🚨 Please note that BikePortland slows down during this time of year as I have family in town and just need a break! Please don't expect typical volume of news stories and content. I'll be back in regular form after the new year. Thanks. - Jonathan 🙏
When I first began riding a bicycle for transportation I focused on things like getting used to car noise, figuring out how to keep the bottom of my pants from ripping on one side, and choosing the best bike bags for my shopping needs.
About 130 miles east of Bend lies the small, high desert town of Burns, Oregon. People from the Northern Paiute tribe have lived there for thousands of years. Today, like many eastern Oregon towns, the area gets by mostly on farming now that most of the big timber is gone.
But there’s another natural resource that is just coming into its own: unpaved roads that are perfect for bicycling. And an interesting partnership of local, state and federal agencies are leading the charge to promote them. The marketing vehicle for this new discovered asset is the Skull 120/60/30/Relay ride — a combination endurance/gravel/cross-country/sightseeing race/ride that will roll out on its second annual edition June 16th.
Portlanders are still coming to grips with the traffic violence experienced downtown on Friday. While details about 61-year-old Greg Porter continue to trickle out and the women he hit still recover at an area hospital, leaders in the transportation reform community are moving from grief and shock into action.
Kiel Johnson and Sarah Iannarone (both familiar names to BikePortland readers) are organizing an event next Tuesday (June 5th) that aims to promote an inclusive Portland. Here’s the event description:
Something quietly profound happened last Thursday May 24th: The zoning maps and zoning code of Portland’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan went into effect.
Among the many updates and additions is a new policy on “drive-thrus”. Specifically, it is now against city code to deny service at outdoor windows to people using bikes, feet, and mobility devices.
Sales Associate
West End Bikes
West End Bikes is looking for passionate, bike oriented people to join our Sales Team. Opportunities exist for both part time and full time employment. Bike Shop experience is a plus, salary commensurate with experience.
Please stop by with a resume or email one to sales@westendbikespdx.com
Bikes are fun, bikes are cool, bikes have soul, bikes have history.
Welcome to the world of bike geekery, of fascination with inventive design and old-school craft, steel and leather, gear-inches and French threads, shiny bling and soulful patina, NOS and well-worn veteran.
Our summer celebration will be on Saturday June 16, at the “Velocirque” weekend at Velocult. This is the fifth Velocirque; Velocult started doing these shows in 2016 and if you have even a little bit of bike geek in you, its well worth a visit.
Remember the February show? We’re doing it again because Pedalpalooza. https://bikeportland.org/2018/02/26/velo-cirque-brings-out-the-customs-classics-and-those-who-love-them-269603
We’ll oogle over old-school “classic and vintage” bicycles and newer “custom” bikes with old-world workmanship. 1960s Italian city bikes to 1980s racebikes, English three-speeds to kitted-out randos, old-school MTBs and Stingrays. From Weigle to Merz, Cinelli to Ritchey, Raleigh to Bottechia – if it is cool and full of soul – it is welcome in this DIY bike show. Bring a bike stand if you have one.
Yes, DIY. This is the people’s bike show. YOUR bike show. Bring your cool ride and show it off.
Special call for three-speeds and randonneur/touring/bikepacker bikes! Bring ’em!
VELOCIRQUE BY VELOCULT
Velocult, 1969 NE 42nd Avenue
Saturday June 16 – show starts 3:00 pm
Oh, and there’s beer, too.
This week on the column we’re going to share a profile of one of our readers.
You may remember Ali Reis from the “Ride Along” post Jonathan did with her three years ago. Fast-forward three years to Ali with a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and a different commute.
➤ Tell me a little about yourself and your family.
I am a 33-year-old social worker; originally from the suburbs of NYC, I have lived in Portland for about 10 years. My husband Colin, and my daughter Lark and I live in the Overlook neighborhood. Colin was diagnosed with terminal cancer about 18 months ago, so it is just Lark and me on bikes these days. Hopefully, he will be feeling well enough to hop back on in the near future.
Bike Mechanic / Sales Person
Bike Clark County
Bike Clark County is expanding! Come join us, have fun, and create positive influence in our community!
Bike mechanic skills strongly desired but not required.
Customer service skills necessary.
Good organizational skills & ability to work in a fast-paced, fun environment!
