January 31, 2007

Memorial Alleycat: Ali Cat

Ali Al-Salman was a mellow, calm local cyclist who recently passed away. In his honor, a group of cyclists is organizing an alleycat race. The cleverly-titled Ali Cat starts at 6p on Friday at the Lucky Lab NW.

FROM THE ORGANIZERS:
In honor of Ali, our calm and mellow-paced friend who recently died, join us for an all-out, high-paced citywide alleycat race.

The Ali Cat
The New Lucky Lab
1945 NW Quimby
Friday, February 2nd
Registration at 6PM
$1 entry fee (no cash prize...but there are prizes)

Never raced in an alleycat? This is a great one to start with. It'll be fun.
Be sure to bring a map, something to write with, and your fastest legs.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 9:49 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 30, 2007

Register Today for the Worst Day of the Year Ride

The Worst Day of the Year Ride is really kickin' this year. This great ride is a benefit for the Community Cycling Center and it is already nearly half full. I'm helping put the ride together and we've decided to cap it at 1,500 riders to ensure every has a good time. We want to keep the roads wide open and the hot chocolate flowing.

So if you are not yet registered, get on it! Online, in-store and day-of registration will all close early if the ride sells out. Maybe you're waiting to see what the weather's like that day, but if you wait too long, you just might miss out.

Are you riding? Are you excited?

[ REGISTER NOW ]

Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 4:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

Locals Rock the Cyclocross Worlds

Erik Tonkin of Portland is one of a group of Oregonians competing or working at the UCI (International Cycling Union) Cyclocross World Championships. He and fellow Portlander/his wife Rhonda Mazza raced on Sunday. Erik filed some dispatches for the Oregonian and Jonathan Maus did a great write up on BikePortland.org.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:46 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 27, 2007

How to Charge your Phone While Touring

I'm always saying that we need to harness the power generated by our bicycles and do something with it - besides propel ourselves forward. I think it would be awesome if stationary bikes at gyms could power the lights or TVs. Generator hub aficionados agree with me as they light up sans batteries. So here's a cool gadget: a cell phone charger that's bike powered. My first thought: perfect for bike touring if you need a phone. I mean, of course I highly recommend turning the phone off and going without (but having it in an emergency). After all, you simply cannot enjoy the gorgeous scenery touring affords you if you're chattering away on a phone.

Next up: when are they going to come up with a universal bike-powered docking station that accommodates a variety of devices? I want to charge my rechargeable batteries during the day - giving me endless hours on my camera or computer or bike lights.

[ more photos ]

Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 9:43 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 26, 2007

Rush Hour, Williams Style

My favorite way to head home from the downtown Portland is to take the Broadway. From Weidler, I turn into the small driveway of what used to be the Ramada to trigger the "Roger Geller" signal, a special bike-sensitive signal that will activate the stoplight at Williams and Weidler. This maneuver is easier than trying to get across three busy lanes of traffic for a left-hand turn. It's casually called the Roger Geller signal because the man himself uses that route and came up with the signal. Roger is the city of Portland's long-standing Bicycle Coordinator and a pioneer of much of Portland's innovative bicycle infrastructure.

On Tuesday I most definitely wasn't alone in this little maneuver: there were eight of us. We all hit Williams, then I watched the peloton form and the commuters jostle for a comfortable position in the line. The racer guy immediately got right out into the car lane and whizzed past us all. He was soon invisible. I hung back to watch the action. Two people knew each other and were having a hard time continuing their conversation so they turned off onto a side street. The rest of us trucked north-bound, a tight pack of bikers - visible and making great use of the bike lane.

Comments (3) | Posted by orbike at 7:56 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 25, 2007

More Shuttles for 2007

The shuttle schedule for the 2007 Mt. Bike Oregon has just been released. It's jam packed. You've got some serious deciding to do. They're all great, but which combo will leave you exhaused and exhilirated at the end of each day? Ride guides who truly know those trails will be at the event to help you pick, and to tell you more about each ride.

