Attention, Portland! The rain is coming. Are you prepared to ride through the wonderfully wet weather that greets us in the fall and lasts all winter? If you’re feeling a bit intimidated by the forecast and your lack of quality gear, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
Here at Portland Pedal Power, we take to the streets to deliver food from great, local restaurants and food carts regardless of the weather. So we know what works to protect our bodies from the elements. We know what keeps our phones dry. We know what gear keeps us visible and safe while riding alongside other commuters.
Here’s a quick rundown of what we use on our delivery routes throughout Portland:
1. Rain Gear from O2: Coming to us from Minneapolis, which happens to be another great cycling city, O2 offers simple, effective protection from rain and wind with no frills. Check out their products page, and you’ll see just nine items, but don’t look at the limited selection as a bad thing. O2’s gear just flat out works. The jackets and pants are fully waterproof, with waterproof zippers and taped internal seams, and their 3Flow™ Performance Fabrics are engineered to keep water out while allowing your skin to breathe. The form fitting jackets also offer a breast pocket and super reflective elements on the front and back. And this gear is durable. Here at PPP, we’re about to enter our third season of heavy usage with our O2 rain pants and jackets!
2. Bike Lights from Knog: We recently connected with Knog, and our first impression has been a good one. Their little lights pack some serious power to keep the PPP team visible while we’re out running night deliveries. And they’re easy to pop on and off your handlebars, so you can toss them in your pocket when you’re taking a break from the weather at your favorite coffee shop. And the best thing about Knog? They offer lights with USB-rechargeable batteries! That really fits into our sustainability goals here at PPP!
3. Hip Pouches from North St. Bags: When we first met Curtis Williams, owner and designer of North St. Bags, we were just looking for a better bag than what we had at the time. We came out of the partnership with an absolutely perfect hip pouch for carrying phones, PPP cards, receipt books and more that Curtis eventually added to his regular lineup. North St. Bags come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from a handlebar pouch for keeping your phone and wallet dry up to a convertible backpack pannier for keeping everything you can ride with dry. These bags are seriously waterproof (as proven by PPP Rider Dan Fitz) and they’re fully color customizable, so you can show off your personal style as you enjoy keeping your stuff dry while riding in wet weather.
So that’s how we keep ourselves on the road when the weather gets ugly. With top-quality gear that keeps us and our stuff dry and safe. We look forward to see you on the streets this season. Give a wave or a ring your bell the next time you see a PPP rider braving the elements, and be sure to ride safe, be seen and have fun out there!
