City seeks input on plan for bike lanes on inner Morrison and Belmont

Looking eastbound on SE Morrison near SE 8th. The lane on the right would be eliminated to make room for a protected bike lane.

Looking to improve safety and bicycle network connectivity in the central eastside, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is proposing a new protected bike lane on Southeast Morrison between Grand and 11th and a new bike lane on Belmont between Grand and 7th.

Morrison, which runs westbound toward the Willamette River, is designed as a couplet with eastbound Belmont. But for some strange reason (anyone know the history here?), there’s one eastbound lane on Morrison for the six blocks between Grand and 11th.

In a notice to nearby residents and business owners sent out earlier this month, PBOT asked for feedback for a new configuration that would shift the striping on Morrison, remove this eastbound lane, and add a protected bike lane. In addition, the project would re-stripe Belmont from Grand to 7th to add an eastbound bike lane.

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Job: Bike Mechanic – Bike Gallery

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title *
Bike Mechanic

Company/Organization *
Bike Gallery

Job Description *
The Bike Gallery is hiring now at all of our stores in Portland, Clackamas, Beaverton & Lake Oswego for experience bike mechanics and bike builders. We have both FT & PT positions available.

Bike mechanics represent the link between customers and our service department. Being able to comfortably interact with customers is a basic expectation of all service personnel. This includes being able to respond to telephone inquiries, and customers in the store who have questions, want to buy parts, drop off a bike for service, or pick up a completed service job. When not responding to customer needs, technicians will spend the balance of their shift building or repairing bicycles, installing parts, or calling customers who have completed repairs waiting to be picked up. Service technicians must be highly skilled in the maintenance and repair of a wide variety of bicycle makes, models, and component parts. It is also an expectation that service technicians will keep current with new technology and changes in equipment design.

Qualifications:
– prior shop experience preferred
– ability to diagnose and service a wide range of performance complaints for a wide range of equipment types
– ability to complete a bicycle assembly for any product carried, to the established quality standard, and within the established time parameters for the product in question
– ability to identify and perform all aspects of replacement part installation to the established time and quality standards
– preferred UBI certification
– strong customer service skills
– ability to work as a part of a team

Both permanent and seasonal positions are available. Permanent full-time employees are offered a full benefit package that includes medical/dental/vision insurance & 401(k) with a match as well as Aflac and Flex spending accounts.

How to Apply *
Send resume to bgresumes@bikegallery.com

Product review: The Saltzman jersey from Anthm Collective

The Saltzman jersey from Portland-based Anthm Collective.
(Photos: James Buckroyd)

By our newest contributor, James Buckroyd.

In the world of product development, this is how it usually goes: You have a great idea, you make contact with an agent in Hong Kong or Mainland China and you start in a series of negotiations. After many long e-mail chains and late-night phone calls you begin to develop a product.

Unfortunately, what gets lost in the back-and-forths with the factory are the fine details that are essential to make the product shine in an ever-demanding consumer market. As you view sample after sample from your offshore agent, you realize things aren’t as perfect as you’d like them to be.

Rewind the tape. Enter Brian Anthony of Portland-based Anthm Collective.

“Basically we wanted gear to ride in that represented the values we believe in,” he shared with us recently. “So we went out and made it.”

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First look: Buffered bike lanes on Lombard in north Portland

New bikeways on Lombard-7.jpg

ODOT has updated Lombard from four standard lanes to two standard lanes, a left-turn lane, and bike lanes.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Oregon Department of Transportation is doing their best to provide a place for people to ride bicycles on Lombard Street in north Portland.

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Free bike tour will illuminate Vanport floods and historic Albina neighborhood

A free history tour? Sign me up!
(Photo: Everybody’s Bike Rentals)

Ever wanted to go beyond the tired Portlandia stereotypes and really get to know where you live — warts and all? A bike tour being offered by Everybody’s Bike Rentals & Tours might be just what the doctor ordered.

The northeast Portland-based tour company will host a free “Beyond Portlandia” bike tour on Sunday, July 2nd.

Everybody’s Bike Rentals proprietor Dan Sloan tells us, “This tour is aimed at locals who might not know the history of their neighborhood whether they’ve lived here for 15 years or 3 months.”

Here’s more from the event description:

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Job: Bike Mechanic – WashCo BTC Community Bike Center

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title *
Bike Mechanic

Company/Organization *
WashCo BTC Community Bike Center

Job Description *
Job Title: Bike Mechanic
Company: WashCo BTC Community Bike Center
The non-profit Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition (WashCo BTC) operates the Community Bike Center (CBC) in downtown Hillsboro to sell refurbished bikes and related parts and accessories, as well as full bike service. We’re seeking an experienced bike mechanic to manage our used bike inventory including:
• Receive donated bikes and assess them for refurbishment, sale ‘as is’, salvageable parts or recycling, and price bikes for retail sale
• Repair, replace parts, tune-up and clean donated bikes as needed, and safety check all refurbished bikes for retail inventory
• Service customer bikes when needed, at the direction of the Service Manager
• Assist with shop operations including customer sales support, directing volunteers, etc.
Requirements: The ideal candidate…
• Has two years professional (i.e., paid) bike mechanic experience and preferably accredited training
• Has bike shop experience quoting service jobs and using a Point of Sales terminal
• Has good communications and interpersonal skills
• Must pass a background check
This is a permanent, part- to full-time time position, 30-40 hours per week, depending on seasonal business and pays $11.25 per hour. Email your resume to info [at]washcobtc.org. Well-qualified local applicants will be contacted for an interview.

