2017 Archives

Job: Bike Mechanic/Service Manager – Velo Cult Bike Shop

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title *
Bike Mechanic/Service Manager

Company/Organization *
Velo Cult Bike Shop

Job Description *
We are looking to hire long term employees with considerable experience. Velo Cult is a small shop with big ambitions so we need people who will grow with us as a business.

If you are interested in the Mechanic or Service Manager positions please send us your resume at velocultjobs@gmail.com

PS: We really appreciate people wanting to get into the bike industry but we are only looking for people with shop experience at this time.

Thanks!

How to Apply *
If you are interested in the Mechanic or Service Manager positions please send us your resume at velocultjobs@gmail.com

Comment of the Week: One person’s corporate takeover, another person’s mobility lifeline

“Having become chronically homeless, this [Biketown for All] program has empowered and enabled me to be able to enjoy bicycle events that otherwise I would have had a hardship of being able to find a bicycle.”
— Zed

According to the City of Portland, 244 Biketown bikes were vandalized in the past two weeks — rendering nearly a quarter of the entire system out of service. As the City of Portland struggles to get the bikes fixed and back out on the streets (sources say they don’t have enough spare parts on-hand to fix them all) and the police bureau works to track down the suspects, we’ve been following the community response.

The vast majority of people we’ve heard from here on the blog, and on Facebook and Instagram, have expressed anger and outrage. While the Biketown crew is crestfallen (having just recovered from crazy winter snow and ice storms), they must feel good about all the support that has poured in. It seems like most of you think of Biketown as a shared, common good: A sign that it has quickly become a respected pillar of our public transit system.

On that note, one comment in particular stood out to us. It came in yesterday afternoon from a reader named “Zed”:

Aedin Valente, aspiring businessman and track racer.
(Photo: Norrene Godfrey)

Friends. I have a favor to ask.

A 15-year-old from Astoria named Aedin Valente wants to start his own business. When he heard that the Alpenrose Velodrome needed someone to run the snack this summer, he decided this was his big opportunity.

The only thing he needs to make the Alpenrose Snack Shack a reality is to raise another $1,000 or so via the GoFundMe campaign set up by his aunt Norrene Godfrey (who happens to be an awesome track racer and Alpenrose regular).

Here’s what Aedin said when Norrene asked him why he wants to do this job. “I want to run the Alpenrose snack shack so I can gain experience in the business world, plus it is super fun to do. I want to raise funds so people will work hard and try and win the races. It’s fun to watch. I like that the people are super nice to me and very supportive.”

A lawmaker who wants to give cities broad authority to design and construct major new highways learned in a public hearing yesterday that there’s a good reason why our region hasn’t built one since the 1980s: Strong opposition from people who actually understand transportation planning amd the vast negative consequences of highways and the motor vehicle trips they encourage.

Republican house respresentative Rich Vial, who represents a rural district west of Tigard in Washington County, testified on behalf of House Bill 3231 on Tuesday. Rep. Vial’s bill has raised eyebrows because it would mark a significant departure from how transportation projects are typically planned, funded and built in Oregon. HB 3231 would allow cities and counties to form autonomous districts that would be able to create “limited access publicy highways” by excercising eminent domain if necessary and paying for the projects through private gifts, donations, tolls, new property taxes, and/or revenue bonds.

Just over two months ago 53-year-old Alan Marsan was killed while bicycling on North Interstate Avenue. He was going north and a large commercial truck turned right across his path.

Based on observations from the scene it was a classic right hook. The truck was stopped a few dozen feet from the intersection and Marsan and his bike were lodged just in front of the rear wheels.

That collision was just the latest in a long line of right hooks that have left bicycle riders dead in Portland over the years. As I stood at the scene of Marsan’s death, the names of other people who’ve died in fatal right hook collisions with trucks flashed through my head: Tracey Sparling, Brett Jarolimek, Kathryn Rickson, Kirke Johnson, Lydia Johnson (no relation).

Bicycles, large trucks and right hooks is one of Portland’s most vexing traffic safety problems. It’s maddening that we haven’t made more progress on it in the past decade.

The upcoming legislative proposal is likely to include dedicated funding for safe routes to school.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

This is the third and final post in a series about the 2017 legislative session published in partnership with The Street Trust. Read the other installments here and here.

— by LeeAnne Fergason, The Street Trust campaign director

The change I’d like to see in the world starts with a great compassion for kids and intersects with transportation choices, aimed at freedom and independence.

Ten years ago, I began working at the Street Trust (formerly the Bicycle Transportation Alliance), as a Safe Routes to School coordinator. I joined a dream team of organizers and partners, including: Stephanie Noll (The Street Trust’s Interim Executive Director), Carl Larson (we miss you!), Scott Lieuallen (local bike hero), Steph Routh (then Executive Director of Oregon Walks, now Communications and Marketing Manager at the Community Cycling Center), Susan Peithman (then with ALTA Planning + Design, now Oregon Department of Transportation Active Transportation Policy Lead), and many others who are still working to make our streets safe for kids. All of us were pretty young back then and learned much of our transportation nerdiness and enthusiasm by being a part of a Safe Routes to School program.

