The BikeTiresDirect crew.(Photo: Velotech Inc.) Linda Watts is the marketing manager for BikeTiresDirect.com, the company whose headquarters in Northeast Portland fell victim to a large fire late Saturday night. BikeTiresDirect is primarily an Internet mail-order business, but they also had a retail store that was frequented by local customers.
Keen’s Commuter, an SPD-compatiblesandal released last year, was their first bike-specific product. Keen Footwear, who moved their headquarters to Portland in 2006 (and didn’t waste any time featuring us in their product catalog), has just announced an expanded line of cycling products. Keen unveiled an SPD compatible sandal (the “Commuter”) in early 2007 and now … Read more
David Darby next to his company vehicle.(Photos/video © J. Maus) Portlanders love their gardens, their bikes, and their Mother Earth, so it’s no wonder that David Darby’s new business has taken off. Darby is the man behind Fossil Fuel Free Lawn and Garden Care, a bike-powered business based in Southeast Portland that he started just … Read more
Handmade, leather bicycle touring shoes… and they’re also good for dancing.(Photo: Jeff Mandel) Remember Jeff Mandel of ExIT Shoes? Back in January I shared photos and a story of his handmade leather bicycle saddles. The other day, I came across his latest creation — a bicycle touring shoe. According to his blog (Mandel posts an … Read more
Rapha will host a roller racing competition — like this one in Portland last February — at Lance Armstrong’s shop in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Dat Nguyen) Rapha, the UK-based high-end cycling apparel maker who recently established their U.S. headquarters in Portland, is wasting no time sharing the bike culture that brought them here. According to … Read more
[Update 7/9 **SPOILER ALERT — SEE BELOW***] American star George Hincapie flying the new blue Team Columbia kit.(Photo: Team Columbia) A team flying the logo of Portland-based Columbia Sportswear is having one heck of a Tour de France. Team Columbia has been near the front of several stages and, after four stages, the team ranks … Read more
The Clever Cycles storefront on SE Hawthorne Blvd.(Photos © J. Maus) It’s been just over a year since Clever Cycles open their doors in Southeast Portland, and now they’ll be closing them. Co-owner Todd Fahrner says that a lack of business is not in the problem. In fact, it’s just the opposite.
A PDX Pedicab in action.(Photo by dvanhorn/Flickr) Here’s a cool, pedal-powered activity for your summer house guests… PDX Pedicabs and the Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association have teamed up to produce a 45-minute audio tour that they say will take pedicab passengers, “back through the layers of Old Town history”. This new “eco-tour program” is made … Read more
James Thomas of the Bicycle Design blog introduces us to the “Trek Stop”, a convenience store for bikers… (Photos courtesy of James Thomas/Bicycle Design)
Showers Pass, designers of popular rain-gear, are now based in Southeast Portland (they were previously in the Southwest Hills area). I have been meaning to do a story on them, but I noticed Bicycle Retailer & Industry News Magazine had a story on them today: Showers Pass Moves, Boosts Management
Portland-based Columbia Sportswear has announced that they have taken over sponsorship of Team High Road (formerly T-Mobile) and new jerseys with “Team Columbia” will debut at the start line of the Tour de France. This would be first time a Portland company was a title sponsor of such a high-profile racing team. Team High Road … Read more
The Portland Business Alliance has just released their 2007 Downtown Portland Business Census and Survey and the results show a 20% rise in the number of people who commute by bike. The survey — which included businesses, government entities and non-profit organizations — found that 6% of downtown employees got to work by bike (last … Read more