In the meantime, take a look at this incredible shuttle list.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 8:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 24, 2007

Worst Day of the Year Ride

I just spoke with Jim, a Worst Day of the Year Ride rider who is already planning out his costume. He's got an elaborate wig-cape combo planned. Part Halloween costume 2006, part some other costume he found in his basement. Sounds great, Jim! I think this awesome ride is going to be better than ever this year. You don't have to come in costume, but everyone who does is guaranteed to
* Have a great time
* Have more fun than non-costumed riders
* Get a free set of Tireflys
* Have a chance to win prizes from Showers Pass and more.

And remember, this ride will sell out so register online or instore in advance.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:02 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 21, 2007

Non-Messengers Take the Alleycat

At yesterday's Stairway to Hell alleycat, a team of three non-messengers took the race by storm. They didn't come in first, but they did very well. Though open to everyone, Alleycat races are organized by messengers and typically raced by messengers. It's assumed that the messengers will place well - after all they navigate the streets at high speeds all day on their bikes. In an alleycat, there is no set route, just a series of check points and obstacles that must be conquered. In the case of this ride, the main obstacle was a 800 vertical feet staircase.

Three Shift bikers, Ken Southerland, Sang Park and Carl Larson, took fifth, sixth and seventh place. They're not the ultra hip messenger types, they're just commuters. In fact, they want to race again and outfit their bikes with bike buckets and panniers.

See photos here on Tom Rolf's blog.

Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 5:53 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 19, 2007

North Cali Represents at Mt. Bike Oregon

Mt. Bike Oregon has always been popular with riders from Northern California. Last year they represented a huge percentage of all Mt. Bike Oregon Riders. So what do they have up their sleeves for this year? We just saw this come in on the North Cali MTBR forum.

Just registered. :thumbsup: My wife is counting it as an early bday present even though I'll get it after my birthday. Any news/info on the charter bus? I would only need a ride back but would be willing to pitch in. ... Travis

That's right, they're renting a charter bus. Mt. Bike Oregon is truly the mt. biker's dream getaway. Have you registered yet? The event isn't until July and August, but like so many of our other great local rides, it will sell out, so register early.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 11:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 18, 2007

Want to Ride Free?

I know, it's true, a lot of us who ride bikes are deal-seekers. There is no shame in that! We like swap meets, we cruise Craigslist for bike deals, we like free stuff. Sometimes we ride because it's the cheap way to go. Well, here's an opportunity to ride for free on the Worst Day of the Year Ride.

Simply put, this ride is THE bike thing to be doing in February in Oregon. If you volunteer, you can ride for free. See the website for details and sign up. Positions are filling up quickly so sign up today.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 5:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 17, 2007

Pictures of a Snowy Day

What do you do on a snow day? Well, if you're as lucky as me, your boss gives you the day off because he understands that we should appreciate such a rare Oregon moment. And we here at Team ORbike love to enjoy life! That's why we live to ride, ride to live, and strive to promote biking in Oregon. So once noon hit and we were encouraged to drop our projects and play in the snow, I headed out into the winter wonderland with my friends Dan and Nikola.

I tried biking but didn't get far. I'm giving it another go today. I did, however, see my regular yellow-clad neighborhood commuter, as well as plenty of other brave souls on bikes. I saw a few guys just riding around the park, and several carrying sleds on their backs. Later in the night I ran into a group of friends. Two were on a tandem (double the stability, or double the slippage?) and one had switched out her commuter bike in favor of the knobby mt. bike.

Too bad this weather couldn't wait until February 11 to arrive.

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January 16, 2007

A Snowy Commute

It's 8:20 am and there are still no car tracks on my sleepy NE Portland street. The street is a pure sheet of white. It makes me wonder if I'll see the yellow-clad cyclist who make is way past my house every day like clockwork.

Did you commute by bike in the snow? How was your ride?

Comments (9) | Posted by orbike at 8:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 11, 2007

Bike Commuter of the Year

River City Bicycles just sent out an announcement that they are looking for the Bike Commuter of the Year. You can nominate yourself or someone you know. Here's more info:

You can nominate yourself or someone you know based on whatever you deem worthy to win: consistency, mileage, politeness, style, attitude, usage (or non) of brakes and helmets... whatever you want.

