We would love to work on your bike and also want to share some gifts that all riders would appreciate!
The shop has a lovely slow pace this time of year and we are always excited to offer special fall and winter specials on service and other bike bits!
It’s late summer early fall and this NE Portland bike shop has a couple of updates and a couple cute photos to share regarding the space and cute puppies.
The doings & the feelings
We have some pretty fun & simple happenings to speak of:
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WE ARE HIRING for a full time mechanic —more info below!
UPDATE!! We hired a delightful human named Laszlo! Come and meet them! -
There is a new Gladys Bike which is beautifully built and designed by HotSalad —teaser below
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Reintroduction to the Gladys Trio — Jim, Cassie, & Miranda
want to be apart of this adorable and efficient team?
POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED and we are very happy!!
Here are the details:
At Gladys we focus on making folks feel welcome as soon as they walk through our door. We don’t make assumptions and we listen. We put a lot of focus on fit, comfort, and efficiency in all styles of riding. We provide high quality repairs at affordable rates and sell bicycles that we feel will last a lifetime, if not more. We are a small team that relies on great communication and attainable goals throughout the work day. We are looking for somebody who is one of 3 employees responsible for scheduling service, completing scheduled service, assisting customers with retail questions, and assisting Saddle Library Members during our open hours.
Job Overview & Responsibilities:
-32-40hrs per week
-$21-25 per hour depending on experience & responsibilities
-Willing to perform opening and closing duties
-Maintain realistic and accurate expectations with service customers when scheduling
-Perform scheduled service to a high quality standard and charging appropriately according to our service rates
-Check in with walk-in customers, assist with test rides, retail purchases, saddle library needs, service estimates, and same day repairs
-Answer the phone during our scheduled hours
-Maintain service area, retail space, and storage cleanliness and organization
Qualification:
-At least 3 years of shop experience as a mechanic and willing to do a skills assessment. If you have less than 3 years experience that’s ok we will just discuss more during the interview and skills assessment.
-Ability to communicate effectively to customers and coworkers
-Ability to not make assumptions on others skill level, preferences, or identity
-Must work at least 1 weekend shifts per week
-Reliability when it comes to arriving on time and communicating appropriately
-Inventory management experience is a plus
Benefits:
-Be apart of a supportive and communicative team in a fun and hardworking environment
-Generous Paid Time Off and Leave Policies
-Employee Purchase rates for bikes, components, and various outdoor gear brands
-Ability to mold your position if you see helpful changes or additions
-Medical Benefits negotiable with full time employment and job retention
Send resume and cover letter to
(allow 2-4 days to receive a response)
The Gladys Bike
HotSalad makes beautiful and intentional bikes that are efficient, lightweight, and are the perfect vehicle for a good time!
B designed a gravel bike for Gladys that will hopefully clock in around $3000! We have three frames available to build up and we will announce the build packages in about month!
How it will work:
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We’ll reveal the bikes the first week of May (there is a 42cm, 46m, & 50cm)
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There will be two build options; both will have a carbon fork and drop bars
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There will be a SRAM build
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& another one we haven’t decided on
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MORE INFO TO COME! BUT BE WARNED…IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME!
THE PEOPLE AND THE FEELINGS
Jim
He has been a structurally sound and essential piece of Gladys since the very begins with Leah. He is our Service Manager & provider of digestive biscuits while servicing all types of bikes that roll through the door. When he is at the shop things flow so smoothly that busy summer months feel manageable and exciting.
He is glad to still be riding bikes after all these years of working on them.
Cassie
Is the second owner of this beautiful shop and took over just before the COVID pandemic really changed all of our lives in 2020. Though there has been, and continue to be, an abundance of hardships running a small shop they are typically shadowed by all the benefits that come with working at Gladys.
They are super excited to see so many types of riding in Portland take hold and she is going to focus on enjoying the slower avenues of cycling since these last three years rushed by in a whirlwind.
Miranda
The fashion icon we all look towards and a true tie dye hero. She is our steady hand. She has the ability to answer all your questions with a compassion and thoroughness that can’t be taught or copied.
She is hyped to be working in the community and still finding new bike adventures and ways of cycling.
NOVEMBER HAPPENINGS
Seasons of change. Slower moods and days bring a bit more time to put towards newsletters and a lot of one on one time spent with customers(like yourself) that come in!
We like this time of year.
Well...we like all times of the year.
Keep scrolling to check out:
⚡Updated shop hours starting Sunday, November 14th!
⚡A new Gladys Cap pre-order
⚡& a small clip of how gorgeous a basic commute can be in the fall.
The most impactful news
is that we are changing to a winter-esc schedule.
We will be open
Wed-Fri 11 - 7pm
Sat & Sunday 10-5pm
Starting November 14th
Why the change? We want to see all your faces for a longer weekend stretch(& it works out with our staffs schedules)
Pre-order the final 2021 Gladys cap
That's right, we are doing a very Portland, very global sustainability inspired cycling cap. Doubledarn is going to hook us up, as usual, with gorgeous caps. The proceeds of these caps will head towards the Necessity Film Series. You can pre-order by clicking the pattern sample to the left. Or here!
