Gracie's Wrench

It’s with a bit of sadness that I’m writing to announce that Gracie’s Wrench will be closing our doors as of December 31st, 2022.

BUT... there are still one Tune-up and one Beginner Maintenance class on the schedule starting soon. So get in while you still can! (See links for the classes in the comments below.)

It’s been an honor to work with aspiring mechanics, cyclists, and organizations over the past 15 years, as well as further my career as an author and journalist. I’m proud that Gracie’s Wrench has had the impact on my own life and community beyond what I could have imagined when I stared in 2007. At least three of my students have opened their own bicycle shops, many more have been empowered to take cycling adventures of a lifetime, I’ve had the opportunity to get my first book published to help beginner riders, and there are now hundreds more new riders on two wheels that I had the honor (and pure joy) of teaching to ride bicycles for the first time.

I want to thank all of the students, customers and supporters that made this business possible. I could not have had all the success I did without you.

Thank you again for making Gracie’s Wrench the wonderful experience that it was.

Sincerely,
Tori Bortman
Owner of Gracie’s Wrench

Gracie's Wrench » Bike Repair Classes All classes and instruction are based on the philosophy that the best way to learn is to physically do it yourself, with your own hands on your own bike. Students work on their own bicycles, which gives more active time for them to absorb the information and really feel how things work. The lessons....

Mister was a month long visitor, and despite these photos, he didn’t sleep all the time.He bounced and flounced and tippity-tapped behind me being a Velcro dog. He went for so many walks he changed shape from sausage to pitness-with-the-fitness. Tonight he went back to his place, and there’s a little less goofiness in our lives. Dog sitting is the best!

Last summer, I helped a gentleman who had not ridden his bike in 40 years to buy a new bike (he landed on an e-bike because he wanted to commute long distances), get some riding skills refreshed, and learn to change a flat. His goal was to ride about 8 miles to visit his daughter. Here's the very heartwarming note I got from him today:

"I thought I'd share that I just passed 2,000 miles. I've put on new tires (myself!) that are supposed to be more puncture resistant after getting two flats. So far so good.

Just wanted you to know what good you did me! I've been everywhere, Boring, Lake Oswego,
Oregon City, Raleigh Hills, OSHU waterfront, all
over East Portland. Rain or shine (not snow/ice)....
I'm curious, you recommended tire pressures of 60/45 when I was 200 pounds. I'm now at 180 pounds; should I modify the pressure accordingly?
Thank you for setting me on this new path!"

If you love gravel riding, mountain biking or adventures in general, this will inspire you!

Happy Halloweenie to one and all!!

Great views and I didn’t have to leave the city limits! The only filter... sweaty lens. Thanks for the perfect ride!

With full understanding that I’m privileged to be in the right place in the system (and to have the resources to navigate that system) to get vaccinated, I’m feeling grateful and hoping that everyone else won’t be far behind me. The state is definitely still dialing the rollout in, but I’m also grateful that Gov. Brown’s leadership has both kept our numbers of infections and transmissions some of the lowest in the U.S.. Big love to everyone. Yes, my mask is still on, and will be for the foreseeable future, vaccine or not.

Didn’t get picks of the epic rainy snowshoe courtesy of and her husband, Ben, but 1/2 the carrot cake from survives! A lovely day with my favorite human. Here’s to another great spin around the sun, !

Super happy to have received the 1st dose of the Moderna vaccine. For those that have blanched at thinking they might be a “guinea pig”, there are hundreds of thousands around the world that did that for me. For those that are curious: the process was quick , safe and easy; the shot didn’t hurt at all (pro tip for needle avoiders like me, at the appropriate time, wiggle your toes!); and it definitely is very sore at the injection sight , but Im trying to not be annoyed cause I’m both lucky enough to get the shot at all, and it means my body is reacting the way it should. Carry on, calmly, bravely.

Onward: bravely, calmly, happily.

Happy Holloweenie to all! We were voted the most Zen pumpkins in our neighborhood, so I’m winning at something. Loved the pre-bagged candy table I decorated for the neighbor kids because candy is IMPORTANT. Also, I should have been doing that a long time ago. I can still wave from our window but no doorbells making the dog crazy or awkward kids not saying anything at all and looking nervous.

If there is one good thing that comes out of this time in our democracy, it’s my state’s shining example of vote-by-mail and auto-registration with a new license or ID. It increases voter turnout, I’m informed of when my ballot was mailed to me, when the completed version was received by the county, and the moment it’s counted I get a text. It’s not an easy shift (it took Oregon years of practice to create this system) but it is the future, and I’m privileged and proud to live where votes count. Other states don’t have to re-invent the wheel, they just need to get rolling, for the sake of our whole country.