🚨 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 🙏

Job: Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager – Planner 4 (ODOT18-1783oc) – Oregon Department of Transportation

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Job Title

Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager – Planner 4 (ODOT18-1783oc)

Company / Organization

Oregon Department of Transportation

Job Description

Announcement: ODOT18-1783oc
Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager – Planner 4
Transportation Development Division – Active Transportation Section
Salem

Are you interested in helping to make Oregon a better place to walk and bike? Our Active Transportation Section is recruiting for a bicycle and pedestrian program manager to oversee statewide policy issues, investments, and projects. In this role you will provide program management, oversee plan implementation, develop and analyze policy, and provide technical expertise. Come join our team in performing this important and rewarding work.

Minimum Qualifications:
A bachelor’s degree in urban or regional planning, public administration, social science, civil engineering, architecture, economics, geography or a related field.
AND
Four (4) years of planning experience related to the job.

Note: A master’s degree in urban or regional planning, public administration, social science, civil engineering, architecture, economics, geography or a related field may substitute for one (1) year of experience.

OR

Eight (8) years of planning experience related to the job.

NOTE: Course work in urban or regional planning, public administration, social science, civil engineering, architecture, economics, geography or a related field can substitute for up to two (2) year of the progressively responsible experience. A copy of your transcripts must be attached to your application to receive credit.

Special Qualifications:
Driving is an essential function of this position. A valid driver license and an acceptable driving record are required for this position. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s).

How to Apply

For questions and application support call 503-373-7377.

To learn more and apply, visit odotjobs.com and search for ODOT18-1783oc.

Where to buy used kids’ bikes in Portland

This Lil’ Honey was new in 2012, but is ready for a new owner now.
(Photos: Madi Carlson)

Six years ago I scored a free 12-inch kids bike from my neighborhood mom group. It was the start of a journey — not just of riding, but of figuring out how and where to get bikes that work and that fit my constantly growing boys.

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In nod to off-road cycling, Mayor Wheeler urges Parks Bureau to stay relevant

Mayor Wheeler at the Parks Board meeting last Tuesday. (Photos J. Maus/BikePortland)

As they prep for its big day at City Council this spring, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is in the final stages of their Off-road Cycling Master Plan.

The plan has already been over two years in the making and Portlanders have made nearly 900 individual public comments about what type of trails they want and where new trails should go.

Now comes the politics and last-minute lobbying.

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Petition presses Commissioner Saltzman for immediate help on deadly outer SE Stark Street

Advocates are joining forces to create urgency for safety fixes to outer Southeast Stark Street.

After a woman was killed while walking on Stark around 148th last month, a coalition of community groups and residents being led by Oregon Walks and The Rosewood Initiative have started an online petition they hope will result in help from Commissioner Dan Saltzman. Saltzman oversees the transportation bureau and has shown a willingness to act quickly in the face of tragedy. Last year when a similar spate of tragedies befell another outer east Portland arterial, Saltzman attended a meeting where his PBOT staff presented a plan to tame traffic on Division. “We’re sorry,” the commissioner said, “and we’re bound and determined to do something about that.”

As we reported last month, outer SE Stark has become a repeat location of traffic violence. Three people have died in traffic crashes at or near that same intersection in less than a year and a total of five people have died on Stark between SE 122nd and 162nd since November 2016. Kem Marks with the Rosewood Initiative told us today that, “I just hope people come to realize that Stark is becoming what Division has been, and some of the fixes to Division have moved the problem north.”

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“Everybody in the industry thought I was mad”: An interview with Islabikes founder Isla Rowntree

Isla Rowntree at her Portland facility in June 2017.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

“Shops are typically run by conservative, not that young — and dare I say male — shop owners in the industry. That would be the profile who just thought I was mad. So I wouldn’t have persuaded them to buy anything from me.”
— Isla Rowntree on why she decided to sell customer-direct

You’ve probably seen them: Young kids zipping around on great-looking (usually red) bikes with the Islabikes name on the downtube. Isla Rowntree is the woman behind this business. She founded the company in 2005 in the picturesque town of Ludlow in the United Kingdom, about 155 miles northwest of London. In 2013 Islabikes came to North America and planted their headquarters in Portland’s Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood.

Last summer Rowntree paid a visit to her bustling U.S. outpost and I met up with her for a chat. We sat in the upper floor of their warehouse and showroom on SE 7th Avenue and she shared a brief history of children’s bikes, her passion for making good ones, the challenges she faced as a start-up, and how Islabikes almost never ended up in Portland.

The Q & A is below, edited slightly for clarity (for full effect, read her words in a proper British accent)…

I was intrigued to learn you started a children’s bike company, but that children weren’t your inspiration?

“No. It wasn’t through my own children. I’ve been in the bike industry pretty much all my working life. I started in a bike shop when I was still in school and experienced my own personal challenges with fit and ergonomics because I’m fairly physically small. I came up with some solutions for those challenges and tinkered about with them throughout my twenties. Then, 11 or 12 years ago, I got to an age when my friends — and my sister in particular — had started families. They were all asking me what bikes to get for their kids. And that really drew my attention to the details of children’s bikes as they were available at the time. I was expecting to make a recommendation, do a bit of research and say, “OK get this one for your child.” But they were all so awful.

