Theft of several high-end race bikes has Portlanders on edge

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Starr Walker raced her bike yesterday,
and it was stolen just a few hours ago.
(Photo: PolerCX/Instagram)

Three seemingly unrelated bike thefts in the past four days have Portland’s close-knit racing community feeling frustrated and fed up.

It started Thursday night and we just got word of another bike stolen a few hours ago. In that period five high-end racing bikes have been nabbed by thieves. The incidents don’t appear to be connected, but it’s rare that so many expensive bikes used for racing would be stolen in such a short period of time.

Please be on the lookout for these bikes:

— Shawn Small, founder of Ruckus Composites, got his custom mountain bike stolen last Thursday night. The bike is a one-off that he made and custom-painted himself. He has ridden it on the Oregon Outback and raced it at a 24-hour event. The bike was stolen from Southeast Portland. See details and photos below…

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Portland’s bike-powered BBQs and talk show get their due

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Grilling by bike in Paste Magazine.

If you’ve followed this site for a while you know that here in Portland, people do a lot of amazing things by bike: raising a family, getting married, moving, and responding to disasters are just a few of them.

I like to share those types of stories here on BikePortland because they challenge people’s assumptions about what bicycles make possible. That’s why I get excited when larger media outlets give them attention because their I know their audiences will be even more amazed and inspired.

Case in point are two recent bits of media attention worth noting: Portland’s “Grill by bike” trend highlighted in Paste Magazine and the Pedal Powered Talk Show earning a spot on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Oregon Art Beat program.

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A Profile of N Greeley Avenue

[This post was submitted by BikePortland subscriber Colin Reis. See more BikePortlander Posts here.]

If you live in North Portland anywhere west of Denver Avenue, then you’re probably familiar with Greeley Avenue. It cuts diagonally from Arbor Lodge neighborhood through Overlook and towards the Fremont Bridge, where it meets up with Interstate Avenue. This means that if you biked south on Greeley from St. Johns or The University of Portland, the 12 blocks that you’d have to travel to get from Greeley to Interstate @ Killingsworth Avenue would be avoided entirely because of Greeley’s diagonal tilt. If you prefer direct and efficient routes, hopefully you’ve signed on by now, especially if you’re a North Portland resident. A nice bonus is that Greeley goes right through the Adidas Factory with all of its flair.

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As Portland’s housing shortage boils over, its mandatory car-housing policy seems safe

Justin Buri of the Community Alliance of Tenants tells Portland city council that Portland renters have a “right to the city” that is being denied by rising prices.
(Video: City of Portland)

At City Hall on Wednesday, a searing picture of what it means to be a low-income renter, looking for space in Portland’s housing crisis.

At City Hall on Thursday, a seemingly earnest discussion of whether it’s fair to charge cars more than $0 for taking up space.

Nobody is claiming that an opt-in neighborhood parking permit system — the main measure the city is considering — is anything close to a solution for Portlanders searching for housing amid one of the country’s worst housing shortages. Still, it was odd this week to watch Portland’s City Council lament as if capitalism mandated that even the very poor must pay for 130 square feet of bedroom, and then 21 hours later debate whether the government should continue to guarantee free 130-square-foot parking spaces almost everywhere in the city.

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Jobs of the Week

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Somehow we’ve fallen a bit behind with our job listings here on the Front Page, so now we’ve got nine hot and fresh job opportunities for your consideration. Learn more about them via the links below…

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Weekend Event Guide: Crusade opener, an alleycat, donuts and more

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Cross Crusade #1 Alpenrose-4-4

Whether your watch or ride, Cross Crusade at Alpenrose is unlike anything else.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

This menu of delicious rides and events is brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery. Their support makes BikePortland possible.

The first weekend of the big Cross Crusade (which holds the world record for most participation in a one-day cross race with over 1,400 racers!) is upon us. There are two races at Alpenrose this weekend — both of which are arguably as much fun to watch as they are to compete.

The forecast calls for rain this weekend, but we think that just adds to the fall spirit. And the dark skies make those brightly colored leaves all the more beautiful. Right? Put on a jacket and get out there.

What do you have planned? Whatever it is, we hope it involves a bicycle. Enjoy your weekend.

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Legislators’ letter urges Metro to fund regional Safe Routes to School program

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
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(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Eight state legislators are chiming in their support of regional government Metro creating a regional Safe Routes to School program.

The proposal, which comes from a coalition of local transportation, health and justice advocacy groups, already has formal backing from the cities of Beaverton, Tigard, Milwaukie and Forest Grove, as well as the Beaverton School Board. It’s currently on track to become a major public issue next spring.

The idea is to dedicate some of the increasingly flexible federal transportation money that flows through Metro to giving elementary schools throughout the region an option to get a few classes in safe biking and walking, and to focus money for better crosswalks, sidewalks and bikeways around the same schools.

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike