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The ENOkio! Proof that good things DO come in small packages!

by Jon Elias

Size isn’t everything, you know. Sometimes the best things in life come in small boxes. Nowhere is that sentiment expressed better than with the newest model in the Portland Pedal Power cycling fleet, which we have dubbed the ENOkio!

As you may have read in our monthly newsletter, we recently introduced the ENOkio, a smaller, lightweight model of the Pyxis! This new model of enclosed delivery bike was meant to reduce our fabrication costs by switching out our typical aluminum frame with a birch one. The unintended result has been a lighter, nimbler, super practical cycle capable of performing the Kessel Run in less than 12 Parsecs. How’s that for bending space-time? Because you get some great cargo space without sacrificing the freedom of a bicycle, we’re calling it the Pyxis for everyone.

So when did it all start? ENOkio was born in February 15, 2014, and  was our smoothest build to date. Our in-home engineer Alex did a fantastic job with the pre-build phase, and the assembly went off without a single hitch (which might have been a first in our building process). Of course, as we prepare for growth to meet our market expansion goals, our manufacturing process is consistently getting smoother and more efficient.

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Pride Parade 2013

by stacy

PPP’s newest rider & photographer/videographer Tim Wildgoose took part in the Pride Parade in Old Town last weekend. Here’s what he had to say about the event:

Pride ParadeLast weekend, Portland Pedal Power Founder and Co-Owner Ken Wetherell and I went out with our custom Pyxis enclosures and joined the Portland Gay Yellow Pages float for the Pride Parade through Old Town Portland.

First worthy mention is that the turn out was amazing. The entire route was so dense with on-lookers and supporters I had no idea what to do with all the attention. Good thing Scott from PDXGYP gave us squirt guns. It was funny how surprised people were when they were squirted with water from little plastic guns, totally unexpected to get wet when its not coming from the skies in Portland. Our squirt guns definitely brought about a ton of smiles and made for amusing interactions with the crowd.

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The Pyxis Story, Part Three: Portability

by stacy

Portland Pedal Power PyxisOver the past couple weeks, we’ve been giving our followers a behind the scenes look at the development of the Pyxis, the cargo bike enclosure that we use to deliver food and all kinds of other products to businesses in Portland. Portland Pedal Power founder and co-owner Ken Wetherell was kind enough to share his insights on The Pyxis Story, giving some background on where the idea came from and where we’re going with it. This week, you’ll see the final piece in this chapter of The Pyxis Story. So take a look at The Pyxis Story, Part Three: Portability to get one more look behind the curtain at Portland Pedal Power.

And in case you missed them, check out Part One: The Concept and Part Two: Improvements to get caught up!

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The Pyxis Story, Part Two: Improvements

by stacy

Portland Pedal Power PyxisLast week’s interview with Portland Pedal Power founder and co-owner Ken Wetherell was just the beginning of the The Pyxis Story. This week, you’ll hear from Ken about the improvements that have been made to turn the Pyxis into what it is today. So take a look at behind the scenes at the PPP headquarters in Southeast Portland and enjoy The Pyxis Story, Part Two: Improvements.

And in case you missed it, check out last week’s video to get caught up: The Pyxis Story, Part One: The Concept

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The Pyxis Story, Part One: The Concept

by Brook

Portland Pedal Power PyxisHave you ever wondered how we came up with the design for the Pyxis, the enclosure that we use to deliver delicious food to local businesses all over Portland? Well, here’s your chance to take a look behind the scenes at Portland Pedal Power. The team recently built a new Pyxis, number seven in our ever-growing fleet, and this time, we documented the process while interviewing Ken Wetherell, PPP’s founder and co-owner and a cargo bike enthusiast. So take a look at The Pyxis Story, Part One: The Concept to learn more about how the Pyxis evolved from an idea into a finished product.

