To find this week's hot ride, I spent the morning staking out Stumptown Coffee on SE 34th and Belmont, where a line of beautiful bicycles always stretches down the block. Admittedly, Roberto's bike wasn't the sexiest of the bunch, but his outsider thoughts on Portland bike fashion (he's fresh from Santa Cruz) and the jaw harp on his hip tipped my scales.

This Week: the Judgment Bike

Rider: Roberto Casanueva
Bike: Blue and white Nishiki bought off Craigslist
Spotted At: Belmont Stumptown

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Since your bike isn't top-notch sexy, do you feel intimidated by all the hot bikes around here?
I definitely feel intimidated. I came from a smaller city that's really bike friendly and people here are pretty hardcore about their fixed gears and their accessories.

How do feel about people projecting layers of meaning onto every part of your bike?
It's like it's not clothes anymore, it's bikes. It's how your bike looks and how you ride it and how long you can not put your foot down at a stop light.

How do you think people read your bike?
I think people read it as fast - I go pretty fast wherever I go... also, I try to wear bright colors. People told me it would be pretty cloudy here so bright colors bring out the sunshine.

So you're mixing both the clothes fashion and the bike fashion.
I'm trying to bring both worlds together, it's one big piece! I have to say, I love Nishiki. I think they're bad-ass. I think people overlook them.

What's bad-ass about them?
The name, just the way it sounds. Nishiki. Nishiki.

So what are your plans for this Nishiki?
I want to paint it yellow or orange. More bright colors. The white and blue is sweet, the handle grips are awesome, it's got a little fade going on. It definitely breathes eighties and the eighties were a sexy decade so I'm okay with that. But I think it needs a little more color.

Have you thought of a description of your bike-and-clothes fashion style yet?
Shit, I was supposed to be thinking about that? How about "Ready for Anything"? Yeah, I like that... Yesterday I was building, the day before that I was dancing in the woods to dub step.


Have your eye on a sexy bike? Nominate it!