These caps proceeds will head towards The Necessity Film Series.
These movies illuminate the different strategies in bringing attention and change to our climate crisis. Who are having a Virtual Screening November 18th through Columbia River Keepers. Register here if you are interested.
enjoy this short commute video!
These fall colors have been inspiring to say the least.
ps. don’t mind the date in the top left corner, we are learning…
We have had quite a year and thought you might like to know how it is going and how next year might go!
But mainly, we just wanted to say hello!
This past year and a half has been a whirlwind for all of us! For us at Gladys, shop operations have changed, inventory has wavered, interactions have changed, how we social media has changed, and our mental health has changed (soo many times)!!
Throughout all this change we have been lucky to be Gladys. Lucky to have you all as our shop community, and we will strive to continue to be what you need us to be.
Keep scrolling to read snippets on:
⚡Services
⚡Bikes we are stoked on this year
⚡Our most recent cycling caps
⚡FUTURE CLASSES
⚡Words from our staff
⚡WhY IS THErE A BIKE SHORTAGE?
We have loved seeing all of the different bikes that folks have let us work on, whether that be that highly efficient road bikes or that old Peugeot that somebody pulled out of their uncles shed.
Since bike supply & inventory is so scarce there was a lot more room in our schedules to work on bikes and our service department has doubled in efficiency because of it! Thank you all for supporting us in this way and for the tips of sparkling water, beer, and/or $$.
As soon as more service parts become available (chains, gaskets, etc.) we will be adding suspension service to our service menu!!!
We will still be doing our Winter Overhaul Special, so stay tuned for that in November!!
We did a final run of these Magical caps, so click the cap above to see what sizes we have available and use the code LOCALPICKUP to come and scoop it up at the shop at your convenience.
That's right folks, we're back at it! (for now)
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Every 2nd Thursday we are doing a free basic maintenance course for up to 3 people at a time RSVP here
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We will be doing one-on-one workshops for $50 - $150. The first couple months are already filled up, but you can email or check out our website for more information
All workshops will be masked up & proof of vaccination is required & appreciated!
The team wants you to know:
We are still killin' it and we love answering your bike questions!
We have kept our staff small this past year for many reasons and we have been really impressed with how well we are all working together given the natural mental & physical health strains we have all experienced.
So thank you very much if you are person who bought lights, got a tune-up, bought a bike, participated in the Saddle Library, or just sent us good vibes!
We are so happy to be here to help!
The new owner, Cassie(me) would like you to know:
Honestly... I am a little( a lot ) overwhelmed.
This picture is a perfect example of the good gushy feelings I have felt but it doesn't show the uncertainty, frustration, and sadness that I know we are all feeling.
As a small business, bike shops have faired well. So I'm not complaining, but simply stating that I'm nervous and will do my best! Expect lots of days off from me this Winter 2021/22 season!!
I am abundantly grateful for this space, job, and shop community and I look forward to making it more abundant in its weirdness and queerness! xoxo
-Cassie
As an untrained, under-educated, and short attention spanned person I had to break this down into three main categories and one huge subcategory.
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Mega-high demand in 2020-21
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Raw materials shortage
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intense shipping delays
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OTHER COUNTRIES ARE HANDLING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE USA
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That got dark...moving on!!!
#1 Mega-beautiful-high demand from us humans!
With gyms closed, buses potentially hazardous, and just the already awesomeness that is biking. The Demand was high! Capital D intended.
And just so we are clear the "already awesomeness" that I refer to are the mental health benefits and fitness benefits that come from using your own leggies to propel yourself and your goods/kiddos/doggos forward!
Ohhhh it feels so gooooddddd!!!
#2 that raw RAW material shortage many industries are experiencing
In great chaos with our #1 we have a raw material shortage creating the perfect storm of having not enough...
How did this happen?
At the very least some brands & factories ceased manufacturing for only a couple of weeks which put them being months and months!!
I mean factories do have schedules, staffing, and shipping to also consider!
so what....
Well, we rely on aluminum, steel, & carbon/plastics for our frames and parts. All of these minor and major materials have doubled in price and preciousness!! So to be frank, the companies that only care about money aren't about to pay more to get us the cost affective goods that we neeeeeeeeedddd.
well....
A lot of these factories and industrial manufactures simply had to abide by China, Taiwan, Japan, & the Philippines' strict COVID-19 guidelines to prevent the spread of this pandemic. If you are curious how their covid numbers compare to the USA, I would recommend a simple google search.
#3 mega shipping Delays!
With the uptick of disastrous natural events many shipping boats were delayed.
I mean, there were actual canal blockages...
and apparently boats needs those!
And again, some companies just halted manufacturing for a couple of weeks while they tried to figure out how to best handle the spread of COVID-19.
All these ingredients were a reciepe for.....well you know what.
