Category Archives: Business

E198 – Phillip Ross: Metrofiets

August 19, 2014Bicycling, Building, Business, Cargo, Technology, Transitsprocketpodcast

Phillip Ross makes cargo bikes! Metrofiets brings the classic dutch box-bike concept into an American iteration. We talk about his passion for bicycling innovation.

Phil mentions the atomic zombie’s bicycle builder’s bonanza!

Also: Brock’s bike breaks, a combine demolition derby, and Cory’s summer.

Headlines

dcist.org: Courtland Milloy goes on a bike ride, rethinks bicycling. (from Pedalshift)

Aftermass!
7 PM on Sept 12 at the Clinton Street Theatre with more Q&A afterwards.
also upcoming screenings in Roanoke, VA, Seattle, WA, and Pittsburgh, PA! More info at: http://microcosmpublishing.com/aftermass

Mail
Eric swingbikes to vista house!

Betsy sends us this:
Watch the Portland bike network grow from 1950 until today

Last week’s mystery donor was Kevin! Thanks, dude.

The mystery burp by text message came from Dan in MN! He also texts about similarities between road guard & “corking.”

Jim from St. Petersburg Russia enjoys a bit of Oregon home while listening to Lenny Anderson’s stories.

JohnnyK sends in a wikipedia article on post-vacation blues and tells Brock to buck up. (LOL)

Roger shares suggested reading: Kunstler’s “Geography of Nowhere”. You’ve been “there.”

David from PDX clears up the “eat meat for healing” thing.

Doug feels a little guilty about receiving the postcard Adele bought for someone else, and did in fact hike the entire Appalachian Trail.

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, Justin Martin, Eric Iverson, Cameron Lien

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E184 – Brandon Rhodes: Rolling Oasis

May 21, 2014Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Cargo, Gardening, Kitchen, Technology, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Brandon Rhodes, besides being one of the show’s founding cohosts and an all-around good guy, is the proprietor of the new sustainable (and replicable) local produce delivery service Rolling Oasis. He had a vision for a business that would connect his neighbors to healthier food options while he aimed to connect with his neighbors, and thus a great idea was born. We get the skinny from him on how his model works and what it’s been like to launch the venture! Steph Routh fills in as cohost in Aaron’s absence.

Also:
Brock & Adele’s bike move
tickets now available for Aftermass
Kick Ass Oregon History’s summer road trip
Pedalpalooza! it’s June 5th – 28th this year.

Headlines
BikePortland: Something has gone wrong in Portland
c|net: the inventor of Palchohol explains how it works (via Logan)

Mail
Mark sends us links to AAA roadside support for cyclists, and some posters from the “golden age of bicycling.”

Dan (whom we convinced to move to Portland… kind of) weighs in on snippy attitudes between cyclists.

So, who would YOU like to see as guests for our big 202 epic live episode? We wanna hear your top fives!

Sebastian shares: “I’ve occaisionally heard the phrase “bandit camping” in your podcasts. This fellow artfully takes the practice to new heights.”

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby, Wayne Norman, Doug Robertson, Ethan Georgi, & Justin Martin

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E182 – Jerry Zelada: Advocacy is Easy

May 6, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Communication, Technology, The Law, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel, Urban Design, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Jerry Zelada is an optometrist by day, and an advocate by night. Actually, he’s always an advocate and an activist, because that’s how changes get made at the levels that matter. We talk to him about how bicycling runs in his family and his touring adventures in an earlier decade, the infrastructure debate surrounding Portland’s NE 28th Avenue business district, and how the state of Oregon provided a place at the table for nonmotorized road users in all areas of the state through the ODOT ACT. Jerry’s website is: zelada.com

Also:
Gladys Bikes move-by-bike
tickets now available for Aftermass
No Tech Magazine shares an 8 wheeled cargo hauler

Headlines
BikePortland: Skamania Transit offers bike-friendly weekend service starting May 1

[Also, UrbanTurnip offered on twitter: “i thought #skamania was going to be a music festival or a checkered bike lane”]

TriMet: Ride around Washington Park FREE! Line 83 weekend service begins May 3

Mail
Eric from Portland wants to know what bike shorts and chamois creams we prefer. We respond by encouraging the use of leather saddles.

Doug on Surly snobs & custom details.

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E178 – Two Dudes & Some Palindromes

April 8, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Camping, Communication, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Brock & Aaron engage in a little more tour recap, including:

Mission Bicycle Company & The Lumen, the retroreflective bike (Kelly & Peter from theDope Pedalers) collaborated on by our friend Josh Zisson with Halo

Roger & the Bike Through China Book

Kevin at Carmel Starbucks & the Financial Engines water bottle, & escape from Hurricane Carmel

free boxes

the places we didn’t go

communication difficulties & touring dynamics

Why pay 50 dollars for gloves?