Simply email a resume to info@bikeclarkcounty.org
Check out our website for more information about our organization: www.bikeclarkcounty.org
Welcome back from the holiday weekend.
Here are the best stories we came across last week…
Defend our cities: With last week’s horrible hit-and-run downtown, it’s time for Portland to follow the lead of other great cities like Madrid and prohibit driving in some busy central city locations.
Good clean fun: Seniors at a Rockford, Illinois high school filled their parking lot with dockless bikes as a prank. Kids these days.
Bike Tour Guide/ Shop Staff
Cycle Portland
Status: Full Time, seasonal position with the possibility of staying on year round. (Minimum of 35 hours/wk required during training, 30-40 hours available weekly after completed training depending w/semi flexible scheduling)
Compensation: $13/hr starting, with possibility of performance raise based on 30-day evaluation
Location: Portland, Oregon
Who We Are
Cycle Portland works to support and inspire visiting cyclists and local commuters alike though quality repairs, guided bike tours, and affordable well maintained bike rentals. We continue this mission today as we look for tour guides interested in showcasing the city we love. As part of our small team, you’ll have the opportunity to advise travelers about your favorite local attractions and hotspots, lead guests around town as part of our easy-going cycling excursions, and lend a hand a the shop as we continue our goal of providing excellent service to our community through our full-service bike shop in downtown Portland, OR.
While primarily focused on tour guiding, this position is multidisciplinary by nature. This position encompasses guiding up to two tours per day (4-5 hours of outdoor time) on our Foodie, Brewery, or City excursions. During time at the shop you’ll help guide clients through our bike rental process, answer general questions about the products and services we offer, and assist in keeping the shop running smoothly. You’ll also get the opportunity to dive deep into the history our our city in both past, present, and future as we work to keep our tours engaging, fun, and informative.
Knowledge and skill in the following areas is preferred (but not required), and represents core strengths as part of this position.
Genuine desire to work with and listen to the public both as a tour guide, and as part of our shop staff to meet client where they’re at with their needs
Excellent public speaking skills and comfortability working with and projecting to audiences of up to 12 individuals at a time
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Curiosity! We love learning about Portland, and sharing that passion with others as the stories of our city, and our region evolve
Ability to focus in and knock out smaller projects while keeping in mind larger cycles that occur throughout the course of our operations
Self motivated and comfortable asking for support when needed
Ability to lift bicycles and other objects up to 55 pounds on a regular basis, however reasonable accommodations can be made for qualified applicants
Experience in the performance arts, previous bike shops, and tour guiding while not required, is a plus
This position is suited to individuals who are objective oriented and enjoy sharing their knowledge and experience with others. Our tour guides interface directly with the public, and comfort with giving directions, route assistance, and helping clients plan their visit to Portland is highly valued. While we’re sometimes known as a tour & rental shop, we deeply appreciate our connections to our local riders, friends, and commuters formed over the last 10 years. In this position you’ll get to continue those relationships with our cycling community, while forming many new ones as we meet a host of amazing travelers looking to learn more about the city we call home.
Cycle Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
As part of your resume please include a brief paragraph about why you'd be a good fit for this position, and your weekday availabilities. This is a full time position, however part time can be considered based on merit.
Email to: portlandbicycle@gmail.com (or)
Drop off: Cycle Portland 117 NW 2nd Ave, Portland, OR
There are plenty of things that keep people from biking in Portland. Shaming them for “doing it wrong” is a terrible thing to do.
Unfortunately there’s a strong gatekeeper culture around cycling that can not only ruin the experience for new riders, it can be powerful enough to prevent fence-sitters from ever taking the plunge.
Just as we feared back in November after a similar tragedy took place in lower Manhattan; the horror of vehicular violence has come to Portland.
About an hour ago someone appears to have intentionally steered their SUV up a curb on SW 6th Avenue just before Montgomery and hit at least three women. Portland Police say two of them are being treated at OHSU with life-threatening injuries and the other one has serious injuries that are not expected to be life-threatening. A fourth person is believed to have been injured but left the scene and so far PPB have not been able to contact them.
From media coverage we know that one of the victims was found right at the top of the ramp of the Portland State University Urban Plaza outside Cafe Yumm! and the Rec Center. Another victim was lying south of that near the transit stop outside the cafe.
The driver fled the scene and police are on the hunt (they typically don’t update media with cases like this because they don’t want to tip off the suspect who might be watching the news).
