The Monday Roundup: Norway’s billion-dollar biking network, Florida’s Uber subsidy & more

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Overlooking Bergen, Norway.
(Photo: Brent Sigmund Olsen)

This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by the Cycle & Sip ride. Hosted by Eola Hills Winery on March 13th, this event combines a beautiful ride with excellent wine and food.

Here are the bike-related links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:

National bike network: Norway just agreed to spend $1 billion to build “10 broad, two-lane, cross-country bike tracks in and near Norway’s nine largest cities.”

Uber subsidy: Altamonte Springs, Florida, will underwrite 25 percent of every Uber ride in an effort to boost transit ridership.

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Cycle Oregon Fund awards $95,000 in grants for bike racks, maps, trails, campsites and more

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One of the grants will fund new wayfinding signs along the Historic Columbia River Highway in the gorge.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

You might think of Cycle Oregon as that big ride that happens each fall. But did you know that proceeds from the annual ride are put into a fund that gives back to the communities it passes through?

Since 1996 the Cycle Oregon Fund has awarded 190 grants totaling $1.6 million. Earlier this week Cycle Oregon announced their list of community and safety/tourism grants for 2015 and they include awards for 11 projects worth $95,150. Nine of those grants are going to projects that will improve bicycle safety and tourism across the state. They include funds for bike trail and rack projects, improvements to the Historic Columbia River Highway, an advocacy program for women and cycling, and redevelopment aid for communities hit by last year’s forest fires.

Here’s the full list:

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As state law passes, the fight for affordable proximity moves to City Hall

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A rally last fall to better protect Portland tenants from displacement.
(Photo: M.Andersen/BikePortland)

After years of fighting, a “grand bargain” on affordable housing passed Oregon’s legislature this week. But it won’t begin shaping Portland’s bikeable neighborhoods until after the city council takes action of its own.

Representatives for Mayor Charlie Hales and his council colleague, Housing Commissioner Dan Saltzman, say that plans to do so are already underway.

Any city plan seems certain to include some level of “inclusionary zoning,” a measure that could require that up to 20 percent of units in some new buildings be sold and/or rented at discount prices to people who make less than 80 percent of the median income. (As of 2015, that 80 percent figure means that a family of three that makes less than $52,950 would qualify for the reduced-rate units.)

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Mayoral candidates make cycling part of green policies at environmental debate

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On stage at Benson High last night.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

What a difference four years makes.

One thing that became clear at last night’s mayoral debate: For the first time in my memory (which is admittedly not very long), all the top candidates are firmly on the left of the political spectrum. At each of the mayoral races I’ve covered in the past decade there was always a right-leaning candidate who made veiled overtures to business interests and the status quo — especially when it came to transportation and environmental issues. Even our current mayor Charlie Hales was elected after a campaign where he ran as an anti-Sam Adams who would return Portland “back to basics” (wink wink).

The three candidates at last night’s debate: Sarah Iannarone, Ted Wheeler, and Jules Bailey, are having none of that. Each one of them are proposing policies that would upend business as usual and would put Portland back at the forefront of truly progressive cities.

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Jobs of the Week: Hammer Nutrition, Chris King, Performance, Cat Six Cycles

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With the riding and racing season just around the corner, local companies are starting to bulk up their staff. If you’re looking for a job in America’s most dynamic bike industry, we’ve got four new job opportunities that just got posted this week.

Learn more about each one via the links below…

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Shop Visit: Pedego Electric Bikes now open in downtown Portland

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Pedego’s storefront on SW 2nd
(with new awning that just went up today!).
(Photo: Tommy Connell/Pedego)

Pedego is one of the largest and well-known names in the electric bike world and now they’ve got a retail outpost in downtown Portland. We mentioned the shop a few weeks ago and now that they’re open for business I swung in the other day for a peek.

The shop itself is located on a busy intersection on Southwest 2nd Avenue south of Stark — just across the street from legendary brunch spot Mother’s Bistro & Bar. (Store employee David Peters said he’s already had nearly a dozen people from Mother’s wander into the shop.)

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Negligent driving bill won’t pass this session

“Split second motor vehicle responses should not lead to a felony.”
— Eric Deitrick, legislative rep for Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

A bill that would have increased the consequences for people whose negligent driving resulted in a serious injury of a vulnerable road user has ran out of time.

