Category Archives: city cycling

Portland BikeShare: 2nd Thoughts

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With the bizarre traffic maelstrom in Portland, Oregon this spring of 2017, anyone trying to get downtown via car, bus, or MAX Train will be in need of some calming medications to manage their enormous frustration.  Meanwhile, bike riders are the sole bearer of efficient transportation via Portland’s streets which are clogged with construction, lane closures, light rail track repairs, bridge anomalies, and highway shutdowns.

Nike “swoosh” on Portland’s Bikeshare logo

You would think this would mean that enterprising commuters would seek out alternative methods of arriving at their respective destinations, and that they might consider using Portland’s Nike funded “BIKETOWN” bikesharing program.  Think again.

Never have more clunky bikes been pawned off on the public.  These machines feature massive wheel flop (disastrous for bikes designed for a front end load), a 45 lb weight, and, worst of all, a sit up and beg riding position that makes only very tall riders able to master these bikes with relative safety.  I have ridden these bikes exactly 3 times, and hope to never ride one again.  And, that’s me – I love to cycle!  What is wrong with these bikes?  Just about everything.

In fact, my Dad’s 1965 2 speed Schwinn American would be a far more comfortable and efficient choice for anyone seeking passage through Portland’s beleaguered streets.  The riding position on this bike is adaptable to many cyclist’s sizes, and its geometry and excellent bullet proof steel construction means that it has lasted through decades of abuse and neglect.  The handling on this Schwinn is intuitive.  You just get on and ride.

Not true with these BikeTown bikes which were built by SoBi.  One commentator has this to say about these bikes:  “These clunky SoBi Social Bicycles look like they weigh a ton, and have the maneuverability of a circus elephant. With the ongoing costs, invasion of privacy and potential liability on the user’s end – you might want to consider alternatives.” – Hobeken 411.

Indeed, one thing that Portlanders noted right away was SoBi’s demand that users of its system waive their legal rights.   This is yet another reason to re-think whether or not you want to attempt to ride one of these machines.

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Brompton Folding Bike

I am a strong supporter of public transportation as a “public good”, and I also support bike share programs as part of the solution to many of the challenges facing urban environments.  I served on TriMet’s budget advisory committee for years, and count public transportation advocates as friends and colleagues.  In short, I am the last person you would expect to criticize Portland’s Bikeshare program.  The problem with the program lies not in its conception, but in its execution.  I would love to see a bike share program designed around user friendly bikes, such as this Brompton folder, pictured above.  Interestingly, Portland’s Brompton retailer – Clever Cycles – offers Brompton rentals. I might try this out!

Obviously, any bikes which are to be used for bikeshare need extra technology and engineering, but there is no reason that should come as a sacrifice to ride-ability.  Having observed numerous riders attempting to master BikeTown SoBi bikes, and seeing their consternation I think its time for Portland to throw in the towel on SoBi, and re-think the Bikeshare program.  We need to offer bikes to all kinds of riders, not just to tall and fit riders who can physically overcome the poorly designed weaknesses of SoBi’s offering.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

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My 1990’s Terry Symmetry is a great commuting bicycle.  It handles well and can keep up with the faster bikes on my regular commute.  But recently I had been hearing an annoying rattle on the front end of the bike.

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Diagnosing bicycle noises while riding brings to mind Dante’s Inferno.  As one’s thoughts spiral through endless ideas and related solutions, the bicycle itself seems drawn further toward complete annihilation, into the concentric circles of hell.  After decades of riding, I have hopefully learned to pay more attention to the occasional odd and unexpected sounds coming from the bike I am riding.  It’s almost always a good idea NOT to ignore them.  Like most cyclists, I love and expect a certain silence from my bike.  Encountering dry, squeaky chains, rattling fenders, and loose fitting luggage on other cyclists’ bikes weighs on my conscience:  should I point out that their rear wheel is out of true or that a little bit of chain lube is in order?  But that’s a question for another day.

