Do you need something to do this weekend? Why not make your own Bicycle Frame Lunch Bag? All you need is a bit of sturdy fabric, a spool of thread, a sewing machine, some Velco... and don't forget a dash of love. Awwww!

Via Craftzine.

Idolator kind of ripped her a new one for it:

Are you ready for a brave new world where cultures collide in unexpected ways? And where you can pay $180 for the privilege of wearing a fruit-adorned hoodie?

The way biking in the Rose Quarter works now, bikes crisscross the intersection at Oregon and Interstate, then cross under the freeway and loop around to catch NE Wheeler. That's the blue line, below.

The re-configured transit center will let bikes travel straight through, following the red path. Lots of cyclists do this now, illegally. TriMet plans to move some of the buses' stops to NE Multnomah to clear out some of the traffic in the center of the transit area, to make the space safer for all. I've heard the bike lane will be added in September.

But the bus drivers on this petition are opposed to the plan. "The Following document is a cry for help from the Drivers of Tri-met to the people and media of Portland. With your help we can prevent the fatal results that will no doubt occur if we remain silent, and current plans go forward. No professional driver ever willingly puts their self or others at risk, but that is exactly what we are being asked to do if bicycles are allowed traverse where multiple 20-ton busses and 3 MAX lines are maneuvering. With your help, we hope this lethal tragedy can be averted. We cannot let the city of council of Portland squeeze a bike lane through the Rose Quarter Transit Center." (Sic throughout.)

The entire bus drivers' letter is after the cut.

This Week: The Supertwins

Riders: John Wagner and Molly Oakes
Bikes: Twin single-color single-speed road bikes, Frost has a princely Austro Daimler frame, Flames was scavenged from a Dumpster.
Spotted At: Half & Half on SW Oak

How'd you two wind up with Frost and Flames?
John: I built this bike and then a year later she built hers. They do kinda match. If by match you mean we should probably write a Scandinavian power metal song about it.

Why would you paint your bike gray when there's already so much gray in the landscape here?
John: Well, I'm pretty attached to the Portland landscape. I like the way it looks.

How do you think it's different riding around a gray bike than a bright red one?
John: The bright red bike would seem so flashy. I like my bike to look good, but I don't want it to way stand out or something. I used to have like a caution yellow bike and there was something about having a bike that was, like, that bright that just didn't appeal to me.

A lot of sexiness is about subtlety. Molly, your bike -- not so subtle. What are you going for here? Devil red? Tomato red?
Molly: Red of the beast. Hell red.

What's the deal with the monochromatic schemes?
Molly: Basically chance. I got a lot of this bike from my friends for free and they just happened to have tape that matched the frame. My friend Juicebox found the frame in a Dumpster and gave it to me.

You have a friend named Juicebox?
Molly: Ha, yeah.

With the handcuffs, are you going more for "policeman" or more for "kinkster"?
John: I'm going for "locks well to poles."

But that would be a kinkster.
John: Ha, well, maybe that is it and I just need to admit it to myself.

Rider: Matthew Gramling
Bike: Three custom-detailed Schwinn lowriders, with gold and silver paint jobs and lots of skulls
Spotted At: Bus stop on 4th Avenue downtown

How did you get into making bikes like these?
I grew up in Southern California and I realized there wasn't anything like this out here yet. My real thing is low rider cars, these are just a hobby.

What kind of bike is this?
It's a 67 Schwinn. Powder coated candy apple with gold flakes in the paint. This bike is all real gold. It costs about $1,500.

And you put it on the front of the bus?
Do I look like someone who people would try to rip off? I used to have some trouble with people not paying for bikes I'd done, I was too nice and then I'd have to go to their house and take them back.

Have you ever had any altercations in trying to get a bike back?
Nah, I used to repo cars for a living.

