Here’s our latest peek into the ever-changing landscape of people, places and products that make up Portland’s local bike industry…
Chef’s Knife Roll from Chrome Industries
You probably know Chrome for their excellent bags and apparel, but did you know about their new knife roll? The Portland-based company that recently moved their headquarters to Portland (from San Francisco) teamed up with local celebrity chef Chris Cosentino (of Jackrabbit restaurant fame) to create this heavy-duty cooking implement carrier. This could take grilling-by-bike and summer BBQ’s during Pedalpalooza to the next level!
Here’s the official word from Chrome:
When we sat down to create a chef’s knife roll we called up Chris Cosentino first thing. A renowned chef with a passion for bikes and our neighbor in San Francisco with Cockscomb and now Portland with Jackrabbit, Chris worked with us to hone every detail, from pockets to pen-slots, of this knife roll. Built from the same 1050d nylon and heavy duty tarpaulin as our durable messenger bags, this is a chef’s knife roll designed for the everyday hard use of work in a kitchen.
— Made in Chico, California.
— $125
— Three utility pockets
— Fits 11 knives up to 17”
— Snap closure flaps for safety
— Cinch-down clip straps
— Pen slots
— Quick-access business card pocket
— Offset handle for blade/handle balance
— 9″ x 10″ (Rolled) / 19″ x 27.25″ (Open)
New “smart” Gravity tail light from Portland Design Works
Why hasn’t anyone done this sooner? The new Gravity tail light from PDW is an affordable and functional brake light for bikes. At just $40, this USB rechargeable beauty, “has a built-in accelerometer that detects deceleration or swerving and automatically changes it to a super bright 100 lumen solid beam.” That’s pretty smart.
Watch this video to see it in action:
Here’s the official word:
The Gravity Tail Light has a built-in accelerometer that detects deceleration or swerving and automatically changes to a super bright, solid beam to warn following traffic. To allow the accelerometer to calibrate, always install the Gravity on your bike before powering it on. Hold your bike still for 1 second after pressing the power button to complete the calibration.
Specs:
— Automatic accelerometer brake light function shines 100 lumens bright
— 2 Modes (runtime): Solid – 20 lumens (12 hours), Flash – 80 lumens (30 hours)
— USB rechargeable li-polymer battery
— Weatherproof exterior for all season riding
— Includes brackets for seatpost and seatstay mounting
— Mounts vertically or horizontally
— Includes Micro USB recharging cord
Advertisement
The soon-to-be Breadwinner Cafe
The dynamic bike-building duo of Tony Pereira and Ira Ryan are about to take their Breadwinner Cycles business to another level with the opening of a new cafe! Located on Portland’s busiest bike street, the new Breadwinner Cafe on N Williams at Page (across from Metropolis Cycles) will have a very soft opening for friends and partners tomorrow (Tuesday, December 19th). The official opening will follow shortly. To get the inside scoop on what will certainly become one of the most popular ride meet-up spots and hangouts, follow BreadwinnerCafePDX on Instagram.
Shower Pass’ latest waterproof item
First they kept your body dry with their ubiquitous jackets. Then they moved onto hats and socks. Now Showers Pass has a new model of gloves that borrow their popular “Crosspoint” waterproof sock technology and we think this could be their biggest hit yet. The Crosspoint Waterproof Knit gloves ($45) are guaranteed “fully waterproof”. And unlike their other gloves, the Crosspoints are lightweight. That means you won’t overheat.
Here’s the official word:
Don’t let cold wet hands ruin your outdoor fun! We developed our Lightweight Waterproof Knit Gloves to solve the soggy digits problem and keep your hands dry while cycling, running, hiking and any outdoor adventuring in the rain. Our gloves are fully waterproof with 3 bonded layers: a wear resistant knit exterior that feels like a regular knit glove, a waterproof-breathable Artex membrane, and a Coolmax moisture-wicking antibacterial knit lining. Silicone print on the palm offers a better grip in wet conditions.
These gloves are legit. I’ve used a pair for about a month now and they work great. Excellent grip and not bulky, with a nice balance of warmth/weather protection and breathability. Bring on the rain!
If your company has news or new products to share, please get in touch. We’d love to feature you in our next roundup.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
Never miss a story. Sign-up for the daily BP Headlines email.
BikePortland needs your support.