We'll accept nominations written, emailed, drawn as a picture, videoed hand signed, tattooed, in song, etc.

The winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to RCB, and best of all, they get our ad spot in the Willamette Weekly for one week. We will run whatever message they want to say to the world in our ad space.

Bring in your nomination to River City Bicycles anytime between now an March 1st. The winner will be drawn from a pool of worthy candidates during the first day of our annual Anniversary Sale on March 2nd.

Submit your nominations to:

River City Bicycles
706 SE MLK BLVD.
Portland, Oregon 97214
(503) 233-5973 (503) 233-6862 fax
promotions@rivercitybicycles.com

Questions? Contact me, or Dave Guettler at:

Jason D. Bietz
Events & Promotions Mgr.
River City Bicycles
503-233-5973
jasonb@rivercitybicycles.com
daveg@rivercitybicycles.com

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:50 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 10, 2007

Worst?? Day of the Year Ride

It has become a great Portland joke: The Worst Day of the Year Ride happens on what should be the worst day of the year, but hasn't been since the ride started. Oh sure, one year there was hail, but that was only after all the riders left - but the cleanup crew was still trying to haul boxes into the trucks. So it's cute, the coincidence that this ride is always on a nice day - but will it happen again this year?

The ride's resident meteorologist, the Icy Monkey, is predicting great weather. He also consulted with the Farmer's Almanac, which forecasts drier but colder weather. I think we'll all just have to head out that day and see for ourselves! But if you're not registered yet, do it right away. The limited 1,500 rider slots are filling up quickly. This event will sell out.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 10:55 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 9, 2007

New ORbike Newsletter

The latest ORbike newsletter has just hit the streets, talking about all sorts of wintertime activity. Did you get one delivered to your mailbox? If not, you should join our newsletter list here. You can read past newsletters here.

Comments (0) | Posted by orbike at 3:43 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 8, 2007

Winter Tips

It was really icy the other morning and reminded me that though we're experiencing a pretty mild winter in most parts of Oregon, the ice and snow could still hit us. And I, for one, don't want to stop riding. So here is a compilation of winter riding tips from us and from around the internet.

Go for it! Way to be riding in the winter! Not everyone is bold enough to do it. It's the getting started part that is hard. Once you're out there, you'll be glad you are. And you can always come home to a nice hot bath, or if you're heading to work you can relax into a chair with a warm drink.

Bring extra socks. Keep a pair of thick, cozy socks in your bag. If you don't have rain booties or you didn't wear them because it was supposed to only be a short trip in light rain, these fresh dry socks and do an amazing job or re-warming you..

Rain and dirt = a clunky, squeaky bike. You're going to need to clean your bike and lube the chain more often to keep it functioning well in the winter. Plan ahead and spend some time doing this. How often? That depends on how often you ride.

Light up.Stay well lit on these long dark days. Small blinking white lights don't do the trick. They're economical, durable and the batteries last a long time, but motorists consistently report that they just can't see them from far away. Keep your batteries fresh. It's a small price to pay for being visible. If you haven't changed your batteries in a long time, you'll be amazed at how much brighter your lights are. Front and rear.

Don't tense up on ice and snow.Try to pedal smoothly and relax your upper body, especially on ice and soft snow. When the bike starts going sideways, make small corrections rather than oversteering and weaving down the trail. Practice riding in a straight line when the trail is good so it's easier under bad conditions. On some soft trails, higher speeds take less effort than lower speeds because your tires sink into the snow less at higher speed. When riding in a group on soft trails, have the weaker, less skilled or badly equipped riders lead so they can use the trail before the better riders cut it up.

Don't risk the leaves. Wet leaves are amazingly slick. Don't risk it. Take corners slowly. Sewer covers can be slick as well.

Layer up. You may start out cold, but chance are that won't last long. Assemble an outfit that makes it easy to strip layers over the course of your ride. Wool and synthetics are great.

