If you’re running around looking for a nice little gift for the bike lover on your list, below are a few things to keep in mind. To make this a bit more fun, how about you chime in with what’s on your wish list in the comments?
I’ve kept my suggestions to things that are inexpensive and available in Portland (it’s the 20th already!).
B-Shares from B-Line PDX – $20
I’m so proud of our local, pedal-powered delivery company B-Line PDX. They’ve really nailed their business model and they’ve gotten a lot of positive attention that’s very much deserved. One of the coolest things they do is a new program called B-Shares. Available for purchase online, B-Shares is a crowd-funded program that gets surplus food to people who need it most; and it’s all done with human power. Enough said.
Mach Schnell Goggles from Portland Design Works – $15
When our friends at Portland Design Works first shared their Mach Schnell Goggles with us back in June 2009, they were just a prototype. Now, the fashionable utility of these foldable goggles can be yours for a mere $15. You can find Portland Design Works products in many Portland bike shops.
Merino Wool
I’d be remiss if I didn’t share this secret: Since the kind folks at Icebreaker gave me a t-shirt before Cycle Oregon 2009 (which I wore the entire week without washing!), I’ve been a believer. Socks, undies, base layers, sweaters, summer, winter, or fall — merino wool is hard to beat for riding in Portland. I love it because I barely ever wash it, it stays smelling fresh, it doesn’t get sweaty, and it looks swell. My two favorite merino sources in Portland are Icebreaker (1109 West Burnside Street) and Clever Cycles (908 SE Hawthorne).
Bipedal, By Pedal! #2: Confidential Mad Libs – $4
Local zine legend and owner of Microcosm Publishing, Joe Biel, has a knack for making transportation activism interesting, fun, and sometimes funny (he’s the guy who made the Martinis in the Bike Lane documentary). Biel’s latest zine, Bipedal, By Pedal! #2: Confidential Mad Libs – $4, is an ingenious handling of hundreds of internal police documents about Critical Mass in Portland. He’s uncovered police spies that infiltrated Critical Mass meetings, lots of fear and hysteria about crazed bike “anarchists,” and more. If you’re in Portland, swing by his store at 636 SE 11th for a copy or buy it online.
OK, that’s enough of my picks (I could go on and on)…
Are you hoping for a special bike gift this year? If so, what wishes are dancing around in your head?