Let’s do this!

When I sat down with Kevin Hyland in May 2019 to learn about his efforts to bring the UCI Road World Championships to Portland, he was a self-described “one man army.” Now he’s managing a Local Organizing Committee of over 40 people and their effort to win the 2026 bid is going full steam ahead.

You may have noticed your social media channels filled with the shiny new Portland Cycling Worlds logo and graphics this morning. That’s because venerable local company Chris King Precision Components has teamed up with Hyland to help with graphics and marketing efforts. King employees have also polished up the new website and set up social media accounts.

This marketing push has one goal: Build support that leads to an official letter of intent signed by the City of Portland by early June of this year. An online petition has been launched and Hyland hopes having thousands of signatures to add to his list of over 100 existing businesses and notable supporters will make a positive impression on Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and the rest of City Council. [Read more…]

The Oregon Active Transportation Summit moves to a new venue this year. The Street Trust’s annual gathering of planning professionals, agency staffersm thinkers and activists takes place at the Oregon Convention Center. The three-day event will have an explicit focus on climate action and transportation justice and will be headlined by Emma Marris, an environmental writer based in Klamath Falls.

As always, OATS will feature workshops, panels, and roundtable discussions aimed at sharpening your transportation planning and advocacy toolkit.

Tamika Butler from Toole Design Group will kick off the summit on Tuesday with a transportation equity and justice workshop. [Read more…]

Sole Fiumefreddo.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

This letter comes from Sole Fiumefreddo, a leader of Corvidae Bicycle Club, whose name is derived from the family of birds that includes ravens, magpies, and crows.

Dear Portland Bicycle Scene,

My name is Sole Fiumefreddo of Corvidae Bicycle Club, and I must ask you a favor.

I have been biking and commuting around Portland for more than 10 years. However, I didn’t find the community until 2015. When I did find you all, I completely immersed myself into weekly and monthly rides, curating the world I had been dreaming of with my wheels. There were freak bikes and battles and endless silliness. New pals, aimless summertime rides and secret Portland destinations lit up my life, and I am forever grateful that the light has grown with me.

Five years ago, I would’ve never thought I’d being a founding member of a growing bicycle club. With my best friends, we formed our club in 2017 striving for something different than the typical ride structure we’d all accustomed to. We aim to promote bike safety and accessibility, and to inspire biking as an alternative to fossil-fueled travel within Portland. But over the years, excessive alcohol and sloppy riders on big group rides turned me off from participating as much as I once did. [Read more…]

What’s the latest sign that gravel riding has taken over the cycling world?

How about a new, five-day event organizers describe as, “An immersive VIP gravel training experience” where the price of admission can cost up to $2,100.
The new Bend Unpaved event (May 7-11) is headlined by Bend-based professional cyclist Carl Decker. He’s inviting up to 15 people to join him and his friends Matt Lieto and Barry Wicks for an all-inclusive training camp where they share their vast knowledge and favorite central Oregon rides.[Read more…]

Water cannons, beer, smoke bombs, rotten bananas and a whole lot of mayhem.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The 13th annual Mini Bike Winter Ben Hurt Chariot Wars had all the mayhem and merriment we’ve come to expect from this uniquely Portland spectacle.[Read more…]

The author and his friend Justin Sawyer represented the Candlelighters on the Crater Lake rim during Cycle Oregon 2019.

Written by Tony Jordan. BikePortland is always open to sharing your guest articles. Please get in touch if you’d like to contribute!

On January 29th, Cycle Oregon will announce its 2020 routes at the annual Kickoff Party. According to their website we can expect some surprises such as, “short and long options, gravel options, multiple layover days, bonus activities, and more opportunities to really become part of the communities.” The new options and extra rest and recovery time should make the ride accessible to more people, but plenty of riders will spend some time following the announcements wringing their hands over the costs, training time, and logistics of committing to a wonderful-but-challenging week of epic rides.

I’m here to tell you that there’s a way to ride Cycle Oregon with a built-in group of new friends, a schedule of training rides, extensive additional in-camp support, and maybe even some financial assistance; all while supporting another worthy charitable organization. It’s kind of like a Cycle Oregon cheat code and it’s called Ride for a Child.[Read more…]