Auto-shifting, one less car, e-bike love, and more – BikePortland

Hi friends. Welcome to the week.

Here are the most notable stories of the past seven days…

Seattle’s biking stride: It’s hard not to be a bit envious of the groove that Seattle’s transportation bureau is in right now. With several key bike projects lining up and solid political leadership behind adopted bike plans, their DOT has dubbed this “Hot Bike Summer.” (The Urbanist)

Auto-shifting, finally? The bike industry has chased automatic shifting systems for many years, but this attempt from Bafang, which integrates it all into a nifty three-speed rear hub looks very promising. (Electrek)

Body image: Concerns and debate over pro cycling’s dysfunctional relationship with food, body image, and personal health have reached such a high level that a rider advocacy group has called on the UCI (international governing body of pro cycling) to act. (Velo)

Not just cars: As non-car vehicles like bikes and scooters have gotten more popular, cities must adapt and create more safer space on the road for them. If not, we risk backlash from Big Auto and public sentiment will sour. (Wall St. Journal)

Manhattan revitalization: Lots of talk in Portland about how to revitalize downtown and I’ve been saying the same damn thing the entire time: Make it harder and more expensive to drive there, while boosting the quality of bikeways and walkable public spaces and we’ll see a renaissance of the central city on par with what’s happened in Manhattan. (Gothamist)

Armadillos in L.A.: Looks like Los Angeles’ DOT is also looking to upgrade from plastic posts, but instead of the nice concrete curbs we get, they’re using plastic “armadillo” curbs from Zicla. (Streetsblog LA)

No more street art: Cities are facing a mandate to remove rainbow-colored crosswalks and other street art due to an order from the Trump Administration whose DOT Secretary believes they are often political in nature and don’t belong in the street. (Washington Post)

It’s all about power: I like how this essay gets at one of my key talking points about why e-bikes are so popular: Because they alter the typical power dynamic on American roads and make bike riders feel like they’re on a bit more equal footing with car users. (WBUR)

The low-car trend: I love seeing a level-headed analysis of how it’s actually not that big a deal to live with one less car. This type of article gives me hope! (The Future of Where)

Video of the Week: OK, it has finally happened. I’ve said for years that Portland is the best city for bicycling in the world and some folks just don’t understand. Well, look at this, YouTuber David Wen visited and says Portland is the “coolest city for cycling in the world.” Now just add better bike infrastructure and we will be the Best Cycling in the World for real!

Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.