Month: September 2011

Tacks on Vancouver Ave bike lane cause several flats

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Tacks have strewn across the bike lane on
Vancouver Ave have caused several
flats this week.
(Photo: @seniortrio/Twitter)

Small and very sharp tacks have been showing up in the bike lane of N Vancouver Avenue for the past few days and they’ve claimed several victims.

I got the first report about them on Tuesday from reader Brian R. who said he was rolling on Vancouver at about 3:30 pm when three tacks pierced his front tire. “I was curious if any of your other readers had the same misfortune or it was just my bad luck?”

Then I heard from Metropolis Bike Shop owner Nathan Roll. Roll’s shop is on Williams, just one block away from Vancouver. Roll said he had two customers come into the shop with double flats caused by “large numbers of tacks in the Vancouver bike lane.” Roll said the tacks were in the road just south of Russell.

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‘Cross Conversion: Get your (non-cyclocross) bike ready for the season

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Cross Crusade 2010 #2 - Rainier-24

You can race ‘cross on
nearly any bike; but these
tips will help your conversion
work better.
(Photos © J. Maus)

As fall approaches it’s time to start dreaming of the thrill of mud, cowbells, Belgium fries and waffles and hundreds of people cheering for you as you ride your way through cyclocross season.

Whether you’re toying with testing the race field for the first time, or you’re heading back as a dedicated mud junkie, this is a simple guide to get — and keep — you rolling.

First, a little ‘cross background for the uninitiated. Cyclocross is a style of bike racing on a 1-2 mile dirt/gravel/mud/sand/snow/ice/pavement course for about 45 minutes. Part of the race is dismounting your bike and hopping over foot-high barriers, lifting your bike over them and re-mounting your bike as smoothly as possible. (Think of when you were a kid racing your friends around the block, make it partially off-road and add a small obstacle course and you’re in the ballpark. Oh. And there are usually lots of spectators the whole way around the course clapping, yelling and ringing cowbells to cheer you on.)

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Dispatch from downstairs at Interbike

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— Story and photos by Official BikePortland Interbike Correspondent Carl Larson

Downstairs at Interbike (the annual bike industry trade show happening right now in Las Vegas) is no-man’s land. If you want to see Specialized’s new bikes, meet with an Italian clothing maker, get a poster signed by a famous racer, or check in with major manufacturers and distributors, upstairs is the place to be.

If you want to visit the “Health and Fitness expo” (read: treadmills) or explore the vast emptiness of the E-bike test track, downstairs is your spot. I’d bet that at least half of all show goers never venture down to Interbike’s lower level and, if they do, they don’t spend long. This year, that’s their loss.

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Weekend Event Guide

Biketobeerfest at Hopworks -40

BiketoBeerFest is Saturday!
(Photo © J. Maus)

The weekend is just hours away. If you like to bike and are looking for some fun, check out the events below… And don’t forget to put on fenders and pack a rain jacket!

Friday, September 16th

Live the Revolution Safe Routes to School Benefit
Join Sugar Wheel Works and lots of other cool people and local bike companies for a benefit party to benefit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and their Safe Routes to Schools program. Expect a huge prize raffle, photo booth, flat tire changing competition, and more. Starts at 6:30pm at Ristretto Roasters (3808 N. Williams)

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Green Specialized Globe 1999

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Year: 1999
Brand: Specialized
Model: Globe
Color:Green
Size:Medium
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2011-09-15
Stolen From: Rail in front of Norse Hall at NE 11th & Couch
Neighborhood: Inner Northeast
Owner: Caitlin Wichlacz
OwnerEmail: cwichlacz@gmail.com
Description: Dark green frame with light green fenders, new shimano dynohub front wheel, 7 speed Nexus rear hub.
Police record with: Portland Police Bureau
Police reference#: 11-155056
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Green Trek 3900 2003

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Year: 2003
Brand: Trek
Model: 3900
Color:Green
Stolen in Portland, OR 97201
Stolen:2011-09-15
Stolen From: Grand Central Bakery & Cafe‎ 714 North Fremont Street Portland, OR 97227-1298
Neighborhood: Northeast Portland
Owner: Zach Doe
OwnerEmail: zdyosh@gmail.com
Description: It’s a green Trek 3900 mountain bike. There is a sticker on the frame that says "LISTEN! skateboards" and another that says "Wheatons Cycles."
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11-155055
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red Bridgestone MB3 198?

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 198?
Brand: Bridgestone
Model: MB3
Color:Red
Size:19″
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2011-09-14
Stolen From: Safeways in woodstock
Neighborhood: Woodstock
Owner: Orestis Papaioannou
OwnerEmail: papaior@reed.edu
Reward: $10
Description: Black rack. Torn left handlebar rubber. Dent midway through top tube. Upturned handlebars.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 1179873
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Skinny Benny single speed 2008

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Year: 2008
Brand: Skinny Benny
Model: single speed
Color:Black
Photo: http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/9451/amflyerskinnyblack350.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97201
Stolen:2011-09-01
Stolen From: 10th and montgomery
Neighborhood: Portland state university park blocks, across from starbucks and rogue hall
Owner: Hari Bhaskaran
OwnerEmail: bhaskar@pdx.edu
Reward: $50
Description: Its a single speed road bike all black with bull horns. It has no stickers or any description of what bike it is. It is "skinny Benny" but I removed the sickers from the bike. The bike is also matt finish. I had a number combination lock which opens with 2801
Police record with: Portland
Police reference#: 11-155052
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

dark red Cannondale Road bike 1985

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 1985
Brand: Cannondale
Model: Road bike
Color:dark red
Size:58cm
Serial:CC18265
Photo: http://www.mijnalbum.nl/GroteFoto-QSYYR8FY.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2011-09-09
Stolen From: Stolen in front of new apartments at 3810 SE DIVISION ST. (Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
Neighborhood: SE Portland
Owner: Chris Wilson
OwnerEmail: creatieverteam@gmail.com
Description: A dark red Cannondale bike with oversized tubes. Black/white bar tape. "The Bird" written in white across top tube. MKS old school steel trackpedals: nylon toe straps.
Police record with: Portland PD – Central Precinct –
Police reference#: 11-79199
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

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