Year: 2022

Job: Bicycle Mechanic FT/PT ($19.00/hour) – Community Cycling Center

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Bicycle Mechanic FT/PT ($19.00/hour)

Company / Organization

Community Cycling Center

Job Description

REGARDING COVID
The Community Cycling Center is strictly following all OSHA guidelines related to COVID-19. We are also taking the following measures to protect our staff and community:
• N95s are required PPE for staff who are working onsite (masks provided for you)
• HVAC units and air purifiers in every room are equipped with MERV-13 filters
• Doors and windows are kept open for ventilation whenever possible.
We’re proud to keep the shop safer for everyone and we wouldn’t want to have it any other way!

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CYCLING CENTER

For over 25 years, we have been a nonprofit organization on a mission to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits.

Our vision is to continue building a vibrant community where people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected. We believe that all Portlanders—regardless of income or background—should have the opportunity to experience the joy, freedom and health benefits of bicycling. This is the motivation behind everything we do.

This position operates out of our full-service bike shop in NE Portland’s busy Alberta District. Our high-volume shop is staffed by experienced mechanics from diverse cycling backgrounds who provide compassionate customer service to a broad cross-section of cyclists. Here at the shop, we value and support one another through the work we do and are committed to working collaboratively to meet our goals. We acknowledge and value diversity and its many intersections. We are proud that people of color, women, neuro-divergent, gender non-conforming and LGBTQIA+ folks choose to work at our shop. We encourage more people from varied and diverse backgrounds to join our lively, talented team.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Bicycle Mechanic is responsible for supporting the mission of the Community Cycling Center. This includes assessing and repairing bicycles, assisting customers with choosing parts and accessories, as well as supporting our programs team. Under the supervision of the shop management team, the Bicycle Mechanic will work to consistently and efficiently deliver on the demands presented by our customers and programming efforts. This position will require technical proficiency, attention to detail, the ability to multitask, and to act as an ambassador for the Community Cycling Center.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Assess and repair bicycles for customers, repair bicycles for retail sale and for use in our programs
• Educate customers about the operation and maintenance of bicycles
• Assist with the purchase of bikes, parts, and accessories
• Contribute to the retail environment- answer phones, maintain a safe, clean & organized workspace, etc.
• Work cooperatively with the rest of the team to meet the goals set forth by the shop management team
• Moving & lifting bicycles up to 50 lbs. is a regular part of this job but reasonable accommodation can be made
• Support fundraising efforts
• Be a public supporter of the Cycling Center & represent the organization with positivity & consistency

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Ideal candidate has 3+ years of experience working in a high-volume bike shop
• Consistent attention to quality and detail
• Ability to meet quantitative production and service goals
• Effective communicator
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment
• Commitment to and respect for equity, sustainability and diversity
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Proficiency in Spanish strongly desired (hourly premium for fluency)
• Familiarity with Lightspeed OS
• Proficiency in ASL

PAY RATE & BENEFITS:

SCHEDULE: Full time, 32-40 hours per week, including weekends
Part time available upon request (benefits start at 30hrs/wk)
COMPENSATION: $19/hr to start
BENEFITS: Health, dental, vision, life and more w/approx. value of $400/month. PTO up to 18 days/yr for FT.

The Community Cycling Center is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals with diverse abilities and experiences are encouraged to apply. People of color; women; trans and gender non-conforming people are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Submit cover letter, resume, 3 references to Jobs@communitycyclingcenter.org with “Bicycle Mechanic” in the subject line.

City’s concrete barriers restrict access to Columbia Slough path

(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

UPDATE, 1/14 at 4:14 pm: The Parks bureau says they barriers have been moved and the path is clear.

Two large concrete barriers placed on the Columbia Slough path near Portland International Raceway restrict access to a popular bike route and have raised safety concerns.

“These barriers should be called widowmakers.”
— a reader on Instagram

I first saw these Thursday afternoon and went back today for a second look. One is placed right near the top of the small hill near east of the railroad overpass and Columbia Wastewater Treatment Plant. The other one is located at the threshold of the chain-link fence just west of the North Denver Avenue entrance near Portland International Raceway (PIR).

While I’ve just confirmed with Portland Parks and Recreation they’ve been placed to prevent people from driving cars on the path (an issue that has become more common lately), they also restrict access by other types of mobility devices like wheelchairs and adaptive bicycles. A wide bicycle with a trailer also couldn’t around it, so the trail is effectively closed to many users. Another issue is that neither of the barriers have reflective material on them and would be very hard to see at night — especially since this path is not well-lit. There are also no signs to warn path users to slow down and expect a barrier.

The barriers are way too heavy to move without specialized equipment.

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“These barriers should be called widowmakers,” shared one reader after I shared an image on Instagram. “I know that’s an obvious answer they don’t want vehicles driving down these paths. But with not having any reflective devices or any kind of illumination on these barriers I would imagine riding this path at night could be treacherous and fatal.” Another reader said, “I was so surprised coming around the corner and had to slam on my brakes.”

Some people are happy to have something that keeps drivers away. “If it keeps us from having to deal with people driving cars down there, I’m happy to not get run over while using the path,” read another comment.

The slough path is managed by Portland Parks and Rec. The bureau recently adjusted a barrier that had closed the Thurman gate entrance to Forest Park “>when an adaptive bicycle user complained that his trike could not fit through.

PP & R Public Information Officer Mark Ross confirmed a few minutes ago that City of Portland staff placed the barriers on the Slough path to, “Deter illegal vehicle access on the path.”

He added that, “Parks & Recreation staff are moving them aside for now as the blocks may not be visible by cyclists or other trail users in dim light. We are considering other options/modifications. We also want to ensure that people using mobility devices can access the path. Our priorities are safety and path accessibility for appropriate use.”

Ross has assured me that, “They have either already been moved or are being moved right now.”

We’ll keep track of this and make sure Parks gets this right. Please share your experiences and any updates you see in the coming days.

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