For the Love of Craigslist

I love craigslist & you love craigslist, so check out our regularly updated listing of used bikes and parts!

Flying with Bikes

It's obvious that Portland is an awesome town to bike in (although my typing fingers hesitate as I look outside at the pouring down rain...)  We are of course still in the throes of winter, which reminds me that Portland is also a great place to fly in and out of with a bike, to faraway tropical places and such.  The PDX airport is has a bike assembly and repair station and it's surrounded by bike paths and public transportation options.  Look at the Portland International Airport bicycle resources page for more information.

Oh, the romance of the open road...

Every airline has its own guidelines for extra baggage, including boxed-up bicycles.  This article is a good starting point: Fly With Your Bike, but always check with your airline for the most up-to-date guidelines.

It just so happens that we are are one of the closest bike shops to PDX, as is evident on this map.  We can disassemble and box up your bike for $40-$60, plus $10 for the box, and we can assemble and tune any boxed-up bike for $60-$100, depending on application.

Happy travels!

Theft-Resistant Gotham Bike Lights

You probably haven't seen them, 'cuz they're not really out yet, but we're about to get a hold of one of these new heavy-duty Gotham bike lights and put it through the paces.  Made of machined aluminum, mounts to the handlebar with a special wrench, 1W brightness with 3AA batteries, will sell for around $60, comes in black and chrome:

Come by the shop soon if you want to see one in action!  Check out the entertaining video on Gotham's website.

Newly Upcycles Bikes For Sale!

We've just put our grimy magic hands on a couple of nice old bikes, and they're ready to roll out the door: an older 58cm Motobecane road bike and a medium-sized ladies' Schwinn 3-speed cruiser.  Also, we've got an Xtracycle attachment for sale.  Find links to the ads on the Bicycles page.

California Bike Tripping

Lucky me: starting on April Fools' Day I start a four-day Adventure Cycling Leadership Training tour around Santa Barbara, CA!  In addition, I'm biking there and back from Santa Cruz, which will add up to a total of three weeks of gorgeous touring, two months before summer even begins.  It's time for me to start going on some longer day rides, as it's been a while since my legs have seen a 50 mile day.

Here is a great bike touring resource put on by Adventure Cycling, focusing on short bike trips: Bike Overnights.  Check out their Oregon section for a few ride ideas.

And lastly, check out Rivendell's Touring & Camping section.

Sunday Evening Music Mix

Sunday evening is here, and this is your last chance to chill out before the start of another busy week, so put on this mix and let it work its mellow magic...

https://soundcloud.com/kingmidassound/fact-mix-103-king-midas-sound

~ Kai ~

Beer Drinkin' You Can Feel Good About

There shall soon be yet another addition to our already fine selection of neighborhood drinking establishments: the doors of Oregon Public House at 700 NE Dekum St. are slated to swing open sometime this month.  Now, this isn't exactly bike-related news, but it's in our neighborhood - just two blocks away - and we like our beer.  So, have a pint and read on:

In New Pubs, Good Cheer and Good Works - The New York Times

Strange Brew - Williamette Week

(notice, by the way, how drastically different Ryan looks in both photos...black seems to be more his color, I think)

Music for a Cloudy Monday

I've gotta admit it, I've become hopelessly and blissfully addicted to the nearly-infinite selection of music available on Soundcloud.  Here's what I'm cranking in the shop today:

https://soundcloud.com/projectmooncircle/pmc100-project-mooncircle-10th

Enjoy!  ~ Kai ~

Bike Chains: Stretching The Truth

If you've been into our shop and have had your bike assessed, you might have noticed that we measure your chain with a nifty little tool: we are checking for chain wear or "stretch."  Chains don't actually stretch - instead, the rivets wear out to give the impression of stretch.

A chain will typically need to be replaced after 1,000mi of riding, but this depends entirely on your riding style, weather, and maintenance (single-speed chains can last much longer than this).  Typically, if chain is ridden more than 1,000mi, it will likely have elongated about .5% of the course of a foot of length (take notes, there will be a quiz afterwards).  Usually the first symptom of a worn-out chain is skipping in some gears.  Replacing a chain on a regular basis, and keeping it clean and well-lubricated, is the best preventative medicine for your bike.  Not replacing a chain when needed, on the other hand, will result in additional replacement costs of freewheels/cassettes and chainrings.

If you want to learn more, here's a link to Sheldon Brown's webpage on bicycle chains.

How much, you might ask, will a new chain cost me?  Installation of a chain a la carte is $10, but it's included in any of our tune-ups.  The price of our chains is:

Single-Speed/Fixie: $10 & up
5-7 speed: $10
8 speed: $15
9 speed: $25
10 speed: $40
11 speed: you've gotta be kidding me, nobody needs that many gears!

Come by regularly to get your chain measured - it only takes a minute - or you can do it at home with your own chain gauge, which we sell for $25.  You can also do this with a tape measure or ruler, and we'd be happy to show you how.

Happy riding!