What does this all mean?????
We don't really know.. What we do know is that there are no dumb questions and we are trying our best to have patience and understanding for all human beings involved.
Supposedly there is light at the end of the tunnel, but that is scheduled for 2023 or 2024??
Again, I am no scholar in manufacturing or economics and l love to learn, so if you have any further bits of wisdom you can email me at
With love and gratitude,
Your Gladys Team
It has been an entire year since I hit the Gladys scene as the new owner.
This past year has smashed my concept of time and history.
Here’s some:
120-ish years ago women who rode bikes were told that they would be susceptible to tuberculosis(from intense shaking), they would have wrongful sexual awakenings(oh yeah, from intense shaking), and they might even force body deformities unto themselves that would ruin their femmine bodies.
Some reasons why?
It was profitable to the population in power (white men) to keep women at home, unshaken, and more dependent on their men. Women had their place that worked best for men. Who else is going to pump out those sons and daughters to sell off?
About 100 years ago women were allowed to vote, black women would still have to wait about 4-5 decades before they could actually practice this right in mass. We saw in the 2020 elections what voter turnout could actually look like and still only 66% of folks voted(rough statistics).
Why? Omg so much... but a piece is that suffragists groups disbanded since white-women-led groups were kinda satisfied(lots were eugenicists fyi), and it was more profitable for the leading population(white men) to have somebody working as “houseworkers” and field laborers, can’t let everybody have a voice...who would be left to do jobs for nothing?
In between these two time periods massacres of Indigenous folks were actively taking place in what is now called Arizona and parts of Mexico.
Why? It is profitable to take land and resources based on our current systems.
Today:
-masses are still being killed for profit in prisons across the world
-children are being caged while their parents are kidnapped and sent to who knows where
-there is a team in today's American Football game called the Chiefs and they have a stadium chant called tomahawk(or some-thing offense like that).
Why? money money money money
⚡️As a shop (which is a for-profit business) we have to “turn a profit” to exist and it’s a weird place to be in when so much pain has come from people seeking money.
⚡️This past year so many folks have been so damn sweet to us.
⚡️This past year I have fallen so in love with this job and I’m so grateful for everybody’s support financially and emotionally.
⚡️I swear to use this platform, as a small business owner, to my very best ability.
⚡️I know I’m not perfect and I never will be but I promise to keep learning from the past and never admitting that I know everything.
🌈History has so much pain and pleasure and this past year has been a little of both! 💕
We have landed ourselves in complex times.
Here at the shop we have been experiencing all of the heartache along with you.
Motivated by this we didn’t want to just send out a classic holiday shopping list, or tips on escaping.
In honesty we just miss our friends, neighbors, and even conversations with complete strangers on the trails. We miss our community.
We miss you!
So what are we doing this winter season?
We plan on supporting humxns of all riding levels, labels, fluidity, and strangeness in some of the only ways we can think of!
And keeping COVID-19 precautions and safe practice for the foreseeable future!
here are our seasonal days off
We will be closed
Thursday November 26th and Friday November 27th
& Thursday December 24th and Friday December 25th
Friday January 1st 2021!
We will be open to outside sales and interactions the following Saturdays to resume our typical shop hours.
Call or email with any questions or clarification
[email protected]
971-373-8388
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December 22nd, Tuesday
We will be live streaming a Basic Maintenance Course featuring Cassandra, her partner Sydney, and housemate/BF Mateo. In which we plan on overloading viewers and participant with compliments and helpful tips!
Since those three are a germ pod they will be able to go over basic bike upkeep and concepts, masks off, and answer any questions that folks have at home.
We will discuss topics like:-
Chain cleaning
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Flat fixes
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Lubrication
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Minor brake adjustments
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And preferred winter wardrobe, freakin’ burr
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Email [email protected], subject “Basic Maintenance”, to inform us of topics you might want to cover in this course or the next.
We will update our website and instagram with the link, time, and agenda.
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Let’s be real, gifts are fun to give!
So we did want to provide people with some gift ideas for the bike lover in your life, or ideas of things to skillfully hint at to those that are able to give gifts this year.
It was also a super clever way to get friends to send selfies to us and dream of the day when we can unmask around each other and see all the beauty that is their smiles!
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New caps! here is a sneak peak at the next fabric selection
All of these caps proceeds will be going to N.A.Y.A
Pre-orders will be available once we have an idea on fabric availability!
There will be gold involved in this cap. there should always be Gold.
saulo what do you think would be great gifts?
Alright, here's my list.
My personal favorites for any rider of any level. These are all things they can really enjoy and appreciate while riding during the colder season :)
PDW Full Metal Fenders - $120
Always available at Gladys
Install is $35!
Road Runner Half Wedge Frame Bag - $85 (many colors)
Not sold at Gladys but can be special ordered
or just get it direct from them! why not???
A set of great lights like the Lezyne’s - $135
Lot’s of options here for $50-$120
leah what you thinking folks might like??