A few notable things:
Twitter trend: #ReplaceBikeWithCar (and a roundup of the best)
Aftermass documentary!
Filmed By Bike!
Lenny Anderson’s records

Also: New studio rumblings & underwriter possibilities

Headlines
BikePortland: The Orange Line might secretly be Portland’s biggest bike project ever

Mail
Jame on bike shops & jargon.

Thanks to our sustaining donors for supporting our show costs:
Logan Smith
Shadowfoot
Kathrina Mellemgaard
Roger Grigsby
Wayne Norman
Doug Robertson
Ethan Georgi

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E174 – Path Less Pedaled: Oregon Scenic Bikeways

March 10, 2014Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Camping, Communication, Touring, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Russ Roca & Laura Crawford from Path Less Pedaled are back to talk Oregon tourismand scenic bikeways after some long, hard work on promotional videos that show off the bounty of beauty that our state has to offer.

Join Russ & Laura at the screening party for their promotional video series on March 20 at Chris King Precision Components in Portland, Oregon! Bikes. Beer. Food. Free. No excuse not to! (RSVP on Facebook here)

Also:
USFS maps free for download!

AFTERMASS, a film by Joe Biel has its Portland premiere on May 23 at Clinton Street Theatre at 7 PM; how advocacy and activism coalesced to create Portland’s bicycle network over the last 40 years. Tickets are $7 and the event will feature Q&A with the director as well as the world premiere of the short film The Greatest Gift, about Emily Finch, the car-free mother of six.

Mail
New sustaining donor Wayne writes in on transportation planning and seemingly illogical routes (likely laid out by drunken lemurs). We reference the Critical Transit podcast that addresses some of the intricacies of how it all works.

JohnnyK comments that Trackers Earth brings important focus to a sense of community, and that it’s hard to find in the big city.

TopHat writes from Oakland on carsharing. We found that one-way carsharing is illegal in SFO right now! But Getaround has a few cars in Oakland and there are “hella” Zipcarsthere as well.

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, Kathrina Mellemgaard, Roger Grigsby & Wayne Norman for supporting our show costs.

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E172 – Leah Benson: Gladys Bikes

February 25, 2014Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Communication, Racing, Technology, Touring, Transitsprocketpodcast

Leah Benson of Gladys Bikes in North Portland, Oregon tells us a little about running a bicycle shop that’s a little different than the norm! Her business focuses on helping non-male customers find bicycles and accessories that suit their bodies best for the task at hand, including the operation of a saddle lending library that lets anyone borrow a number of them to find the one that feels best!

Also: Public transit to Mount Hood, rides on Sauvie Island, and how laziness shapes Aaron’s laundry situation.

Headlines
Diamond Cut Life: Tips for riding Amtrak & intercity bus enjoyably.

Mail
Christina writes in to let us know about free legal clinics for bicyclists hosted by the BTA & law firm Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton. The dates are March 26th, May 21st, June 25th, August 27th, and November 19th from 6-7:00 PM at the BTA Headquarters, 618 NW Glisan Street #401, in downtown Portland. They will cover Oregon bicycle and pedestrian laws, insurance policy coverage, and what to do if you’re in a crash; all attendees receive a free copy of attorney Ray Thomas’ book, “Pedal Power: a Legal Guide for Oregon Cyclists.”

JohnnyK loves last week’s show with Bojun, and is a new sustaining donor! We express our immense thanks to everyone who has signed on so far.

Jame also loved the interview with Bojun and wants to see better messaging about bicycles.

And more entertainment from the space bike comment thread on episode 165.

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donors Logan Smith, Shadowfoot, & Kathrina Mellemgaard for supporting our show costs.

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E170 – Steve Gutmann: Getaround

February 11, 2014Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, Family, Technology, The Law, Transitsprocketpodcast

Steve Gutmann is a sustainability genius and regional pointman for the peer-to-peer carsharing service Getaround. We talk to him about the history of carsharing, beginning with Dave Brook’s Carsharing Portland, and its evolution into the systems that are available today, including the ability to leverage your personal car’s potential into additional income and an incentive to drive it less. We wrap up with a surprise discussion of self-driving cars and how they might make cities more friendly to people in general (click to read Steve’s article on this subject).

Also: snowpocalypse! snow anarchy, the sliding truck, and enjoying an unexpected holiday.

