Bike Mechanic Challenge will put local techs wrench to wrench

Who’s the best bike mechanic in Portland?

Also, who’s the best mechanic in Portland at getting a slightly tipsy crowd to cheer for them the loudest?

A June 14 benefit for the Community Cycling Center is now accepting contenders and inviting onlookers. More than eight local shops have signed up so far to compete, each nominating two mechanics for the friendly competition.

It’s a first-time event here in Portland, being held at Velo Cult, 1969 NE 42nd Avenue in Hollywood.

Competitors will race to complete four challenges: changing the front and rear brake cables, changing handlebar tape on a road bike, changing the rear tire on a quick-release hub road bike and a surprise final event, plus tie-breaking knowledge questions.

The event will run 6:30 pm to 10 pm on Saturday, June 14. Food will be available from Fuego Food Carts and beer and other beverages can be purchased from Velo Cult’s bar.

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Bike shops pay $50 to compete, and public entry will cost $10 per person or $5 per person for bike industry workers. There’s also a raffle to win a new Bike Friday cargo bike. All fees benefit the Community Cycling Center, Portland’s nonprofit bike shop and biking-for-everyone advocacy group. You can register your shop to compete (PDF).

Michael Andersen (Contributor)

Michael Andersen (Contributor)

Michael Andersen was news editor of BikePortland.org from 2013 to 2016 and still pops up occasionally.

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Kara
9 years ago

We at Block Bikes are pretty stoked about getting our wrenching on. 🙂

Simona Bava
9 years ago

Great idea! i wish i was there!

Mike Quigley
Mike Quigley
9 years ago

Sounds like the “best” bike mechanic will be the one who gets the job done fastest.

Bill Walters
Bill Walters
9 years ago
Reply to  Mike Quigley

Yep, dubious “at best” — brake cables especially.

mitch
mitch
9 years ago
Reply to  Mike Quigley

Fastest does not equal best, so this will be pretty funny to watch!

Justin
Justin
9 years ago

Great idea! Like the others said, probably best also to have quality metrics, and if they do again perhaps the challenges are a bit more complex.

dan
dan
9 years ago

I think there definitely needs to be a “find and eradicate the intermittent squeak / rattle” component to this competition

Dave
Dave
9 years ago

How about a test wherein each mechanic is handed a bucket of disparate drive train components and judged on who can assemble the best-shifting drive train out of them? A combination of Food Network’s “Chopped” and a test given in the old Schwinn mechanic’s course. Schwinn school’s final exam on internally geared hubs required us to correctly assemble three or four different Shimano and SA hubs out of a 5-lb. coffee can of loose parts.

Buzz
Buzz
9 years ago
Reply to  Dave

LOL, I could not get a single Portland bike shop to work on my Sachs 5-speed internal hub, so I ended up doing it myself, successfully…

KLM
KLM
9 years ago

Sounds like a fun event, but the CCC already has a budget of over a million a year… would be nice to help out smaller outfits.

Smash
9 years ago

Citybikes is also stoked to be competing! We’re hamming it up with two mechanics who are under the weather. One with a broken fibula, and one with a recently install titanium plate in her skull (me). Let the hilarity begin!