Suck it up, get the good gear. There is no better way to learn to embrace the Oregon rain then to be dry on the inside and wet on the outside. Get the gear - it's worth the cost. Booties to cover your shoes, pants, a good jacket and good gloves. I personally skip the helmet cover because my helmet doesn't let a lot of rain in and I often have some sort of a head cover.

How to stuff a helmet. Thin cycling hats work okay, but if you've got cold-prone ears like many of us, a headband is perfect. You can buy them everywhere, but you can easily make them out of fleece. A four-inch band works well. While you're at it, make 3. They're easy to lose. Don't be fooled by the store-bought thin ones, they're not the windstoppers the purport to be.

It's easy to get dehydrated in the winter. Cold makes us forget we're thirsty since heat makes it so obvious. Remind yourself to drink plenty of fluids on long rides.

Snap. Steel gets more brittle at winter temperatures but I haven't seen any steel frames or components break from the cold. Aluminum and titanium don't get significantly more brittle at winter temperatures. Aluminum shrinks more than steel as it cools and on a bike with a steel fork and aluminum frame the headset will get loose when it's very cold. Plastics do get brittle and we see waterbottle cages, toeclips, pedals and the sheathing on cable housing break all winter. If the plastic cracks on indexed shifter housing, the housing will buckle and the shifting won't work. You can reinforce the shifter housing with heat-shrink tubing (available at electrical supply stores) to prevent this problem. The size that fits best is 3/16".

Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 10:04 AM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 3, 2007

Vintage Cyclocross

I was searching for images on the web today and came across this awesome vintage cyclocross poster. The gallery describes it as "An interesting study of a cyclist carrying his bike, by a designer who excelled designing sport and cultural event posters. Mancioli earned a degree in civil engineering, but by the mid-1930s he opened a graphic studio with his brother Ottorino and began producing posters." Click for a larger version.

I do not recommend you start searching the web for vintage bike posters unless you have nothing else to do today. It's easy to get lost for hours in a sea of incredible images.

Comments (1) | Posted by orbike at 2:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

January 2, 2007

A Tribute to Ali Al-Salman

It seemed that Ali Al-Salman just couldn't get enough of Portland's bicycle culture. Though he was often busy with family activities, Ali always made time to appear at plenty of bicycle events over the last few years. The 44-year-old translator was most famous for bringing his guitar along on the nighttime Midnight Mystery Rides, to strum, serenade and sing the night away. He attended more rides than anyone else in the three years the monthly rides have happened.

Ali passed away on New Year's Day while in LA to attend a wedding with family. The Midnight Mystery Ride organizers are dedicating the next ride to him. You can hear examples of Ali's music on his MySpace page.

Ali had recently recorded his first CD. He carried copies of it around with him everywhere he went and was excited to share his music with people. The song titles alone - Goodness to the World, I Love Everybody in this World, I'm Evolving I'm Learning - are a snapshot of the gentle addition Ali made to our bike community. He was grateful to all the people who organized events and he enjoyed attending, meeting people and sharing his famous chocolate brownies and hot jasmine tea.

Ali will be missed.

Comments (2) | Posted by orbike at 5:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBack

BikePortland on the KBOO Bike Show

Here are the ORbike blog, we love bike blogs, so I thought I'd let you know that this week the KBOO Bike Show, an upper-Oregon-based radio program, will feature Jonathan Maus. Jonathan is the founder of BikePortland, the world's most famous bike blog. Sure, it's a nice internet spot to read up on some bike happenings, but the site is also much more than that.

BikePortland has created a forum for people of all bikey stripes to come together and talk about issues, share information and culture. People may not always agree, but I think that's a very good thing. Jonathan will talk about the success of his site, how he has filled a niche in the bike communications network and plans for the future (all of Oregon?). There are three different ways to listen, even if you don't live in Oregon or can't listen live:

Wednesday, Jan 3
9-10 am
Live on the radio:90.7FM Portland, 91.9FM Hood River, 100.7FM Willamette Valley
Live on the Internet
Podcast at any time

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