Joel's patterned reflectors caught my eye as he rode a flew blocks ahead of me down NW Davis and I didn't think I'd be able to catch him, but he stopped at every stop sign. I rolled through a couple and pulled up beside him -- turns out he teaches school kids about bike safety for the Bicycle Transit Alliance AND is the keyboardist for the local band Hurtbird, which is playing the Aladdin on Friday. So he's a smart cookie who helps kids and plays music? Lordy lordy.

This Week: Safe Sexy

Bike: Centurion frame with extra-wide handlebars and partially cut-off pink fenders.
Rider: Joel Holly
Spotted At: Third and NW Davis, right next to the BTA.

Do you really always wear a helmet?
I always wear a helmet, even if I'm just riding one block to the store. It's true - actually, I'm very paranoid about crashing.

How have you tricked out your bike to be safe?
Well, it has this charming bird that honks. And it has this bell that rings constantly while I'm riding, which drives some people crazy but it's a good pedestrian alert system. Also I have a ton of reflective tape on my bike and the eye-catching pink handlebars that make motorists think twice before running me over.

I like that bird.
It's very regal looking, huh? You'll also notice I have both brakes. There's a tendency among people to remove the back brake for God knows what reason.

You don't think there's something sexy about unsafe bikes?
I used to be a snowboarder, but I'm 30 and I think I've gotten that flirting with danger thing out of my system. I think it's a bummer that they require brakes, though, it should be a personal choice. I'm against the helmet law, too. Most of those things are turned into a way for the police department to generate revenue.

What kind of questions do the kids in your safety classes ask?
Why are your tires so skinny? Also, why is pink on my bike since I'm a boy? They always ask that. I tell them I like pink.

More specifically, we're going to be talking about the media's portrayal of "the war." I think it'll get a little testy--the Oregonian's been the driving force behind the "versus" coverage, which Maus has had plenty to say about.

Tune in to the Bike Show with hosts Carl Larson and Ayleen Crotty at 9 am on 90.7 am, or live online.

Our esteemed editor, Wm. Steven Humphrey, even witnessed a near fatal collision between a biker and a tow truck this very morning. He was feet from death, personally, or so I understand.

This Week: the Judgment Bike

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

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!

Tip o' the helmet to Linkognito!

I mean, there are just so many motorists to flip off, and windshields to smash, and red lights to run. It's tough work, fighting a bike-car war! And with a national spotlight from the likes of Newsweek, we can't retreat yet.

This Week: Nothing's Sexier than the Classics.

Rider: Morgan Marie Jeffries
Trike: Classic fire engine red Radio Flyer with chrome handles and a double deck in the rear.
Spotted at: Ladd's Addition

Yo, what's up? Hey, that is one sweet trike.
Thank you.

Where did you get it?
Santa.

Awesome. Santa is really cool. What do you like most about riding a tricycle?
(Shrugs.)

Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Do you ever...
I LIKE CINDERELLA!

Whoa... okay. Yeah, that's cool, too, I guess. So, that tricycle is a fixie, right?
I like Cinderella, I like Belle, I like Ariel, I like purple and pink.

Right. So, what's the sexiest thing about riding a tricycle?
MOMMY!!

Okay, thanks, gotta go. Cool trike.

(Have you seen a sexy trike? Email me!)

(Spotted via BikePortland.org.)

This week: Scraper Bikes are Sexy

Rider: Luke Forsyth
Bike:: Vintage brick-red Westfield frame with black banana seat
Spotted at: The Pancake Clubhouse art collective

This bike is really rusty and the paint's all scratched. Why are you so sure ladies are going to love this bicycle? Because scraper bikes are fly. I'd say they're drawn to the lowness, it's stylin' to be low to the ground. Some kids are playing on Huffys and stuff, but I think it's all about the old-school banana seats.

What's the appeal of the low? Pretty much the ability to get down.

How is your life different when you ride this bicycle? I feel better about myself, I'm healthier. Chicks dig it.

Are you ever afraid it's going to fall apart? Never, it's trusty. It just sucks to bike really fast on it.

