Business News Roundup: North St. Bags, Portland Design Works, Gracie’s Wrench
New products and saying goodbye to a beloved local bike business.
Gracie’s Wrench
Gal by Bike: Dispatch from a bike maintenance class
When it comes to getting dirty and working on your bike, “Ya just gotta do it!”
Optimize your Ride: Fighting brake dust (and that horrible screech)
Make a clean sweep of grime.(Photos: Daniel Sharp) When you break it down, your bicycle only needs to do two things: Go and stop. In our last column we discussed the go (chains), today we’ll delve into the stop (brakes). The Pacific Northwest is known for many things, but one of the most insidious is … Read more
Back-to-school at Gracie’s Wrench
When it comes to bike repair and maintenance, I’m one of those people who knows just enough to mess things up. So last night, one other student and I joined Tori Bortman in the basement of her home in north Portland to learn the secrets of bike repair from a pro. By day, Tori works … Read more
Local mechanic offers private lessons
[Tori Bortman] Here’s something I could really use…Tori Bortman has started a mechanic school in her basement. An experienced mechanic (most recently at North Portland Bikeworks) and teacher, Tori is offering both structured courses and one-on-one tutoring. According to Tori: “…there seems to be a need for folks who are looking to learn how to … Read more