Welcome to this week’s roundup! We’re starting with my favorite video (so far) that I’ve posted. This is a great little documentary about a bike shop in Amsterdam. There are many great quotes (“without a bike, you’re nowhere in Amsterdam”) and sweet moments. I love seeing all the “working bikes”.
The volunteer street transformers at Better Block PDX are kicking off what they call “a transformation moment for our organization” at a “volunteer appreciation party” Thursday night.
It’ll be a starting gun for the first full year of what the group hopes will be an ongoing conveyor belt of new ideas for Portland streets, with help from Portland State University’s pipeline of aspiring planners and engineers.
The event is 6 p.m. at 1805 NE 2nd Ave.
Job Title *
Bicycle Mechanic
Company/Organization *
Santiam Bicycle
Job Description *
Santiam Bicycle is hiring a full time Bicycle Mechanic for year round employment for our Tigard location with excellent full medical benefits after 90 days. Come and join the Santiam family!!!
We are a Rider/Trail Builder owned shop, that sells and works on every type of bikes with focus on high end full suspension mountain bikes. Experience in hydraulics brakes and suspension basic services a must, but should be able to work on anything from BMX to high end road bikes as well.
Qualifications:
Ideal candidates should have 3 to 5 year experience as a bicycle mechanic or current certification.
Hydraulic brakes and suspension basic service knowledge a MUST!!
Strong customer service skills.
Basic computer literacy a must.
Detailed component knowledge is required.
Must be enthusiastic and ride bikes often.
Duties will include but not limited to:
Assisting customer by addressing and influencing their wants and needs.
Operating register and point of sale system.
Assisting with bike sales if need it.
Creating service repair special orders.
General cleaning.
How to Apply *
send resume to: raul@santiambicycle.com
Great news for anyone planning an adventure in this spectacular part of our state. And speaking of which, I was just out there last summer!
Here’s the official statement from Oregon State Parks:
Joseph OR — The Cycle Oregon Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation has awarded a $10,000 matching grant to develop a new hiker-biker camp at Wallowa Lake State Park. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will contribute an additional $10,000 to complete the project.
The current camp for people who hike or bicycle into the park is in an open area along the main camp entrance. Over the next year, park staff will build the new 8-site camping area in a more secluded spot by redesigning the park’s former amphitheater. The new camp will include covered and uncovered sites, lockers, tables, and charging stations. Park staff created a new area for park presentations in a more central location, freeing up the old amphitheater for this project.
From 2009 to 2014, visits to Wallowa Lake State Park have increased 10 percent, from 348,000 to 381,000. As curious travelers from Oregon and around the world discover the Wallowas, the park is interested in encouraging less polluting, less congestion-causing forms of transportation such as hiking and bicycling.
“This is a tremendous gift from Cycle Oregon,” says Park Manager Nancy McLeod (mih-CLOUD). “They’ve always supported the region, but this goes beyond goodwill. They’re investing in the community, and we’re grateful for it.”
The project should start this spring, finish a year later, and be open for its first season in April 2017. The park will work with the Eastern Oregon Visitor Association and the Wallowa Chamber of Commerce to promote the improved service as it opens.
The coalition of neighborhood associations that represents inner Southeast Portland is pushing for some 11th-hour changes that it says would improve the planned 20s Bikeway.
In a letter signed by its president, backed by a 14-2 vote of its board and circulated Wednesday, Southeast Uplift makes three requests of the city.
First, it proposes moving the southernmost leg of the route one block east to Reed College Place south of Tolman Street, avoiding the No. 19 bus line on 32nd Avenue.
Ken Pliska, known to many people for his involvement with cycling in the Portland area since the 1970s, is currently in the hospital recovering from a major stroke.
Pliska, who just celebrated his 50th birthday (at The Lumberyard Bike Park of course) on February 8th, was found unconscious in his home three days later. He was rushed to Oregon Health and Science University where doctors performed considered brain surgery to relieve hemorrhaging but were able to get it under control with non-invasive methods. After several scary days, friends and relatives report that he’s doing much better now although he faces a very long road to recovery.
Pliska is most well-known in the BMX scene where he’s been a competitor for decades and now helps introduce young riders to the sport. He’s a beloved figure among BMX promoters, riders, and the industry — many of whom are flooding the Internet with positive thoughts and prayers for their friend. He has also raced mountain bikes at the Short Track race series at Portland International Raceway, completed century rides on the road, and has also ridden his bike to work. According to The Oregonian he rode in the first Portland New Year’s Day Ride in 1978 when he was 12 years old.
Portland’s unofficial defenders of transportation safety have once again come to the aid of a bikeway in need.
With lots of grey skies and another big rainstorm on the way, here’s an event to look forward to this summer: eight miles of (relatively) carfree streets from Southeast Portland to Milwaukie via the new Sellwood Bridge.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bud Pierce says he’s hit on an idea for solving the problem of people sitting in traffic on freeways: more travel lanes.
“Our current governor and government has no solution to our current gridlock,” he says in a new ad. “When I am governor, I will make sure we have added freeway lanes on all our major freeways. I’ll ensure that we have a new Columbia River Crossing bridge with added lanes. … Vote for Bud Pierce for governor and end gridlock once and for all.”
With a big local election coming up, two biking advocacy groups are getting ready to ask politicians where exactly they stand.
On Monday, political action committee Bike Walk Vote released the 2016 candidates’ questionnaire that it’ll use to hand out endorsements. Next week, the advocacy nonprofit Bicycle Transportation Alliance is hosting an evening event to write a platform, make a list of questions and start organizing a get-out-the-vote effort for people who care about good biking.
Here’s the seven-question Bike Walk Vote questionnaire:
Job Title *
Senior Level Mechanic
Company/Organization *
Lakeside Bicycles
Job Description *
Lakeside Bicycles is looking for a qualified senior level mechanic. The ideal candidate needs to have 5-7 years of shop mechanic experience and be comfortable working on high end road and mountain bikes, along with well-loved relics. Comprehensive knowledge of Campagnolo, Shimano DI2, and wheel building is required. Our number one focus is customer service. Along with exceeding customers’ expectations, the optimal applicant will be adept at service writing, performing all types of repairs, and custom builds.
Position Requirements:
Passion to deliver excellent customer service
Equally excited to bring a neglected hybrid back to life as to build someone’s dream bike
Sense of humor mandatory
Strong attention to detail with an emphasis on quality
Ability to communicate effectively with staff and customers
Must like animals (shop cat present)
Must work summers
Some weekend work is required
What we offer:
A small team dedicated to spreading our enthusiasm for everything bicycle, recognizing the importance of our customers, all while having fun
Positive work environment that encourages self-motivated individuals to grow their skills and expand their responsibilities
Permanent, full time position
Health insurance provided
Women and minorities encouraged to apply
How to Apply *
Email resume to info@lakeside-bikes.com
The only constant in Portland’s bike shop scene is change. On that note, I bring you updates on two southeast Portland shops that have opened up new doors in the past few weeks.
When Crank opened in 2010 I rolled over to look for it and, given what I knew about its general location near Southeast 28th Avenue, I just assumed it would be on Ankeny. But it wasn’t. It was one block over on Ash. That was a bummer because Ankeny is the very busy bike boulevard in that part of town. So imagine my delight when I found out the other day they’ve moved to… Ankeny! Yes, after many months of hard work, the folks at Crank are enjoying twice the space in a wonderfully remodeled retail store on Ankeny just before 28th.