How does the world look different from a low rider? It's a little bit slower. It's harder to make turns. You have to anticipate them by putting your weight into the turns, if you're going to do sweet big turns, you know?

What kind of people do you find ride scrapers? Gangstas. Exclusively gangstas. Hey, you have to write down that I wrote a song on the way home.

You did? Can you sing it?
It goes, "Scraper bikes are sexy, beers'll get 'em chicks. Yeah. Scraper bikes are sexy, beers'll get 'em chicks."

(Nominate a sexy bike: Email Sarah Mirk.)

See, it is almost deceptively sexy. The color of the fenders and the frame complement each other nicely and it looks like it would be easy to ride in skirt (an often overlooked virtue). But much like a dude Cher from Clueless would call a Monet, from far a way it's okay, but when you take a closer look it's a big old mess. Let's take a closer gander!

This Week: The Friendly Fixie

Rider: Andrea Phillips
Bike: Sky blue C.ITOH frame with cutoff drop handlebars, pricey aluminum rims and pink toe straps.
Spotted at: Outside The Know, heading as a bike gang toward Skidmore Bluffs

What band is playing at The Know tonight? I don't know, I just saw that they have a stand up bass and a harp. It seems pretty neat. I'm always impressed by a harp.

I'm always impressed by color coordinated bicycles. Can you tell me about yours? What do you like about it? I like that my sister bought me the wheels for my birthday.

You mean the tires with the stripes on them? No, I bought the tires. The wheels themselves she bought. That's the most expensive part of the whole bicycle.

I like this pink bobble. Yeah, there were a whole bunch but they hurt my thumbs to put them on.

Where are your favorite rides? I ride it to work, of course, and to Monday Funday Kickball.

How long have you had this bike Um, two and a half months? Yeah, I used to have a ten-speed and it was really heavy... I thought that [the fixed gear] would make me lazier or less fit but really I just go faster with less effort.

Do people treat your fixie differently than your ten-speed? I kinda get some shit and actually strangers on the street are like, "You know what I hate about Portland? I hate fixed gears. That's what I hate about Portland." And I felt really bad actually for a second when somebody said that and then I realized how ridiculous it is that they should feel so upset over something that I enjoy that doesn't harm them in any way.

What's so upsetting about the fixed gear? Oh crap, I have no idea. That's not even something I like to think about, having to do with it. I just have fun with it. I think it's fun to ride, it's kind of fast and exciting sometimes.

So this bike isn't meant to stir up controversy? No, no! Why would bikes be controversial? Why would anybody mean for bikes to be controversial? They're for fun and so I don't have to pay for gas.

So a fixed gear is about having fun and flying down the road? Well, my bike in general is about that and having a fixed gear is about trying something different and finding what I enjoy about it.

This Week: The White Bike

Never have I met a bike so like its rider. My interview with the dapper-dressed Richard was as minimalist, frank and monotone as a straight white line.

Rider: Richard Geesman
Bike: All white KHS frame with Physique saddle, unknown gear set
Spotted At: Last Thursday on Alberta

Did you paint your bike white or did it come that way?
I sprayed it. I took everything apart and put it back together.

Why did you paint it white?
I wanted one color. White is a good color.

But some people say that white doesn't even qualify as a color.
I know. That's why I wanted it.

Do you have a name for it? Is it the Ghost Bike?
No, it's just the bike. You can call it Bike.

Do you always dress like this to match the bike?
Yeah, every day.

How do people respond to your bike?
Do they respond? I don't know.

What's the most interesting thing about your bike?
It works.

Here's an idea that really can have an impact, via the Bicycle Transportation Alliance: Gas-Free Fridays!

In cooperation with groups in New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C., the BTA is "urging Americans to show their patriotism this July 4th, what they're calling Independence from Oil Day, by pledging to make more gas-free trips."

The "Gas-Free Fridays" campaign aims to get more Americans on bicycles this summer, recognizing that half of all driving trips are under two miles in length.

