Two Portland bike companies help raise money for Japan

With the future of people stricken by the disaster in Japan on the minds of many Portlanders, two local bike companies are doing their part to help the relief effort.

London-based Rapha, whose North American headquarters are in North Portland, is helping quake victims by doing the thing they do best — hosting a ride. Rapha Rides for Tohoku is a fundraising campaign they’ve launched with partners throughout Japan and the United States. So far, there are 15 rides slated to happen this weekend. The Portland ride will leave from Albina Press (4637 N Albina Ave) at 9:00 am on Saturday. You can see the full list of rides here.

Little Package Cycling Caps announced yesterday that they will donate all proceeds from their special edition “Red Bells” cap to Mercy Corps’ Japan relief fund. Little Package owner Caroline Paquette says after reading about the disasters she considered making a personal donation to the Red Cross. “Then it dawned on me,” she says, “that I had all these caps I could finish and sell to be able to donate more than $10. What cemented the idea is that the fabric the caps are made of comes from Japan.”