r/CyclePDX

Image 1 — Four bikes stolen out of our garage in North Portland
Image 2 — Four bikes stolen out of our garage in North Portland
Image 3 — Four bikes stolen out of our garage in North Portland

Four bikes stolen out of our garage in North Portland

Accidentally left garage open overnight and got cleaned out. Missing are:

  • One light blue eBullitt
  • One dark green Surly Long Haul Trucker (now has swooping handlebars and green bar tape, unlike picture)
  • One bright red Specialized AWOL Evo touring bike
  • One black and green Scott carbon frame road bike

We're heading out to look at neighboring encampments, but please let me know if anyone sees anything!

u/Top-Mud7915 — 9 hours ago

Best Scenic Route near Portland

Hey Portland cyclists! Visiting for a short trip and hoping to get a road bike ride in. Back home near SF, one of my favorite go-to routes is Conzelman Road in the Marin Headlands — a stunning climb with incredible views of the bridge and bay. It’s the kind of ride that feels like a must-do for anyone passing through.

Does Portland have anything comparable? I’m thinking scenic, maybe some elevation, and the kind of route locals are proud to show visitors. Preferably under 100 miles. I’m comfortable with climbing and will be renting a road bike. Open to anything in or within an hour distance of the city.

Thanks in advance — stoked to explore the PNW on two wheels!

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u/hwy9 — 9 hours ago

When biking in Portland, what's the best distance between cyclists? 6 feet, 18? Barely in sight? Not within sight?

So after seeing the anger about cyclists drafting in Portland, i obviously realized that people don't want someone just off their rear wheel. However, i also got the impression that people don't want other cyclists anywhere near them.

I posted a thread politely asking this earlier and got tons of down votes. I think that perhaps it was because i made the mistake of putting "drafting" in the title and people didn't read the actual post where i elaborated on what i was asking. So, my apologies, but I'm trying again.

When you're on a bicycle in Portland, what's a respectful distance for a cyclist to have behind you if you're traveling similar speeds? Should it be 6 feet? Should it be a lot farther? Should you just hang back until your no longer in sight?

I've bicycled for a long time and never gave any of this a thought. I just thought that when you bicycle, your speed changes with wind, your energy level, whether you're going up or downhill, etc. Sometimes you'll trail behind someone, sometimes you'll pass someone slowly (or speedily), other times they'll do similar to you.

I just didn't realize how upset people were at not just drafting, but a biker being just 6-10 feet behind someone. I am posting this question so i can be better community member.

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u/Briaaanz — 4 days ago
▲ 430 r/CyclePDX+1 crossposts

Stolen Specialized bikes update - ALL 3 RECOVERED!

PPB case # 26-127583 and original post

Miraculously, we got all three of my partner's stolen bikes back! Here's how it all happened:

The bikes were taken early Sunday morning from our garage in West Tabor (we believe thieves broke into her car and took the remote). That day we made a police report, posted on Project 529 and Bike Index, and spread the word on social media as widely as we could (including a $500 reward per bike).

On Sunday evening, a good Samaritan heard about the bikes being offered for trade in Creston Park in exchange for a tent. He got a pic which showed the Epic and the Creo, confirmed they were ours from the Project 529 listing, and got a nice tent to make the trade. He actually ended up with the Epic and the Vado and did not see the Creo at the park. We picked the two bikes up from him in a parking lot and paid a reward!

From that experience, we learned that we should focus our search on the Creston Park area. We also learned that although they had taken very valuable bikes, they were probably lower-level types just looking to convert to quick cash or a tent etc. We also got a tip in r/CyclePDX to go to homeless camps and advertise the missing bike and reward. As two fairly small women, we didn't end up being comfortable enough to approach anyone on foot, but we put up flyers advertising the reward with no questions asked.

As we circled Creston Park and Foster-Powell several times over the last few days, we also saw (we're pretty sure) the people who originally stole my partner's bikes. They seemed to be based out of an RV which we saw in the Creston Park parking lot and on Francis & 42nd. We put flyers on the telephone poles all over their area on Monday, Tuesday, and this morning. We saw two other confirmed stolen bikes while we were investigating, too (and contacted their owners).