All I want for Christmas are some fancy four fingered mittens from 45Nrth so that I can ride Versace!!
The most gaudy and magical bike in all the land, all winter long without worrying about my poor little Raynaud's-afflicated fingers falling off mid-descent.
gloves are a damn good idea leah! Thanks!
These 45NRTH Nokken Gloves will get Versae on the road. - $65
These are worth having in your bag all times of the year! -$30
The GORE gloves are a little bulky but damn worth it! And they are on sale here at the shop! - $65
Jeremy, bud! What ya thinkin’ folks will be stoked on this year/forever?
Bike packing gear ! Stuff like handlebar bags or frame bags, that would be something I would be really really stoked on if i got it in a gift!!
This is the Jack Supply Co. Lil Slugger Handbar Bag. God I love bags! - $125
Bags of all types were mentioned quit a lot!
A good light to shred MTB/Gravel ride at night
This Giant Recon Light is LITERALLY TOO BRIGHT! Perfect for dark rides on the trails or in remote areas. -$110
H! You are always joyful end pleasant! is there anything that would bring you some joy?
Being new in this game, I don't know much about bikes but so far with my schedule all I've been able to do is night riding and with the weather changing, here are some ideas:
If you haven’t already heard of Showers Pass now is the time to have your mouth water over functional, warm, and VISIBLE clothing! This is just one example of one of their coats. -$140-200
A repair kit like the Giant Quick Fix Combo kit is kind of a must have! Usually a kit is a more cost effective way to go but you don’t get to customize your tire levers or tool preferences, and that is OK! -$55
The next thing is just learning how to use all these gadgets! See maintenance live stream above or ,honestly, YouTube is amazing!
Cassandra! What could somebody like you feel stoke about that owns a bike shop?
I LOVE bikes and gear, so I would never turn down a good quality knife! It is probably the most handy thing that I try and always have on my person!
You can nerd out at CORD, across the street from us! We can also get a good selections of CRKT knives here at the shop!
Alysa! You, like Cassandra, are from Arizona; which is a super different cycling scene. So what would you be into getting?
Some bike related items that I would love to be gifted are new flat pedals w/o the metal bits, a cute set of fenders, and waterproof/resistant pants (must be cute!) and perhaps a new rear wheel, I think there’s damage in the free hub body. (Yikes)
These MKS Pedals are a fresh take on BMX pedals that will actually last and have integrity! Will be available at the shop 2021 - $30-45
Are these CRAFT Rain pants cute enough?
How bout these Chrome Industries pants? Cute enough? Though they aren’t water proof they are water resistant and exactly what the fancy model above rides during a classic Portland Drizzle. $120 not at the shop, and honestly the sizing is kind of bullshit and not actually made for all body types, do better Chrome!
New bearings and wheels can be scooped up anytime. Maybe a Gladys Gift card? Or you could spend some time talking to the folks at Bike Farm on Thursdays, they might be able to find you a great wheel for a steal of a deal!
Brooke! You have a super style that can’t be beat, what do you think would be rad gifts for folks?
brooke had a lot of great ideas by the way. But I will just put a few.
My gift ideas list:
Portland Design Works City Rover 700 USB Headlight //crankbrothers Gem portable bike pump //crankbrothers F15 multi-tool //Giro Women's Manta R Shoe Charcoal/Turquoise //Makeshifter Coffee Outside Kit //Specialized Women's Element 1.5 Tights //Giro Xnetic Road Women's Glove //Fox Racing WOMENS RANGER GEL GLOVE //crankbrothers Candy 3 pedals
Damn now that is a thorough list! Thanks Brooke. Oh wait there is more!
Something I already have but if I didn't I would def want is a stem bag. I got a DirtBags grub bag and Saulo got a Re.Load hoagie hauler (black-owned brand.)
That’s right..
MORE LIGHTS! AND MORE PDW GEAR!
This Rover combines visibility, style, and function. Sound like somebody you know??
We carry loads of PDW lights ranging from $30-75.
To say that Makeshifter bags are our standard for quality and function when it comes to a bag is accurate. When in stock this $52 kit is the perfect little stache kit that says, hi, I love you and I care about your coffee needs.
A hand pump is always a great idea to have around. The GEM has the easiest switch that makes it good for thinner high pressure tires and wider high volume tires. It’s also only $23!!! We try and have these at the shop at all times!
Sydney!!!! You describe yourself as a just-for-funsies/somewhat fair weather rider. what’s lookin’ appropriate this season? Hot tips!
My rides are typically shortish and most often accompanied by my dog.
For bike riders like me, some nice gifts might be : A seat cover, Another water bottle and holder, Gift certificate for a tune up, Rechargeable lights
Seat Covers!!! Great idea these are available at most shops and are about $10. We have the Brooks cover that has a cozy draw string. To be used mostly when you have to leave your seat outside all alone.
GIFT CARD! Great idea! If you are trying to figure out how much $$ to put on a card you should know that a full tune up usually costs about $100 and parts would be added to that. So $130 is a great Tune-Up amount !
