell Blvd.
Neighborhood: SE/Near Lents
Owner: Hayley Eiden
OwnerEmail: HREiden@gmail.com
Reward: my friendship 🙂
Description: Neon yellow, female mountain bike. Attach rack and attached front and rear lights. The bike is 5-6 years old. This bike means a lot to me. It was a Christmas gift.
Police record with: Kuemper
Police reference#: T10002388
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Bike Snob’s take on Portland and our ‘bike-obsessed populace’

“I secretly hoped Portland “bike culture” was so highly evolved that people were actually using cycling as the basis for spiritual and metaphysical discussion in the same way that the psychedelic scene of the sixties inspired some to explore Buddhism and alternative philosophy.”

The infamous author and blogger Eben “Bike Snob” Weiss has a feature article in Outside Magazine’s May issue that is all about his trip to Portland back in October.

The long piece touches on nearly every aspect of our bike scene — from bike builders to bike polo, even making a stop at our bike shrine and The Bike Temple. Mr. Weiss even chronicles his visit to BikePortland headquarters back before he decided to out himself in the name of promoting his forthcoming book.

Here’s how he describes riding through the city:

Year: 2002
Brand: MOOTS
Model: Ybb
Color:Titanium
Size:Large
Serial: ?
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2010-04-4
Stolen From: 39th and SE Hawthorne
Neighborhood: SE Hawthorne
Owner: Tim Potts
OwnerEmail: timpotts8888@yahoo.com
Reward: 200
Description: MOOTS Ybb Titanium Mountain Bike. New Continental Tires, New Sun Rims, Full XTR components, Chris King Hubs, MOOTS front stem.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Lessons learned, Metro ponders TIGER II

If Metro wants federal funds for
active transportation projects, they’ve
got to adjust their approach.
(Photo © J. Maus)

With the US Department of Transportation’s announcement of TIGER II, a $600 million extension of the stimulus funded TIGER grant program, local active transportation advocates are considering another round of applications.

Our regional Metropolitan Planning Organization, Metro, submitted four active transportation projects totaling $97 million in the first go-round of TIGER grants.

None of those projects received funding*, and since the grant announcement in February, Metro staff has been trying to learn why.

Van Orden, seen here at a Pedalpalooza
ride in 2006, is running for
Multnomah County Commissioner.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Paul Van Orden is running for Multnomah County Commissioner Seat #2 (North and Northeast Portland district). Van Orden is a political neophyte but he’s no stranger to community organizing and working in the public policy realm. As someone who I’ve noticed at many bike events through the years and who has garnered a lot of support from bike shop owners, bike advocates, and other in our community who care about biking, I figured I’d share a bit more about him here on the Front Page.

Van Orden is currently employed by the City of Portland as a Noise Control Officer. Acting more in a volunteer capacity than in an official City role, Van Orden organized a bike ride leaving the final screening at Filmed By Bike’s recent opening night. That street party has gotten complaints from nearby residents and Van Orden wanted to encourage folks to leave the area and take the party elsewhere.

Riders from Bike Back the Night in 2008.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Bike Back the Night, the annual ride and rally to increase awareness of sexual violence is happening this Thursday (4/29). The ride is hosted by the non-profit Portland Women’s Crisis Line and the Portland State University Women’s Resource Center.

Fun, yes; but legal?
(Photos @ J. Maus)

Back in February, Portlander Ken Southerland got a ticket for attempting to give a friend a ride on the back rack of his bicycle. In the summer of 2007, I saw two Portland Police officers issue a ticket to a man on Alberta Street for the same offense. In the latter case, the man was operating a tall bike with a home made wooden deck on the back (see photo below).

In Oregon, there’s a state law that prohibits “unlawful passengers on a bicycle.” With the popularity of Xtracycles and other long-tail bikes where people ride on the rear rack, and the general tendency for “doubling” (which is far from just a Portland phenomenon), I wondered whether or not the examples above expose yet another unfortunate grey-area in Oregon law that could negatively impact people who ride bicycles.

View Larger Map

Tomorrow, (Tuesday, 4/27), a road in the lower portion of River View Cemetery will be close all day to all traffic due to a construction project at the mausoleum. Cemetery GM David Noble says bike traffic will not be able to get through:

“A large crane with its outriggers will be completely blocking the road, as well as the shoulders so there is no way for anyone to even walk their bicycle through to slip by (not that we want them to anyway, since it is a very dangerous construction zone).”

Year: 1969
Brand: raleigh
Model: carlton
Color:red
Size:56
Stolen in 97212, OR
Stolen:2010-04-26
Stolen From: my front porch
Neighborhood: llyod center
Owner: joseph keshishian
OwnerEmail: dook@riseup.com
Description: campy front deraileur, bullhorn bars, liscence plate from libertyville MI
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

The Week in Review (April 19 – 23)

[I’m going to try out a new weekly feature – The Week in Review.

Last week we published 33 stories on the Front Page and there were 495 total comments.

With this weekly post I’ll point you back to the great conversations going on and other stories you might have missed in the past week. If you think this is helpful, let me know in the comments and I’ll decide whether or not to make this a regular thing. Thanks — Jonathan]

The Week in Review (April 19 – 23)
33 Front Page stories – 495 comments

silver/black Gary Fisher Zebrano 2002

Silver K2 Easy Street 2008

neon yellow Unknown Unknown Unknown

Bike Snob’s take on Portland and our ‘bike-obsessed populace’

Titanium MOOTS Ybb 2002

Lessons learned, Metro ponders TIGER II

Interview with County Commissioner candidate Paul Van Orden

Event of the Week: Bike Back the Night

Is carrying someone on your bike illegal?

Advisory: River View Cemetery closed to bike traffic Tuesday

red raleigh carlton 1969

The Week in Review (April 19 – 23)

Latest Headlines

Guest Opinion: Portland needs more protected bike lanes — and we need them now

District 2 finally gets representation on key city council committee

Lawmakers want $3 million from state coffers for 82nd Avenue bus lanes

Neighborhood group, backed by bike advocate, opposes bike lane upgrades

From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike