Bike flies off car on I-5, owners now report it as stolen

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Lost on I-5 south of Morrison Bridge.

Portlander Rebecca Bookman is heartbroken today because her beloved bike is missing. To make matters worse, it suffered a violent fate and it all happened in agonizingly slow motion.

Rebecca’s boyfriend, local bike shop employee Todd Foreman-Kinder says he was driving her to school on I-5 southbound near the Morrison Bridge overpass when a strap on their hitch rack broke and sent the Redline R550 road bike tumbling onto the freeway. Todd saw it happen, but was helpless. “I couldn’t just stop in the middle of the freeway,” he told me today.

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Three Portland women to tackle Tour de France route

The Tour de France is the ultimate stage in all of pro cycling; but it’s a stage where only men stand.

What would happen if a team of women with regular jobs and just a little racing experience upstaged the men and rode the exact same route a day before them (all 3,479 kilometers/2,162 miles of it)? This summer we’ll found out.

In July, a team of six women — including three from Portland — will attempt an epic challenge that will pit them against the legendary mountain passes that make up the world’s most famous bike race. Rêve, a company that specializes in taking “teams” of riders on the exact same route of the Tour the pros ride, is behind the event. They’ve partnered with the pro cycling lifestyle and culture publication, peloton magazine (it’s always lowercase they tell me) and the ride will benefit national advocacy org Bikes Belong.

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BTA leader calls out UO football players’ dangerous driving record

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Rob Sadowsky-1

Rob Sadowsky
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

University of Oregon players are on a roll when it comes to football victories; but they’re also racking up quite a few traffic violations. And we’re not talking about minor stuff like parking tickets and rolling a stop sign.

Fed up with the dangerous driving, the executive director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) had a letter published in The Oregonian today calling on UO to “take action now.”

Here’s why Sadowsky is so concerned…

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In Washington County, advocacy happens during happy hour

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Washington County residents
write thank-you notes
at Billy’s Bar in November.
(Photo: Will Vanlue/BikePortland)

On March 29th, the Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA) will gather representatives from all over Washington County for a networking night at Billy’s Bar in Beaverton.

The event is an effort by the WTA to connect active transportation groups around the westside. In recent months, the WTA has produced videos highlighting cross-county trails and they hosted a thank-you note writing campaign last November.

The informal happy hour in March will give members of Washington County’s various bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees and advocacy organizations a chance to speak with each other, county staff, and the public about what they’re working on.

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Black Redline R550 2008

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Year: 2008
Brand: Redline
Model: R550
Color:Black
Size:XS
Serial: ICS7A03969
Photo: http://www.clarksvilleschwinn.com/images/clarksvilleschwinnbill/redline/fitness/R550-Blk-lg%5B1%5D.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2012-03-6
Stolen From: I5 southbound between morrison and marquam bridges
Neighborhood: freeway
Owner: Rebecca Bookman
OwnerEmail: beckeybookman@gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: 2008 Redline R550, black, extra small. Flatbar roadbike with Ritchey wheels, gatorskin tires, fenders, and a rack.
Police record with: PPB
Police reference#: t12002104
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Builders boost business at NAHBS

Metrofiets at NAHBS

The Metrofiets booth buzzed all weekend
(and was popular with bike shop owners).

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Sacramento delivered record attendance (8,100 people), and it turns out many of them came to do more than dream about a new bike. Some of them came to buy.

The blur of a big bike show like NAHBS is often remembered only in vignettes — short chats and interactions you see that help define the otherwise chaotic event. This was my fourth time attending the show (I was at San Jose in 2007, Portland in 2008, and Austin in 2011), and unlike those past years, I got the feeling that builders were doing far more than just talking with fans and showing off their bikes. It seemed like they were actually making sales.

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Job: Store Manager/Mechanic (The Bike Commuter)

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Sorry, this job has been filled. Find more jobs here.

Job Title
Store Manager/Mechanic

Company/Organization
The Bike Commuter

Job Description
The Bike Commuter is looking for a customer service superstar to take charge as Store Manager.
We are a busy, growing neighborhood shop, and it is time to hire a manager to oversee daily operations of the store.

This position will include ALL duties necessary to keep the shop running smoothly. The bulk of the work will be mechanical, with an emphasis on professional, detail oriented service work on a variety of bicycles from kids bikes to full Di2 machines.
Daily tasks may include: service work, ordering, inventory receiving, service writing, store cleanup, bike building, warranty work, and most importantly, customer service.

The ideal candidate will have prior bike shop experience, be detail oriented, a fantastic communicator, and be willing to work under pressure with deadlines, enjoy burritos, and have a passion for all kinds of bicycles. Any candidate must take direction from, and work closely with the owners to keep the workflow progressing smoothly. We are willing to train the right person, but we would prefer a UBI gradute, or a certification from another training program.

We are a friendly shop, known for excellent customer service, so any candidate will need to make our customers an absolute priority.
We foster a non-judgemental environment, where all cyclists are treated with respect. No typical bike shop “snobbery” will be tolerated here!

How to Apply
Please submit a resume and short cover letter via email to: info [at] pdxbikecommuter [dot] com

The Monday Roundup

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Some advocates think focusing on fashion
will help increase bicycle use in the US.
(Photo: Will Vanlue/BikePortland)

Here’s the news and other cool stuff that caught our eyes this past week…

– A study from UC Berkeley finds wealthier people tend to act less ethically. After monitoring traffic at an intersection in San Francisco, researchers determined that people with more expensive cars drove more aggressively around pedestrians.

– The Cyclo-Cross National Campionships are coming to Boulder, CO in 2014. City officials and area businesses expect the event to be a big boost to the local economy.

– Wolfpack Hustle is once again hosting its Marathon Crash Race which sends participants along the car-free route of the LA Marathon before it opens to runners.

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White with red accents Specialized Allez roadbike 08

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Year: 08
Brand: Specialized
Model: Allez roadbike
Color:White with red accents
Size:52” White SEAT
Photo: http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/884/bike2m.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2012-03-03
Stolen From: Se 12th and Ash outside of Hungry Tiger.
Neighborhood: Buckman
Owner: Liz Blalock
OwnerEmail: lizardbags@gmail.com
Reward: Yes! I gotta buy a new bike now so why not spend that money on getting my OWN bike back. I’ll buy it back for sure if it’s still in once piece.
Description: White Specialized Allez roadbike with red accents. There were stickers on it when it was taken (I love climbing, REI, Andy and Bax, Alberta Co-op, Powell’s, etc). It has a white seat with jean stain markings, black handle bars, a brand new rear tire, and 2 water bottle holders. There were no fenders, and no lights. I’d taken those off. They got my lock too…
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike