Pedalpalooza 2010

Just thought I'd add a post about the many great bike events going on in portland right now. Unfortunately I've been unaware of most of them till now, but will be riding today and tomorrow as miuch as I can. Take a look!

Padalpalooza

bike and sketch tonight looks interesting!

Spencer

2010 Bicycle Music Festival

Today I spent my spare time rummaging through dozens of bike blogs and stumbled upon this event. (An add on Xtracycle's front page was unavoidable) It's the Bicycle Music Festival held in San Fransisco every year (and like critical mass, is being enviously copied in cities around the world) and it looks like tons of fun. A full day of music, all bike powered, portable stage carried on bikes, bike rides and music tours critical mass style. I was particularly interested in the event because just over a year ago I was blown away by a performance of Shake Your Peace, an all bike touring band that carries guitars and a cello xtracycles and uses amplifiers powered by volunteers from the crowd willing to bike on the outdoor stage. The music and messages following were great and I was instantly interested in any other such events. Come to find out, Shake Your Peace has participated in BMF in the past and although I couldn't find a lineup of bands for this year, I wouldn't be surprised to hear Gabe's harmonica blaring and well used boots stomping in SF this year.

oh, and it's free. :-)

Here's a pretty detailed event page for you

I was so taken by the photos and concept of the event that when I finished describing it all to Sam, she hopped online and we are now seriously considering flying down and finding bikes to participate in this all day event. Everyone should seriously check it out and I hope to see you there!

happy riding in the meantime,

Spencer

Bike Provo and other gems

You may think it ironic that a resident of Portland would visit www.bikeprovo.org and be jealous, but that is exactly what happens. My most recent visit to the site sent me on an hour and a half surf of amazing bike sites, photos, blogs and articles. Provo is making great steps in the right direction and I'm thrilled to see the progress being made. It's also great to recognize names in the comments and photographs.
I was amazed by the article Zac wrote last week about the bike ban in Blackhawk Colorado. You can read more about it at the Blackhawk town website. I took a minute to write an e-mail to them with a few thoughts on cooperation with cyclists. You should send an e-mail with your thoughts as well. CityManager@CityofBlackHawk.org
Biking is much safer than driving. Some numbers here: www.ecovelo.info/2009/05/04/contrary-to-popular-belief/
Here's another awesome site which allows you to search business and locations within a 2 mile radius of your home. It's quite revealing how much is close by. So many of our necessities are so close to us today, its a blessing we shouldn't foul up by driving instead of biking or walking. Check it out: http: 2mile challenge

let me know your favorite bike sites,
happy riding!

Spencer

Adventures in Wonderland

Tonight Nomadic Theatre's Alice in Wonderland opens at the IFCC (Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center) at 8pm. Sam is stage managing, and Michael O'Neill is directing a version of the story written by University of Portland student Conner Eifler. I've seen a run through and it's very very good, introducing conflict and character that I've never seen in any previous versions. The show will run all of June, with performances at 8pm on Friday and Saturdays and 2pm on Sundays. 15$ for adults and 12$ for students. Check out broadwayworld.com for more info.

hope to see you there!

Spencer

Metropolis Bikes

Don't you love bike lanes? I do. Williams Ave in Portland is heavy in bike traffic during rush hour, connecting the North side of Portland with Downtown. Just a few blocks north of Broadway, and not too far from Mississippi Ave, you can find Metropolis Cycle Repair . I stopped in yesterday for the first time and a found their prices and on gear comparable with other shops, including brightly colored seats for 20$, an assortment of tools, and other accessories. It's convienient location, especially for the commuter in the area is definitely one of it's strong points. They also rent bikes through Pedal Bike Tours for those of you visiting or hosting bike-less guests. Check them out at their extremely efficient website :-) or drop by at 2249 N Williams Ave.

Spencer

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