One of the best things about bicycling in Portland isn't even in Portland. It's a small town called Vernonia. Situated a perfect day's ride from Portland (about 50 miles, or less if you take MAX to HIllsboro), Vernonia is nestled in the woods at the end of about 20 miles of the smoothly paved Banks-Vernonia [...]

Not as flashy as most people think. (Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) People who ride bikes at night consistently overestimate their visibility to other road users, a new study has found. They also overlook a few tricks, like reflective strips around the ankles and knees, that can help the most. The report, led by Joanne Woo

Even before Blackman and his two co-founders started paying themselves, they were renting a workspace with bike parking and showers and buying a TriMet pass for every Elemental employee.Sponsor BikePortland.org. Advertise here.

Welcome to a new week of bike news. Before we get started, let's look back at the noteworthy stories you might have missed last week... — There was a big debate last week about people who break traffic laws while bicycling. It started with a post on The Atlantic Cities titled, "Cyclists Aren't 'Special,' and They [...]

The City Club of Portland, a respected local civic institution founded in 1916, will release their comprehensive research study on bicycling in Portland on May 31st. On that same day, bicycling will be the subject of their Friday Forum speaking series (speaker TBD) which will be attended by Portland's movers and shakers at

"We really do not have a problem with mountain biking at all. In fact, we would affirmatively support mountain bike access on Mt. Hood and we'd love to build allegiances with those folks, but we just don't believe this is the proper place for this development."— Rhett Lawrence, Conservation Director, Sierra Club (Oregon C

We weren't so hot in 1990. Scroll down to see how we're doing now. It's always interesting to look back and see how bicycling has grown in Portland over the decades. Back in October 2005 I took some slides from a presentation by PBOT Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller and put together a GIF showing the development of [...]

Hang out with Don Kruger at his farm on Sauvie Island this Sunday.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Before you finalize all your weekend riding plans, I wanted to highlight three events that deserve your attention. Tomorrow is the American Lung Association's big annual Reach the Beach ride. It's the 23rd year for this popul

It just keeps growing, and growing, and...(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) In a report released this morning, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) says bicycle traffic counts for 2012 were up 3.3 percent over 2011 levels. These counts, which have been conducted annually since 1991, provide an important barometer for

The great bike-related job opportunities keep coming in. We had a diverse selection of Job Listings posted this past week. Check them out via the links below... Bike Mechanic - Sunset Cycles Policy and Government Affairs Manager - Cascade Bicycle Club Manufacturing Materials Processor - Chris King Precision Components Team

ODOT's org chart. I came across something interesting while perusing some Oregon Transportation Commission meeting materials: the 2012 ODOT Sustainability Progress Report (PDF). The report covers a number of things; from how much paper the agency uses to the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted by their vehicle fleet.

Lance Marcus died Tuesday night while driving on SW Barbur Blvd.(Photo: Facebook profile) 45 year-old Lance Marcus died on Tuesday night after driving his car into a power pole on SW Barbur Blvd near Miles Street. The Portland Police report that Marcus was driving "at a high rate of speed" before he hit the pole. Back in [

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales crossing E Burnside at 16th as a decoy in a police enforcement action this morning.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) After playing the role of decoy in a crosswalk enforcement mission this morning, Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has firmly cemented safety as his top transportation priority. Under

The Historic Columbia River Highway is a bicycling gem. And it just keeps getting even better.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) This guest article was written by ODOT's Region 1 Transit and Active Transportation Liaison Jessica Horning and ODOT's Historic Columbia River Highway project coordinator Kristen Stallman. The Hist

Seattle resident Jan Heine is a very respected figure in the bicycling world. As editor of Bicycle Quarterly, a magazine that delves deeply into bicycle design and randonneuring, he has a large and loyal following. So when he published a lengthy blog post yesterday that was highly critical of the "worrisome trend" in the U.

