2013 Archives

Let it drizzle: Two holiday rides to wet your winter weather whistle

Finally, the cloud cover you moved to Portland for.
(Photo by J.Maus/BikePortland)

After weeks of terrible, ice-cold sunshine, it looks like Christmas and New Year’s are rolling into Portland the way they’re supposed to: warm and gray. What better way to celebrate than with a bike?

We’ve recently heard about two fun, free group rides of note here in town: One on Dec. 26 and one on Jan. 1.

The first, organized by the grouchy but erudite Urban Adventure League mastermind Shawn Granton, is a “Country Bike (in the City) Ramble.” Here’s Granton’s description:

Southeast Division and 148th Avenue, where Renee Bates was killed while crossing the street with her husband.
(Image: Google Street View)

Portland has some of the safest streets in the country, and in general, they’ve been getting safer as our use of cars has continued to decline — not just for people on bikes but those on feet and cars, too.

But as a string of street deaths and a vigil Friday remind us, that safety isn’t evenly distributed across the city.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

North Michigan Avenue on December 29, 2009.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Dear readers,

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us here at BikePortland.

Michael, Juli (my better half who holds down the accounting side of the business and supports my blogging/riding habit) and I hope everyone is enjoying this festive time of year.

With both Michael and I taking time off and traveling in this next week or two, posts here on the Front Page to be less frequent than usual. We’ve still got stories to share, and we’ll cover big news if it happens, but this is the one time of year when things slow way down in the bike news world and we plan to take full advantage.

Stay tuned toward the end of this week for some year-in-review stories where we’ll look back at 2013 — and look ahead to the new year.

Best regards,

— Jonathan

Olive Drab Giant Rincon 2008

Year: 2008
Brand: Giant
Model: Rincon
Color:Olive Drab
Size:Black
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2013-12-22
Stolen From: Stolen at the rack closest to the bottle depot from the Safeway on 4515 Southeast Woodstock Boulevard Portland, OR 97206. Was locked up with my friend’s nice bianchi cyclocross bike with a carbon fork. The bianchi was teal/blue/green and women’s size frame. There was a camera mounted in the structure above belonging to safeway. In place of our bike’s was a nice orange cannondale road bike with an old purple backpack left hanging on the bars. I assume that the perpatrator left this bike for later pickup and that it was also stolen. The cannondale was not locked up, and we hung out for over an hour with no one coming to get it. Occured between 3:30pm and 5PM on Sunday DEC 22nd.
Neighborhood: Woodstock
Owner: Alex Hagmuller
OwnerEmail: alex.hagmuller(at sign)gmail.com
Reward: No
Description: 2008 Giant Rincon with Dart3 front fork and oversize rotor with hydraulic brake. Stainless spacers mounted between fork and caliper that I custom machined. Lever mounted on rightside for front brake as I come from a motorcycle background. Primo Comet tires mounted in place of knobbies for commuting. WTB seat that is torn on the left rear side. Broken shifter tops from faceplanting on pavement. Downhill grips with allenhead clamps.
Police record with: Portland
Police reference#: T13012880
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

The Monday Roundup: Road-diet wealth, Bike Lobby interview & more

New York City’s Columbus Avenue, before and after a
lane-narrowing project that seems to have helped
boost retail sales.
(Photos: NYCDOT.)

The bike links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:

Road diet prosperity: Removing auto travel and parking lanes regularly boosts retail sales when the space is used to create public plazas, bike lanes and pedestrian islands. “Better streets provide benefits to businesses in all types of neighborhoods, from the central business district to modest retail strips in residential areas,” the NYCDOT-funded economic report concludes.

Effective cities: My favorite bit of advice on this list of the “seven habits of highly effective cities” when it comes to building bikeways is #2: “Don’t talk about bikes.”

Year: 1974
Brand: gitane
Model: Mixte commuter Porteur
Color:Powder coat Purple sparkle and Chrome Fork tips
Size:50cm
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/77448006@N00/sets/72157630832646334/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2013-12-23
Stolen From: The Yoga Space NW, on the corner of NW 17th and Davis St, across from the Cathedral School.
Neighborhood: Northwest District
Owner: Manda Buttitta
OwnerEmail: Mandanyc( atsign )gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Spec sheet:it’s an early 70’s Gitane mitxe city bike, Powder coated purple.
Velo Orange Hammered fenders, Porteur front rack, rear constructeur rack, Rando crank (prototype) Left bank handlebars, stainless water bottle cage, and sprung touring saddle.
Sturmey Archer drum front and rear hubs laced onto Alex DM18 rims.
Shimano Deore XT rear derailleur and 6 speed thumbshifters.
Huret front derailleur.
VP butterfly city pedals, grey Kraton inserts.
Bush and Mueller LED Cygo IQ dynamo headlamp and dyno tail light.
Velo natural cork grips.
The only original components are the steel stem and headset.
Police record with: Portland Police Bureau
Police reference#: 13-106520
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red Beloved No Haste 2010