This Knog Plus set has quickly become a go-to light set for everybody, even if you have generating lights. They attach to almost anything and don’t require a cord! - $35
In photo: Cassandra(on floor), Miranda(middle), Jim (tucked away)
Hey folks! I know it has been a while since a blog post, there will be more to come when some reflection time is possible for now an update!
The Portland community has been amazing and made it abundantly clear that they too see bikes as a critical form of transportation, health, and wellness!
With that love, we need some time away to maybe ride some bikes ourselves! Who knows? ⚡️
Gladys will be closed some extra days the 1st week of September, and we will be open again Tuesday the 8th!
Closed:
September 1st - 5th
What does that mean for shop operations until then?
For Service: We won’t schedule any appointments for those days and will be sure to get folks their bikes back before we lock the doors.
For the Saddle Library: We will extend the due date to the following week for folks that check a saddle out the last week of August for a slightly longer test run.
Until then, we are still doing one person in the space at a time, if necessary, and currently scheduled out a week and a half for tune-ups!
Love ya’ll!
-The Gladys Crew
Hey there! My name is Cassie Hidalgo ( aka soon-to-be new owner of the good ship Gladys). I have put a lot of thought into what I want you folks to know about me and I can’t help but start from my beginning.
I grew up living a life that looked incredibly different than the one I am living now. My dad is an immigrant from the beautiful Costa Rica and my mom is a self-identified “Foxy” Mexican from Arizona. I grew up with zero bike communities around me in insanely hot Phoenix, Arizona. I don’t know why bicycles started creeping into my dreams, they just did. Maybe it was the active disapproval from my family when I wanted to ride my thrift shop-purchased bike to high school, or maybe it was just because I found out I could easily help other little desert rats get around with their friends at an incredibly underfunded bicycle co-op in downtown, which was two bus transfers and a very unsafe bike ride away.
Either way I was in. Not in the adrenaline kind of way, or freshest bike on the block kind of way, I was just liberated. Bikes gave me a taste of identity in confusing environments where I was told I shouldn’t be proud of being Lantinx, queer, or even a carpenter and mechanic.
I truly want Gladys to exist forever! Places like Gladys are exactly why I felt welcome to form some type of identity for myself in Portland (one that I will forever be working on).
I’m excited to take Gladys into this new phase and I really hope you all are too, because we are truly in this together! As Leah puts it, “You fit in here. We promise.”
If you want to know more about my work history, bike life, or want some reassurance that the saddle library will definitely exist please hit me up or come to the party on the 28th and ask away!
See you all so soon!
About seven years ago, over drinks with pals one night, I got this wild idea: To open up a bike shop that was focused on women. A week later, when I -- someone with no business or bike shop experience -- decided to actually try to turn this idea into a reality, some people thought I was crazy. Sometimes I was one of those people. But still, I decided to go through with it, and I’m so proud to share that seven years later this shop is doing pretty dang well, with no quitting anywhere in sight. Turns out my wild idea wasn’t quite that crazy after all!
That said, my ultimate dream has always been to build the shop up into a successful and sustainable business, and to then take a step back and let it grow beyond me -- by passing it along to someone new, someone with a different perspective, someone that could help the shop and its community continue to evolve and thrive. And so I’m excited to share some news with you all: I’m handing over the reins to a new owner this Spring!
It is with great excitement that I share that I am selling Gladys Bikes to the best person that I can possibly imagine: Cassie Hidalgo. Cassie is currently the Lead Mechanic at the PSU Bike Hub, a team member of the Gladyators, a carpenter by trade, an excellent dancer, a superb storyteller and an all-around amazing person. If you know Cassie, you know how exciting this is. If you don’t yet know Cassie, we’re going to make sure you get to know her well over the next couple of months. (Please note: I’m really holding back from placing an exclamation point after every! single! sentence!, but they are heavily implied.)
I'm going to keep this relatively short for now and save all of my thank you’s and sappy sentiments for later, but don’t worry, folks, those are coming. Over the course of the next several weeks, Cassie and I will be creating blog posts with much more information about ourselves, the process, our feelings about the process, our feelings about our feelings...(oversharing is my love language) and so you’ll hopefully know everything you ever wanted to know very soon. But for now, here’s what to know: (1) You’re the best. (2) You’re not getting rid of me for another couple of months. (3) Mark your calendars now for a big party on Feb 28 to celebrate the passing of the torch. (4) This is going to be fun. (5) See below for more info.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and be a part of it all alongside me, friends. Here's to chances taken, big steps and new adventures!
- Leah
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why are you selling the shop?
Since the very beginning planning stages for the shop, it's always been a goal to pass it along to someone else and now just feels like the right time for that. I feel proud that I built something that can now stand on its own two feet (or would it be wheels in this case?) and am so excited to see how it continues to grow and change and become further cemented in the community.
What’s the timeline for the sale?
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For the rest of January it’ll be me, Jim, Miranda and Mollie at the shop.
