BikePortland

Man’s bike stolen after being knocked unconscious while bicycling on Springwater Corridor

While riding on the Springwater Corridor path in the early morning of May 10th, someone knocked Portland resident Vincent Rodarte off his bike. The impact caused him to lose consciousness. When he woke up, his custom-built mountain bike was gone.

“The details on that still elude me,” Rodarte wrote on the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association email list where he first reported the incident.

It happened between 12:30 and 3:00 am at the intersection where the Springwater passes SE Tacoma and 32nd streets (map).

Rodarte is appealing to the community to look out for his bike in hopes that it can be recovered. He’s filed a police report and has been in contact with a with PPB Bike Theft Task Force member who has already begun searching the area. Rodarte got a tip that his bike was spotted under I-405 and NW 19th, but so far police haven’t been able to get it back.

Joel Schrantz was sentenced to 42 months in jail yesterday for his role in the death of Mitch York.

Schrantz, 43, is the man who failed to control his Toyota 4-Runner and hit York while driving onto the St. Johns Bridge on October 29th, 2016. York was waiting for a green light in the left-turn lane prior to the collision. The 55-year old resident of northeast Portland, who was on his way to one of his regular rides in the west hills, died at the scene.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title *
Mountain Bike Sales

Company/Organization *
Fat Tire Farm

Job Description *
The Fat Tire Farm is the Northwest’s premier mountain bike shop and was recently selected by Bicycling Magazine as one of the top 100 bike shops in the country. We’re a small shop with a highly-skilled, tight-knit staff, and are looking for a salesperson who’ll be able to mix well with our crew. This is currently a seasonal position with the potential to be a full-time, year-round position. We’re a mountain bike shop, but we ride everything: downhill, street, road, DJ, trail, XC, BMX, ‘cross, and don’t judge riders of any discipline.
QUALIFICATIONS:

Previous bike shop mechanic experience (at least 2 years).
Extensive current knowledge of a wide variety of bike types, particularly full-suspension mountain bikes, accessories, tools, etc.
Oral and written communication skills.

How to Apply *
Please email resume to barry@fattirefarm.com

Job: Mechanic – Fat Tire Farm

Job Title *
Mechanic

Company/Organization *
Fat Tire Farm

Job Description *
The Fat Tire Farm is the Northwest’s premier mountain bike shop and was recently selected by Bicycling magazine as one of the top 100 bike shops in the country. We’re a small shop with a highly-skilled, tight-knit staff, and are looking for a mechanic who’ll be able to mix well with our crew. This is currently a seasonal position with the potential to be a full-time, year-round position. We’re a mountain bike shop, but we ride everything: downhill, street, road, DJ, trail, XC, BMX, ‘cross, and don’t judge riders of any discipline.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Previous bike shop mechanic experience (at least 2 years).
Extensive current knowledge of a wide variety of full-suspension mountain bikes.
Ability to bleed and rebuild multiple hydraulic brake systems
Ability to overhaul Fox and RockShox forks and shocks.

How to Apply *
Please email resume to barry@fattirefarm.com

The impact of fear on ‘bike safety’ in car-centric Beaverton — UPDATED

What would make streets like this “safer” for bicycling? Fear-mongering? Or perhaps a bit more encouragement and reassurance?
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Ms. Fast is BikePortland’s Washington County correspondent.

Sometimes I wonder if a well-intentioned “bike safety” presentation can do more harm than good.

At May’s meeting of the Beaverton Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), Ben Howard, committee rep and a member of the Beaverton Police Bicycle Patrol unit, gave the committee a flawlessly organized but somewhat chilling presentation on bicycle safety. He introduced it as the same presentation he and police partners regularly give at community events and at companies like Nike, providing audiences with:

— Top five bike safety tips (my paraphrase, in no particular order, is: helmet, defensive riding, defensive riding, helmet, helmet)
— Summary of commonly asked bike law questions
— A warning about being “dead right”

Not included as program bullet points were safety concerns like:
— What is being done by the city to halt traffic violations by drivers?
— To whom—exactly—riders should report unsafe bike lane obstructions?

