2015 Archives

Exploring new connections between Marine Drive and the Historic Highway

New path along Sandy River in Troutdale. Sure beats dodging semis near freeway on-ramps!
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Marine Drive is a valuable gem in our regional biking network. Its combination of off-street paths and bike lanes make it an excellent way to connect to Troutdale, the Sandy River, and the gorgeous roads in around the Columbia River Gorge.

Unfortunately, the route most people take from Marine Drive through Troutdale to the Historic Columbia River Highway is a real pain. For years I’ve ridden through that section by going under I-84, then riding a sketchy bike lane adjacent to a huge truck stop and the busy driveways of shops and fast food joints. Now, thanks to a mix of old paths and trails (forgotten sections of the 40-Mile Loop), combined with a recently completed Oregon Department of Transportation project, there’s a much better way to make this connection.

Bureau of Transportation staff have had their say about grumblings in the community that Portland doesn’t deserve its “Platinum” bicycle-friendly status*.

Now it’s City Hall’s turn.

In an statement to kick off National Bike Month in Portland, PBOT spokesperson Diane Dulken said Portland Mayor Charlie Hales will announce next week that May 10-16th will be Active Transportation Week in Portland. The proclamation was written by PBOT Commissioner Steve Novick and will cite, “Portland as a Platinum bicycle-friendly city, Sunday Parkways’ popularity and that bicycling has changed commute choices, reducing single-commuter trips from 64 percent to 57 percent since 2000.”

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title
Mechanic/Wheel Builder

Company/Organization
Universal Cycles

Job Description
Are you looking for a job with a great company? Then look no further as Universal Cycles is looking for a new employee to join our team. Our ideal candidate is one who does not mind wearing many different hats as they will be working in the repair shop, building wheel, working the retail floor sometimes and for good measure we may put you into the warehouse every now and then too. We are hoping to find a candidate that has a couple of years of bicycle repair work already under their belt, as we run at a fast pace and need somebody who can start off the first day running full gas. A basic knowledge of disc brakes, suspension and dropper posts would be nice, but is not something that you must have. Knowing how to build wheels is a must as we build up several sets per day. We are open seven days a week and this position would require working on weekends. We like a clean shop, so candidate shouldn’t mind cleaning restroom. We are a team here , managers clean too!

We have four shop cats, so the candidate should like cats.

-We offer high wages for qualified candidates.
-Medical after 90 days.
-Paid vacation is one week after a year, and 2 weeks after 3 years.
– 3 paid sick days.
-Paid closed days for our business are New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
– We are a locally owed business that takes pride in providing a great job for great employees!

How to Apply
Please apply in person and ask for Meiko, Brian, Brad, or Mary

Jobs of the Week: Cherriots, Cycle Portland, West End Bikes

We’ve had three great job opportunities listed this week. Learn more about them via the links below…

Transportation Outreach Ambassador – Cherriots Rideshare
Bike Tour Guide – Cycle Portland
Sales Associate – West End Bikes

Family MTB ride at Stub Stewart State Park-4

Head to Stub Stewart State Park for a full weekend of family-friendly riding, volunteering, friend-making, and fun.
(Photo J Maus/BikePortland)

Welcome to your menu of weekend rides and events, lovingly brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery.

It really doesn’t get any better this. Spring has sprung, today is the first day of National Bike Month, and there are unlimited possibilities of bike events and adventures that await.

I’m headed north to Washington on Saturday for the inaugural Gifford Gravel 50. I’ve been looking forward to exploring the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and this route should be a perfect introduction.

What are in your plans? Whatever you do, have fun!

(Looking south on the Springwater at Oaks Bottom.
(Photos by Betsy Reese)

The Portland Parks & Recreation bureau has completed a project that aims to improve safety on a busy portion of the Springwater Corridor path.

Job Title
Sales Associate

Company/Organization
West End Bikes

Job Description
Downtown bike shop seeking part time sales associate.

Qualified candidates will have a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, top notch customer service skills, and a passion for bicycling.

Previous retail experience required.

How to Apply
Email resume to: jobs@westendbikespdx.com

In Portland, crime has plummeted in every major category except one

Chart: BikePortland. Data: Portland Police Bureau via PSU Criminal Justice Policy Research Institute.

Like most cities in the developed world, Portland is a dramatically more secure place than it was in 1995.

Reported residential burglaries per resident are down 63 percent. Auto theft is down 69 pecent. Gun crime is down 86 percent.

But 20 years of Portland crime statistics collected Wednesday on Portland State University’s website showed that there’s a single glaring exception: bike theft. It’s up 50 percent since 1995.

