Thread: PDX peeps--rental bikes?? Blackrock/Forest Park/Cannon Beach?

I'm heading to Portland for a bach party and wedding next week, and was hoping to get a ride or two in while I'm out there. I guess a friend of a friend wants to take me to some trail up by Mount Hood, but he doesn't have an extra bike. Anyone know of a shop out there that would rent a rig?

Also, if I had time for another ride, is Blackrock the best place to check out? Someone told me that there are decent trails in Forest Park, which is 5 minutes from my pals house. I just checked out a trail map and it says only fire roads are open to MTBers.

While I'm at it, anyone know of any cheap (or free) places to throw down a tent in the Cannon Beach area? I haven't been there in 20 years and was an early teen and don't remember much about it.

Thanks!

most common rentals i know of, http://www.fattirefarm.com/our-rentals/
im taking a stab your buddys buddy is talking sandy ridge next to hood, just opened a new trail last week, fun stuff, flow/jump trails, santa cruz is doing a demo day on sun but prob not within your schedule
forest park is double track/fireroad only, ok for a quick pedal through the woods, but not a real mtb ride by any means
blackrock is tits and worthy of your second day if you like fr/dh, if xc and endless forest singletrack is your thing lots more around hood and across the river in WA
no help on camping, im not real familiar with cannon beach area, spend my time exploring further south

enjoy your trip, dirt is prrrrfect right now around here, upper stuff is melting out and flowers are popping, gonna be a good week to show up

if you go to black rock santiam is the shop you should rent from.

there is a big shop in hood river that rents bikes too (forget the name)

don't ride bikes in forest park. it sucks so bad.

at canon beach there are two camp grounds. a private one in the town full of RVs and Ecola state park. they are both pretty much booked way in advance all summer long. you are already screwed. i think you can legally camp on the beach a few beaches south from canon beach, but not sure about that.

Originally Posted by Natedogg

Someone told me that there are decent trails in Forest Park, which is 5 minutes from my pals house.

Thanks!

Someone lied. Forest Park is boring as shit to ride and filled with triathlon douches and bags of dogshit that yuppies can't be bothered to pick up (tho they went as far as bagging it, and everyone claims they'll pick it up on their way out but never do)

Rentals: Fat Tire Farm in Portland, Mt. View Cycles in Hood River (and there's another place right around the corner). If you ride the Hood River area hit up Double Mountain after.

Tents in Cannon Beach area, can't help you there. Short Sands (aka Oswald West) used to be an official campground but closed ~2 years ago due to too many trees falling down. You could probably camp on the beach there with no problems. We used to camp at the overlook just south of there a ton back in the day, and if you were tenting it you can just walk to the end and throw it up.

Originally Posted by Crystal_Mt_Dreamin

Someone lied. Forest Park is boring as shit to ride and filled with triathlon douches...

This is not the case if you ride on Wildwood Trail at night...or, so I've heard...

Originally Posted by Crystal_Mt_Dreamin

You could probably camp on the beach there with no problems.

if you get caught you will get a ticket (not that you necessarily will get caught).

Awesome, thanks guys. Great info. Sounds like I will stay away from Forest Park and try to get to Blackrock. Is Blackrock shuttle, or ride up for the DH stuff? Can someone who has never been there before find a decent trail pretty easily?

Sandy Ridge does sound familiar--that must be it.

As for camping, I was hoping there was an isolated section of beach somewhere along the coast that I could throw a tent... sounds like it might be kinda tough not knowing the area at all. Oh well.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Natedogg

Awesome, thanks guys. Great info. Sounds like I will stay away from Forest Park and try to get to Blackrock. Is Blackrock shuttle, or ride up for the DH stuff?

Black rock is ride/walk up. there are "easy" trails and all the trails are well marked. you should grab a map though. whatever shop you rent from will probably have a map, or i think you can print them out from the black from (BRMBA) website.

Originally Posted by Natedogg

As for camping, I was hoping there was an isolated section of beach somewhere along the coast that I could throw a tent...

you can do that, just not at canon beach

Portland just got a Ray's MTB-style indoor MTB park. I haven't been there yet, but I have been hearing good things. Might be worth checking out if you're looking for a close-in ride one day: http://www.lumberyardmtb.com/

Sandy Ridge did not suck. Wow. That is how all trails should be constructed (minus the 3+ mile road climb)!

Thanks for all the advice. Never made it to Blackrock (saving for another trip), and didn't make it to the coast, either. Did do a section of the old road between Hood River and Mosier. That was a really cool ride...

How's Black Rock on a Saturday? Crowded? I'm doing a road trip through Oregon in August and would like to do a day there, but it would likely be a weekend day.

glad sandy delivered, you will be stoked on BR when you make it back, think sandy flow but more interesting options and in an actual forest, not a park with pavement

BR isnt ever "crowded"... even with 109 peeps at the demo day on sun i think i had to slow to pass all of 2 people on trail
weeknights have 3-4 cars in the lot, and weekends maybe double that, i usually see a handful of nice bikes and a family or two of locals on huffys and beaters
it may be sprayed all over the web, but theres really a pretty small local contingent that takes advantage of the place so its fairly empty unless an event is going on

^^^ word. thanks for the info. i'm stoked to check that place out as we don't really have that kind of riding here.