Inside the stolen bike chop shop that operated above Slabtown for years.
(Photos by Portland Police Bureau – Forensic Evidence Division)
(Photos by Portland Police Bureau – Forensic Evidence Division)
11 neat ideas that U.S. cities could learn from Colombian cities
Urban growth boundary, Bogotá style: rainforest on the left, Virgin Mary statue in the middle, fourth-largest city in South America on the right.
(Click to enlarge. Photos: M.Andersen unless noted)
(Click to enlarge. Photos: M.Andersen unless noted)
Second in a two-post series.
It’s a little bit dumb that urbanists in the United States talk so much about Europe but so rarely about South America.
The Monday Roundup: Christchurch’s post-quake bikeways, China’s perverse incentives & more
A rendering of the Promenade,
a rebuilt street in Christchurch.
(Image: Christchurch Central Development Unit)
a rebuilt street in Christchurch.
(Image: Christchurch Central Development Unit)
— This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Abraham Fixes Bikes, that great little bike shop on N Williams and Fremont.
Happy Labor Day! Posting will be lighter than usual today in honor of jobs well done. Whatever you’re working on these days, take a moment today to be proud of it.
And now, your regularly scheduled roundup of the bike-related links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:
Bike-friendly rebuild: “You shouldn’t have to have an earthquake for this to happen,” says a transportation engineer from Christchurch, New Zealand, about his city’s return to its biking roots.
Chinese incentives: In China, people are regularly caught on camera deliberately backing their cars over people they’ve already injured, including young children and seniors. The reason: if you injure someone, you support them for the rest of their life, but if they die you’ll often get off.
Thank you! Your (ongoing) support is exactly what we need
Last Friday I did something I’ve never done before: I made a request for your support and I got real about the current state of BikePortland — and what it means for our future.
Your response has made me very happy. I asked you to step up, and you did. So far about 340 of you have contributed over $13,000. I have been smiling all week as I see all these new and familiar names come across my desk with supportive words and contributions.
I had no idea what to expect when I published that post; but that response, combined with all the supportive emails, hand-written letters, comments, and phone calls I’ve received is exactly what I needed to keep moving forward.
Waterfront Park altercations leave path users injured and scared
Crowds are common in Waterfront Park.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Some people who use Waterfront Park have taken it upon themselves to enforce their version of the rules by instigating collisions with people who ride bicycles through the park.
Weekend Event Guide: Camping, trails, ‘cross, pubs and more
These ladies are ready to shred — indoors and out.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
(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.
Don’t let the recent drop in the mercury and drops from the sky get you down. The weather should be sunny and pleasant this weekend. For some of you it’s time for ‘cross. Others are hoping to get those last big adventures in before summer is officially over.
Whatever’s in your plans we hope you have an awesome weekend.
Friday, September 4th
Bike Repair Stand Dedication – 5:00 pm in Milwaukie (10722 SE Main Street)
The City of Milwaukie has installed a public bike repair stand. To mark the occasion they’re hosting a small dedication ceremony. The stand was donated by Bike Milwaukie, who raised money via a crowdfunding campaign. It’s also First Friday so there will be music, food, and all sorts of things to do. More info here (FB).
Jobs of the Week: Western Bikeworks, Performance, Trek Travel, Islabikes
We’ve had five jobs listed this week. Learn more about them via the links below…
- Retail Sales Associate – Western Bikeworks/Velotech
- Bicycle Store Operations Manager – Performance Bicycle
- Sales Leader – Western Bikeworks/Tigard
- Bike Tour Guide – Worldwide – Trek Travel
- Customer Services Advisor – Islabikes
Job: Customer Services Advisor – Islabikes
Job Title *
Customer Services Advisor
Company/Organization *
Islabikes
Job Description *
Islabikes has single-handedly redefined the notion of a child’s bicycle with a product unparalleled in its depth of design detail. Islabikes believes in striving for excellence and efficiency, not just in their products but in their workforce too. Every member of our growing team is committed to delivering the best for our customers.
Do you love cycling and want to turn a hobby into a career?
Or maybe you are passionate about the health and well-being of children and want to do your part!
As a Customer Services Advisor you will answer customer enquiries, via phone, email, and social media, advising them at every stage of the customer journey. You will also sell additional products in a first-class manner. Additionally you will help customers face to face in our fitting studio and when we go to events across the country.
What skills will you need?
• Fantastic customer service skills
• Ability to multi-task, organize yourself and communicate very effectively
• Enthusiasm for bicycles with innovative design and exceptional quality
• Team player
• Knowledge of bicycle mechanics would be an advantage.
How to Apply *
Is this the job for you?
If so send your resume and a covering letter/email telling us why you would like to work at Islabikes and how you could contribute to the business to info@islabikes.com
Closing date: September 16th 2015
Portland artists featured in Artcrank’s new online store
Detail of Rory Phillips’ poster.
We’re big fans of Artcrank, billed by its founder Charles Youel as “A poster party for bike people.” The event first came to Portland in 2009 and has returned each year since to inspire and entertain us with its creative representations of the thing we all know and love
While it won’t be back this year, Youel got in touch with us yesterday to share the news that Portland is still in his plans. He’s scaling back live events and has turned his focus toward a new website which launched this week. Similar to his live shows Artcrank.com features 30 artists who’ve created bike-inspired posters.
Of the 30 artists featured in his first online exhibition, three of them are from Portland.
City looks for alternatives to door-zone bike lane on new street in South Waterfront
Yes, apparently city engineers sometimes use the Unipiper to designate bike lanes. We’ll call it affectionate good humor.
(Images from a city engineer’s design dated April 2015)
(Images from a city engineer’s design dated April 2015)
Well, this would definitely be odd if it happened.
Despite a continuing gusher of evidence that adding some sort of vertical separation to bike lanes makes them much better at getting people to actually ride bicycles, the City of Portland was, as recently as April, drawing up “preliminary” plans for an entirely new street in the South Waterfront that had a bike lane painted into the door zone of a road bed.
Two days after we emailed him about the plans, city spokesman Dylan Rivera said the sketch (which is dated May 5, 2015 and lists April 2015 as its “date approved”) was “per the 2009 city council approved street plan for the area” and that “we are considering other options.”
People on Bikes: Colombia
Avenida Carrera 11, Bogotá.
(Photos: M.Andersen/BikePortland)
(Photos: M.Andersen/BikePortland)
It’s likely that more bike trips happen in Bogotá, Colombia, than any other city in the Western Hemisphere.
With 8.8 million residents — a number that has grown by about 12,000 every month for the last 50 years — Bogotá’s estimated 4 percent of trips by bike makes it approximately as bikey as the Portland metro area (2.2 million, with about 2.2 percent of commutes by bike) but much, much bigger.
Join Us for Wonk Night and learn what’s next for Portland
Tilikum is soooo 2015.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
Next Wednesday (September 9th), just three days before the official opening of the Tilikum Crossing Bridge and the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Line, we’ll already be thinking about what comes next. And we’re not the only ones.
Portland’s elder statesman of transportation, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, told us in an interview back in December that he has made it his “personal mission” to get people to realize that after Tilikum there’s nothing in the federal pipeline. That marks the first time in over half a century that a major federal transportation project isn’t waiting to break ground.
This situation represents a major opportunity for the community to get educated and engaged about what should come next.