tori bortman
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: Getting ready for the long haul
As I demonstrate, a road bike with a trailer can work on a multi-day tour (just make sure the gearing will get you up the hills).(Photo: Daniel Sharp)
Optimize your Ride: Working on the chain, gang
Publisher’s note: This article was written by Tori Bortman. In the coming weeks, Tori will help you Optimize Your Ride by sharing her bike repair tips, tricks and perspectives. Lube it up, wipe it down.(Photos by Daniel Sharp) Today’s topic: the chain. The chain is one of the easiest parts to maintain on your bike; … Read more
Guest Article: Get your bike ready for spring
This guest article was written by Tori Bortman, owner and operator of Gracie’s Wrench, which offers private and group bike maintenance clinics (and more). Tori wrote a similar article for us last spring, but this one’s new and improved! Spring is coming!(Photos © J. Maus) Thanks to El Nino, spring has officially sprung a bit … Read more
Guest article: Spring cleaning tips from a pro wrench
Tori Bortman(Photos © J. Maus) Editor’s Note: This article was written by guest author Tori Bortman. Tori is very active in the local bike scene. She’s a co-host of the KBOO Bike Show, a promoter of bike polo and women-only alleycats, and she’s the proprietor of her own bike mechanic training business, Gracie’s Wrench (which … 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