Month: September 2011

Black Motobecane Fantomcross Uno 2009

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Year: 2009
Brand: Motobecane
Model: Fantomcross Uno
Color:Black
Size:54cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2011-09-13
Stolen From: NE Davis between 17th and 18th.
Neighborhood: Kerns
Owner: Anna Melichar
OwnerEmail: annamelichar@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Black frame with white/red lettering. Silver fenders w/ electrical tape, neon green handlebar griptape, flat resistant tires. Dent/rust on bar between saddle and stem from accident, saddle torn, adhesive remnants from stickers.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11-154992
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Navy Blue/Creme Novara Transfer 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Novara
Model: Transfer
Color:Navy Blue/Creme
Serial: U62Y01724
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2011-09-12
Stolen From: Stolen outside of 2 NW 2nd Avenue.
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Owner: Alyssa Kessler
OwnerEmail: acekessler@gmail.com
Description: There was a bike rack on the back, with a Portland Fire Bureau sticker on the rear fender.
Police record with: Portlan PD
Police reference#: 11-79074
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Silver Diamondback

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Brand: Diamondback
Color:Silver
Stolen in Portland, OR 97203
Stolen:2011-09-11
Stolen From: Outside of Christie Dorm @ University of Portland
Owner: Aaron Monto
OwnerEmail: aaronmonto@hotmail.com
Description: Silver Diamondback with tears near back of seat… Not sure about other details but I can identify.

360-991-2765
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Surly 1×1 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Surly
Model: 1×1
Color:Black
Size:18
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2011-09-08
Stolen From: The porch of a house on 38th and Hawthorne SE
Neighborhood: SE Hawthorne
Owner: Jacob Foucault
OwnerEmail: jakefoucault@gmail.com
Reward: Cash, can be negotiated based on condition of bike, But I really really want this thing back.
Description: Frame: Black Surly 1×1, 18" frame
Wheels: WTB Disk, all black no breaking surface.
Brakes: AVID Disk Brakes
Cockpit: Easton ~100mm Stem w/ generic black risers and clear oury grips
Saddle: WTB
Tires: WTB Nano Wolf
Crank: Single Speed, can’t remember the brand, no bashguard.
Feel free to call me at Six one Two, five08-4310 if you see this bicycle or have any information at all.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

PBOT announces three month closure of SW Broadway

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Beginning tomorrow (9/13), SW Broadway Drive just south of downtown Portland will be closed to all traffic for three months.

The closure is for an unscheduled retaining wall project that will be conducted by the Bureau of Transportation. PBOT says the work is necessary to prevent a future landslide and/or roadway failure. SW Broadway is not the main road in this area, but it is a popular alternate bicycling route to SW Terwiliger.

To accomodate bicycle traffic during the closure, PBOT will sign a detour. The route uses SW Hoffman and then switchbacks up to SW Davenport. See a detailed map below and download a PDF of the detour here.

Read more

Test rides lead to thefts of two bikes at local shops

North Portland Bikeworks new location-11-10

Hey! Don’t get any wise ideas
(Photo © J. Maus)

Once again bike theft seems to be on the uptick in the Portland region. In August we had a record 109 stolen bike listings and we’re on pace for a big increase in September (52 listed already). This morning I learned of two thefts over the weekend from local bike shops — both of which came during test rides.

Lakeside Bicycles employee Robert Shigeta reports that two men came into their shop around noon on Saturday. After looking around at bikes and talking with sales people, one of them asked to test ride a Lynskey cyclocross bike (see the listing here).

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What keeps ‘Portlandia’ star from riding? Streetcar tracks

“I got caught in there [rail tracks]. And it put the fear of death in me. And that was the last time.”
— Portlandia star Fred Armisen on why he doesn’t plan to ride a bike when he moves to the Pearl District

Often when I’ve brought up issues related to sub-par bicycling conditions that I believe pose a safety hazard, I’ve been met with criticism.

Whether it was bone-jarring bumps on the Esplanade, the lack of shoulders on rural roads, or the dangers posed by streetcar tracks, some people react by saying, “Toughen up! Stop whining! Learn how to ride your bike and get over it!”

However, I remain convinced that high quality, smooth streets and paths are imperative if we expect more people to give bicycling a try (and an OHSU study agrees).

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City working on educational video about bicycling near streetcar tracks

Streetcar caution sign MLK Jr Blvd and Davis-2

Existing streetcar track
education effort.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland is working with Portland Streetcar and streetcar project contractor Shiels Obletz Johnsen on a new educational video about how to ride a bicycle around streetcar tracks.

City spokesperson Dan Anderson said the idea to do a video was spurred by a “desire to increase education awareness” about how to best ride a bike around the tracks. Anderson adds that the video, expected out in mid-October, will include detailed information on how to navigate around the new tracks and roadway configurations in the Pearl District.

“Safety is our number one priority,” wrote Anderson via email, “and we believe this kind of outreach will make all users safer and more predictable when it comes to navigating streetcar tracks.”

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Teal frame Bridgestone frame composite components

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Brand: Bridgestone frame
Model: composite components
Color:Teal frame
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2011-09-8
Stolen From: Rose City Park
Neighborhood: Rose City Park
Owner: Ben Hayden
OwnerEmail: oregonarchitect@hotmail.com
Description: Bridgestone frame with Brroks saddle
Police record with: Portland Police
Police reference#: T11006407 (temp #)

The Monday Roundup

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Here are the interesting stories that caught my eye this past week…

— New York Times columnist Frank Bruni devoted a column to praise NYC Transportation Commissioner Jeannette Sadik-Khan. The piece has a lot of very vital lessons for Portland’s transportation and political leaders and it is quite relevant to our local situation. “So if a city believes that biking is part of a better future,” writes Bruni, “it must sometimes muscle through a reluctant, rocky present.” Expect more thoughts from me about this later in the week.

— Ending a nail-biter weekend for national bike advocates, the House and Senate have agreed on a “clean” extension of the federal transportation bill. That means key funding programs like Transportation Enhancements are safe for at least another six months.

— We’ve all cringed when people on bicycles are blamed in fatal crashes; but in this story, it was the bicycle itself that authorities say is to blame (not the officer’s 90 mph speed).

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Latest Headlines

Building tenants say two year elevator closure on ped bridge violates county easement

Tonight’s bike touring slideshows feature Japan cherry blossoms, human powered vehicles, and more

Open houses on local transportation funding begin this week

A win for transit on 82nd, but concerns remain

From the Archives

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