It paid off early this afternoon (Wednesday) when my partner got a call from a blocked number. The dude said he'd seen our flyer for the Creo, knew where the bike was and had to go get it, wanted the reward in cash and wanted to make sure he wouldn't "get in trouble." We just asked for a picture of the bike to confirm and agreed he wouldn't get in trouble (i.e. we didn't tell the cops we were going there or film) and met up with him in the Creston Park parking lot. It wasn't one of the two original thieves, but it was a guy who seemed to be connected to them that we had seen around the RV. Nonetheless we made the handoff and we were absolutely thrilled to have 3/3 bikes back, including the last which was her very favorite!!

All of the bikes are missing some accessories like bags/bells/frame pump, but they seem fundamentally OK! We'll get them all checked out at bike shops in the near future. And we've learned some valuable lessons about garage security and bike security.

We know that we are so, so lucky but also wanted to share this whole process in case it helps anyone else going through this. The registries, offering a reward on flyers around sketchy areas, and the time we were able to dedicate to driving around made a huge difference. My partner is a designer who worked on all of these bikes, so she had a huge sentimental attachment to THESE particular bikes. We were willing to pay a reward for these exact bikes back, not just a replacement.

On the topic of replacement - everyone check your renters/homeowners insurance policy and make sure there isn't a shitty little exclusion for e-bikes. My insurance (USAA) was set to deny coverage for the pedal-assist Creo as a "motor vehicle or other motorized land conveyance" despite covering bicycles. For more on this, check out u/flicus 's post in this sub from 3 months ago about dealing with this exact issue and getting USAA to pay out through a complaint with the OR Dept of Consumer and Business Services

u/askoshbetter — 7 days ago

Why so many bikes on major roads? Sandy, 39th, Powell

I bike maybe 10-15 miles a day, not far, but I’ve been driving lately due to a pesky hamstring. I’ve seen at least 4-5 riders on these major vehicle roads. I avoid them at all cost, staying mostly on the bike boulevards. Regular bikes, e bikes, occasional biketown. The rentals I get that people might not be familiar with bike roads but surprised by the others.

Edit: kinda figured yall would justify it. You did. I still think it’s stupid for cyclists. Same mentality as car drivers.

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u/InvestigatorFirm7933 — 6 days ago

Dog and owner encounters on Powell Butte

I've been mountain biking for most of my life and currently ride Powell Butte bottom to top once or twice a week. I am mindful that bicyclists must learn to get along with other user groups or we lose our right to ride on single track. I ride safely and respectively.

There is a special 'breed' of dog lover who feels they must make a point to bring their biggest, scariest dogs with them on their hikes. Maybe they think that other users will warm up to their snarling wigglebutts when I try to pass them on a 3 foot wide dirt trail. The other day a woman hiking up the hill had three dogs that she clearly could not control. The German Shepard snapped and snarled at me as she tried to control the others so I could pass safely. One dog was not leashed. I told her she couldn't handle all those dogs, of course she just gave me the finger.

A dog breed that is territorial is exactly the wrong animal to bring on a hike with narrow twisting singletrack. Of course, many dog owners don't bother to leash their dog at all. ;(

I love dogs and have owned them for most of my life. Most are a delight to encounter. Fighting breed dogs are unpredictable and bringing them on trails where children and other innocents hike is a horrible tragedy waiting to happen. I am a pit bull attack victim. Encountering an "excited" pit on singletrack with a furmomma that can't handle a dog that "goes postal" is the last thing I want. #breedmatters

Bicyclists have the same rights to be safe on the trails as other users. If the dog alarms you, make sure the human knows how you feel.

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u/Spank2337 — 8 days ago

Just watched a video online with fixies skidding around River View Cemetery

Honestly it only seems like it’s a matter of time before bikes aren’t aloud anymore. Skidding down the descent and going off the path (into the grass) in a CEMETERY is extremely disrespectful. I really hope that 5% realizes what they are doing and doesn’t ruin it for the rest of us. Rant over.

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u/Historical_Data8427 — 4 days ago

Drafting off commuters?

