Bike Guide 2014: For Portland, Buy Portland

Cool bike gear from local companies.

The UrbanistsUrbanist Bike Shops Bike Courier Meghan Mack

The Muddy: Rides and Shops | Cyclocross Pro Molly Cameron

The Speedsters: Rides and Shops | Track Champ Zak Kovalcik | Hardest Bike Ride in PDX 

The Weirdkeepers: Rides and Shops | The Unipiper

The Longhaulers: Rides and Shops | Cycling Tourist Ellee Thalheimer | Bikepacking to the Coast

BMX: Rides and shops | Goods BMX's Shad Johnson

Portland Bike Gear | PDX Airport Carpet Wear | Full Bike Shop Directory


1. Little Lifter

Walnut Studios, walnutstudiolo.com.

This very twee Portland-made leather gizmo was the subject of a wildly successful Kickstarter ($20,000!) campaign, and caused a minor imbroglio in the process. "I always thought that a bicycle frame already made for a pretty convenient handle," wrote a popular New York bike blogger, "but apparently there are people who are unable to carry their wildly flailing bicycles without killing or maiming innocent passersby." It's $44 and puts curmudgeons into a hate rage—sounds like a win to us.

 

2. Pendleton Wool Bike Seat

Oregon Wool Traders, oregonwooltraders.com.

Oregon Wool Traders isn't so much a trading company outfitting wagon trains with blankets as it is an Oregon City Etsy shop that makes cool stuff out of old Pendleton products. Still, these gorgeous seats made from upcycled blankets ($39) are about as pretty as something made for your ass can get.

 

3. Hooded Wind Jacket

Rapha, rapha.cc.

This lightweight, waterproof windbreaker from Rapha ($220) rolls up to the size of a softball and has ventilation for your sweaty pits. The hood can be rolled up and pinned back by a button. This jacket was created for London, so you know it can withstand the Oregon elements.

 

4. Women's City Wind Jacket

Rapha, rapha.cc.

This high-end women's windbreaker from Rapha ($220) has an easy-to-reach phone pocket on the back, two side pockets and a rain tail that folds up and away. 

 

5. Rogue Pant

Showers Pass, showerspass.com.

Rogue ($99) soft-shell pants are perfect for Portland's winter rains, which are normally more dampening than soaking. They're warm and soft, and they can pass for normal pants in a bar at happy hour.

 

6. Knitted Winter Hat

Rapha, rapha.cc. Available at River City Bicycles.

This Belgian-style hat ($55) from Rapha—a London-based company with its U.S. headquarters in Portland—is 100 percent merino wool, with a fold-up earband and brim big enough to stop the fattest raindrops. 

 

7. Aether Demon

Portland Design Works, ridepdw.com.

Portland Design Works' Aether Demon ($49) tail lamp has a lithium battery that charges by USB, so you can pop it onto an iPhone charger at your friend's house if you grow dim. There's also a Spaceship 3 front lamp ($29) with a runtime of 100 hours, meaning you can use it all winter without worrying about changing the batteries.

 

8. Woodward Convertible

North St., 2716 SE 23rd Ave., northstbags.com. 

It's a backpack! It's a pannier! It's a backkier! This $250 combo bag from Portland's North St. is waterproof, is neither too big nor too small, and has a side pocket for your lock, lamps and keys. It'll pop off the rack and onto your back for a hike around town.

 
 

9. Miss Ladyfingers Spats

Miss Ladyfingers Craftastik, missladyfingers.blogspot.com.

This Portland blogger handmakes spats ($45) designed to snap on over your stylish leather boots. Each pair of totes adorbs spats is custom-made using a variety of vintage and upcycled fabrics and sold through Etsy.

 

10. Black Star Bags

blackstarbags.com

Southeast Hawthorne's Black Star Bags hand makes bomb- (and water-!) proof messenger bags, panniers, backpacks and hybrid bags, which rival Ortlieb in quality and can be customized with wild colors and your own personal logo. Custom messenger bags start at $160.

 

11. Shoe Covers

Neon Frontier, neonfrontier.etsy.com. Available at the Citybikes Annex. 

Waxed cotton jackets kept the cowboys dry in frontier days. Now, covers ($45) from local craftsman Ben Houston use the material to keep your Pumas dry while biking to the record store.

 

12. Club Pro Jacket

Showers Pass, showerspass.com.

This jacket ($110) from Showers Pass is waterproof, with well-positioned pit zips and vents that keep you from getting clammy, and it's roomy enough that you can wear a cozy sweater underneath on those unusually frigid days.

 

13. Crosspoint Gloves

Showers Pass, showerspass.com.

These merino-lined hardshell gloves from Portland's Showers Pass ($95) are much warmer and drier than thin softshell gloves and nearly as breathable. The best feature of these mitts? Perfectly articulated fingers, which curl nicely around your handlebars.

 

14. 24 Hour Dress

Quick Study, quickstudyclothing.com.

Designed by Portland native Caitlin McCall, this practical but chic frock ($210) is lined with wicking pique to help draw sweat off your body and has a curved hem for easy mounting and dismounting—ensuring you won't accidentally flash your date as you pull up to the bar.

 

Nutcase Gen3 Helmet (not pictured)

Nutcase, nutcasehelmets.com.

There are some who say Portland cyclists have big heads. And for them, Nutcase helmets fit like a glove. This local company's third-generation helmets are lighter and tighter than their predecessors, but still fit more like ski helmets than a racing cap. They're not cheap ($70), and previous models scored poorly in a Consumer Reports test, but they are local.


Zoobomb Jersey (not pictured)

Portland/Oregon Cyclewear, oregoncyclewear.com.

This Portland company has been custom-making wool jerseys for almost a decade. The long-sleeve version ($85) is a supple, sweaterlike shirt with a zippered pouch.

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