This year, Be the Santa.
Here’s the idea:
Anybody who rides a cargobike (or who has a trailer) is invited to take part in our first annual SantaHaul (here in Portland–but you can organize your own event anywhere). On a day or evening to be determined, we’ll meet up at a central location, divvy out delivery manifests to all the Santas, and load up our cargo bikes. Each Santa will head off to whatever neighborhood is on their manifest, and make their deliveries, either directly to families in need or to participating churches, shelters, or other places. We’d like to spread far and wide all over town. At the end we will, it goes without saying, meet again for some glo:g and stories to share.
Where will the gifts (food, toys, etc.) come from? We don’t know yet. We’re going to put out a call for donations from the community, so that people can drop off their gifts at any participating local bike shop. And generally spread the word. And even if you can’t take part in this, we’re going to ask you to spread the word in any way you can.
If you’re interested, in any capacity, or just have ideas or input to share, please email us at joebikeportland@gmail.com.
We’re open 11-7 on Labor Day.
Thanks a lot.
See you then.
Here’s a first look at our new, made-in-Portland cabin, which will be standard on our base boxbikes, along with a Nexus premium 8-speed hub, IM-80 roller brake, and other excellent components. How much? Nada. The price remains $1699. Why’s that? Because as America’s largest distributor/retailer of longjohn-style cargo bikes, we’ve gotten pretty efficient at what we do.
The boxes are made by a Portland carpenter out of marine-grade plywood, and can be stained any shade or, just like our boxbike frames, painted any color you like. Two sets of safety harnesses are included but aren’t shown here. The base of the box is about an inch longer than the original. The width is about the same but there’s a little more depth.
This cabin also works with our handmade ShuttleBug, and will shave several hundred dollars off the cost of the complete ShuttleBug.
Portland-made rain canopies, seat cushions, and flat rainproof covers for the new cabin will be available shortly. They’ll make you wish it could rain year-round in Portland. Maybe.
If you’ve ever packed and shipped a bike, if you’ve ever been responsible for putting someone’s new baby in the hands of UPS, or if you’re waiting for a bike from us, you’ll want to watch this from Rivendell. This is our new benchmark.
Bicycle Overhaul: $200.00 (winter special: $125)
An overhaul will leave you with a bike that is in top notch condition, with every bearing serviced or replaced if needed, wheels trued, cables replaced as necessary, shifting and braking to the best of the equipment’s ability. Includes labor to upgrade or convert in various ways. Parts are additional, and assume an average of $80-$100 for replacement parts, possibly including ball bearings and cones, brake pads, chains/cassettes/chainrings, bottom brackets, cables, grips/tape, or others. The mechanic performing the work will inspect all parts for wear or damage and make appropriate decisions as to whether the part is safe. No work will be performed or parts replaced that exceed the initial estimate given except by approval of the bike’s owner. Can be done by appointment or as an unscheduled drop off. It takes the better part of a day to do an overhaul, so please call ahead (503 232-1107).
The Gates belt drive (or chain drive) Proletariat is getting a couple of new options that make this supercommuter also an extraordinary touring bike: the Nuvinci n360 hub or the Alfine 11-speed hub, both available imminently. Touring features include the Axiom Streamliner rear rack, which is lighter than most and twice as strong (110-lb capacity). Mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes, Alfine dyno hub with front and rear Busch & Muller lights, Pletscher dual kickstand. From Portland-based Stop Cycles, built up by Joe Bike.
It’s finally here: tens of thousands of cyclists flowing through tens of thousands of street wanderers, just because. It’s Southeast Sunday Parkways meets the Hawthorne Street Fair. Look for us where they intersect, at 41st Avenue, in the Key Bank parking lot. Yes yes, it’s only a block from our shop, and yes it’s a bank, but we’ll be there anyway, under a pop-up tent lent to us by Stop Cycles, with a workstand, a couple of our mechanics providing free assistance, and a big cooler of something refreshing. The shop will be open too, with discounts on certain bikes and accessories.
Go here to see a map of the SE Sunday Parkways route, and here for more about the Hawthorne Street Fair.
Pretty, isn’t it? Today David Meredith, chief designer of Stop Cycles, Portland’s new urban bike brand, dropped off our first sizable chunk of Alfine/Gates belt-drive Proletariat 
framesets.
The Frida, E.T.A., Linchpin, and Jackhammer frames are being powdercoated at Class Act, and we can’t wait to get them in our workstands.
Watch for Stop Cycles-sponsored rides and events this summer. These bikes are going to revolutionize serious urban cycling, and we’re proud to be North America’s first–and Portland’s exclusive–Stop Cycles dealer/distributor. Our Stop Cycles page will be expanding rapidly as we build our fleet up. For more information, please also visit Stopcycles.com.
That rack can’t tell you you’re underutilizing him, so let us speak for him: he’s a mule, so treat him like one!
Handmade in Seattle of rugged yet exquisite construction, the Pelican bag expands to hold more groceries than you ever thought an ordinary bike could carry. Available in almost any color combination. $160-182.
The Bikes for Clunkers program is soon to be re-launched, bigger and better than before. If you didn’t catch it the first time around, listen to this interview on NPR’s “Marketplace”. Then multiply by 10, add involvement from Zipcar, BTA Oregon, and bike shops across Portland, and pedal. Updates coming soon.