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Come February, Cassie will join in with the crew, and the two of us will overlap for a month.
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As of March, Cassie will be the new owner of Gladys Bikes andI’ll be taking my exit, but staying very active in the community, sticking as an advisor and forever being the shop’s biggest fan.
Will the staff be remaining the same?
Yep! Jim, Miranda and Mollie will all be staying on.
Will there be a party?
YES. Save the date for February 28th and there will be more details to come.
Will I still be able to use my gift certificates/bring my bike in for repair/use the saddle library/follow up about any warranty concerns with my bike/buy silly hats/etc,etc?
Yep! The goal is for everything to remain consistent from the customer side of things.
That said, I’ve never sold a business before and Cassie has never purchased one, so there are likely going to be a couple of learning moments along the way as we realize we forgot to think about x,y, or z. Hopefully none of this will affect you, but we just want to be transparent about the potential of a hiccup or two.
Leah, what are you going to do next?
I most definitely do not plan on disappearing from the community I've met through Gladys. I can’t imagine not having y’all in my life! I hope to continue to be an integral part of the shop community, though I will likely step away for a while to give the new owner time to define the space as her own.
As far as what I’m doing next, well, I feel like I’m supposed to have some sort of polished answer to offer, but I don’t actually know for certain. I’m fortunate to have gained a lot of far flung skills through my work at Gladys and could probably go in a lot of different directions. Broadly, I’m interested in going into work (both paid and volunteer) that involves storytelling and community outreach -- whether that be PR, copywriting, media production, etc etc -- but, my goal is to remain truly open to all of the possibilities; I always learn the most about myself when I listen to what other people think I’m capable of. Got an opportunity that you think I’d be a good fit for? Have an idea for a collaboration? Just want to hang out? Great! Hit me up and let’s chat. I’d love to hear from you.
I’m curious to know more about…..
Over the next 6 weeks Cassie and I will be posting weekly blog posts to tell you more about the process, introduce you to Cassie more and hopefully answer any lingering questions you have. Any specific questions? Feel free to hit us up at or over Instagram.
It’s that super special time that you’ve all been waiting for, when we put the last reaches of our previous year models and demo bikes on sale to make room for all the shiny new bikes and colors that are on their way!
See below for a list of what we have in which sizes. Note that quantities are very limited — there are only 1-2 of each model listed — so if you’re interested in a specific one, get in touch ASAP. (List will be updated as bikes sell out.)
And, without further ado, here are the 2019 and demo sale bikes:
Sury Straggler 2x10 - $1299 (regularly $1650)
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Size 42cm
Liv Avail Disc SL 2 - $1075 (regularly $1250)
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Size Medium
(DEMO) Liv Embolden 1 - $1700 (regularly $2400)
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Size XS and Small
(DEMO) Liv Brava SLR - $1650 (regularly $2050)
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Sizes XS, S, M
Ready for an adventure?
Thanks for all your interested in this event! Registration is now full. Stay tuned for future events…..
Gladys Bikes and Veni Vidi Velo (V3) are teaming up to invite women, non-binary and trans folks of all genders on an overnight trip through the Coast Range and Tillamook State Forest. This gravel-laden route will be a fun challenge, done with supportive community of folks who like to ride bikes and eat snacks!
This will be a no-drop community ride, meaning no one gets left behind. The ride to and from our campsite is approximately 50 miles and the route features approx. 4000ft of climbing and 60% gravel. Upon registration, you'll receive all sorts of information, including: a packing list, menus, route info and more.
Your registration fee of $20* includes:
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Guided rides to/from basecamp
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Goodie bag from Gladys Bikes
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1 nights of camping
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Saturday night dinner
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Sunday morning breakfast
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Packing lists, group riding info, bikepacking tips and tricks and much more
*Owing to a generous donor, we have full and partial scholarships available. QTBIPOC are encouraged to apply. Please get in touch via if you’d be interested in learning more about these.
— The Full Details —
When: Saturday June 8 - Sunday June 9
Hosts: Gladys Bikes and Veni Vidi Velo (V3), a Portland group that puts on community-based and volunteer led bike camping adventure weekends for women, non-binary and trans folks of all genders.
Participants: This ride is reserved for women, non-binary and trans folks of all genders.
We’ll be going at a comfortable pace and no one will be left behind, but you’ll enjoy this ride the most if you have some experience with bike camping/packing/touring and also some experience riding on gravel.
The Route: This is a beautiful off-road route towards the coast that winds along the Trask River, that is 60% on gravel and with 4000ft of climbing. It’s not the easiest ride of all time, but it’s fun, the scenes are great, the climbs are rewarding and the company couldn’t be better.
For more info on the route, along with some commentary from folks who have done it, check out these write-ups from our pal Madi Carlson and from the fine folks at Oregon Bikepacking.
Note: We’ll be starting in Hillsboro, where folks can easily get to the starting location via the Max. We will be wild camping along the way; there will not be a campsite with services (bathroom, water, electricity, structures of any kind).
