the bike hub

I sometimes hop onto the yellow line at Portland State University, and last week while waiting for it to arrive, I dropped into the bike hub, PSU's bike shop. The products were pretty standard, which a good selection of everything. All of the price tags contained 2 prices, one for members and one for the rest of us. I asked about the member prices, which were often much lower, and the girl at the desk said for 15$ PSU students could purchase a 3 month membership giving them member prices and access to several fully equipped repair stations! I was impressed, and wished I were a PSU student (many of the member discounts were close to 15$ cheaper anyway, so it would be worth the membership after only a purchase or two) I was impressed with the program, and recommend it to all PSU students with a bike!

here they are:

www.pdx.edu/bikehub/

till next time

It's all about sharing, and biking

The second bike shop I'd like to mention this week is the 'Citybikes Workers Cooperative'. This is a dream bikeshop for all tinkerers, mechanics, and people tired of walking into bike shops where the price tags make you wonder if biking actually IS cheaper than owning a car. Unique in it's operation and service, Citybikes sells a huge range of used parts, and not just your typical handlebars, wheels and tires, but all the way down to lock washers, coaster brake hubs, assorted schwinn derailler parts, and used shoes as well. The work-shop atmosphere coupled with the vast array of parts and people fixing bikes makes Citybikes the most active funtional bikeshop I've seen so far. Short on time, I wasn't able to talk to the workers who were busy helping customers, but I did do some price comparing and found there new products competetively priced, and their used parts a steal. I highly recommend dropping by, and next time I'm in, provided they are not swamped like they were yesterday, I'll be sure to talk to an employee about the shop's history and policies as a workers cooperative.

Here's a blog with some photos:

green adventures

as well as Citybike's webpage:

www.citybikes.coop/index.html

more shop reviews to come!

Spencer

best bikeshop find so far

Over the past few days I've been biking home from work across Portland, stopping at shops i see along the way. Usually bike shops. And comic shops. So far my favorite bike shop is definitely North Portland Bike Works, http://www.northportlandbikeworks.org/ located on Mississippi Ave, not far from downtown, nestled amongst a menagerie of other curious and inviting stores, NoPo Bike Works has good prices, friendly staff and a few unique finds. As far as accessories and a scattering of used parts goes, I think they excel. They also host community repair night every 2nd Tuesday of the month (which I have yet to attend). I found their selection and pricing on panniers and jackets not very competitive with other locations I've visited, but such finds as brightly colored seats for 25$, large variety of well priced handlebar tape (in a rainbow of colors, my favorites hiding in the glass counter), bins of discount items, inexpensive bike racks, pumps, etc and free bike lane maps for Portland and the larger metro area definitely offset that for me. As soon as my next paycheck arrives, you know where I'll be.

:-)

happy biking,

Spencer

Another Adventure Blog

Because you all know that one is DEFINITELY not enough.....

www.themisadventuresofsamandspencer.blogspot.com

Seattle's Pike's Place Market is way beyond rad, by the way. GO

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=false

Spencer