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Front end rattles can be as difficult to nail down as noises coming from the center or back of the bike.  In my case, because I had used an unusual mounting system for my fenders, my first thought was that the cantilevered portion of the front fender was bouncing around more than usual.  After holding my hand over the front portion of the fender and hearing no change to the rattling noise, I realized that this wasn’t the problem.  So, I continued my diagnosis while riding by holding my hand over different parts of the front end, to no avail.  Nothing stopped the strange rattling noise.

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As it turned out, the culprit was a broken fender nut on the Bluemels “over the top” fenders that I had mounted on this bike.  I had used all the original hardware on the stays, and paid no attention to how rusted the eyebolts looked.  Finally, one of those rusted eyebolt nuts cracked, and that caused all the rattling.  I didn’t really figure this out until I had:  checked the fork for lack of play (there was none), checked the brake mount for a loose bolt (none), and checked the torque settings on the stem’s handlebar bolt and on the stem itself.  All were in order.  A process of elimination led me to the fenders.  I removed them and discovered the problem right away when one of the nuts fell apart in my hand.  I replaced all the hardware, and then decided to re-mount the fenders using these Velo Orange fender brackets, which are designed for bikes which lack fender eyelets (a sad truth of my 1990’s Terry).  I had been using P-clamps to mount the fenders to the fork.

The Velo Orange brackets, shown above, really clean up the front of the bike, but make front wheel removal more time consuming and finicky.  Fortunately, the rear drop outs of this bike have fender eyelets, so no brackets are needed on the back end of the bike.  I’m glad I took the time to resolve this issue.  A loose fender could have caused a crash.

Richard Ballantine – writer, cyclist, and foreseer of cycling’s future

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I first read one of Richard Ballantine’s cycling books in the late 1970’s.  I am not sure which edition of his “New Bicycle Book” it was, but I was charmed by his quirky take on the history, beauty, challenges, and mechanics of all bicycles, and of touring bicycles specifically.  His book featured some of the lovely cycling drawings of bucolic England by the British artist Frank Patterson – which are totally uncredited in the 1987 edition I currently own – as well as other technical drawings by artists John Batchelor and Peter Williams.  In fact, there are no photos whatsoever in this 1987 edition.

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1987 Edition.

The only photo is this cover photo – featuring a classic 1980’s boy mechanic lovingly encouraged by his girl counterpart.  Fortunately, this volume tends to redeem itself once read. But this was just one edition of Richard’s New Bicycle Book, swimming in a vast sea of Richard’s cycling publications which spanned from the early 1970’s up through the early 21st century.  Richard passed away in 2013 at age 72.

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Photos of Richard working on his bikes seem to always feature him on bended knee(s). This intrigued me, as I don’t think I have ever knelt down to work on my bike, at least not while it was upright on two wheels. Perhaps I should try it!  As to his mechanics’ skills, those were to remain in question. What Richard was known for was his unabashed enthusiasm for cycling as a transformative experience, and that is something I not only share with him, but will remain eternally grateful for his vision of cycling’s future, and his influence which is still felt today.

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Richard was born into a publishing empire, so it must have seemed natural for him to continue the legacy.  The Ballantine family portfolio included Bantam and Ballantine imprints, which were sold to Random House in the 1990’s.  He was the founder and publisher of Bicycle Magazine, and was involved in publishing numerous other books for his family business.

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Ritchey Montare ad courtesy of MOMBAT.

In the early 80’s, Richard imported 20 Ritchey Montare mountain bikes into the U.K., which were the first commercially available mountain bikes in Britain at the time. Essentially, he kick-started the MTB industry in the U.K., and established a cross country race as well as a charity which lobbies for better conditions for cyclists – the London Cycling Campaign – an organization still going strong today.

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In the year 2007, just 6 years before his death, he published City Cycling, in response to the growing worldwide bicycle transportation movement.  He seemed to me always the mad scientist – fascinated with both the odd as well as the truly brilliant.  A person who remained true to himself, regardless of trends and politics.  I wish I had met him. His legacy will live on through the many cyclists and readers who have and will discover his amazing contribution to cycling, and possibly to the well-being of the earth itself.