After sailing through the Senate Judiciary committee on a 4-1 vote, SB 1553-B easily passed the full Oregon Senate on February 26th. The bill was lining up support and was expected to do well in the Oregon House, but then Salem politics got in the way. We confirmed this morning that with just a few days left in the shortened legislative session, the bill is stuck in committee and it won’t move forward.

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Job: Bicycle Store Mechanics & Sales Associates – Performance Bicycle

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Job Title *
Bicycle Store Mechanics & Sales Associates

Company/Organization *
Performance Bicycle

Job Description *
Performance Bicycle Redmond is NOW HIRING!

Performance Bicycle, the nation’s leading retailer of bicycling products, is actively seeking experienced, customer-focused part-time Bicycle Mechanics and Sales Associates to join the Performance team at our Redmond, WA location.

We are looking for Mechanics who understand the mechanics of bicycles, how to service them and keep them in top condition and how to trick them out to give our customers an edge.

We want Sales Associates who understand and enjoy cycling and know how to guide customers toward getting the best out of themselves and their equipment.

If you are an experienced bike shop employee, or someone who rides bikes, Performance Bicycle has the technical training and management structure to help motivated individuals succeed.

Performance Bicycle is not a commission-based employer. This allows us to provide, first, a superior value for the guest, and second, a no pressure atmosphere for giving the customer the best in excellent customer service.

Performance Bicycle offers competitive wages, a generous employee discount program, and opportunity for advancement. Love what you do with a rewarding career or part time job in the cycling industry!

Performance is looking for passionate and enthusiastic individuals to join America’s #1 retailer of bicycles, parts, and accessories. If you are interested in joining the best, then take a moment to apply by:
• Applying in person at our Redmond store located at 15230 Northeast 24th St, Redmond, WA 98052, or
• Replying with a copy of your resume to retailhr@performanceinc.com, or
• Logging on to www.Performancebike.com, go to the ‘Job Opportunities’ page, print out an application form, complete the application form and fax it to Human Resources at 919-942-5431
Ride safe and we look forward to hearing from you!

www.performancebike.com/redmond

EOE

How to Apply *
If you are interested in joining the best, then take a moment to apply by:
• Applying in person at our Redmond store located at 15230 Northeast 24th St, Redmond, WA 98052, or
• Replying with a copy of your resume to retailhr@performanceinc.com, or
• Logging on to www.Performancebike.com, go to the ‘Job Opportunities’ page, print out an application form, complete the application form and fax it to Human Resources at 919-942-5431

Pro bike racing roundup: Hour Record, Omloop, Kuurne-Brussels

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I want to experiment with writing pro race roundups if there’s interest. If you like this, comment below. Note there will be spoilers; I won’t delay spoilers by a week like in the video roundup.

The big weekend races I’m summarizing:

  • Evelyn Stevens’s world hour record
  • Womens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
  • Mens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
  • Kuurne – Brussels – Kuurne
  • Random news

Evelyn Stevens’s world hour record

Evie Stevens set the official hour record from the Olympic velodrome Colorado Springs. There’s a non-UCI record that is faster, but using the banned superman position. The track was concrete, which is unusual. Here’s a a great interview/analysis, and here’s a great gallery.

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Womens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

World Champion Lizzie Armistead won the Omloop after going off the front. Good for Lizzie!

Mens Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Saturday’s Omloop race was won by Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). He beat Peter Sagan and Luke Rowe in the final sprint; Sagan had led an acceleration partway through the race that caused everything to go weird in the middle of the race. Sagan was in the main peloton and just took off from the group. He quickly reached the lead group, which caused it to shatter (knowing the peloton would chase Sagan down). That turned into a breakaway group of eight (including Van Avermaet).

Kuurne – Brussels – Kuurne

Sunday’s race followed Saturday’s Omloop and had many of the same riders. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Sagafredo) won the race. He went off the front after the last climb, staying in front with a 30-60 second lead for the last hour of the race.

A Lotto Soudal rider was also hit by a medical motorcycle(!), which didn’t even stay to attend to the crash. After so many neutral car and moto-caused crashes last year, it’s not a great sign to see it is still happening.

Random news

ASO will be promoting a Chilean wine in the Tour de France. It’s only on non-French stages, since they can’t legally advertise alcohol in France.

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