The epic 2007 Bridge Pedal bottleneck at the Ross Island Bridge.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Registration opened yesterday for the 18th annual Bridge Pedal ride. Organizers have unveiled a few new features to the ride this year, including — for the first time ever — registration caps to keep the size of the rides t

Local frame builders Travis Cooper (left) and Joshua Bryant will share their craft with the public at Velo Cult. (Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Since they moved to Portland from San Diego just over one year ago, Velo Cult Bike Shop & Tavern has proven that the old rules don't apply when it comes to [...]

ECHOS Communications, a marketing agency based in Sausalito, California with deep roots in the cycling industry and San Francisco-based Chrome Industries, announced this morning that they've launched the Urban Cycling Hall of Fame. The mission of the UCHOF is to "celebrate the culture of urban cycling and showcase the histo

Everywhere we turn these days it seems there are signs that bicycling means business. Whether it's impacts to tourism, property values, sales receipts, or economic and urban development — the case is very strong. Another major component of the "bikes mean business" mantra relates directly to how having a bike-friendly wor

Detail of proposed sign. See larger image below. Responding to concerns about poor quality bike access on two narrow bridges on SW Barbur Blvd, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has proposed a new flashing sign that would warn road users about the presence of bicycle traffic. The new sign is being considered a

Smashed window at Chrome store.(Photo: Chrome Industries) Thieves smashed the large front window of the Chrome Industries store at 425 SW 10th Avenue in Portland in the wee hours of Monday morning. According to Store Manager Lilly Eidsness, they broke the glass and "grabbed whatever they could reach." In this case that wa

Photo taken last week at the Go By Bike shop under the Aerial Tram. "Only" 175 bikes parked that day.(Photo: Kiel Johnson) What started as a mobile bike shop operated out of a small trailer near the Portland Aerial Tram in the summer of 2011 has turned into one of the largest daily bike valet services [...]

Cover of report. A report released today by Transportation for America and the OSPIRG Foundation calls on government agencies to "re-assess transportation policies" in light of continued statistical evidence that Americans are driving less. "The slowdown in driving is likely to continue," reads A New Direction: Our Changin

"We welcome bicyclists at our drive-through lanes... riding a bike is just the kind of healthy, environmentally-friendly activity we welcome at our stores."— James Graham, Walgreens corporate media relations Walgreens, America's largest drug store chain, has responded to concerns that one of their policies unfairly exclu

Believe it or not, those are bike racks!(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) Yesterday I finally got a chance to visit The Fields, Portland's newest neighborhood park. Situated on NW Overton between 10th and 11th at the northern end of the Pearl District, The Fields is a beautiful addition to our city. It's got fantastic views

Ryan Gaughan at Rickson's ghost bike on May 18th, 2012.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) This coming Thursday will mark one year since the tragic death of 28 year-old Kathryn Rickson. On the night of May 16th, Rickson was riding downhill on SW Madison Ave just one block from City Hall when a man driving a large delivery [..

Riding on the NE 7th Ave bike lane through the Lloyd.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Bike Score (the same folks that created the more widely-known Walk Score) have ranked Portland as the #1 "most bikeable" large city in the United States. In their rankings, which were released today to coincide with National Bike to Work W

The new buffer will be completed this week (brown area is parking lane).(Photo: PBOT) The Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is taking advantage of a paving project to improve bicycle access on a major street in northeast Portland. On Friday, PBOT announced a new buffered bike lane is coming to NE Cully Blvd between Prescott

"People who drive less than average tend to subsidize their neighbors who drive more than average."— Todd Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute Welcome to Monday. We've got a lot of great stories to bring you this week. But before we do, below are a few of the noteworthy items and other fun stuff you might have [..

This east Portland resident knows how to roll in Sunday Parkways.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) We've got another weekend full of great bike events here in the Portland area. As you plan things out, peruse some of my selections below... Saturday, May 11th Sharrows to Sparrows Southeast - 9:00 am This ride is all about acc