Product news: It's often the details that turn a bike into a beloved companion in everyday life. The Portland Design Works team proves that add-on parts such as mudguards and bottle holders can not only be practical, but also really beautiful.
The USA is above all a car country. Anyone who uses their bike there as a means of transport in everyday life is almost a rebel and almost certainly a real believer. On the one hand, this is due to the often long distances, but also simply because there is no established urban bicycle culture in the United States. At the very least, bicycles are primarily recognized as sports equipment and as such they are widely used, the USA being the motherland of mountain biking after all. In daily use, as a replacement for a car, for commuting or for shopping, bicycles are not the exception.
Portland, the nucleus of US cycling culture
Now the USA wouldn't be the USA if new ideas and contrasts didn't have the chance to grow from ignition sparks to conflagrations, and so in the course of the climate debate and globalization the bicycle is becoming increasingly hip and cool. One of the germ cells is, of course, California. But also in Portland, Oregon, there is a large, rapidly growing alternative scene that has discovered the bicycle for itself. Portland is one of the few cities where the bicycle has not only arrived, but has a tradition. There are over 40 companies that manufacture bicycles there. Most are on: www.madeinportland.bikes.com to find. Well-known names like Chris King or Nutcase also come from Portland. The latter have created particularly chic helmets, Chris King is one of the absolute high-end brands for hubs and headsets.
The makers of Portland Design Works have been thinking about bike parts since 2008 because they ride their bikes every day. On the way to work, to the cinema, to friends or simply to go shopping. They started with just a few moves, and now they have more than 50 products in their portfolio. The PDW crew takes pride in their products as they always try to infuse something fun into it. All her designs should always have a certain charm, something special. They want to encourage people to cycle more. For this to work, every product has to be durable, aesthetic and fun.
Portland Design Works - the products
There are almost 30 products on the subject of lighting at PDW. One of the special features of the lights, which all look chic and remain absolutely affordable in terms of price, is the so-called "vertical cutoff beam". This means that the LED does not shine forwards but downwards and the light is then redirected forwards via a mirror. in this way, other road users should not be dazzled despite good visibility for the driver. There are various pumps and cartridge systems so that the cyclist does not run out of air. The handles that started it all are still in the range, in various designs, as well as tools and a few goodies, such as a drinking bottle, a hat or a leather trouser clip to protect your suit trousers on the way to the office.
We picked three product types to show how the ideas of the Portland Design Works team are implemented.
When it comes to bottle cages, it's clear that the parts from Portland should bring joy. There are various bottle holders that make everyone smile...
In the broadest sense, the bottle holders belong in the cargo or transport area. The luggage rack, which goes by the name of Everyday Carrier Rack, also fits in with this. This lives up to its name, as it can be easily installed via the quick release on bikes that actually have no device, such as a thread, to attach one. The carrier is made of lightweight aluminum and bamboo. It is suitable for panniers and also has a mounting point for a rear light.
The Alexander Graham Brass bell can be used as a spacer, saving valuable space on the handlebars. The look of the bike is simply cleaner and better.
The Portland Design Works minds also came up with fenders. We show the full metal fenders here. Not only do they look chic, they are also available in different sizes - racing bikes can also be equipped with them using a special holder. There are also different plastic sheets and what should please the bikers among the bikers: PDW has adapters to be able to cleanly mount mudguards on bikes with disc brakes or without eyelets. A splash flap as a fender extension is also included. You think along with the design work, in Portland….
Portland Design Works is still an insider tip in German-speaking countries. With Portland Design Works, JBS GmbH & Co. KG has added a new exclusive brand to its wholesale range and is now the official distributor in Germany and Austria. For 20 years, JBS has been exclusively supplying specialist retailers with a selected range of over 25 brands. This means that end consumers in German-speaking countries should soon be able to find the products in various shops. Specialist retailers can contact JBS directly.