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Meet the PPP Operations Team

by Ken Wetherell
“Busiest lunch ever – 18 deliveries in 1.5 hours.”
That was the message Jenn sent to our co-owner team last month on a day when Portland Pedal Power served over 340 people at numerous downtown businesses on five bikes. Lots of coordination goes on behind the scene to pull this off. Food consistently arrives hot and on time, leaving hungry customers smiling. And we’re gearing up for more — building more Pyxis equipped Yuba Mundos, hiring riders and signing on more clients. It’s an exciting time of growth for us and a good time to introduce the talented people who make it happen every day. They ride, promote, deliver, advertise, dispatch, build, train, innovate, sell, maintain and serve. Meet the faces of Portland Pedal Power!
Jenn
Jennifer Dederich, Co-owner and Head of Operations
PPP would not exist today without Jenn. Full time since day one, she grabbed this project by the horns and wrestled it into submission and eventually into a smooth-running, productive business. Her passion for the business model and her drive for results, continuous improvement and customer delight have moved us further down the road for over four years, doubling our business volume every year. As I said on the first day we ever met — to discuss going into business together — she rocks!
Likes About the Job
“Providing superior service and making people really happy.”
Favorite Moment on the Job
“When everything just flows like butter. When it’s a busy day and it all works out great.”
Least Favorite Moment on the Job
“Weather. Super, super rainy days. Fighting Mother Nature.”

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Meet Addy, owner of Addy’s Sandwiches!

by stacy

So for those of you who have faithfully followed for some time, you know we love Addy’s Sandwich Bar!  Addy’s Sandwich Bar is a phenomenal food cart on the corner of 10th and Alder that has resided in that spot for the past three years. Addy has a charming personality and an infectious smile, so she’s great to visit on a gloomy day!  If you’ve not read why we love Addy’s sandwiches so much, you can refer back to any of our previous Addy’s blogs.

Last you saw Addy’s sandwiches on our blog, you likely read that she is the first to purchase Portland Pedal Power’s Pyxis, our awesome one of a kind bike enclosure that’s awesome for food delivery in Portland! But don’t take it from us, take it from Addy herself. Addy was gracious enough to sit down with us again, and chat with us on camera about her great business and how the PPP Pyxis has helped her business move forward and expand! Without further ado, meet Addy!

Addy’s Sandwich Bar from Portland Pedal Power on Vimeo.

For more information on great vendors, people, and events follow us on Facebook!

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Bicycle loans at awesome rates? Sign me up Point West!

by stacy

So you’ve had your eye on that beautiful bike in the window, you know, the window of that bike shop you walk by every day on your way to work. It’s a beautiful light weight Colnago M10 S road bike with carbon fiber frame. You’ve tortured yourself with day dreams of this bike for a little over a year, but this bike is upwards of $3,000 dollars. You may or may not have the money, but $3,000 dollars is a lot of money out of pocket!  Or perhaps you’re looking at the latest release from Portland Pedal Power, The Pyxis, for your start up business to transport items, but you just don’t have the expendable cash!  Well our friends at Point West Credit Union have a couple of perfect solutions for you!

Point West is proud to support Portland’s favorite means of alternative transportation as it recognizes our city’s growing bicycle community. In support, Point West offers bicycle loans with rates as low as 4.49% so you can finance that amazing piece of pedal powered machinery that you’ve been drooling over, not to mention all the fine accessories that set recreational cyclists apart from the hardcore!  Yet loans aren’t for everybody, and perhaps it’s not just a bicycle you’re looking at.

Its hard to find a good Visa card these days and a decent line of credit with a great APR. Once again, Point West comes to the rescue offering a very competitive rewards Platinum Visa with an 8.95% APR on purchases. There are no annual fees or international transaction fees on this bad boy either! (for you more worldly types) You earn a point for every piece of moola you distribute back into the economy which in turn, can be redeemed for brand name merchandise, travel, gift cards, and more. All Point West VISA cards earn ScoreCard Rewards Points.  For those of you who have high card balances at other banks or credit unions, with the Platinum VISA at Point West, you can transfer all those balances at 12.45% APR with only a $5.00 fee. Consolidate and spend less on interest, with no outrageous balance transfer percentages

This year will be their 80th year of serving the Portland Community under the motto of people helping people. When you become a member of Point West, you are becoming a member of a cooperative of credit unions which gives you access to better loan rates, competitive deposit products and a suite of services all under one roof provided by people who only have their member’s best interest at heart.

If you’d like to learn more about Point West and get some SCHWAG come visit PPP’ers this Thursday at First Thursday or next Tuesday at Portland Parks and Recreation’s National Night Out at Holladay Park off NE 11th and Holladay! We will be packing some goodies to give out to you who are so fortunate to happen upon us, and more information on Point West and how awesome they really are!

For more information on Point West Credit Union visit their website! For more information on PPP and all our happenings visit our website or blog or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
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