Wednesday after I picked up my kid from school we were on our normal route home. We were going through a roundabout when someone on their evening ride decided to pull in behind me and get a draft. No communication to me whatsoever. I wasn’t super bothered by it, but it did throw my son for a loop wondering why some guy was right on his hip. He got lucky that I am experienced with group riding dynamics, but that could easily have gone sideways given that we were in an unprotected shared pedestrian/bike lane on a 40 mph road with a fair amount of both pedestrian and car traffic.

Does this happen to anybody else who commutes on an e-bike or other cargo bike? How do you all handle this?

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u/AndyIon21 — 5 days ago
▲ 115 r/CyclePDX+1 crossposts

Notes for anyone taking advantage of the Portland E Bike Voucher Program

Hey all,

Shop employee at a place that takes these: all of us are excited to make this happen with (new?) riders, but there have been some hiccups. Take a gander at this and hopefully the process will go smoother for everyone

  • This program is great, but there are kinks to iron out. The portal was problematic yesterday and most staff are learning as we go. Being rude and pushy won't help
  • Most of you will likely NOT walk into a place and ride out on your new bike. Orders for bikes were put in weeks ago and what's on the floor is often first come, first serve and I don't think any shop had time (or the trust in the program actually coming to fruition) to pivot and order more bikes than the season forecasted to accommodate. I understand that it may be frustrating if you took the bus in to check bikes out, but do not plan on riding a bike home if you swing by a shop today.
  • We will most likely need to special order something for you and apply the voucher as a deposit. Even so, most bikes (especially cargo bikes) will be a few hundred above what the voucher provides for.
  • The voucher is good for 60 day, not 30 as the emails that went out said. Even so, shops can get things in motion for you at any time. There are lots of customers coming to us right now. Please don't trample the early birds or wait until the last minute. Come during the week if you can when it's less busy and you'll likely not wait as long.
  • Not every bike is eligible. Certain Class 1 and 2 bikes are eligible, but even then, the bike has to be approved by the program. Just to make things more fun; a particular model's eligibility is subject to change without notice. The shop doesn't know any more than the public regarding this at this moment.
  • EBikes put a lot of power and torque on parts. You're going to need to have routine maintenance done. If you blast around the city at full power, your chain, cassette, rotors and pads will be roached within months if you don't get into the habit of doing basic maintenance. Given that these bikes are going to lower income folks, you need to be aware that you should budget a few hundred dollars a year to keep your bike running properly. Getting it checked before something breaks can definitely save you money in the long run. Ask about battery hygiene and maintenance when you pick up your bike.

That's it, basically. I am excited for there to hopefully be more people ditching cars.

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u/negativeyoda — 4 days ago

What to do with a "totaled" bike

In January, I got left hooked on Willamette. Fortunately the driver involved stopped and we exchanged insurance info and their insurance deemed my 2021 Specialized Diverge totaled and I got a new bike.

But now, I have the totaled bike in my garage taking up space and getting on my better half's nerves. The handle bars and front fork and front wheel are definitely unusable but I think the front gears and chain and rear wheel and cassette and disc brakes and detailer etc, are still usable and worth something. What is the best way to part these out?

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u/Star-break3r — 2 days ago

Drafting part 2, distance buggaloo

So people are complaining about people drafting behind them without communicating on places like the Springwater Corridor

In the interest of civil discussion, what is a respectful distance to be behind someone before someone is "creeped out".

3 feet? 6 feet? Farther?

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u/Briaaanz — 5 days ago

First electric bike

Hey all. So I got my first electric bike, the Segway Myon, through the ebike rebate. In 2-3 weeks (So I'm told) I'll be getting the bike and will be needing to get a decent bike lock for it. I'm also born and raised in Portland so I like to think I know of areas to avoid locking my bike in. Just curious about general opinions on bike locks. Thanks!

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u/holmquistc — 5 days ago

Bicycling From Vancouver to PDX and Back

I'm a total newbie ​cyclist, but getting more rides in lately. ​On Sunday, I made my second bicycle journey from Vancouver into Portland. The first time, the views were so impressive that I figured I'd get some footage the second time around.