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Keep it waterproof: A guide to getting more out of your gear

You know the feeling: It’s nice when it beads, but it doesn’t last forever.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland and James Buckroyd/BuckyRides.com)

James Buckroyd is our Product Geek. See his previous stories here and delve deeper via his website BuckyRides.com.

We spend a lot of time choosing our gear carefully and as we know cycling gear is expensive! Especially when it comes to all-weather wear. But do you know how to keep your Rapha softshell going strong? Your Castelli Gabba still stretchy, or your favorite Showers Pass shedding through the spring? With a little investment in care you can keep your gear performing well.

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Jobs of the Week: Community Cycling Center, Cynergy E-Bikes, Velotech, Vancouver Cyclery

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Looking for a new place to spread your cycling wings? Or perhaps you want to get a foot in the door of the bike industry? Either way we’ve got five great job opportunities that just went up this week.

Learn more about each one via the links below…

–> Bicycle Mechanic – Community Cycling Center

–> Experienced Mechanic – Vancouver Cyclery

–> Bike Camp Instructor – Community Cycling Center

–> Bike Mechanic – Cynergy E-Bikes

–> Customer Experience Specialist Full Time – Velotech

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Job: Bicycle Mechanic – Community Cycling Center

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Job Title *
Bicycle Mechanic

Company/Organization *
Community Cycling Center

Job Description *
Reports to: General Manager
Status: Full Time; however, work days vary
Location: Portland, OR
Compensation: $14.50 to start
Benefits: Health, dental and vision within 30 days, PTO after 90 days, access to 401k, Labor and Used Parts Allowance
Organizational Overview

We love Portland and bikes. So we put our two loves together over 20 years ago, creating a nonprofit organization on a mission to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits.

Our vision is to help build a vibrant community where people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected. We believe that all Portlanders—regardless of income or background—should have the opportunity to experience the joy, freedom, and health benefits of bicycling. This is the motivation behind everything we do.

In addition to delivering dynamic programs that benefit underserved communities, we operate a full-service bike shop in NE Portland that is staffed by highly experienced mechanics from diverse cycling backgrounds. Combined, our programs and shop services help riders build their skills and confidence; empower young people to ride to school and adults to ride to work; offer educational opportunities for teens to earn school credit; and support everyone in riding for health and recreation. We also collaborate with numerous community partners to generate pathways to employment and engagement within the growing bicycle movement by training new educators, leaders, advocates and mechanics.

Our goal is to help create a healthy, sustainable Portland for all community members.

The Community Cycling Center is an equal opportunity employer and strongly values diversity, equity and inclusion. Individuals with diverse backgrounds, abilities and experiences are encouraged to apply.
General Position Summary

The Bicycle Mechanic is responsible for supporting the mission of the Community Cycling Center. This includes assessing, repairing, and refurbishing bicycles, assisting customers with choosing parts and accessories, as well as supporting our programs team. Under the supervision of the shop management team, the Bicycle Mechanic will work to consistently and efficiently deliver on the demands presented by our customers and programming efforts. This position will require technical proficiency, attention to detail, the ability to multitask, and to act as an ambassador for the Community Cycling Center.
Responsibilities

Assess and repair bicycles for customers; repair bicycles for retail sale and for use in our programs
Educate customers about the operation and maintenance of bicycles; assist with the purchase of bikes, parts, and accessories
Contribute to the retail environment–answer phones, restock shelves, and maintain a safe, clean, and organized work space
Work cooperatively with the rest of the team to meet the goals set forth by the shop management team
Moving and lifting bicycles up to 50 lbs. is a regular part of this job; however, reasonable accommodation can be made
Support fundraising efforts. This is an essential part of everyone’s job
Be a public supporter of the Community Cycling Center and represent the organization with positivity and consistency

Qualifications & Characteristics

Required

Ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience working in a high volume bike shop
Consistent attention to quality and detail
Ability to meet quantitative production and service goals as outlined by shop management
Effective communication
Ability to work in a collaborative environment
Commitment to and respect for equity, sustainability, and diversity

Preferred

Proficiency in Spanish
Familiarity with Lightspeed POS
Proficiency in ASL

How to Apply *

Send your resume, cover letter, and (3) references to Jobs@CommunityCyclingCenter.org. Please put “Bicycle Mechanic” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.

The Community Cycling Center is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals with diverse abilities and experiences are encouraged to apply.

An interview with Safe Routes to School policy advocate Kari Schlosshauer

Mom, bike commuter, advocate — it’s all in a day’s work for Kari Schlosshauer.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Even if you don’t know Kari (it rhymes with “safari”) Schlosshauer, chances are you’re familiar with her work.

As the Pacific Northwest Senior Policy Manager for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Schlosshauer has spent the last five years making our neighborhoods safer for walking and biking. Her position puts here at the center of discussions and deals about how and where our city, region, and state spend money for school-related transportation projects.

Schlosshauer lives in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood near Powell and 25th. Earlier this week I sat down with her around her kitchen table before riding downtown where she attended a meeting of the Vision Zero Task Force (she’s a member) at City Hall.

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