Tested: The Orp bike horn and light combo

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The Orp smart horn-2

The Orp in black.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Bells are the rare bike accessory that hasn’t really changed much in the past century or so. While shifting and braking and other bike tech has evolved considerably over the years, many people still use bells that would seem right at home on a high-wheeler. (I personally have two bells I use almost every day — both made of brass that’s dinged with a low-tech, spring-actuated lever.)

Then there’s the Orp, a product invented and designed right here in Portland by Tory Orzeck that’s decidedly modern in its looks, feel, and sound. I’ve been using the Orp since last summer in all sorts of conditions and I’m finally ready to share my impressions.

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After success of 3rd Avenue demonstration in Old Town, real changes are coming

Better Block

A temporary crosswalk across 3rd Avenue, crossing one lane of mixed traffic and one protected bike lane, on Oct. 4.
(Photo: Greg Raisman)

Two months after a three-day demo of a human-oriented 3rd Avenue captured many visitors’ imaginations, permanent changes are afoot.

The city is proposing to spend $10,000 next spring to add paint to 14 unmarked crosswalks on NW 2nd, 3rd and 4th between Burnside and Glisan. Several nearby properties have just changed hands. And Howard Weiner, chair of the Old Town Community Association, is working on plans that could bring much larger changes to the area.

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Weekend Event Guide: BikeCraft, Rudolph, the Outback, and more

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It’s BikeCraft weekend!
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Welcome to your menu of weekend rides and events, lovingly brought to you by our friends at Hopworks Urban Brewery.

As we get ever closer to the end of the year, a few traditions are among us. One of them is BikeCraft, an event near and dear to our hearts here at BikePortland. It’s an excellent place to find great gifts for bike lovers and re-connect with friends old and new.

There’s also a sing-along ride on the schedule. Tom Howe is leading a Rudolph-themed ride through downtown that is sure to be fun. And if you’re shy, don’t worry, there will be plenty of people on the ride and there’s safety in numbers!

Whatever you do, we hope you stay warm and dry out there.

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Truck drivers are using Portland’s marquee cycle track as loading zone

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You can’t park there. Seriously. It’s a City Code violation.
(Photo: Kiel Johnson)

Ask Portland bike advocates, planners, or city staff what our best example of a high-quality bikeway is and many of them might say the SW Moody cycle track. That’s why we were so disappointed when photos appeared on Twitter yesterday showing large delivery trucks parking on it.

SW Moody is the main artery between the burgeoning South Waterfront district and downtown Portland. Its cycle track opened three years ago (read my first impressions here) and was funded through a $23 million federal stimulus grant that also paid for a reconstruction of the street to facilitate a streetcar and light rail line that connect to the new Tilikum Bridge.

A new mixed-use development on SW Moody includes several ground-level retail businesses including a bakery and a deli. According to people who ride the route regularly, it’s common to see delivery trucks using the cycle track to load and unload.

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James Beard Market plans could be chance to fix Morrison Bridge bike access issues

beard market birdseye sketch

An indoor food market planned for the west side of the Morrison Bridge might bring the money needed to improve Portland’s newest and arguably most awkward downtown bridge landing.

At an open house and design forum on Saturday, Dec. 13, the public will get its first big chance to review and weigh in on the proposal to convert the little-used parking lots inside the bridge’s cloverleafs to a space inspired by Vancouver BC’s Granville Island or Copenhagen’s Torvehallerne. A local biking advocate, who identified the opportunity, is urging people who care about the area to join him in attending.

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Job: Warehouse Worker – Castelli USA

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title
Warehouse Worker

Company/Organization
Castelli USA

Job Description
Castelli USA is seeking a full-time Warehouse Worker for our warehouse in NE Portland. The position performs various warehouse functions (picking, packing, shipping, receiving, etc.). Applicants should be highly motivated with an attention to detail and a team player.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Picking orders correctly, quickly and efficiently
• Packing and shipping orders using UPS Small Package plus some freight
• Receiving inbound products and putting away on shelves
• Keeping warehouse neat and clean
• Helping with physical inventory counts
• Process returns from customers
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS
• Must be detail oriented and organized
• Must have a positive attitude and be highly motivated
• Must be punctual and maintain a good attendance record

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
• High School Diploma
• 1-2 years Warehouse experience
• Basic PC skills, Word, Excel, Outlook, UPS Worldship

Our offices are in the Hollywood/Laurelhurst district of NE Portland and close to MAX and bike routes. We offer competitive salary, health care, 401k, profit sharing, PTO, and a generous product allowance.

How to Apply
Send your resume and cover letter to Mike Sheppard, Director of Operations at msheppard@castelli-us.com

Collision between driver and bike rider on Williams

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williamsliead

The scene.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

There was a collision on N Williams this evening at around 5:30 pm.

It happened just south of Fremont right outside New Seasons market. Fire and police units responded but there were no serious injuries.

I happened to roll up on the scene about a half-hour after it happened. The driver and the bike rider were still at the scene. I spoke to both parties and they were both very shaken up by what happened.

According to the man who was driving the car, he was coming up Williams in the left lane. He works off of NE Broadway and lives in Vancouver. Just north of Cook, he noticed another driver who was “nosing out” of the New Seasons parking lot. (There is a major construction site between Cook and New Seasons that has fencing and other materials coming right up to the bike lane. In order to see around the construction zone, people in cars must nose out in order to see oncoming traffic.)

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Agenda set for the Portland Bike Theft Summit

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We’re just one week away from the first ever Portland Bike Theft Summit, sponsored by Bike Index. To refresh your memory it’s happening next Wednesday, December 10th from 6-9:00 pm at Velo Cult Bike Shop and Tavern (1969 NE 42nd Ave).

Things are coming together nicely and we’re excited to share the event agenda. We’ve worked hard to get all the key local players in the same room to inspire and inform our next steps in the effort to thwart bike theft. If you come to the summit you’ll get to meet other community advocates who are working on this issue and you’ll get to know (and learn from) key players who are in the trenches of the battle on a daily basis.

We’ve confirmed attendance from representatives from many agencies and organizations including: the Portland Police Bureau, Mayor Charlie Hales’ office, the Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement Crime Prevention program, the Bureau of Transportation, Portland Parks & Recreation, Bike Index, Project 529, the Multnomah County DA’s office, business owners, and more.

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Bike riders and bikeways loom large in Burnside Bridgehead development boom

419 e bunside approach from couch

A 158-unit building proposed at 419 E. Burnside would feature a “bicycle lounge,” possibly with free coffee and video games.
(Images: Myhre Group Architects)

After two decades of waiting for Portland’s bike network to arrive downtown, it looks like downtown is headed for Portland’s bike network.

Now that life on the city’s eastside grid has exploded in popularity (and therefore in expense), major developers are making a lunge across the Burnside Bridge in an effort to bring 9-story living to the east side of the Willamette.

And as construction start dates approach for the first projects of the so-called “Burnside Bridgehead,” the excellent bike access is turning out to be central to their plans.

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From the Archives

The good, the bad, and the ugly on the Oregon Coast Bike Route