55/Rad

Vanilla makes stuff thats kinda nice right here in Portland.

TLN

I would NEVER ride a Vanilla in public... Id be too paranoid that a rock would chip the paint! Truly a work of art but dont tell Sacha that... his head might get bigger and explode all over the frames!

poprad

Great replies and advice all around. Again, very appreciated. Rad, I do indeed ride a Poprad for now... until my 'nilla is done anyway. As far as what's so special about it...it was a gift to myself for surviving my year in Afghanistan, so it will mean a lot to me on several levels.

With all the group support I will indeed be enjoying the ride, conduct of others notwithstanding.

donnamb 

One day I stopped by the New Seasons at SE 20th and Division on the way home from work. Got ready to go into the store when I realized I just locked my bike up next to that beautiful blue bike he made for his wife. It was all mud splattered and clearly well-used. What a beautiful sight!

TLN

For me, Im into the Italian steel (most of the Columbus lines) and thats what I ride for the most part. But for some reason Vanilla frames... should be hung on a wall and I know that is a bad thing since they are meant to be ridden. I just get that feeling of dread to see dirt, let alone mud, on one of those frames... kind of like a large turd on a beautifully marbled steak.

Wildwood 

I used to live in a more rural area and car/truck drivers used to raise a hand off the steering wheel to everyone. They don't do that in the city. Does that make city drivers less friendly?, maybe. Same with bicycles, the volume of cyclists makes acknowledging everyone a bit much, esp on a busy weekend on a popular route. Waving at everyone on the MUT would be hazardous. Enjoy the ride, it's not a social event for everyone.

randya

The person that is able to unify all the disparate elements that make up 'bike culture' in portland has a good shot at becoming the next mayor of the city.

seriously, the ridiculous and arbitrary subdivisions between all the different types of cyclists in portland does more to hold cyclists back as a political force than anything else. unified, who knows what can be accomplished???

donnamb 

gew0419

You think you got it bad?!? try riding down the road on a recumbent. I just switched over this year and it's like I'm no longer a " real serious" rider because I am on a one of "those" bikes. I still smile and wave and even sometimes holler "How's it going?" And I try to engage the "roadie's" in conversation at a light, but it's like they don't want to be seen talking to me on my "clown bike." Oh well, I am still riding and will never stop being friendly.
By the way...welcome to Portland.

donnamb 

Aren't we silly monkeys?

MillCreek

Ooh, I always talk to the bent riders. I think the bents are fascinating, and who knows, I may end up on one some day if I develop back problems. It is interesting to see how many of my cycling colleagues go that route as they get older.

PedalMasher

Not too change the subject OP, but I have to insert an observation that the above is a large reason why the democrats have lost the last 2 presidential elections.

gew0419

I'm glad to see there are still some nice people out there. It's true, I must admit, when I was younger I never thought I would be riding a bent. Now that I have one I don't know why it took me so long to get here. As far as I am concerned, if you're on a bike, any kind, you are my brother and sister. (Cheesy, I know)

donnamb 

Not at all.

Tomo44

i see a lot of friendly riders as i ride down marine drive a lot. try there because usually people that ride down there are just relaxing and cruising on nice sunny day

djbrkns

I'm a friendly, but not outgoing person so I rarely initiate contact with people in any situation. I have a nervous habit of grinning a lot which helps to reduce the snob affect. When I first started commuting I loved being part of the cycling community, but felt I was joining a long established club. I hid the newby grin to blend in. Today, I feel warm fuzzies for every cyclist that passes, but keep it to myself. I assume every cyclist feels the same tribal affinity for other cyclists whether they show it or not. I do try to return waves and comments, but still don’t usually initiate. Shoot, I even tie my bike up next to 75 other bikes at the Lucky Lab Brewpub on a Monday and go sit at a table by myself to read a book. I like being alone in a crowd, (which reminds me, today is Monday). I’m going to loose that opportunity pretty quick, if I keep going on these organized Bike Master Plan, Hottest Day of the Year, BTA and other cycling events.

velocity

I don't see mass gangs of Fred's or trail rats picketing city hall with what they need as equal rights. There are people in Hillsboro, Portland , Gresham, Beaverton and Vancouver and a few other cities that make up our cycling culture - and we can't drive the agenda of a place where we don't pay the taxes or vote. Bike clubs have to be the mobility of the movement in our sub culture which every year gets larger and larger. We have Mia Birk whom was just wrote up in the Oregonian about her value to bicyclist and how it turned out to make Portland #1 as a cycling community. ( we had help form all the other cities mentioned before)

TLN

Well its just not Portland... its all over. Even one single subdivision (and thats any of them) cannot even hold together. Roadies rag on other roadies if they arent quite riding a certain level of quality bike, mtbers rag on each other if one isnt riding a full suspension or hard tail... even the fixies rag on each other for being a poser, not riding a Japanese made frame etc... its all over and its all crap. I consider myself a hardcore rider (roadie, fixed, track and x-country mtber). I was flung crap by another roadie because I had a tattoo. This, coming from some over weight full kitted poser on a lower end bike. I just had to laugh because that was insane.

In my experience Portland is one of the better and easier cities to ride in on the west side, regardless of what type of bike you ride.

velocity

Eastside is pretty cool too. Dont forget us
V

velocity

Good article on this subject
See you on the road...

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/orego...480.xml&coll=7

gew0419

At my age I have ridden them all, Schwinn sting ray to Volks-cycle ten speed to high class road bike (given to me) to Schwinn Mt bike to recumbent. I love all my brothers and sisters on two and three wheels.
As long as you are burning calories and not gas, I love you.

KrisPistofferson

Roadies are like that everywhere. I give the ones who look like Lance a pass, but the ones with guts that hang down onto their toptube who sneer and don't wave are unforgivable.

donnamb 

I'm ok with not waving or even smiling - there are literally way too many of us on the roads here for that. All I ask is a neutral facial expression - that is, not a frown or a sneer.

mcoomer

Disappointed in Portland...hahaha. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that I'd have more money than Bill Gates.

BTW...don't let Rad start recommending painters for your frame. If he does, chuck micro-brew bottles at him till he stops.

East Hill

Poor Rad...it would drive me mad to have my bicycle sitting in someone's shop for um....how many years? Two? Three?

Too long, at any rate.

East Hill