Portland Urban Freeriders

[CripTiK]

I live around the Portland area and was wondering if there is anybody here that does the street/dj/park scene?

I just got into this type of biking and I am looking for good places to ride.

[OldHouseMan]

I've always wanted to ride the gaurd rail (the one between the road and the sidewalk) down the Lovejoy ramp off of the Broadway Bridge.

[Snake Muesl]

I've always wanted to ride the gaurd rail (the one between the road and the sidewalk) down the Lovejoy ramp off of the Broadway Bridge.

I watched somebody ride up that. But that was before they installed those steel blocks to keep the skaters from grinding. Otherwise there are perfect ramps up onto them. Go for it

[free-agent]

Along the same lines, I am looking for some good places for jumps nearby PDX. I can always find semitruck loading ramp areas for jumping, but am wondering if there are some places to hit some dirt jumps. Anybody know of a location for some table tops? I'd be happy with one sweet tabletop like we used to have at Powell Butte that jumped over a gravel road near the parking lot. Man, that was sweet, but now there is a fence blocking it off...

Sorry for the thread hijack.

[CripTiK]

Nah, I wouldn't consider it a hijack if it adds new places to ride.

Meldrum bar park has some nice tables and gap jumps. They also have a nice mulch jump for practicing. I was going to send them an email requesting a practice setup jump with like a soft dirt mixed with sand landing.

My friend visited Grotto but said it was in poor shape so we are thinking on fixing them back up and making some progression stuff.

I'm real tempted on starting up my own forum board just for urban freeriders.

[free-agent]

with either place you wrote about. Where are they located?

[CripTiK]

Meldrum Bar Park is located by Oregon City/Gladestone off McLoughlin Blvd. Here is an article of it in bikemag: http://www.bikemag.com/features/onli...pat/index.html

This is the Grotto: http://www.ihatebikes.net/pages/PDXgrotto.html he also has a blog on Meldrum too. The drop in ramp on the 3rd pic is no longer there and the jumps are not in good condition. The Grotto dirt jumps 92nd and NE Skidmore Portland, OR. Near NE 82nd and Sandy.

[Uncle Cliffy]

This is the Grotto: http://www.ihatebikes.net/pages/PDXgrotto.html he also has a blog on Meldrum too.

You know Jason? I ride with his brother Izaac... Both those guys kill it!

[OldHouseMan]

I bet one could build something pretty cool around Rocky Butte, between 205 and the Butte.

[CripTiK]

You know Jason? I ride with his brother Izaac... Both those guys kill it!

No, I suck too bad to know anybody good. LOL



Anybody know of a good bank to wall ride?

[AW_]

Anybody know of a good bank to wall ride?

Underneath the west side of Hawthorne bridge, going southbound on Naito. Kind of tight but doable. Watch for traffic! There is a huge bank to wall on one of the main streets on the inner southeast.... right out in the open....

[AW_]

I watched somebody ride up that. But that was before they installed those steel blocks to keep the skaters from grinding. Otherwise there are perfect ramps up onto them. Go for it

They left a tire width between the steel anti-fun devices and the edge... 2.4 maxxis holy roller can get through...



Lots of fun stuff to ride downtown if you start looking for it...

[kalNhobbs]

This is the Grotto: http://www.ihatebikes.net/pages/PDXgrotto.html he also has a blog on Meldrum too. The drop in ramp on the 3rd pic is no longer there and the jumps are not in good condition. The Grotto dirt jumps 92nd and NE Skidmore Portland, OR. Near NE 82nd and Sandy.

That place looks like it used to be killer. I would love to progress (actually start) my jumping skills at a place like this.

Update if you end up doing work. I may want to help (but i live in Corvallis for 9 months of the year)

Kal

[CripTiK]

That place looks like it used to be killer. I would love to progress (actually start) my jumping skills at a place like this.

Update if you end up doing work. I may want to help (but i live in Corvallis for 9 months of the year)

Kal

We probably won't start until after the new year when things get less hectic but I might head out there after Christmas since I took that week off but Meldrum has some nice tables to learn on.

Grotto has so much to offer I'm still scratching my head on why it wasn't kept up.

[SmallAirAndy]

We probably won't start until after the new year when things get less hectic but I might head out there after Christmas since I took that week off but Meldrum has some nice tables to learn on.

Grotto has so much to offer I'm still scratching my head on why it wasn't kept up.

Are the run-ins/drop-ins at Meldrum and Grotto (if it gets the attention it needs), steep and/or long enough to pick up enough speed with a Turner 6Pack (AM, light FR rig)? It's my only bike, so I don't want to show up and realize that the only way I can clear some of those doubles is with a pint of whiskey and an afterburner strapped to my back. Not that the whiskey's a bad thing, but you know what I mean.

