Research: Mountain biking boosts rural Oregon economies
Research shows that the three-day Mountain Bike Oregon event pumps $1.2 million into the Oakridge economy.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
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Region’s first-ever ‘Active Transportation Plan’ set for open house tomorrow
The “spiderweb” of Regional Bicycle Parkways as envisioned in Metro’s plan. Metro will host an open house tomorrow (5/23) for their Regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan will be the region’s first specifically tailored to bicycling, walking and access to transit. The planning effort has been underway for well over a year and is set … Read more
Pedalpalooza is coming! Ride highlights and a reminder
Pedalpalooza kicks off in just over two weeks and the buzz is really starting to build. The official calendar already has 129 events listed and I can sense growing chatter and excitement amongst lovers of bike fun throughout the city. I wanted to bring your attention to some nifty rides and remind you that the … Read more
Cargo bike responders wanted for Tigard mock emergency drill
Cargo bikes to the rescue!(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) The City of Tigard is planning a major, region-wide “mock emergency” exercise on Thursday and they want to include cargo bikes. Tara Harper, a consultant working on the event, was inspired by her involvement with the Disaster Relief Trials in Portland last summer and says cargo bikes … Read more
Director of Sierra Club explains rationale behind MTB park lawsuit
Sierra Club Oregon Chapter Director Brian Pasko. Our story last week about a lawsuit against the Timberline Mountain Bike Park has sparked a lot of conversation. Several people commented and contacted me to express concerns that I failed to offer adequate context to the story. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups that have signed … Read more
State embarks on effort to quantify Oregon’s bicycle industry
Bicycle frame and component manufacturer Chris King Precision Components employs over 100 people in northwest Portland.(Photo: Chris King Precision Components) Earlier this month we learned that bicycle-related travel pumps $400 million into Oregon’s economy each year. Now Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism development and marketing organization, has embarked on the second part of that research … Read more
Trails, backroads and the charms of Vernonia
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) One of the best things about bicycling in Portland isn’t even in Portland. It’s a small town called Vernonia. Situated a perfect day’s ride from Portland (about 50 miles, or less if you take MAX to HIllsboro), Vernonia is nestled in the woods at the end of about 20 miles of … Read more
You’re not as visible on a bike at night as you think, new study shows
Not as flashy as most people think. (Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) People who ride bikes at night consistently overestimate their visibility to other road users, a new study has found. They also overlook a few tricks, like reflective strips around the ankles and knees, that can help the most. The report, led by Joanne Wood … Read more
At Employers Summit, tech CEO shares savings from low-car commuting
Even before Blackman and his two co-founders started paying themselves, they were renting a workspace with bike parking and showers and buying a TriMet pass for every Elemental employee.
The Monday Roundup
Welcome to a new week of bike news. Before we get started, let’s look back at the noteworthy stories you might have missed last week… — There was a big debate last week about people who break traffic laws while bicycling. It started with a post on The Atlantic Cities titled, “Cyclists Aren’t ‘Special,’ and … Read more
City Club to release major report on bicycling May 31st
The City Club of Portland, a respected local civic institution founded in 1916, will release their comprehensive research study on bicycling in Portland on May 31st. On that same day, bicycling will be the subject of their Friday Forum speaking series (speaker TBD) which will be attended by Portland’s movers and shakers at the Governor … Read more
Sierra Club signs onto lawsuit to stop Timberline MTB Park
“We really do not have a problem with mountain biking at all. In fact, we would affirmatively support mountain bike access on Mt. Hood and we’d love to build allegiances with those folks, but we just don’t believe this is the proper place for this development.”— Rhett Lawrence, Conservation Director, Sierra Club (Oregon Chapter) Plans … Read more