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Former Planet Bike Employees launch Portland Design Works
by acadian
Posted: Jan 20, 2009
Industry veterans Erik Olson and Dan Powell have launched Portland Design Works (PDW), a new brand of urban bicycle accessories with a focus on simple, beautiful design. The first two categories of product, grips and inflation, will begin shipping in mid-February and can be viewed on the new PDW website, www.ridepdw.com. Cargo racks, tools, mini-pumps and fenders will be available by late spring.
PDW is still finalizing their national distribution lineup, but hopes to have their goods available nationwide by summer. Products will be available direct to bicycle shops in the city of Portland, and Powell and Olson will deliver the orders by bicycle.
“We want to be a part of the community, to have a connection,” says Olson, “plus making deliveries by bike is a great excuse to get out and ride.”
Olson and Powell last collaborated as the general manager and sales/marketing guy, respectively, for Planet Bike. The new venture is a dream come true for the native Midwesterners, who are excited to be living in Portland.
“You’d start a surf company near great waves, or a wind farm on an enormous plain. Likewise, we moved to Portland because its bike-friendly culture allows so many folks to get around easily by bike,” says Powell. “We wanted to design and test our gear in that great urban cycling atmosphere.”
PDW is a member of 1% For the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide.
“We want to be a part of the community, to have a connection,” says Olson, “plus making deliveries by bike is a great excuse to get out and ride.”
Olson and Powell last collaborated as the general manager and sales/marketing guy, respectively, for Planet Bike. The new venture is a dream come true for the native Midwesterners, who are excited to be living in Portland.
“You’d start a surf company near great waves, or a wind farm on an enormous plain. Likewise, we moved to Portland because its bike-friendly culture allows so many folks to get around easily by bike,” says Powell. “We wanted to design and test our gear in that great urban cycling atmosphere.”
PDW is a member of 1% For the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide.
15 Comments
- - 3
NorcoFoRLiFe7
(Jan 20, 2009 at 10:11)
the grips look sick
yea, super sck company, but not to be offensive, but isnt it a bad time to start a company in these economic times...? just askin..
probably not a bad time to start a company based on urban bicycle accessories, expecially with the future prices of oil skyrocketing
actually nobody cares about the environment anymore. the day that gas fell in price, everyone starting worrying about the economy. the "save the planet" stuff missed its chance, everything is about how bad the economy is and how much money everyone loosing.
I'm not talking about the environment. A bike and bike parts cost far less than a car and gas. Not to mention the savings on insurance, depreciation values, etc.
yeah i know. but when the environment was the #1 topic, riding a bike was the cool thing to do. i don't know many people who would give up the car for riding a bike everywhere.
sure the grips look good, but dont seem practical. seems like it would be slippery and sore wrists to me. bests grips are cheap thick rubber grips, spray a little WD-40 inside and the rubber wont ever move a mm.
they are for commuters i believe, or people with that style bike i believe. Not for dj or dh where you need the grip.
Sorry guys. I admire that 1% goes to enviromental organizations, but selling a CO2 inflater and cartridges is far from environmentally friendly.
I do think the bicycle delivery is cool tho.
I do think the bicycle delivery is cool tho.
Good to see more Portland based companies, as the urban/commuting biking scene is huge here. Good luck to them.
1% For the Planet is a start for a very, very small company. it is important to look where Erik Olson is coming from; and that is many years of experience at Planet Bike, a very successful company.
Here's a snapshot of their ideals from their website:
Since 1996 Planet Bike has donated over $650,000 to grassroots bicycle advocacy, and we aim to donate a total of $1,000,000 by 2010. Most of our money goes to the Thunderhead Alliance, a coalition of 128 bicycle advocacy groups across the nation that are working together to promote safe bicycling.
Imagine if bigger bike companies stepped up as huge as Planet Bike (& acessory) currently does?
they do use bamboo in their grips. i am sure all of their packaging will be eco-friendly as well.
these 2 guys started this company only to bring something unique to the urban rider. granted not everyone on here who Downhills, Freerides, or Cross Country may also ride an urban bike, but there are some. i realize i check out pinbike.com for the mtn bike stuff, but it just seems like Pinkbike was trying to give the little guy a little love.
Here's a snapshot of their ideals from their website:
Since 1996 Planet Bike has donated over $650,000 to grassroots bicycle advocacy, and we aim to donate a total of $1,000,000 by 2010. Most of our money goes to the Thunderhead Alliance, a coalition of 128 bicycle advocacy groups across the nation that are working together to promote safe bicycling.
Imagine if bigger bike companies stepped up as huge as Planet Bike (& acessory) currently does?
they do use bamboo in their grips. i am sure all of their packaging will be eco-friendly as well.
these 2 guys started this company only to bring something unique to the urban rider. granted not everyone on here who Downhills, Freerides, or Cross Country may also ride an urban bike, but there are some. i realize i check out pinbike.com for the mtn bike stuff, but it just seems like Pinkbike was trying to give the little guy a little love.
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