Job Title *
Cryotherapy Recovery specialist

Company/Organization *
CryoPDX

Job Description *
We are a new, rapidly growing cryotherapy clinic in the heart of the Portland Pearl District. As a cryotherapy specialist you will assist customers through their cryotherapy sessions and in and out of their NormaTec compression sessions. You will also do miscellaneous tasks like laundry and some front desk duties using the Booker system. The most important quality is a friendly, engaging personality. Our clients range from professional athletes to grandmothers with arthritis so excellent customer service is really important to our mission of helping everyone feel better. Most people are not familiar with cryotherapy so we will train you in all things cryo and NormaTec, just come with your positive attitude and solid work ethic. Any experience in athletic training, kinesiology, fitness, nutrition, rehabilitation is helpful but not necessary. Pay scale is $13-$15/hour to start and positions are part-time possibly transitioning to full-time and manageme nt opportunity.

How to Apply *
Email deb@cryopdx.com with your resume or questions.

Getting to class, safely: Finding Safe Routes in greater Portland

From September to June, mornings in greater Portland’s neighborhoods see a common pageant. Around hundreds of elementary, middle and high schools across the region, kids fill sidewalks and bike routes, or spill out of buses and parents’ cars, trying to get inside before the bell rings.

But that pageant isn’t the same at every school.

In some communities, many students walk or bike. But not every kid has a sidewalk or safe bike route to class. Still others don’t walk or bike because parents and educators are understandably concerned about their safety.

How kids get to school matters. Kids that can’t or don’t walk or bike are missing out on what could be a great opportunity for physical activity. Studies also show they can perform better in school. Meanwhile, car drop-offs can snarl traffic for blocks, adding to growing congestion and creating more hazards for everyone.

Safe Routes to School will soon take on a new regional shine in greater Portland. Last year, after a concerted campaign by advocates, educators, parents and students, the Metro Council and Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation directed Metro staff to begin work on a regional Safe Routes to School education and encouragement program. They reserved $1.5 million in federal transportation dollars over two years to set up the program.

The program will partner with communities and school districts around the region to help more kids get to school by foot, bike and bus safely. It will begin in earnest in 2019 when federal funding is expected. But Metro is already preparing.

Metro recently worked with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Alta Planning & Design on a report assessing the state of Safe Routes in greater Portland today.

From education and encouragement, to engineering and enforcement, Safe Routes has many faces. Through videos, interviews and stories, get a glimpse of Safe Routes in action in Troutdale, Beaverton, Clackamas and Portland in Metro’s new series.

Learn more:
– 6 key findings from the Safe Routes report: http://oregonmetro.gov/saferoutesfindings
– A curriculum for safety in Beaverton, Troutdale: http://oregonmetro.gov/saferouteseducation

The Ride: Exploring the ‘dark’ side of Larch Mountain

Few things make me happier than a narrow dirt trail that meanders beyond a “road closed” gate. (Oh, and there was a roaring creek just to the right.)
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Ride is brought to you by River City Bicycles.

Larch Mountain stands 4,061 feet above the Columbia River in east Multnomah County. The 14-mile climb up the paved road that leads to the summit of this extinct volcano is a thing of magic and/or misery for local bicycle riders.

But there’s another side of this majestic mountain. A side that was revealed to many people for the first time via The Dark Larch ride on Saturday.

Job Title *
Mechanic/Salesperson

Company/Organization *
Crank

Job Description *
Crank is looking for a new mechanic!

As we have an open shop you will be expected to assist customers with the purchase of bikes and accessories. This a multi-tasking position with an emphasis on customer service.

Mechanics are expected to come with their own tools (basic bike repair tools/hand tools). We have all the fun tools to share (reaming/ facing, frame alignment, truing stands, etc). Previous bike shop experience is highly preferred.

Time commitment is up to 35hrs/wk including most Saturdays.

How to Apply *
Please bring us your resume and introduce yourself in person. We will not be responding to email requests.

Everything you need to know about this year’s World Naked Bike Ride

In about five weeks 10,000 people will fill Portland streets on bikes wearing nothing (or next to nothing) at all. The 14th annual Portland World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) will happen June 24th. And while most of you haven’t even thought about it much yet, the organizers have been working for months to make sure the ride goes smoothly.