Gear: Please plan to ride a bike that you feel comfortable using with whatever bag/rack set-up you have for carrying overnight supplies. We’d recommend tires that are at least 38mm wide for comfort and traction on the gravel sections.
About the Trip Leaders:
Nicole Villegas (she/her) is the lead organizer of V3 and an avid bikepacker who is passionate about getting folks out and exploring on their bikes. She is an occupational therapist, coach and resilient soul, with exceptional skills in snacking and sleeping.
Mollie Futterman (she/her; they/them) is a bike builder and fitter at Gladys Bikes who loves all things bike, but her favorite ways to ride include carrying lots of heavy things, finding forgotten paths, and making it to the top of every hill.
To Register: Follow this link. Once you register the ride leaders will be in touch with more information!
Want to give bikepacking a try with a supportive community?
Update: This event is sold out. Thanks for your interest! Stay tuned for future events….
Gladys Bikes and The Venture Out Project are excited to invite trans and gender non-conforming folks on a fun and supportive beginner bikepacking trip to Olallie Lake. This is a relatively easy route and great opportunity for folks who are looking to go on their first overnight bike trip, and also for those who have been bike touring before, but are looking for new friends to ride with.
This will be a no-drop community ride, meaning no one gets left behind. The ride to and from our campsite is approximately 25 miles and the route features approx. 1000ft of climbing. Upon registration, you'll receive all sorts of information, including: a packing list, menus, route info and more.
Your registration fee of $20* includes:
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Guided rides to/from basecamp
-
Goodie bag from Gladys Bikes
-
1 night of camping
-
Saturday night dinner
-
Sunday morning breakfast
-
Packing lists, group riding info, bikepacking tips and tricks and much more
*Owing to a generous donor, we have some full and partial scholarships available. QTBIPOC are encouraged to apply. Please get in touch via if you’d be interested in learning more about these.
— The Full Details —
When: Saturday, June 29 - Sunday, June 30
Hosts: Gladys Bikes and the Venture Out Project, a non-profit that is committed to facilitating backpacking and wilderness trips for the queer and trans community in a safe and inclusive environment.
Participants: This trip is led by and reserved for trans and gender non-conforming riders.
The trip is ideal for folks who are confident bike commuters that are curious about bike touring, and also for those with more experience bike touring who are looking to broaden their community of people to ride with. No one will be left behind and we’ll ride at a comfortable pace together.
Route: The out-and-back ride is about 25 miles each way with 1000 ft elevation gain. It’s a beautiful route that will take us from Clackamas Lake to Olallie Lake with a mix of pavement and some gravel along the way, ending with camping at Olallie Lake Campsite, where there is swimming and some services -- including beer and ice cream. We will carpool out to the starting point.
Gear: Please plan to ride bike that will allow you to carry any equipment and supplies for camping overnight. Unsure if your bike is appropriate? Call or stop into the shop and we’d be happy to answer any questions you have. Don’t have the right gear (such as panniers, or other types of bike bags)? Let us know. We have people who are willing to share/lend gear.
Ride Leaders:
Travis Clough (he/him; they/them) is the Director of Trip Operations and Logistics for the Venture Out Project. Travis is originally from Down East Maine and currently resides in Portland, Oregon where he explores the high peaks of the Pacific Northwest. He loves mountains, snow, pine trees, and views that go on forever. Just getting into bikepacking and loving it so far. He is certified in Wilderness First Responder & AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) - Level 1.
Grey Diation (they/them) is an artist and gentle soul who has been riding a bicycle since 2004 and has a lot of bikepacking knowledge and experience under their belt. From August 2017 until March 2018, Grey bikepacked across Europe from Sweden to Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Ireland, Spain and Portugal on their first long-term solo bike tour and have been pedaling to places near and far ever since.
To Register: Follow this link. Once you register the trip leaders will be in touch with more even more information!
Join us on Sunday, December 16 for some good cheer and a special one day sale:
* 10-25% off clothing, accessories and gift-worthy goodies
* Super surprise discounts on ALL in-stock new bikes
* Free Gladys coffee mug with the purchase of gift certificate
* Hot cocoa, tea, cookies, good vibes, and just the right amount of Mariah Carey holiday music
Don't need to buy anything? Cool! We'd still love to see your lovely faces. So, come on by just to chill out, give us a high five and share a warm drink with your bike shop fam.
Hope to see you soon, friends!
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p.s. For the entire month of December, you can come in to snag great deals on our gently used demo bikes and 2018 model year bicycles, including:
* Liv Brava CX Bikes (gently used by Cross Curious racers, but ready for rides and races for years to come!) - 30% off
* All 2018 Models from Kona and Surly - 10-25% off
You know that feeling when your bike finally fits you perfectly, and you suddenly want ALL the bikes in your life to feel that right? Allow us to introduce the Transfer Fit.
If you've had a Basic or Complete fit with us, we can transfer what we know about your best fit to another bike so that it also feels awesome.