With national gas prices exceeding $4 per gallon, and with mass transit increasingly crowded, Americans are discovering how easy and cost-effective it is to commute by bicycle, sending bike ridership numbers higher than ever.

Bicycle riding in Portland has doubled in the last five years. "Many people in Portland are trying bicycling for the first time because of the high cost of driving," says Scott Bricker, Executive Director of the 5,000-member Bicycle Transportation Alliance. "They would rather spend $4 on a light lunch or to buy a locally hand-crafted beer than on a gallon of gas."

Advocates hope that "Gas-Free Fridays" will encourage even more Americans to develop healthy, sustainable commuting habits that will ease the financial burdens of skyrocketing gas prices and reduce our country's dependence on oil. In one year, riding a bicycle versus owning and driving will save an individual $8,000. On average, commuting 10 miles a day by bike instead of car burns 110,250 calories (keeping off 30 pounds of fat each year) and saves 3,500 lbs. of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

More about the other participating cities after the cut.

Will you go gas free on Fridays?

Luckily Aaron Tarfman is more proficient, and snapped this one at city hall before we left:

As Adams turned onto the Eastbank Esplanade at the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge, the crowd--at least 150 strong, on regular bikes, bakfiets, mondo cycles, and everything in between--stretched all the way to the other end of the bridge.

We eventually made it up Williams, over Skidmore, and then down Interstate to the organic brewers' fest, since no local bar (and definitely no bar in Kenton, Adams' neighborhood) could hold such a huge pile of cyclists.

There, Adams bid everyone adieu:

(And I snuck off to Vendetta with a handful of cyclists, while another crew hit Amnesia Brewing. Adams headed up Interstate to Kenton, reportedly to go on a date.)

This Week: The Watermelon Bike

Rider: Angela Previdelli
Bike: Fixed gear with chlorophyll green Miata frame, Masi saddle, clipless peddles and Deep V bubblegum pink rims
Spotted: In my garden

Pink rims, huh?
I got those at Velo shop when they helped me put this bike together last summer. It was going to be an all green bike, but then I went for the watermelon look.

Is riding the watermelon bike as good as eating watermelon?
Yeah yeah, it’s a tasty treat. It’s a flashy ride.

How do people react to it? Do they ever try to lick it?
Not consume it, perhaps touch it. And yeah, I get hollered at. It has been dubbed The Watermelon Bike by people I don’t even know.

What do you call her?
Lily, that’s her name. I name all my bikes. My old Schwinn is Leonard.

Is it tough to choose between Leonard and Lily?
Nah, she’s a lot lighter, a lot springier.

** BONUS! **
photo of the pink drive chain for the gearhead commentors

Posted by Sarah Mirk

This week: Goosefeathers

Riders: Nicole Lavelle (left) and Elizabeth Jaeger
Bike: 1970s French Motobecane Grande Jubile with silver and red frame, red brake pads and goosefeathers.
Spotted: Under the Hawthorne Bridge

I like this bike because it looks like it's been ridden a lot.
Nicole: So my former roommate's ex-girlfriend's step dad gave it to her. But she's really short, so I think it was ridden before her. Then she left it in our shed and moved to Berkeley and our other roommate, uh, appropriated it. She took it. It's hers now. But now it's Liz's because then that roommate went to Austin.
Elizabeth: So it's been around, I guess.
Nicole: But I think it's original because everything's in red and in French. So I suspect that it's very old.

Do you think someone brought it over on a ship from France?
Nicole: That would be amazing.
Elizabeth: I think it flew here.
Nicole: It's from the seventies. Maybe they didn't put bikes on planes then.
Elizabeth: I meant with its feathers.
Nicole: Oh, sorry.

How has it been riding it around town?
Elizabeth: Oh well, the brakes don't really work right now, but it feels nice.

Why did you put the feathers on?
Elizabeth: Because there were here.

posted by Sarah Mirk

Today's schedule after the jump.