Tale of Two Taxes: The bicycle tax and taxing transportation system.

The Bike Industry leaders in the May 15th BikePDX article state an excellent articulation of the troubles with taxing a single mode. Earlier this month a comment was made about taxing the ADA modes of wheel chairs & personal mobility devices as bringing intersections into ADA compliance is expensive. Taxing waffle material on sneakers could sarcastically satisfy the madness of Trump to balance tariffs in making pedestrians pay for Walk lights and stripe-ings and street calming measures. These, of course, are a snarky revelation that taxing a mode share can be a ridiculous paradigm.

But perhaps we need to chess move ahead. One of the programs that was successful in England was allowing companies to buy bicycles for their employees. The company could write off the bicycle costs as a company expense. The employee was then allowed to buy the bicycle from the company with specific employment guidelines (e.g. duration of employment). The employee could use pretax payroll dollars to purchase the bicycle. This boosted the use of bicycles tremendously during the ‘programme.’ This could be a simple amendment attached to the transportation bill which supports a positive active transportation scheme. Using honey to reduce cars on the road might be a bigger benefit than the 2 million potential dollars income from taxing bicycles. We need a legislator to write an amendment.

Associated with this concept is also a bicycle tax credit for those individuals who do not own a car and have purchased a new bicycle for the primary transportation. This would be easy to check through Oregon DMV. Again, to echo all the dealers: we need to promote efficient, health maintaining, sustainable modes of transportation. We need a legislator to write an amendment.

I spent a frustrating decade of the 2000s talking with legislative people who kept telling me that they receive more calls from angry citizens that bicycles don’t pay their way than they did from citizens who want bicycle infrastructure. The old BTA produced two great position papers in those days to show how people who ride bicycles do pay for road transportation in many ways. Our anemic sector participation in government of the last decades has come to roost in many ways. I ~sometimes late at night~ felt ‘let them tax us- get this off the table so we can have substantial development of infrastructure instead of millimeter steps. In those days, it was a turncoat’s idea to acquiesce to paying tax on bicycles. And there still is an vague sense that there is a potential quid pro quo of ODOT saying, well you only raised 2 million in taxes and that’s all you get for active transportation. We are still having this partisan, polarizing conversation as car drivers get to stare at each other at slower congested speeds and bicycles get to whiz by them at healthy speeds.

It is also frustrating that cars represent half of all the 3 mile trips. It is frustrating that the ODOT’s Orego system of taxing miles used instead of gas consumed gets such a bad rap. The Orego system as presented in our Oregon’s sustainability meetings in 2008 has the potential of taxing congestion. This is because the system knows exactly where and when you are on a congested highway and time period. No different than the iphone’s Find Friends. Literally, the tax could be applied where and when congestion occurred. For example, if you entered I-84 at 181st street and came into downtown, that precise route by the vehicle is recorded & could be charged a congestion rate from 730 to 930 AM. The structure is there. This is much less programming than the algorithms of driverless vehicles proceeding along I-84 during congested highway times. There was no political will to forecast this as a solution. ODOT and legislators cowered then and now.

Thinking that bicycling is taxing our transportation system costs and a bicycle tax is part of a bill that attempts to ameliorate congestion makes me mad. The child in me wants to strike/protest and really show how the absence of bicycles would tax the system. One idea that Lenny Anderson and I had separately was to have an All Car Day in Portland. Organize all those who bicycle to work crossing the bridges to get up early (530-600 AM) and occupy all the parking spaces with cars. Park in all the spaces on the street. Park in all the garages. Have a simple sign on each car stating “This car was a bicycle yesterday.” Imagine the 14,000 bikes coming into downtown Portland being a car instead. What a reality check for those complaining about congestion. Cars tax the system, not bicycles. ~AJZ

Job: Mechanic Sales Staff – Portland Bicycle Studio

Job Title *
Mechanic Sales Staff

Company/Organization *
Portland Bicycle Studio

Job Description *
We are hiring service and sales staff for our retail bike shop. Qualified candidates must be prepared to deliver consistent and exceptionally friendly customer service and be self-motivated to sell the entire range of our products and services.

