Cycling

One of my top motivators for moving to Portland was its cycling infrastructure. In close-in Portland (how you define this is a little vague...), there is all kinds of infrastructure, from bike lanes to dedicated paths, signals, and neighborhood greenways (residential streets intended for cycling and low-speed, non-thru traffic). Within a large chunk of the city, you can get anywhere on a bicycle - and in my opinion, reasonably safely.

As a bonus, for the most part, Portland drivers are accustomed to seeing cyclists, and sharing the road with them. The city is certainly not without its asshole drivers, but everyday, practical city cycling is very common here.

The World Naked Bike Ride is here, it happens every year, and it's a lot like other group rides except some people are naked. It's also a great litmus test for what offends people.

If you are new to Portland, consider joining a few Pedalpalooza rides. Pedalpalooza is a series of themed rides that happens all summer. Bowie vs. Prince, Impromptu Poetry, LGBTQ, Parliament Funkadelic vs. The Meters? You are likely to find it here.

In the summer, PBOT (Portland Bureau of Transportation) run Sunday Parkways events, for family-friendly rolls through town.

Not accustomed to practical cycling (commuting, errands)?

Completely understandable. While this kind of cycling may be the norm in parts of Europe, this is not Europe. The best way to get started, I believe, is to take some leisurely rides when you are not in a hurry. East of the Willamette River, it is mostly grid streets. So is relatively easy to find your way. Northeast and Southeast, and Northwest and Southwest Portland are divided by Burnside Street. I recommend starting East of the river, it's a bit less confusing. Or join some Pedalpalooza rides.

Other resources

• Bike Portland. All things cycling, cycling advocacy, keeping an eye on PBOT (Portland Bureau of Transportation).
• Portland Street Trust. Expanding transportation choices to reduce dependence on drive-alone trips and make our streets safer where motor vehicles interact with other street users.
• Bike Loud PDX. Promotes bicycle transportation in Portland by empowering riders and creating safe streets for people.

Multi-modal: Bike + Trolley, Train, or Bus

All buses have a rack for two bicycles on the front. This is really convenient if you want to ride your bike in one direction but use the bus for a return trip, or if the weather changes abruptly. You can also bring your bike on the trolley MAX if it's not super crowded.