Is Portland (OR) the best city for bicyclists?

Is it?

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 23, 2012 at 8:08am

No

Permalink Reply by spencewine on August 23, 2012 at 11:48am

Sounds pretty inconclusive.

But after three days and perhaps 70 miles of cycling around town, I failed to find the main arteries of Portland’s cycling culture. I detected it faintly, but I never found the main pulse. I saw a few other urban cyclists and enjoyed several red-carpet rides along the city’s acclaimed bicycle boulevards—entire roads essentially reserved for bikes. But I also battled traffic on loud, gridlocked boulevards that could have been the main drag of any American town, and I crossed and recrossed the Willamette River via the snarling, bumper-to-bumper, almost-a-freeway Ross Island Bridge—no fun at all.

Next paragrah:

It turns out I totally overlooked the heart of Portland’s biking culture, which is very much alive and welcoming.

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on August 23, 2012 at 12:19pm

It's looking like Chicago is poised to become cycling central in the country. I have never seen so many cyclists this time since last summer.

Permalink Reply by Rich S on August 23, 2012 at 7:23pm

The smuggyest perhaps? I've never been there so don't have a valid opinion but it was in bikesnob's top 3!

Permalink Reply by Matheis on August 24, 2012 at 12:20am

Cycling in Portland is pretty great. The infrastructure is excellent and I feel people there are generally more respectful of one another.

 

I believe that a society's mindset is as much (if not more) important than the infrastructure.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on August 24, 2012 at 1:54am

It's obligatory; sorry.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 24, 2012 at 2:17am

The end is the best part.

That's gonna leave a mark...

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 24, 2012 at 3:14am

The main thing I noticed about Portland is its bike-friendliness. There is not necessarily more bike infrastructure there compared to Chicago – although the Bike Boulevards are a joy to ride and I can't wait for more to be installed in Chicago. I felt safer riding in Portland because people drove slower and were more conscious of cyclists – unlike Chicago, where the norm is a get-the-fuck-out-of-my-way mentality. Even as a pedestrian, I noticed drivers routinely stopping behind the stop bar when I crossed the street. PDX also has a higher percentage of cyclists than Chicago, although it has a smaller general population.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 24, 2012 at 3:52am

The same thing can be seen in the burbs.  Once you get outside of the City a few miles the driver-aggression goes down a few orders of magnitude.   When I first started riding long rides outside of the city I was shocked at the difference.   

Chicago drivers are some of the most aggressive, dangerously-uncaring, and oblivious of the concept that there are OTHER PEOPLE out there on the public streets that they are putting into grave personal danger.

It's like they are playing a personal video game, attempting a high-score/low-time by weaving through a bunch of inanimate shapes/objects with zero repercussions for a collision to anyone but themselves as they sit ensconced in their safety-cocoon of a modern ABS/traction-controlled/air-bagged/crumple-zone "safety cage."


Adam Herstein said:

The main thing I noticed about Portland is its bike-friendliness. There is not necessarily more bike infrastructure there compared to Chicago – although the Bike Boulevards are a joy to ride and I can't wait for more to be installed in Chicago. I felt safer riding in Portland because people drove slower and were more conscious of cyclists – unlike Chicago, where the norm is a get-the-fuck-out-of-my-way mentality. Even as a pedestrian, I noticed drivers routinely stopping behind the stop bar when I crossed the street. PDX also has a higher percentage of cyclists than Chicago, although it has a smaller general population.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 24, 2012 at 3:57am

That may be true, but in the 'burbs, you also have higher speed limits and less people biking on the streets. Drivers who live in the suburbs don't see as many people riding bikes, and therefore are less used to sharing the road with them. I feel like this issue and the one you described more or less cancel each other out and make cycling in the suburbs just as dangerous as the city. The nice thing about the suburbs though, is there are more off-street bike paths and riding on the sidewalk is legal – if not expected. I have noticed that suburban drivers tend to give you more room when passing, though.

James BlackHeron said:

The same thing can be seen in the burbs.  Once you get outside of the City a few miles the driver-aggression goes down a few orders of magnitude.   When I first started riding long rides outside of the city I was shocked at the difference.   

Chicago drivers are some of the most aggressive, dangerously-uncaring, and oblivious of the concept that there are OTHER PEOPLE out there on the public streets that they are putting into grave personal danger.

It's like they are playing a personal video game, attempting a high-score/low-time by weaving through a bunch of inanimate shapes/objects with zero repercussions for a collision to anyone but themselves as they sit ensconced in their safety-cocoon of a modern ABS/traction-controlled/air-bagged/crumple-zone "safety cage."


Adam Herstein said:

The main thing I noticed about Portland is its bike-friendliness. There is not necessarily more bike infrastructure there compared to Chicago – although the Bike Boulevards are a joy to ride and I can't wait for more to be installed in Chicago. I felt safer riding in Portland because people drove slower and were more conscious of cyclists – unlike Chicago, where the norm is a get-the-fuck-out-of-my-way mentality. Even as a pedestrian, I noticed drivers routinely stopping behind the stop bar when I crossed the street. PDX also has a higher percentage of cyclists than Chicago, although it has a smaller general population.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 24, 2012 at 4:17am

+1

James BlackHeron said:

The end is the best part.

That's gonna leave a mark...

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 24, 2012 at 4:19am

That's exactly how I felt when I rode while visiting Portland a few years ago.  Drivers were generally more conscious of bikes and a lot less hostile. 

Adam Herstein said:

The main thing I noticed about Portland is its bike-friendliness. There is not necessarily more bike infrastructure there compared to Chicago – although the Bike Boulevards are a joy to ride and I can't wait for more to be installed in Chicago. I felt safer riding in Portland because people drove slower and were more conscious of cyclists – unlike Chicago, where the norm is a get-the-fuck-out-of-my-way mentality. Even as a pedestrian, I noticed drivers routinely stopping behind the stop bar when I crossed the street. PDX also has a higher percentage of cyclists than Chicago, although it has a smaller general population.

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