Year: 2010
Brand: Beloved
Model: No Haste
Color:Red
Size:53cm
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linkbeak/sets/72157624329880482/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97210
Stolen:2013-12-22
Stolen From: Friends’ backyard, house on 2400 block of NW Savier
Neighborhood: NW Portland
Owner: Joyce Casey
OwnerEmail: linkbeak(A T)gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: Custom lugged steel touring bike. Lettering on top tube “She flies with her own wings” Nitto racks, Chris King components
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-106407
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Giant Seek 3 2009

Year: 2009
Brand: Giant
Model: Seek 3
Color:Black
Size:Medium 56 Cm.
Serial: GK8M5358
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/ee9WS6j.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2013-12-18
Stolen From: NE 21ST and Multnomah Portland, OR
Neighborhood: Sullivan’s Gulch
Owner: David Reiter
OwnerEmail: david.c.reiter(at sign)gmail.com
Reward: 50
Description: Bike has silver spiked pedals with toe clips. Has front and rear fenders. Armadillo Tires.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-105971
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Small Breezer Uptown Infinity 2012

Year: 2012
Brand: Breezer
Model: Uptown Infinity
Color:Small
Size:black
Serial: IF01201617
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2013-12-20
Stolen From: 3934 NE MLK Boulevard
Neighborhood: Close-in Northeast
Owner: Marti Frank
OwnerEmail: martifrank(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Reward: 100
Description: Smallish black womens’ step-through bike with orange detailing. Chain guard, fenders, back rack, lights, cup holder on handlebars.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Specialized Tricross X3 2013

Year: 2013
Brand: Specialized
Model: Tricross X3
Color:Black
Size:52
Serial: WSBC602175612H
Stolen in Portland, OR 97205
Stolen:2013-12-20
Stolen From: It was stolen from in front of the US Bank Building (original) on 6th street between Stark and Oak, right outside one of the entrances to the bank.
Neighborhood: Downtown Portland
Owner: Peter Hand
OwnerEmail: plhand_2000(replace with at sign)yahoo.com
Reward: 100
Description: This was a four month old fully black Specialized Tricross bike with platform petals.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Folding e-bike company ‘Conscious Commuter’ out of cash, ceases operations

Concept drawing of the bike from the Conscious Commuter Facebook page.

Portland-based company Conscious Commuter has run out of money, ceased operations on December 16th, and is “in the process of winding up its affairs”. That news comes via an email sent to supporters by Gabriel Wartofsky, the company’s head designer and co-founder.

Conscious Commuter launched in June 2011 with plans to mass-produce a foldable electric bike in Portland. The concept was the marriage of Wartofsky’s design skills mixed with the entrepreneurial and business background of company President and CEO Bob Vander Woude. The company had been headquartered at One World Trade Center in downtown Portland.

Biking on and around Mt. Hood will get even better.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs office has announced 10 projects that will split $200,000 in grant funding and seven of the projects support bicycle-related tourism. This news will surely continue the strong momentum for bike tourism in “Mt. Hood Territory” that we reported on back in July.

These tourism development grants are funded through Clackamas County’s 6% lodging tax which was passed by voters in 1992. It applies to all lodging receipts over $15 per day from county hotels, campgrounds, events, vacation home rentals, and other types of lodgings.

Let it drizzle: Two holiday rides to wet your winter weather whistle

The 10 Portland streets where collisions claimed walkers’ lives in 2013

Happy Holidays from BikePortland!

Olive Drab Giant Rincon 2008

The Monday Roundup: Road-diet wealth, Bike Lobby interview & more

Powder coat Purple sparkle and Chrome Fork tips gitane Mixte commuter Porteur 1974

Red Beloved No Haste 2010

Black Giant Seek 3 2009

Small Breezer Uptown Infinity 2012

Black Specialized Tricross X3 2013

Folding e-bike company ‘Conscious Commuter’ out of cash, ceases operations

Bike projects win big with Clackamas County tourism grants

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