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Pedal Power’s Street Serenade

We’ve recently produced a video anthem internally here at Portland Pedal Power with the vision and hard work of Timothy Wildgoose, a talented former rider who has since gone on to be a cinematographer.  He worked to capture the city of Portland and what we do here at PPP. We all absolutely love how this piece turned out and we hope you will give it a look.

I love what Tim had to say about this project as well:

“I used to do deliveries on bicycle, my first job in Portland and definitely a very Portland job to do. I loved being on the street, it allowed me to meet people of all kinds from kids selling Street Roots to CFOs of the largest tech firms, and lots and lots of restaurant and food cart owners. I got a real intimate impression of our city and loved spending my days outside in the air, in the seasons, and watch it all change. And I loved those moments where everything came together, it all lined up, the whole world was silent for those singular moments of pure beauty.

I always imagined how I could turn this into a video that other people could experience. After imagining this for a couple years I finally hit the road with Portland Pedal Power this spring with cameras on bikes. Yep, we managed to film this entire piece using only bikes – my camera car was a tricycle – no grip truck, no sprinter vans, just bikes. It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. Thanks to the friends that came out for cameo appearances and to the folks at Pedal Power for pulling different roles from camera car pilot to rain makers.”

Music · Solo Mio by Mr. Moo


Pedalpalooza Strikes in June

CaptureGet Ready to Ride!

When I first moved to Portland I was charmed to the core by the creative and hyperactive bike scene. It is really unlike any city I’ve been to in this respect. Year round there are all kinds of bike events (the Midnight Mystery Ride, the Thursday Night Ride, Filmed by Bike Film Fest, Sunday night Zoobomb) but the month June is where it all blows up with Pedalpalooza. It’s time to tune up that cruiser and string some lights on your basket – the kickoff ride is June 9th!

Pedalpalooza is over three weeks of bike events and themed rides organized by community groups and individuals, and nearly all these events are free. If you are new to town, it is a great way to meet new people and check out the magical local bike scene. Check out the calendar, there is seriously something for everyone.

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Jonathan Maus/BikePortland

Bike rides run the gamut, from Fixies on Mt. Tabor to the High Heels ride, from Tom Waits to Lemmy, from the Full Moon to Solstice Ride. This year the Bowie vs. Prince ride is going to be EPIC, considering we lost them both this year. Last year the Champagne Ride was quite fabulous and merged nicely with the Dropout Prom ride, which ended in a midnight dance party along the Springwater Corridor trail.

The Rocky Butte Sunset Potluck Picnic Dance Party is also a lovely start of summer ride. Of course, the World Naked Bike Ride also happens June 25th, 8pm, for those of you looking to expose yourself to more of what Portland has to offer.

There’s nothing better than a party on two wheels. So get your gear, pack up a picnic, and get out and play — summer is coming!


Riding Healthy: How Physical Therapy Can Improve Your Commute

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Kevin and Andy (PPP) outside the shop

Recently I met with Kevin Schmidt, the Owner/Founder of Pedal PT, one of the only physical therapy offices in Portland specializing in physical therapy for cyclists and bike fitting. Kevin found his passion during a major life shift: In 2007 he left a corporate job and took a massive pay cut in favor of reducing his car commute and working closer to home. He started riding to work every day and while he felt miles better physically and mentally, he noticed that daily cycling was taking a toll. He found that even in his field of physical therapy the answers he was getting about how to avoid this were incomplete, so he set out to learn more about how to fix this. “85% of people who ride regularly develop pain,” Kevin says. “What we do is look at the body, the posture, the pedal style, and adjust the bike from a holistic perspective. We see dozens of people a week just for bike fit.”

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Kevin in the Pedal PT bike fit shop

The office is centrally located in the Clinton district with indoor bike parking, in a gorgeous open office space. They’ll adjust the bike in-house, in the physical therapy/shop pictured to the right. “We’re half physical therapist, half wrench monkey,” says Kevin. While you might spend 300 bucks at some shops for non-medical bike fitting, Pedal PT offers bike fit from a specialized physical therapist for $150, without the product upselling you might get at a shop.

Kevin is one of the more passionate folks I’ve met–a bike geek and cycling advocate–involved in the community and excited about it. His Rivendell bike is swoon inducing and I’m pretty sure I need a bike fit ASAP, since I ride everywhere and don’t own a car. In other words, I’m sold.