The details:
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$50 for a 45min- 1 hour appointment
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suitable only for transferring between similar handlebar styles. (e.g., a road bike and a 'cross bike, but not a road bike and a mtb)
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available to anyone who has had a Basic or Complete fit at Gladys
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the transfer fit does not include free follow-up fits, but has option to upgrade to another Basic or Complete fit if needed
Join us for a bike-focused yoga class with our pal Tara Chowdhury! Tara teaches alignment-based yoga, a practice of training your muscles to support your bones and joints. In her classes, you will learn how to avoid unhealthy patterns that lead to pain.
Attendance will be capped at 8 people, so please RSVP to [email protected] to reserve a spot for yourself!
ALL THE DETAILS
Where: Here, at the shop!
When: 8:30am on Sunday, November 18th
Who: Welcoming for people of all abilities.
How Much: Suggested donation of $10, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
What about mats? We’ll have a couple of extras just in case, but request that you please plan to bring your own.
A bit more about Tara: We got to know Tara through our Saddle Library program, as she tried saddle after saddle…after saddle. After finding that all of them were uncomfortable in similar places and ways for her, Tara decided to apply what she’d learned through her yoga practice to be more intentional about her posture on the bike to better align her body and, voila!, suddenly she started to feel more comfortable in the saddle and on her bike in general. She suggested maybe yoga-based alignment for bike comfort might be something that other riders might be interested in learning about too and we were like “HECK YES.”
When she's not riding her bike or doing yoga, Tara is a neuroscientist at OHSU studying why males and females are vulnerable to different mental health issues.
Gladys Bikes is turning five years old!
Join us for a party at the shop to celebrate, high five one another, scheme about plans for the future and hang out with new and old friends.
Other than our *delightful* company, here's what you can expect:
- A keg! La Croix! Snacks!
- Special 5 year anniversary caps for sale, available for this one night only
- Music curated by Miranda, who undoubtedly has the best taste in music in the shop
- An extra special super surprise cake made by customer, friend, and SUPER BAKER Jeniffer Tunay (if you saw the gingerbread cyclocross course she made a couple of years ago then you know this is going to be good)
- Maybe one of us will give a touching, rousing and life changing speech, but probably not
- We’ll have some sort of photo booth set up, because we want to see all of your lovely faces for years to come
- Other things we'll probably figure out the day before the event! (Just being honest...)
Hope to see you there!
Join us for a FREE Women's MTB clinic introducing the fundamentals of mountain biking with Liv Event Specialist and PMBIA Certified Coach, Casey Wytaske!
Learn how to make your ride smooth and safe while gaining knowledge of ways to continuously improve your riding. We'll work on skills and then hit the trails! This free skills clinic is open to femme, trans, women, and non-binary folx, all fitness levels, all ages (must be accompanied by a parent if under 18 - mother/daughter date? We think YES!).
What to bring:
Your Bike**
Helmet
Gloves (If you got'em)
Water/Hydration Pack
Closed Toe Shoes
**It's best to learn on your own bike, however, if you need a bike for this clinic, Liv Cycling has you covered!
Bikes available for RESERVATION include 2019 models; HAIL ADVANCED 1 (Sizes Available: S, M), INTRIGUE ADVANCED 1 (Sizes Available: XS, S, S, L), PIQUE ADVANCED 1 (Sizes Available: XS, S, L), EMBOLDEN 1 (Sizes Available: XS, S).
If you would like to use a bike for this clinic, you must bring an ID, Credit Card and reserve a bike by completing this form: https://goo.gl/forms/GQNeBmVddFJ8nPPH3
NOTE: Please arrive 20-30 minutes before the clinic if you have reserved a bike.
We will meet at the Sacajawea Dog Park along NE Alberta Street, where coffee and donuts will be served (of course) as we set up bikes and get to know each other. After introducing some basic ride skills we will take a group ride over to Gateway Green to apply our new skills on the trail!
Questions? Email us at [email protected]!
p.s. Want to support Gateway Green for making it possible for us to have this clinic in the city? We’re suggesing $10 donation to the trails. Visit http://www.gatewaygreenpdx.org/fundraising/donate to make your donation. (Not expected but truly appreciated!)
Dear women, trans and non-binary pals-
You like riding bikes? How about eating pizza? What about having fun?
Cool! We like all those things too. And fortunately our friends at Surly Bikes do too. And so we're excited to team up with those fine folks at The Official Intergalactic Surly Regional HQ for an evening dedicated to riding bikes, eating pizza, having fun and celebrating y'all -- women, trans and non-binary folks who ride bikes, that is.
Here's the plan:
Meet at Gladys Bikes at 6pm on Tuesday, June 19. We'll head out from there on a leisurely ride, ending up on Mt Tabor, where there will be pizza waiting for us.
BONUS: All bikes are welcome, but folks who ride their Surly bikes will have the chance to win some extra sweet Surly prizes. So, get that lovable steel monster of yours ready to roll!
Sound good? Good. See you there.