A few days ago, I was sitting at the Laurelthirst Pub, a neighborhood watering hole that is on my bike route from work to home. When I pass the ‘Thirst, I’m most of the way home, so I will often stop for a pint.

But this time at the ‘Thirst was different, because my legs were limp, my chest hurt, and I was a little shell-shocked. None of which usually describes my state after riding a few miles. It was different because . . . that day was my first bicycle commute in well over a year. And that morning, when I got on my bike, was to be the first time I’d ridden more than half a mile in, at least, six months.

Yes, I’ve become a non-rider and now I’ve started on the long road back. With rotund belly, spindly legs, atrophied lungs and somnolent heart, I’ve resumed riding bicycles.

Before we share this week’s event guide, we want to introduce Abus as the new sponsor of the BP Event Calendar and Weekend Event Guide.

Abus makes the finest locks in the business and we’re excited to have them on board as a partner!

Also, don’t forget there’s an important open house meeting for the Off-road Cycling Plan tonight in southwest.

And now we present this weekend’s best events…

The Oregon Department of Transportation is in the final design phases of a project that aims to make it safer to bike and walk on and across SE Powell Blvd beteeen 20th and 34th Avenue. They’re hosting an open house tonight (4/5) to answer questions, hear feedback, and share more information about the project.

This section of Powell is important for several reasons. The intersection with 26th is where two serious bicycle crashes — and one major protest — happened in 2015. It’s also the location of a very busy crossing due to the presence of Cleveland High School on the northeast corner. ODOT has also come under scrutinty for their decision to force the City of Portland to remove the existing bike lane on 26th as a condition of them adding a new signal and crossing at 28th (which ODOT says is a safer place to cross). Adding to the mix is the news that Target will build a new store at 30th and Powell (in the place of an old bowling alley).

Cherry blossoms are in bloom in Waterfront Park.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

One reason Portland has such a great street culture (by American standards) is that we cherish the sun. Unlike places where it hardly ever rains, we do not take the presence of that life-giving orb for granted.

So it’s no surprise that after months of record-setting (even for us!) rain and cold and darkness, Portland streets came alive when the sun came out last week. A sunny Friday coincided with the emergence of blossoms on thousands of trees throughout the city. As per tradition, I grabbed my camera, hopped on my bike and set out to see how Portlanders responded.

Biketown station at SE 14th and Stark is one of 12 that have been hit.
(Photo: Kiran Limaye)

(*See update below: PBOT says over 200 bikes have been hit. That’s 20 percent of the total system.)

Vandals have hit several Biketown bike share stations in the past week.

So far we’ve heard of 12 locations where vandals have damaged bikes and rendered them useless. The City of Portland is aware of some of the damage and has crews responding to fix the bikes and return the stations into operational status.

At least two of the incidents appear to be the work of the same suspect: A flyer has been posted on the stations that says the damage was inflicted by Rose City Saboteurs.

“This Biketown is now closed,” reads the sign. “Our city is not a corporate amusement park.”

Here are the station locations where readers have reported vandalism so far:

NE 24th and Glisan
SE Water and Taylor
N Interstate and Willamette
N Williams and Fremont (New Seasons)
33rd and Belmont
14th and Stark
12th and Division
30th and Division
36th and Hawthorne
SE 12th and Gideon (on Orane Line MAX)
SE Pine and 28th
Couch and 28th

Kenton Cycle Repair has had a very rough start to the week. Around 6:00 am Monday morning two men broke into the shop and stole nine bikes and a large amount of new inventory off the shelves.

The shop is located at 2020 N McClellan Street, just off Denver Avenue in downtown Kenton. According to @pdxalerts (not official) the suspects were driving a blue Chevrolet pickup.

The shop’s owner Rich Walker confirmed the details of eight of the stolen bikes with us yesterday. The total retail value of the bikes is around $4,750. Walker said the thieves also made out with “all our lights and locks and a large amount of repair parts.”

Walker said the thieves busted out the front door. When he arrived around 8:15 there was glass all over the floor. A witness from the Kenton Hotel Apartments across the street saw two men in a truck loaded with bikes and called 911; but they drove away before police arrived. The witness was able to share a description of the men and a partial license plate number.

Job: Bike Mechanic/Service Manager – Velo Cult Bike Shop

Comment of the Week: One person’s corporate takeover, another person’s mobility lifeline

Let’s help 15-year-old Aedin Valente open the Alpenrose Velodrome Snack Shack

Highway building bill gets sharp rebuke at first public hearing – UPDATED

Thoughts on car culture, truck side guards, and the “cyclist community”

The Street Trust: Why we’re pushing for safe routes to school for every kid in Oregon

The Long Road Back

Weekend Event Guide: Forest Park ramble, remembering Mike Hall, Tweed Ride, and more

ODOT hosts open house for inner Powell Blvd project tonight

This is what it looks like when the sun comes out in Portland (Photos)

Vandals hit at least 11 Biketown stations, over 200 bikes – UPDATED

Thieves steal bikes, new inventory from Kenton Cycle Repair

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