There’s no doubt that Oregon is a wonderful place to ride bikes – our state offers a unique combination of a wide variety of terrain and tangible bike-friendliness. It’s also home to unique, natural beauty and the 7 Wonders of Oregon. So to celebrate both the splendors of our state and the riding within it, we’ve created 7 Bikes for 7 Wonders.
We‘re lucky that we not only have the 7 Wonders of Oregon – The Coast, Crater Lake, the Columbia River Gorge, the Wallowas, the Painted Hills, Smith Rock and Mt. Hood. – but also a cycling scene that has attracted a specific group of artisans: custom bicycle builders. So we arranged for builders across the state to create bikes that would take full advantage of the riding opportunities of Oregon’s 7 Wonders.
The possibilities are endless: fat bike, touring bike, mountain bike, road bike, gravel bike… this group of craftsmen put their imaginations and skills to work and created a group of one-of-a-kind treasures. And we’re going to give them all away.
Here’s a look at the 7 Bikes for 7 Wonders:
Oregon Coast bike: Portland builder Joseph Ahearne took the exhilaration of the moment when you first realized a bike could take you almost anywhere, and brought it to life in a “fat bike” meant to be ridden at The Coast.
Crater Lake bike: Drawing on both the boundlessly deep blue of Crater Lake’s water and the roller-coaster thrill ride of the road around its rim, Ashland’s Mike DeSalvo created a sleek, fast road bike that can take on climbs and descents and leave you with the energy to soak up the scenery along the way.
Columbia River Gorge bike: When he considered all the great types of riding available in the Columbia River Gorge, Bend bike maker Ben Farver knew he wanted to create one bike that a rider could enjoy them all on – so he built the Swiss Army knife of bicycles.
Wallowas bike: The tag-team of Portlanders Ira Ryan and Tony Periera found inspiration in the wide-open spaces and the vast vistas of the Wallowas – and something about the scene took them back to the Old West; they designed a bike that can carry a two-wheeled cowboy all across the land.
Painted Hills bike: The colorful rock layers of the Painted Hills put Christopher Igleheart of Portland in a back-country frame of mind, and he designed a versatile touring bike a rider can pedal through Eastern Oregon’s fossil-bed country in comfort and style.
Smith Rock bike: Seeing a geologic wonder like Smith Rock brings out the conqueror in a person, and that’s why the rugged mountain bike that Bend’s Wade Beauchamp dreamed up has the gearing, the gear and the personality to take on even the most challenging terrain.
Mt. Hood bike: The allure for bikers of Oregon’s tallest peak and playground, Mt. Hood, is simple: scenic riding, with a nearly endless variety of choices. Fred Cuthbert, from the town of Talent, boiled down his design philosophy to make a simple mountain bike that can be ridden hard – and all day.
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