How to Apply *
Send your resume to Info@washcobtc.org
Once your resume has been reviewed you will be contacted.
Thank you

E-bike rental in Mosier opens up new riding options in the Gorge

My e-bike on loan from Route 30 Classics in Mosier.
(Photo: Laura O. Foster)

E-bike Rentals in the Gorge

From Route 30 Classics in Mosier

  • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April to October (later if the weather’s good)
  • $15/hour
  • 18 years or older
  • 8 bikes available
  • No reservations taken
  • Racks have bungees for tying down small items; if you bring lunch, carry it in a backpack.

Story by Laura O. Foster, author of Columbia Gorge Getaways.

(Please see note about legality of e-bikes on Gorge paths at end of this story. – Jonathan)

“Everybody comes back loving it,” says Stephen Demosthenes, about his new e-bike rental business in Mosier.

Stephen’s the longtime owner of Route 30 Classics on the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH). In the multi-preneurial way of Northwesterners, he sells vintage Porsches and tee shirts, serves ice cream, espresso and Mosier-made sandwiches (in season), and now rents e-bikes.

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Gateway Green’s bike park opens amid optimism, huge crowds

Gateway Green opening day-8.jpg
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

“Isn’t this fabulous?!”
— Amanda Fritz, Portland city commissioner

“Allow me to share a visual representation of our mission statement,” said Northwest Trail Alliance board member Joceyln Gaudi as she waved her hands toward a crowd of onlookers at the opening of Gateway Green on Saturday. “You are in it!”

Never again will off-road cycling advocates have to try and explain what they’re working for. Never again will they have to scour the Internet for stock images showing kids enjoying an urban mountain bike park. Now we have one of our own.

Gateway Green isn’t just the realization of an 11-year vision by community advocates, it’s the embodiment of the benefits urban off-road cycling can bring to Portland. It’s like the off-road version of Sunday Parkways.

And like Sunday Parkways, it appears to be an instant hit.

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The Monday Roundup: Pro-bike business group, NIMBYs, poop, pot, and more

Here are the best stories that came across our desks this past week…

Business group embraces bikes: While Portland’s chamber of commerce dropped off the anti-bike cliff last week, a business association in Vancouver BC has realized it’s much smarter to work with bike advocates.

Driverless cars to the rescue!: Is there anything cars can’t do? The media and corporations want us to think they’ll cure congestion and even help us reach vision zero.

Family 411: Bikabout shared a bunch of family biking equipment tips and online resources nationwide.

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Job: Mechanic/E-Bikes & Bikes – Cynergy E-Bikes

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title *
Mechanic – E-Bikes & Bikes

Company/Organization *
Cynergy E-Bikes

Job Description *
We are looking for an experienced bike mechanic to service and build electric bikes. While experience with e-bikes would be useful, good general troubleshooting abilities and a desire to learn are even more important.

Responsibilities:
* Perform all types of repairs on both electric and non-electric bikes.
* Assemble e-bikes and perform adjustments.
* Install components and accessories – fenders, racks, integrated lighting, saddles and tires, etc.
* Install conversion kits on traditional bikes.
* Diagnose & repair electrical problems.
* Keep the department well-organized.
* Be part of the team for evaluating new bike models, new accessories, for building store traffic and generating sales.
* An occasional delivery of an e-bike to a customer.
* Assist on the sales floor.

Desired Qualifications:
* 2+ years of bike mechanic experience.
* Experience servicing e-bikes a plus.
* A team orientation towards improving the overall performance of the business.
* Knowledge of principles of electricity and electronics a plus.
* Enthusiasm for learning changing technology.
* An interest in getting more people out of their cars and into cleaner, healthier transportation.
* Driver’s license.
* A genuine fondness for pizza.

Location: Southeast Portland, OR

We offer a very competitive wage and bonuses based on the overall performance of the team.

How to Apply *
Forward your resume or an explanation of your qualifications to info@cynergyebikes.com.

Police say man was under the influence, “veered” out of bike lane before collision on SE 122nd

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

“Omar veered out of the bike lane and collided with Duffus’ vehicle causing him to crash.”
— Portland Police Bureau

Here’s something you don’t see every day: Both people involved in Wednesday’s critical injury collision on SE 122nd Avenue appear to have been operating their vehicles illegaly.

According to an update just released by the Portland Police Bureau, the collision involved 35-year-old named Abdikadir Ahmed Omar and 33-year-old Nicolette Ivy Duffus. Omar was riding his bicycle southbound on 122nd Avenue approaching Division when police say he, “Veered out of the bike lane and collided with Duffus’ vehicle causing him to crash.”

This use of the word “veer” is interesting. It’s legal in Oregon to leave a bike lane due to a hazard in the roadway and for other reasons. Given Omar’s current physical state, it’s doubtful the police have been able to question him about the incident. Therefore the “veer” allegation most likely comes from Duffus’ perspective and/or that of witnesses — none of whom are likely to appreciate a cycling perspective. “Veer” is a very judgmental word and it creates a perception of blame in a case where clearly the investigation isn’t complete. I also mention this because I read a lot of police statements about motor vehicle crashes and whenever someone crosses over the centerline or drives off the road, the police say that it was done, “for an unknown reason” — which is a much more neutral and fair thing to say compared to “veered out of their lane into oncoming traffic.”

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