🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏

County installs speed bumps to slow down riders on Hawthorne Bridge viaduct

New rumble strips Hawthorne Bridge-1

Five new bike speed bumps greet riders heading
onto the Hawthorne Bridge sidewalk.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Multnomah County has installed a series of speed bumps (a.k.a. rumble strips) on SE Madison Ave as it approaches the Hawthorne Bridge (westbound). The bumps are aimed at reducing bicycling speeds as riders transition from the on-street bike lane up a ramp to the shared sidewalk which also happens to be the location of a TriMet bus stop. This bike lane is slightly downhill and bike speeds are relatively high.

There are five bumps placed about two feet apart and they’re made up of thermoplastic strips about an eighth-of-an-inch think. That might not seem very high, but on a bicycle the bumps can definitely be felt — especially for riders with narrow tires. We’ve heard a lot of feedback so far that not only are the bumps jarring but many people swerve into the adjacent vehicle lane to avoid them.

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Burnt orange Trek Portland 2007

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2007
Brand: Trek
Model: Portland
Color:Burnt orange
Size:54cm
Serial: WL3508331
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2013-11-7
Stolen From: My home’s detached garage at 2617 NE 13th Ave, Portland
Neighborhood: Irvington
Owner: Adrian Varela
OwnerEmail: aevarela(A T)yahoo.com
Reward: $100
Description: 2007 Trek Portland 54cm, burnt orange, black grip tape and seat, black planet bike fenders, Avid disc brakes, Shimano 105 shifters, detailers, cranks, Bontrager wheels (paired spokes on front, traditional spoke config on rear wheel) and Bontrager racelight tires. Bontrager rear rack, Bontrager computer on R side of handlebars, Nightrider light mounted to L side of handlebars with battery pack on stem.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13011457
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Cyclocross interview series: OBRA Executive Director Kenji Sugahara

A visit with Senator Jeff Merkley-8

OBRA Executive Director Kenji Sugahara
in the office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
in March 2012.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Welcome to the fourth installment in our series audio interviews with local cyclocross personalities. We’ve partnered with the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) to broadcast these interviews in advance of their 2013 Cyclocross Championship event coming to Troutdale on November 9th. (Yes, we realize that’s this weekend!)

This week’s interview is with OBRA Executive Director Kenji Sugahara. Sugahara has led the organization since 2008 and during his tenure cyclocross participation has skyrocketed. In addition to his capable leadership of OBRA, Sugahara has also branched out into bicycle advocacy as a board member of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and involvement with Travel Oregon’s bicycle tourism development efforts.

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Brown Giant Reign X2 2008

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2008
Brand: Giant
Model: Reign X2
Color:Brown
Size:Large
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/R2qDXkS.jpg
Stolen in Beaverton, OR 97229
Stolen:2013-11-7
Stolen From: Cedar Mill
Neighborhood: Cedar Mill
Owner: Jeff Larson
OwnerEmail: leftcoastjefe(at sign)yahoo.com
Reward: 100
Description: They did not get the front wheel so it will be missing or mismatched wheel set (I still have the front). New SLX brakes. 40mm hussefelt stem. Handlebars have orange stripes. Torn black and white saddle.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

The appeal of e-bikes: 5 facts from a new study

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Jeff Bernards new e-bike-2

Conversions, like this bike with a unit from E-BikeKit,
are more common than e-bikes off the showroom floor.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

After years of being theoretically exciting, electrically assisted bikes are finally becoming common in the United States — enough for people to start studying their many benefits.

A new study by John MacArthur of OTREC at Portland State University offers some early results about the people e-bikes serve, the ways they get used and their possible role in reducing auto dependence in U.S. cities.

Here are a few useful facts from MacArthur’s presentation (PDF) at a PSU Friday transportation seminar last month:

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Landscapers, please stop blowing leaves into bike lanes – UPDATED

Leaves in bike lane_

Landscape crews at Rose City Golf Course
in northeast Portland have blown leaves into
the bike lane on NE Tillamook.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

It’s that time of year when the beauty of fall becomes a bane to bike riders.

We marveled at the leaves last month and rejoiced while riding through them. But now that we’ve gotten soaked and many of these leaves haven’t been swept up, they have become yet another unnecessary annoyance that adds to the dangers and difficulty of bicycling during this time of year.

Unfortunately, it’s not just Mother Nature or a lack of city sweeping that’s causing this problem. We’ve seen for ourselves and have had readers contact us about landscaping crews that are blowing leaves into bike lanes.

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Grey Felt Cafe 7 Men’s 2013

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2013
Brand: Felt
Model: Cafe 7 Men’s
Color:Grey
Serial: AJ20089384400101223818
Stolen in Portland, OR 97218
Stolen:2013-11-01
Stolen From: Behind house at NE 47th Ave and NE Prescott Ave. Cable lock was cut.
Neighborhood: Cully
Owner: Jennifer Dekany
OwnerEmail: sparklefurr(AT)gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: Grey frame with brown leather seat and hand grips. Black plastic fenders added. Burley trailer hitch, bottle cage, lock mount, under seat bag with spare tire kit, front head lamp.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-158574
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Blumenauer urges Portland bike makers to forge new industry alliance

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, top left, with local bike
makers at the United Bicycle Institute Wednesday.
(Photo by M. Andersen/BikePortland)

(Jonathan Maus contributed to this story.)

Portland is nationally known as the city with the highest number of bike riders. But when it comes to making bikes, our reputation is about quality, not quantity. We’re known for custom, handcrafted bikes, but not for producing them in large numbers. The city’s mature cluster of bike makers could change that if they teamed up, representatives of the local industry’s small businesses agreed at a roundtable discussion led by U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer on Wednesday.

The event was convened by Rep. Blumenauer, who said he’d “dedicated my life” to making biking a big part of the city and would happily look for ways to help the industry itself become “the next part of the Oregon identity” if they can offer a clear list of ideas within the next few months. The event was a more focused follow-up to a visit to the same location by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce in September.

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black trek 4900

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Brand: trek
Model: 4900
Color:black
Size:silver
Serial: WTU270C0926D
Stolen in Portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2013-11-3
Stolen From: Fowler and winshell street
Neighborhood: University park
Owner: stephanie roulon
OwnerEmail: sroulon(AT)yahoo.com
Reward: yes
Description: PSU Vbike, it is a rental. has a rear rack. yellow fenders
Police record with: Portland
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Bianchi Pista

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Brand: Bianchi
Model: Pista
Color:Black
Photo: https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1456696_10202616537360170_282488525_n.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2013-11-5
Stolen From: 308 NE Ainsworth St. Portland, OR 97211 (NE Garfield & Ainsworth near MLK)
Neighborhood: Piedmont Neighborhood
Owner: Megan Ferguson
OwnerEmail: circa1638(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Reward: We will pay ANY sum of money for this bike back, no questions asked.
Description: Unfortunately that photo is the best we have. Written physical description: The bike is a Bianchi Pista single-speed spray painted entirely flat black. Saddle “Felt” saddle black with large white lettering across. Front wheel has a blue stripe. One front hand brake. Handle bars black, straight, narrow with black “Oura” grips- one side is punched in. “Felt” saddle is black with large white lettering. Strap in pedals with white leather straps.

NOTE that the frame has mostly black & white stickers throughout, with a few ones with red. Some of the stickers say “Schrag”. This is Stacy Schrag’s memorial bike.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13011402
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

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