The rumors on the street are true… I have just gotten official word from Kinesis USA President Michael Chen that Mountain Cycle has been sold. I don’t have many confirmed details yet (rumors abound), but I expect to hear more from Chen very soon.
[Photo by Dat.] I’m excited to announce the Made in Portland Bicycle Show and Art Exhibition coming to City Hall on Thursday July 6th from 5-8PM. Join us in a celebration of our artisan bicycle industry as we showcase Portland’s independent, custom builders and artists. As I reported last month, this event is part of … Read more
[Introducing Sweetpea Bicycles] Portland’s burgeoning crop of custom framebuilders just got a litte sweeter. Natalie Ramsland and her partner (in life and business) Austin have launched Sweetpea Bicycles. Natalie recently quit her job as a bike messenger and is now working full-tilt to design and build bikes especially for women. She has set up shop … Read more
[Cover of summarybrochure.] A consulting firm hired by the City of Portland Office of Transportation just completed an economic analysis of Portland’s bicycle industry. The final numbers say that our bicycle-related industry is worth $63 million to Portland’s regional economy (which has a total value of $17 billion) and that bicycles account for 800 jobs. … Read more
Tomorrow I plan to post about the results of the City of Portland’s bicycle industry economic impact survey. In light of that I thought I’d share a couple of local bike industry stories that have been piling up on my desk: Showers Pass gets “Best Gear” award Outside Magazine has named the Showers Pass Elite … Read more
[Geoff Greene, realestate agent.Photo: Geoff Greene.] Geoff Greene is a former mechanic (he wrenched at the CCC for 3 1/2 years) and bikey entrepreneur who is now a Re/Max real estate agent. The 33 year old, who is known as “the Schwinn Guy” by most of his friends, has woven his love of bikes with … Read more
[Shimano’s new “Coasting” group.Photo: BRAIN] [Via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News] Shimano is investing millions of dollars into a new component group called “Coasting” that will target new cyclists. They plan to roll out the new group to only 15 cities the first year starting in March of 2007. According to a story in Bicycle … Read more
[Dave Johnson, President] You wouldn’t know it from the outside, but up on MLK Blvd. (at Jessup Street), behind an IT company called Netropole, is an online retailer of bike apparel called Veloclothes.com. I recently paid them a visit to find out more about the company. Dave Johnson, a major bike enthusiast, is the owner … Read more
[Kevin Hulick.Photo: Doug O.] Kevin Hulick will be sponsored by Vanilla Bicycles for the 2006 cyclocross season. Hulick, who won the “A” category in the prestigious Cross Crusade series last year, will join accomplished racers Shannon Skerritt, Molly Cameron, and Rhonda Mazza aboard a swanky new Vanilla cross bike this fall. Hulick, who went to … Read more
[Workshop in session] Last Saturday 150 people filled the Eugene Hilton to share ideas and learn more about an effort to establish Oregon as the top cycling destination in the country. The participants came from every corner of the state and ranged from politicians, bike shop owners, bike industry entrepreneurs, and at least one “BMX … Read more
Michael Chen, president of Mountain Cycle and board member of parent-company Kinesis, has just released the first official statement regarding the local layoffs and shutdown of Mountain Cycle.
[Weir’s mechanic, “Bear”] I was out in St. Johns over the weekend and I stopped by the new Weir’s Cyclery. Weir’s, which originally began as “Weir’s Bicycle and Fix-it Shop” has been family-owned and operated since Gordon Weir founded it back in 1925. The shop is currently in the midst of renovating a brand new … Read more