In case anyone is curious what some of the bicycle journey is like, although I think this sub's audience is too advanced for my vision of this video, maybe someone will find it useful!

For my 3rd trip and beyond, I think I'll take the east path on the north span of the interstate bridge 😉​

vm.tiktok.com
u/bulbouscorm — 8 days ago
▲ 131 r/CyclePDX

UPDATE: Two bikes have been recovered so far! They were in the Creston Park area in Foster-Powell, so please keep a special eye out for the Creo in that neighborhood.

Bikes stolen from garage & car broken into on the street near 50th & Lincoln!

Early this morning (Sunday 5/3) between 4:45-5:30 a.m. my partner's bikes were stolen from our garage. We think that they got into her car (garage remote and bike tool missing from her car, items moved around) and used the remote to open our garage and steal them. The bikes are extremely sentimental and special to her (she is a designer and worked on all of these bikes) and we would REALLY love to have them back!!

OFFERING A $500 REWARD PER BIKE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Please DM or reach out on bike index links below if you have any leads.

PPB case number: 26-127583

BikeIndex links to each bike:

Creo SL: https://bikeindex.org/bikes/3380758

Vado SL: RECOVERED

Epic FSR Expert: RECOVERED

u/rereaderliz — 10 days ago
▲ 134 r/CyclePDX+2 crossposts

UPDATE: My Vado SL and Epic have been recovered. The Creo is still missing. Please keep an eye out. and DM me with any leads. Reward if found, No questions asked.

Hi, I’m not sure if this is allowed on here, but my three Specialized bikes were stolen out of my garage in SE Portland by Mt.Tabor at 5am on Sunday, 5/3. We think they got into my car that was parked on the street, (garage remote + bike tool stolen, items moved around). Please keep an eye out and help me recover them. I designed these 3 bikes when I worked at the company a few years ago, and they hold sentimental value to me. Each bike has a small round sticker with a cartoon face on the top tube.

Police Report: 26-127583

Bike Index / Project 529 Links:
Creo:
https://bikeindex.org/bikes/3380758

https://project529.com/garage/bikes/bracket-stem-tape-ring/bolo

RECOVERED https://bikeindex.org/bikes/3380768
RECOVERED https://bikeindex.org/bikes/3380764

2021 Specialized Creo SL Comp Carbon, XS
Satin Sage Green/ Black
S/N:WSBC004316528R

Upgrades:

Specialized Power Comp w/ Mimic saddle 155
XT PD-M8210 Shimano SPD pedal
WTB Riddler Tires 45c, Tan Sidewall
Ornot handlebar bag
Chrome Doubletrack Feed Bag
2 Specialized mtb matte black zee II bottle cages
Specialized Frame pump
Spurcycle Original Bell, Silver

u/Legitimate_Size_5523 — 10 days ago

Favorite bike trails?

Will be in town with my bike and staying downtown. Looking for recommendations for some good moderate cycling routes (no big hills). Also any organized rides on Thursday evenings?

Thanks!

George.

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u/readerG — 4 days ago

Looking for a steel touring/commuter/gravel bike for my fiancee

Howdy all, I'm on the hunt for a modern, steel touring/commuter/gravel bike for my fiancee. Something like a Surly Straggler. There was one on FB Marketplace that she fell in love with but unfortunately it sold before I could jump on it. I was wondering if anyone knew of a good store in Portland that may carry new or used options so she could check them out in person. Thanks!

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u/patlaska — 5 days ago

For those who are on squadrants or wandrer or other similar apps... Are you actually seen anyone with 100% ? because highest i have seen is 91.93% on wandrer...

Also, I am currently on this path and Jesus Tap Dancing Christ... How are yall doing all this? getting past 50% is already becoming a challenge in it of itself

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u/DisastrousDrink8040 — 9 days ago

Stolen Bike :(

Someone stole my bike out of my backyard off of Chavez and Powell. It’s a dark blue specialized with black drop bars, purple cables, pedals and graphics. Coca Cola crate on the back. It’s not fancy but it’s so dear to me and I’m so sad. If anyone sees it around for sale or otherwise hmu.

u/bishboshBOI — 8 days ago