The team put “30 to 40 person-hours” into creating the
admittedly ridiculous device.
(Photo courtesy Cozy)

So many people at a local startup are into bikes that they’ve rigged up a stationary bike in their office as the way to publish content to their website.

The “Velopsipede,” as they dubbed the project, was the result of a holiday-season “hack day” that invited engineers to unwind by stretching their creative muscles.

“There’s no business justification for doing this,” Matt Greensmith, operations engineering manager for the company, Cozy, said of hack days. “But it enables you to do things you couldn’t otherwise do.”

[Read more…]

Hopworks would occupy a street-level
spot in this new building on Williams.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Nearly a year after we first noted the bike-oriented development taking place on N Williams Avenue, the trend is as strong as ever. Today we confirmed that, while the ink’s not quite dry on all the paperwork, Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) plans to be the latest bike-friendly business to open up on the street (thanks to PDX Eater for the tip).[Read more…]

New location on SE 40th and Hawthorne.
(Photo: New Seasons)

Local grocery store chain New Seasons Market will open its tenth store tomorrow on the corner of SE 40th and Hawthorne (former location of Daily Grind), smack-dab in one of the most bike-centric parts of town. According to a press release sent out by the company today, the new store has some pretty serious bike-friendly credentials.[Read more…]

Farhad Ghafarzade in his shop.
(Photo: Green Drop Garage)

Green Drop Garage, a full service auto repair shop in Southeast Portland, now offers free bike loans to customers who need a lift when their car is being serviced.

Farhad Ghafarzade, President of Green Drop, has struck up a partnership with local bike shop Bike N’ Hike. Ghafarzade says he and his staff already run most of their errands by bike — including picking up parts from nearby suppliers with their trailer — so, “Offering our customers a bike to borrow is an easy way to reduce our carbon footprint just a little bit more.”[Read more…]

Plenty of bike parking at the new Apex Bar on SE 12 and Division)
(Photo © Andrew Kreps via Twitpic)

[Read more…]

Cookies by bike.

There are so many bike-centric business sprouting up in Portland these days that I need a business editor just to keep up.

Adding to the long list of Portland businesses that are either operated from bicycles or focused on the people who ride them are Cookie Pedalers and The Bicycle Chiropractor.

The Bicycle Chiropractor is Christopher Pierce. Pierce is a doctor of Chiropractic who has practiced in Portland since 2001 and who is, “dedicated to keeping bicyclists optimally healthy and tuned up for riding their bikes.” [Read more…]

Not just for cars anymore.
(Photo: Elly Blue/BikePortland)

Back in August, local fast food chain Burgerville made headlines when they opened their drive-thrus to bicycle-riding customers at all 39 of their locations.

But, according to an interview with the company’s CEO Jeff Harvey published in The Oregonian last week, that’s just the start. [Read more…]

The Portland Free Store
at SE 11th & Clay
(Photos © Elly Blue)

There’s yet another new bike-based business in town — the difference is that at this store, everything is free.

The Portland Free Store is, according to its website, “basically a second-hand store, except that everything is free.” People can drop off donations at the recommissioned school bus that houses the store at SE 11th and Clay during its open hours — currently 11am – 7pm, Monday to Friday — or a bike messenger will come and do a pick up. [Read more…]

A month ago, local eco-fast food chain Burgerville announced a new policy that would allow people to use bicycles in the drive-through lanes at all of their 30 something locations, after a woman was denied service on her bike broadcast the incident online.

Last Thursday they sealed the deal with a promotion at their Hawthorne location — anyone showing up by bike got a free blackberry milkshake with their purchase during a two hour window.

Joe Biel and I decided to head over there with his video camera to get some milkshakes, see how it worked, and talk with the officials on hand. Here’s the movie that resulted:

Drive Thru Mayhem from Joe Biel on Vimeo.

[Read more…]

Phillip Ross of Metrofiets rolls out the new Hopworks party bike, complete with wood bar, kegs on tap, pizza rack, sound system, and mountains of mojo.
(Photos © Elly Blue)

I just witnessed the unveiling of something truly in the Portland spirit: A locally built cargo bike that holds two kegs below an inlaid wood bar. A rear rack is built to hold a stack of pizzas; below that a wood-paneled pannier is in fact a compact sound system.

It’s made in Portland. And it’s beautiful. [Read more…]