Oregon Manifest: Building the Perfect Bike

Photo courtesy PDXCross

What does the future of bicycling look like? You can see for yourself during the Oregon Manifest Constructor’s Design Challenge Sept. 23-24 in Portland. Not only can you see the transportation dreams and visions of some of the most talented bike builders on the planet – you can take a shot at riding alongside them as they test their creations in the real world.

The Oregon Manifest challenge: build the ultimate utility bike. The contestants: 34 bike craftsmen from 11 states, plus six student teams from universities. This event is a unique forum for design innovation, and it will push the boundaries of two-wheeled transportation.

And it’s not just a bike show where people stroll by the entries and say, “Hmm… interesting.” No, these bikes are going to get tested. In a tradition harking back to the legendary French bike trials of the early 20th century, each builder must take his bike out for a rigorous 51-mile test of its overall capabilities – including road and off-road segments, carrying a rider and a load, on flats and hills.

And you can ride with them. Just sign up for an account here on Ride Oregon, submit your own route to the site, and then go here to leave your username and route name – you’ll be entered for a spot in this private ride with bike-design superheroes!

The Oregon Manifest builders are creating transportation for people who want bikes as part of their everyday lives – but don’t see themselves as “cyclists.” Utility bikes are designed for transportation as opposed to just recreation. They’re called utility bikes because they fill multiple needs for their riders.

The 2011 Oregon Manifest challenge will take place over two days. Come take a look at the bikes on Friday, Sept. 23, at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, located at 1241 NW Johnson St. in Portland – preliminary judging will be going on then.

And on Saturday, Sept. 24, the bikes will hit the road for the 50-mile Oregon Manifest Field Test. The route – which will be a secret until it’s announced on Ride Oregon Ride and the Oregon Manifest website on Sept. 22 – includes various checkpoints along the way that will test the mandatory criteria each builder had to integrate into the bike’s design.

Finally, on Saturday evening participants will gather for the Oregon Manifest awards gala at Chris King Precision Components, at 2801 NW Nela St. in Portland. Awards will be given to the top three entrants, with an additional two honorable mentions and a student design winner. All the bikes will be on display during the gala as well.

To learn more about the 2011 Oregon Manifest challenge or to see a list of participants, visit the Oregon Manifest website.

Also, check out this great video about the event, plus the Oregon Manifest blog on Core77.