Sorry for the hijack. Great thread, by the way.

-a

[CripTiK]

4" rear travel?

You might be able to get away with it at Meldrum. They have a set of gaps going through the gully that should work but the run in for the tables is on flat and if you hit the first table right you should be able to carry your momentum through.

Since they tore down the ramp at the Grotto it might be a bit more difficult there but I don't know 100% since I haven't been out there yet. My buddy said that it would be pretty difficult on my full squish because he didn't think I would have enough of a run in. But then my FS is a Norco A-line which is real soft and not something you would be DJing with.

If you are looking for a place to check out I would recommend Meldrum just because it is maintained and a fun little park.

[SmallAirAndy]

4" rear travel?

You might be able to get away with it at Meldrum. They have a set of gaps going through the gully that should work but the run in for the tables is on flat and if you hit the first table right you should be able to carry your momentum through.

Since they tore down the ramp at the Grotto it might be a bit more difficult there but I don't know 100% since I haven't been out there yet. My buddy said that it would be pretty difficult on my full squish because he didn't think I would have enough of a run in. But then my FS is a Norco A-line which is real soft and not something you wouldn't be DJing with.

If you are looking for a place to check out I would recommend Meldrum just because it is maintained and a fun little park.

Nah...6" rear travel. Still though, I might try it out; I live fairly close. Thanks for the insight.

[TWISTED]

I'd advise against trying to do any work at all to the Grotto jumps. A couple years ago I was going there all the time and could almost do the whole set from start to finish from the roll-in. I almost never saw anyone else there and the lips were pretty chopped up so I bought a wheelbarrel and tools to fix them up. After three straight days in the rain working my ass off. The guys who claim to have started the place showed up and wanted to kick my ass. They went through and dug holes in the lips just because they were pissed that someone else messed with "their jumps". And they said they were the only ones who could work on them.

Grotto's jumps are really tightly spaced, even by BMX standards. I've never seen anyone get through them on a FS. I ride my 24" Tonic there with the fork almost locked out.

I used to go there to ride and dig back in '97 or so before the new lines were put in.

At Meldrum you can pick up crap on the jumps, or restore the condition of the jumps, but don't try to alter anything. Rocker Dave knows kung fu and will be happy to show you is moves There are more jumps on the right side as you go toward the river, through the trees on the right side of the lower parking lot.


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I've done a little urban riding downtown pdx, but was never good at small tech bmx type tricks. I mostly do stair gaps and manuals. I can still ride the rail down Lovejoy off the Steele Bridge, just moto over the metal guard they added, no problem. There are a bunch of fun stair gaps at The Yards apartments between front and the train station, but be sure to use a couple spotters and be courteous toward pedestrians or you'll easily kill yourself or someone else.

[CripTiK]

Yea I heard grotto was pretty tight and thats pretty lame in what happened to you there.

[Trocadero]

I'd like to get some more time in riding downtown, most of my experience there comes from the Bridgepedal (it's awesome but getting too big) However, for y'alls that can get there, PCC has some amazing stuff. Tons of stairs and drops and all this crap. I've spent a ton of time up there and still not fully explored it. Watch out for the bike popo though, but from what I hear they can't handle stairs.

[TWISTED]

I'd like to get some more time in riding downtown, most of my experience there comes from the Bridgepedal (it's awesome but getting too big) However, for y'alls that can get there, PCC has some amazing stuff. Tons of stairs and drops and all this crap. I've spent a ton of time up there and still not fully explored it. Watch out for the bike popo though, but from what I hear they can't handle stairs.

Bridge Pedal = Gay.

I think you probably mean PSU if you are talking about downtown. I think there's far more fun stuff along the waterfront. Try riding on top of the rocks along the side of the path that goes down to the river under the Marquam bridge at the S end of the waterfront on the west side. Also stair gap triple the stairs that go down to where the Portland Spirit ties up at the fountain.

[Trocadero]

Bridge Pedal = Gay.

I think you probably mean PSU if you are talking about downtown. I think there's far more fun stuff along the waterfront. Try riding on top of the rocks along the side of the path that goes down to the river under the Marquam bridge at the S end of the waterfront on the west side. Also stair gap triple the stairs that go down to where the Portland Spirit ties up at the fountain.

It's not that bad... as long as you aren't riding a bike with more than 4 inches of travel I was talking about PCC in SW btw, that's really close to my house. All I have to do is climb for a few minutes and I'm there.