“Bike Town” USA

portland-bike-rentals

That would be Portland, Oregon:

Portland, Oregon has earned the nickname “Bike City, U.S.A.” Consistently topping Bicycle Magazines list of the best cycling cities, in Portland bike paths and lanes abound, city planners recognize the importance of designing with cyclists in mind, and the citizens have responded by bike commuting about 350% more than the national average (3.5% of all commutes are by bicycle). In keeping with the “Safety in Numbers” theory, the Census Bureau reports that drivers in Portland are more accommodating of cyclists. Portland is currently laying plans to adopt a bike rental plan similar to Paris’ overwhelmingly popular Vélib.

Cycling’s popularity in Portland has both brought bike industries to the area and spurned some homegrown efforts. As a result, the local cycling industry has swelled to include 125 bike-related businesses trafficking in everything from cycling hats made from recycled fibers to high-end niche bicycles to bike tourism.
Portland has slowly become the mecca for high-end handmade bicycle frames. Cyclists who are tired of mass produced rigs and in search of some customized bling turn to companies such as Vanilla Bicycles for a made-to-order experience. The city will play host to the 2008 North American Handmade Bicycle Show.

Portland recognizes the financial boost these small bike-businesses bring to the city and the state, and are supporting their efforts. Many of these enterprises were founded out of a love for bikes – decent profits are a welcome surprise to many of these businesses. The Portland Development Commission is helping to improve the business model of several of these smaller companies, and helping them to network and grow stronger together.

“Our intentions are to be as sustainable a city as possible,” said Sam Adams, city commissioner in charge of transportation. “That means socially, that means environmentally and that means economically. The bike is great on all three of those factors. You just can’t get a better transportation return on your investment than you get with promoting bicycling.”

Full article here:

I think Portland is also one of the cities with the highest concentrations of vegans.

I’m wondering if they have a healthy IT sector :).

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8 thoughts on ““Bike Town” USA”

  1. I’m in Portland, it’s a great place to ride your bike but the drivers are not quite as accommodating as the article says… we have just recently had some horrendous accidents here involving truck drivers, bicycles, and the MAX train. So I don’t bike downtown.

    You can ask for vegan food anywhere here and never get weird looks, unless you go somewhere silly like a barbecue pit. Even the steakhouses will grill you a portabello.

    Intel and Yahoo are here, I don’t have the inside track on IT firms though. You planning to move? :o)

  2. Vegan Nacho Cheese Pump… that would be Food Fight Grocery, which is clear across town and I’ve never actually visited, since I don’t drive much and it isn’t on the MAX line. I plan to go when their new digs are up and running, which should be right about… last Friday! Now that I am more or less single, I need to get more involved in local vegan social life.

  3. Yeah, I was half asleep when I wrote that. I meant to say Food Fight. I think they said how they were going to be in a building exclusively full of vegan shops. I think one’s the Herbivore shop…..

    Sowwies about the breakup. :o(

    You should go down to the new FF location. I hope you find a nice intelligent male vegan hottie at the nacho cheese pump. Then take him home with some of the nacho cheese and get creative. 😉

    PW

  4. It may sound strange, but the breakup is a good thing : )

    I just mapquested and found out that FFG is much closer now! Nacho cheese creativity is a distinct possibility!

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