Pacific Northwest - NAHBS - A thank you to Portland!

As I mentioned over in the thread in C&V:

I want to extend my thanks to all of Portland's cyclists for the warm welcome and great vacation that is sadly ending tomorrow morning. I have had an absolutely wonderful time here this weekend. Everyone from the native frame builders to the local cyclists of every type have been wonderful. I was even loaned a folder by one bikeforums member here locally and got to take a short ride this evening with donnamb around the area. The weather may not have been all that sunny, but the hospitality more than made up for it. So, thank you all. If anyone is travling in the DFW area, I hope to be able to do the same for any of you.

I will second that!

I had a GREAT time. I know that if I had been there for multiple days, I would have been able to do a lot more :D .

But I did get to sit on a tallbike :) , and meet many many BF members :D .

East Hill

I want to extend a huge thanks to the city of Portland and the BF members who I met at the show. The hospitality was great, the people were more than helpful, the bike culture in Portland is over the top, and finally the bikes were GORGEOUSE, both those inside the show and parked outside. I only wish I could have stayed longer. I’m already looking forward to next year in Indianapolis.

I attended and I had a great time.

My time at the convention was short but I loved every minute of it. Could have spent a lot more time there but last minute change had me bringing my 3 year old along and he didn't have quite the desire to sit and look at bikes as much as I did. I loved the amount of cargo bikes on display, Ant Cycles was one I really wanted to see. The one that I found the most interesting was the Baskfit (sp?) on display, I believe it was a local builder. My son loved the "spider man" bike (open frame carbon web mountain bike).

My wife Kasia and I attended the show on Saturday. It was crowded, but we had a total blast. So many interesting bicycles!

I think my favorite was the fat-tired Moots -- it looked like the love child of a hard-tail mountain bike and a monster truck.

I really enjoyed my time at the show. I was running around Portland most of the weekend and noticed that the bike lanes are *much* better marked than they are in Seattle, and I saw a fair number of people using them. It was great, in particular, seeing the local Oregon builders (plus one from Seattle) at the show.

Also, visited a great local bike shop, Veloce Bicycles on Portland, with a very knowledgeable and friendly owner...I'm assuming all the local Portland folks know this place:

http://www.velocebicycles.com/

I was impressed by all the really ridable bikes at the show -- there were a few semi-crazy "show specials," of course, but a ton of the bikes were "real bikes" and lots of bikes with racks, lights, fenders; bikes meant for the "real world," not just the show floor.

The bike that I am still thinking about was not very flashy; it was a very utilitarian bike in the Rohloff booth -- a titanium Independent Fabrication cyclocross bike, with S&S couplers, disc brakes, and a Rohloff integrated hub. $$$$$, but what a useful bike.

I have a big crush on Portland.

Come visit us for Pedalpalooza. :)

excellent show, excellent town.

Loved the bikes, beer, coffee and the Max.

Yamhill Pub? yowza.


HW in SoCal