Bike SE
BIKING FROM SOUTHEAST
NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILE
This area is home to all types. A well-established (gentrified) neighborhood with bikers of all ages/types. Here you will find helmetless hipsters, trains of trikes, the weathered gear head dropping cars left and right, and the lycra-clad weekend warrior. Because of this, the area is very bike friendly. People do generally give respect when they receive it, so the strong biking community will gladly point out when you “forget to turn on your lights.” Commuting through this neighborhood is great because it features relatively flat streets and a sense of solidarity.
ROUTE INFO
**In general** Bike-friendly streets are marked by sharrows. Some bridges are bike-friendlier than others. Particularly bike-friendly bridges: Hawthorne, Morrison, Steel, Broadway. Less bike-friendly bridges: Ross Island, Fremont, Sellwood.
GETTING TO THE RIVER:
Westside route:
Take the Hawthorne Bridge across the River to the westside Willamette Greenway trail , then head up the Riverview Cemetery Hill. See the description of the Willamette Greenway Trail in the downtown section.
Eastside route:
The Eastbank Esplanade is a wonderful ride, very peaceful with one rude awakening of a crossing at the Sellwood Bridge and then a short but steep climb through the Riverview Cemetery. The Esplanade starts at the lower level of the south side of the Steel Bridge. Then ride south until you transition to the Springwater Corridor just before the Ross Island Bridge. The route ends, but just follow it the left and make a quick right on Grand Ave (that’s Springwater Corridor). Warning: the connection between the Esplanade and the Springwater are not entirely obvious - check it out before your first ride. See this route for the Eastbank Esplanade ride.
Or, if you’re starting from farther south, take the Springwater Corridor down the east side, to the Sellwood Bridge. Hooray!: the Springwater Corridor is lovely ”“ you ride right past a wetland wildlife preserve! From anywhere in Sellwood, just take the Sellwood Bridge across the river, then head up the Riverview Cemetery Hill.
AT THE RIVER:
See Sellwood Bridge crossing info below. Or Hawthorne Bridge if you go down the Westside of the river. Or any other bike-friendly bridge, really.
**Special Note: the Sellwood Bridge is not enormously bike-friendly. It is a two-lane bridge, with a narrow sidewalk on only one side for pedestrians. Bikes are allowed to use the full lane (ORS § 814.430(2)(c)) but sometimes the Sellwood bridge drivers aren’t as friendly as they could be.
If you choose to ride on the sidewalk please ensure that you yield for pedestrians and other riders. Also, for the route back from school, you may wish to scope out the path to get onto the sidewalk (it’s not very obvious when coming out of the Cemetery).
If you choose to ride in the road, keep in mind that there are segments that are poorly maintained and a minority of drivers that will occasionally honk or recklessly pass you. Just remember that we are allowed in the lane and that you are not alone. Many L&C riders take this bridge everyday ”“ in fact, all CATS leaders use this route. There is always safety in numbers, so you can always ride with a group or team up.
See this map for two different ways to get off the bridge onto the west side and up to the Cemetery entrance.
Alternately, you can take the Hawthorne, Steel, or Morrison bridge across the river to the west side. Then you can take the Willamette Greenway trail, Barbur Blvd, or Terwilliger Blvd up to the Law School.
CLIMBING THE CEMETERY HILL:
Okay. Not going to lie. It’s a climb ”“ but it’s relatively short compared with other routes up. The first couple of weeks will be a challenge (don’t be afraid to get off the bike and rest ”“ we all started somewhere). But soon you will know every curve and you’ll love the early morning climb and the early evening coasting.
Coming off the Sellwood Bridge on the westside, follow the roundabout offramp under the bridge and it will put you up at the streetlight with the entrance to Riverview Cemetery. Once in, just follow the well-marked sharrows up the hill. Turn left out the gate at the top. The road curves around a couple times and you come out at the undergrad campus. Take a right to go down a slight hill and reach the roundabout in front of the Law School.
**Special Note: Hours of operation are limited. The gates open officially at 8am (but there are official places for bikes to scoot by locked gates in the event that you are riding earlier). In the evening the Cemetery has agreed to leave the gate cracked enough for evening class students to get though. Check the signs on your ride through to make sure that you can get through the ajar gate.
BIKE SHOPS
- A Better Cycle 2324 SE Division 503-265-8595
- A Convenient Cycle 833 SE Main St #115 503-267-8284
- BackPedal Cycle Works 7126 SE Harold 503-891-9842
- Bike Commuter 8315 SE 13th Ave 503-505-9200
- The Bike Exchange 4937 SE Division 503-473-6606
- Bike Gallery Woodstock 4235 SE Woodstock 503-771-3531
- Bike Gallery Division 10950 SE Division 503-254-2663
- Bicycle Repair Collective 4438 SE Belmont 503-233-0564
- Bike N’ Hike 400 SE Grand 503-736-1074
- Citybikes Workers Cooperative 1914 SE Ankeny 503-239-0553
- Citybikes Workers Cooperative 734 SE Ankeny 503-239-6951· ·
- Clever Cycles 908 SE Hawthorne 503-334-1560
- Coventry Cycle Works 2025 SE Hawthorne 503-230-7723
- Crank 2725 SE Ash 503-610-8356
- Joe Bike 3953 SE Hawthorne Blvd 503 232-1107
- Lucky 13 Bikes 5020 SE Division 503-234-1313
- Meticon Bikes 5925 SE Foster 503-771-1737
- Oregon Bike Shop 7918 SE Stark 503-575-1804
- Performance Bicycle Mall 205 9988 SE Washington St. 503-408-8150
- River City Bicycles 706 SE MLK Jr Blvd 503-233-5973
- Sellwood Cycle Repair 7639 SE Milwaukie 503-233-9392
- Seven Corners Cycles 3218 SE 21st Ave 503-230-0317
- Splendid Cycles 1407 SE Belmont 503-954-2620
- WTF (Well Tuned, Fast) Bikes 1114 SE Clay St 919-412-7145
HOW TO BIKE COMMUTE IN PORTLAND
CATS GEAR LIST