Headlines BikePortland: Chicago brings Portland’s bag of biking tricks to Bronzeville’s ‘Black Metropolis’ BikePortland: Brandon Rhodes, Lents’ new bike-powered grocer

Mail Kirk twitters about Iowa & #godshandkerchief

Scott Cohen from the City of Portland writes in to clarify how demand for bike parking works, including a link to the guide to installing bike racks in the public right-of-way.

Chris in Arcata asks about Brooks saddle vendors in Portland. We mention these options:

• Wallingford Bicycle Parts, in Louisiana, has a 6 month trial guarantee on saddles •Gladys Bikes has a saddle library • Clever Cycles • Velo Cult • Universal Cycles • Joe Bike

And we watched Chris’ film recommendation Riding Bikes With The Dutch.

Bill Lascher finds it, Doctor Jeff predicted it: speed dating on public transit’s “singles car.”

Fine Print email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com twitter: @SprocketPodcast phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774 web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines) Thanks to sustaining donors Logan Smith & Shadowfoot for supporting our show costs.

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E164 – Thunder Island Brewing, Cascade Locks OR

December 30, 2013Adventure, Bicycling, Brewing, Business, Camping, Touring, Travelsprocketpodcast

Who would have thought that some of the best beer available in Oregon was accessible to hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail and touring cyclists in the Columbia River Gorge? And who would have thought that it would be possible with a simple trail project to make it an easy day’s ride from Portland by bike?

We talk with Dave & Dan from Thunder Island Brewing about adventure, business, and brewing, and do some tasting of their fine beverages! Cascade Locks, Oregon just got a whole lot cooler, and you should take a weekend camping trip to figure out why!

Happy 2013, all, and a happy 2014 as it dawns on us! All the best,

Brock & Aaron

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E162 – Elly Blue: Bikenomics

December 17, 2013Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Communication, Downsizing, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travelsprocketpodcast

Elly Blue is the author of the new book, Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy, and also the star of the now-famous Amtrak incident leading to a broader conversation on bike/train integration. We talk about the benefits of a bicycle lifestyle and multimodalism!

Aaron & Brock also discuss drinking coffee, coffee machine cuisine, Aaron’s new Disc Trucker, Spinlister, and Amtrak: Gangnam Style.

Headlines
Oregonian: new train service added to the Amtrak Cascades corridor
Bicycle Retailer: Specialized makes nice with Canadian bicycle builder
(Listener Dion also sent us the video of Specialized’s Mike Sinyard & Dan Richter getting along in person.)

Mail
Dion shares Martyn Ashton’s Road Bike Party videos – some sweet jumps and tricks!

Martyn later suffered a significant injury after falling backward during a demonstration.

Jeremy from Critical Transit twitters:
I never used studded #bike tires before last week but I’ve become a believer.

Logan sends us a TEDx video from Tall Bike Bobby!

Marcus sends us some info from Streetsblog on how unused parking can cost seattle renters a lot of extra cash.

Jack comments on Steph Routh’s move by bike episode and relates a story about a uhaul.

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E160 – Michael Andersen: The Real Estate Beat

December 3, 2013Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, History, Housing, The Law, Transit, Walkingsprocketpodcast

Michael Andersen is a writer for BikePortland.org who covers a wide variety of low-car lifestyle topics, including his Real Estate Beat which aims to explore how property owners are making it easier to live without a car in the city’s rental market. We discuss presidential microphones and bike rides, low-car buildings & economic difficulties, how inclusionary zoning could help the situation, and the new micro-apartments being planned in the downtown and Hollywood districts.

Aaron & Brock also discuss the Critical Transit podcast, Bikecraft, renting a Prius, and dynamo lighting.

Headlines
BikePortland: the Oregon Outback gets organized
Diamond Cut Life: subtraction for the holidays

Mail
Tim in DC updates us on the Frontier Airlines bicycle policy.

Glenn in Edmonton on twitter has “become a big fan of the vibe of @SprocketPodcast” and links to a video of his snowy commute featuring birds! also, what does #yegbikemean?

Dan from MN texts in to say he enjoyed the show on bike moves!

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The Sprocket Podcast

simplifying the good life

Category Archives: Business

E198 – Phillip Ross: Metrofiets

E184 – Brandon Rhodes: Rolling Oasis

E182 – Jerry Zelada: Advocacy is Easy

E178 – Two Dudes & Some Palindromes

E174 – Path Less Pedaled: Oregon Scenic Bikeways

E172 – Leah Benson: Gladys Bikes

E164 – Thunder Island Brewing, Cascade Locks OR

E162 – Elly Blue: Bikenomics