Full time and part time positions available immediately. Wage negotiable dependent on applicant’s experience and ability. Qualified applicants will have several years of retail experience. Apprentice and intern opportunities are available.

Portland Bicycle Studio is dedicated to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages applications from minorities and women.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Willing to work weekends
Must be computer literate and tech savvy
Must be able to safely lift and move a minimum of 50 lbs.
Possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to drive

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Our customers and services span the low-end to very high-end in bicycles, P&A and services. The ability to listen to, communicate with and meet the needs of non-cyclists, neighborhood folks, families, bike commuters as well as core-cyclists, multi-sport riders and professional athletes is vital.

The shop environment is intimate and requires that you work closely with our clients and your co-workers. You will be expected to behave professionally, maintain a positive, welcoming environment and communicate effectively with your coworkers and management. The shop is multifaceted and can get exceptionally busy. The ability to complete work quickly, efficiently, thoroughly and to an extremely high standard is required.

COMMUNICATION:
Conduct all internal and external communication in a solution/goal oriented manner
Return all phone and e-mail messages within 24 hours
Answer incoming phone calls and respond to incoming customer email
Effectively follow up with all clients and coworkers
Take detailed and complete notes/messages and ensure they are communicated clearly to the proper staff member or client asap
Be able to transition customers, sales or jobs to/from another staff member as needed or requested
Able to pause a job in progress to assist customers
You must be able to work together with your coworkers to complete service and sales

STANDARDS:
You must be familiar with bicycle fitting concepts and application.
You must be familiar with and able to sell or service ALL bicycles, P&A, components, drivetrain and suspension technologies.
Not limited to:
Di2
Campagnolo
SRAM eTap
Hydraulic brake systems
Front and rear suspension
Tubeless technology
Tubular tire installation
Internal routing
Carbon Fiber repair and damage assessment
Willing to have your work held to a checklist for completion of any type of service
Willing to create and enforce checklists and hold all coworkers to shop policy and standard
Able to troubleshoot and create solutions for systems that do not have readily available replacement parts
Knowledge of appropriate vendors and ability to source the correct parts or tools to ensure the quickest possible turn-around times
Be able to assess any client’s bicycle/jobs and generate an accurate fiscal and completion turnaround estimate that meets and exceed our client’s satisfaction
Take ownership for individual jobs/orders and follow them through to completion

You must also have the desire to actively promote/represent the business and participate in special events, sales, community and promotional events as they are added to the calendar. You will be expected to be available to participate in technical trainings, clinics, and service summits in order to be informed in the latest service procedures, techniques, and products.

Accurately track, handle and input special orders, inventory and sales into the POS
Follow business policies for special ordering and custom items and work
Ensure that the business runs to company policy and standards in the absence of management
Prepare the inside and outside of shop and service areas for normal operations before scheduled opening times
Complete all closing procedures, including cleaning up showroom and work stations and ensuring all continuing jobs are communicated appropriately with coworkers and clients after scheduled closing times.

You must be able to actively listen and take input, feedback and criticism on technical work, internal and external communication and sales techniques.

We work together to make each other better, uphold shop policies and standards and exceed all of our client’s expectations of communication, sales and service.

How to Apply *
To apply, email a resume or CV to:

molly@portlandsportsgroup.com

Man’s bike stolen after being knocked unconscious while bicycling on Springwater Corridor

42 month sentence for man who killed Mitch York on the St. Johns Bridge

Job: Mountain Bike Sales – Fat Tire Farm

Job: Mechanic – Fat Tire Farm

The impact of fear on ‘bike safety’ in car-centric Beaverton — UPDATED

Job: Cryotherapy Recovery specialist – CryoPDX

Getting to class, safely: Finding Safe Routes in greater Portland

The Ride: Exploring the ‘dark’ side of Larch Mountain

Job: Mechanic/Salesperson – Crank

Everything you need to know about this year’s World Naked Bike Ride

Tale of two taxes: bicycle tax and taxing the system

Job: Mechanic Sales Staff – Portland Bicycle Studio

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