Who says Portland is a bummer place for mountain biking?! Tonight there are two free events where you can get your dirt riding stoke on by hanging out with pros who want to share their knowledge with you. Oh, and you’re almost guaranteed to win some great schwag just for showing up.

Check details below…

MTB pro Sonya Looney at Portland Bicycle Studio (1435 NW Raleigh) 6-7:30 pm (Facebook)

Enduro Clinic and Q & A – 6:30 pm at Evo Portland (200 SE MLK)

So you’ve just signed up for your first enduro mountain bike race. Maybe you’re asking yourself, “What did I just sign up for, am I in over my head?” Or maybe you’ve already got a couple races under your belt but want to edge out your friends. Wheelie Drops and Bunny Hops: Secrets to Staying Pinned with Matthew Slaven and Lars Sternberg is here to help

With the growing popularity of “enduro” format racing and the advancements in all-mountain and trail bike capabilities, evo has partnered with two of the NW’s fastest mountain bikers to collaborate and host clinics at both Portland and Seattle stores. ‘Wheelie Drops and Bunny Hops’ is an enduro focused town hall style Q&A session, where Matthew Slaven and Lars Sternberg will be answering questions covering all aspects of this style of riding and racing. Portland will take place on Wednesday April 29, and Seattle the following evening, Thursday April 30. We will have Lars and Matthew’s bikes and accessories on display for folks to see how they ride, and with what gear. It should be a fun couple of evenings – of course, evo will be providing snacks and libations to make sure everyone has a good time.

We’ve got some rad prizes to give away from Lars and Matthew’s sponsors – Transition Bikes, Cycles Devinci, Smith Optics, DAKINE, Bell Bike Helmets, Five Ten, GiroSportDesign and of course, evo. On top of that, we’ll be giving away a registration spot in Seattle to a Cascadia Dirt Cup race, and a spot in one of the Oregon Enduro Series races in Portland.

Portland’s most affordable neighborhoods to bike from (for now)

Number one is poised to get better.
(Photo: J.Maus/BikePortland)

The Willamette Week bike issue came out today, which makes this the one day a year when we stoop mooching off their generally excellent reporting and they get to mooch off ours. (Seriously, y’all, no problem.)

But one piece in their nicely put-together bike issue falls clearly in the “wish we’d done that” category: a tally of median single-family home prices per Portland neighborhood ranked by the time it takes to bike to the city center.

“Portland has long been thought of as a cycling mecca for one big reason: Affordable homes were close enough to work to commute by bike,” Willamette Week’s Tyler Hurst writes in the piece, more or less accurately. “Housing prices rose by another 6.6 percent last year, and a February project by Governing magazine found the city is gentrifying faster than anywhere else in the nation. Does the promise of an affordable, bikeable Portland still hold up?”

Daniel Greenstadt and his daughter Gigi
testified in support of the plan at
City Hall this morning.

A few minutes ago at their weekly meeting, Portland City Council voted in favor of a motion to fund the Off-Road Cycling Master Plan. During a discussion of an agenda item about the City’s Spring Budget Monitoring Process — known as the “spring bump”, Mayor Charlie Hales put forth a motion to split the plan’s $350,000 price tag between the Portland Parks & Recreation Bureau and the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability.

The mayor’s proposal uses $50,000 from Parks’ budget and $300,000 from BPS. The motion was passed with Commissioners Saltzman and Amanda Fritz both voting in support (Commissioners Nick Fish and Steve Novick are out of town and were not present). With Fritz on board, all five commissioners are in support of the plan is it’s ultimate passage is all but assured when Council votes on the budget adjustments sometime in the next few weeks.

Exploring new connections between Marine Drive and the Historic Highway

Touting ‘Platinum’ status, Commisioner Novick proclaims Active Transportation Week

Job: Mechanic/Wheel Builder – Universal Cycles

Jobs of the Week: Cherriots, Cycle Portland, West End Bikes

Weekend Event Guide: Gravel, dirt, the moon, balloons and more

First look: New striping and safety features on Springwater at Oaks Bottom

Job: Sales Associate – West End Bikes

In Portland, crime has plummeted in every major category except one

Two free mountain biking events in Portland tonight!

Portland’s most affordable neighborhoods to bike from (for now)

Off-Road Cycling Plan gets Council nod, Bureau of Planning will take the lead

Latest Headlines

Opinion: 90-day license suspension is light consequence for repeated, shameless, reckless driving

BikeTiresDirect parent company sold to Backcountry.com

Why Juan Carlos González cares so much about Tualatin Valley Highway (Video)

Monday Roundup: Transgender racers, protests at la Vuelta, real-life meme, and more

From the Archives

Portlanders show solidarity with Palestinians at ride for para-cycling team