Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bicycle and portland

Biking in the rain

rabbitrabbit — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:19:51 -0800

Questions about bike gear for the rainy season. I live in the Portland, OR area and I've been biking to work since April. So, I'm about to hit my first rainy season and I would like to arm myself to successfully continue biking at least into the fall and hopefully through winter, too.

SHOES: My main question is about shoes that make biking in the rain not a chore. I have been using toe clips and Converse all-stars this summer, but that will absolutely not work with the rain, so I'm going to need to either get waterproof shoe covers, or buy waterproof shoes. And if I buy waterproof shoes, maybe I ought to just upgrade to clipless pedals and shoes? Also, I think I like the velcro straps so I don't have to deal with laces, but I'm not entirely sure what the pros/cons are there.

JACKET: I have a chartreuse bike jacket that has been good for cooler mornings, and it dries fast so it will be good for early on in the fall, but I am going to eventually need some kind of heavier jacket, I think. But I'm afraid that anything heavier will = more sweat, which I don't want (no shower at work). Is there something warm, waterproof, breathable, AND visible that I can get?

FENDERS: I ride a Specialized Crossroads, so it has the overlap. I kicked out my front fender early on in the summer and haven't yet replaced it because it's been unnecessary so far, but I'm going to need a new front fender or maybe one of those things that attaches to the front tube (not sure what it's called exactly) to deflect water. If I get a new fender, I guess it will need to be super-tough since I don't 100% trust myself not to kick it by accident again. Do those things that attach to the bike instead of the wheel work well, would that be a good option?

What other things do I need to bike in the rain? Waterproof gloves? A helmet liner? Goggles which don't let rain bead up on them? Etc.

I've seen this and I've seen this, and both were helpful though they're a bit old now; is there new stuff out there that is awesome?

Also, any recommendations for a bike shop to buy this stuff at? I've heard River City is good. I would love to be able to try out the clipless pedals before I buy, is there any shop which would let me do that?

Oregon Bike Trip

Sreiny — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:57:08 -0800

Planning a bike trip in Oregon, need some help. I am planning a bike trip with my dad for later in the summer. We would like to start in Portland, ride out to the coast, maybe around Astoria, ride down the coast, and then head back to Portland. We're planning for around a 7-8 day trip. We'd mostly be camping, but also are fine with staying at hotels.

One of the decisions we're trying to decide is whether to ship our bikes out there (I live in Chicago, my dad's in Indianapolis—we have someone to ship them to if this is the better option) or whether to rent them out there, if this is possible. Are there shops in Portland that would rent out bikes for this type of trip? My google search of bicycle rental really turned up just bikes for riding around Portland. Regardless, we're going to have to rent a trailer or bags to carry our gear, so any help with that would be helpful.

I've never been to Portland, or Oregon for that matter, and it's a little overwhelming knowing what to look for in planning this, but I feel like the good folks at askmetafilter could help cut through the clutter and give personal advice. Any particularly good routes to get to the coast, any places we should definitely see/spend time at, anything to keep in mind while planning a trip like this. Is there a lot of traffic on these routes, are there a good amount of places to camp? Your help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Where to rent a bike in Portland, OR?

jacquilinala — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:51:45 -0800

Can anyone familiar with bike shops in Portland recommend a place to rent a bike for a few days? I currently ride a Fuji Crosstown 3.0 hybrid, in NYC, so something similar as a rental would be great! I am going to be in Portland again for a few days at the end of May/beginning of June. I love cycling and really wished I had a bike the last time I was there.

I found this list on Portland's Office of Transportation site, which, btw, is a really nice & informative website!

Thanks!

Bicycle Data for Portland, OR

georgemandis — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:11:37 -0800

Where can I find data about cyclists in Portland, OR? I've been doing some research about cyclists in Portland, OR. Everyone talks about how bike-friendly Portland is, and how the number of people commuting to work by bicycle is 8x the national average. I can't for the life of me find any actual data that shows these things.

I know the census bureau conducted a study a couple years ago that produced the stat about people commuting to work, but I can't even find that report - just articles mentioning it. I've been all over census.gov to no avail.

Can anyone point me to some "real" data showing the bike-friendliness of Portland?

Where should I ride my bike near Portland, ME?

TurkishGolds — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 15:12:42 -0800

Where are some good places to ride my bicycle in the Portland, ME area? I'm actually in Old Orchard Beach (thanks AskMe), and I'm willing to drive 30 or 40 minutes in any direction for some good riding.

A good ride for me is usually somewhere around 15 - 25 easy miles. Less with hills. I'd like to ride along the water, if possible. Otherwise suggestions for places that are beautiful or notewothly for other reasons would be appreciated. I don't mind riding on the street, but bike path's are always cool too.

Please try to provide maps and as many details as possible as I am not from this area and don't know my way around at all.