Ride 2015

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE & EVENTS

2015

BIG Bicycling

THE

PLAN

ACTIVE TRIPS Special Section

ROLL OUT

LOCAL RIDES + MAPS

to School

BIKE Connect DISCOVER CLUBS, SHOPS & BUILDERS

Bike Calendar EVENTS, RIDES, RACES & CLASSES

BICYCLING GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO

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Your #1 Resource for Rocky Mountain

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like us and receive 10% off a single item valued below $50 We are your friendly neighborhood bike shop located in west Fort Collins in the Drake shopping center.

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2015

GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO BICYCLING CULTURE & EVENTS

FROM THE EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Bicycling for balance

CONTRIBUTOR PROFILES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Meet the writers

THE ACTIVE WAY TO GET TO SCHOOL . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Letting kids bike and walk more benefits everyone

THE SANITY OF CYCLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 How biking saved my life

SPECIAL SECTION:

ROLL OUT

Recommended rides for mountain bikers, road cyclists, commuters and recreation pedalers around our area. Plus, a brew tour guide!

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 NoCo universities befriend safe cycling

SHOPPING SPREE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Find a bike store for you

TRAILS RUN THROUGH IT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Northern Colorado connects with shared-use paths

FIND YOUR FIT AND PEDAL ON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 PHOTO BY JAMES SHELTON

Northern Colorado has a group or club to match your speed

A BICYCLE TALE OF TWO CITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 A new resident discovers the joy of cycling

14 The big idea!

What the Fort Collins Bicycle Master Plan means to you

BIKE Calendar CYCLING EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 REGULAR RIDES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 RACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

24 NoCo built Local entrepreneurs craft ways to be free

ABOUT THE COVER:

Nathan Jones is a year-round bike commuter and an all-around cool guy. Photo by Julieanna D. Jablonski, julieannad.smugmug.com.

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PHOTO COURTESY RIDEKICK

CLASSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

BICYCLING FOR BALANCE KIM SHARPE

BICYCLING REQUIRES balance.

Just like learning to stand and walk, learning to ride a bike demands a sense of equilibrium. A new technique for teaching kids (and even adults) to ride a bike that’s all the rage is the use of “balance bikes”— bikes that have no pedals or drive trains, just a frame, saddle, handle bars and two wheels. The idea is to use your feet to push forward and eventually glide and turn while picking your feet up off the ground. I’ve seen children go from not being able to ride at all to cruising full speed ahead in only a couple of hours using a balance bike. It’s really amazing to witness.

Once you find your balance to ride a bike, bicycling returns your effort with a 100 percent, in-kind ROI. Bicycling pays it forward by providing balance to too-busy lives. As a year-round bicycle commuter, I never have qualms about paying for bicycle maintenance and repairs, nor about buying equipment and gear to help make my commutes safe and comfortable. The money I spend on bike-related items is nominal compared to the bills I don’t have associated with mental therapy!

A brisk ride to work helps me set a fresh outlook for what lies ahead. Riding home in the evening gives me time to process the day’s events and put them all into perspective. While not a foolproof remedy for stress, there’s nothing like a good bike ride to help me deal with life’s little woes. I really like and can relate to a quote Marty Schreiner uses in his article about bike commuting found on page 8 of the Roll Out section: “I don’t ride my bike because it is a good day; it is a good day because I ride my bike.”

The goal in planning the 2015 Ride magazine was to provide—you guessed it—balance. The new center, pull-out section features Marty’s story along with three more that cover various ways to enjoy two wheels: road cycling, mountain biking, and family and recreational bicycling. It also includes 12 maps of local rides that are recommended by some of NoCo’s most enthusiastic cyclists and the ever-popular Brew Tour Guide.

We also cover what’s going on in the Fort Collins, regional and Safe Routes to School bicycling scenes. Kyle Eustice’s story about how bicycling gave her a new life is a must-read, as is Mark Condon’s “A Bicycling Tale of Two Cities” that so nicely concludes this year’s Ride.

I hope you find some nugget of information or a new tip or two as you peruse the following pages. But mostly, I hope you find balance on your bike.

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2015 BICYCLING GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO PUBLISHER Scott Titterington scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kim Sharpe kim.kbccommunications@gmail.com COPY EDITOR Kristin Titterington kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com COVER PHOTO Julieanna D. Jablonski, julieannad.smugmug.com CONTRIBUTOR PORTRAITS Cheri Schonfeld, Schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Will Allender, Jeffrey Boring, Carol Busch, Jacob Castillo, Mark Condon , Kyle Eustice, Tessa Greegor, Chris Hutchinson, Nancy Nichols, Marty Schreiner, Kim Sharpe, James Shelton ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521 Voice 221-9210 Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com Ride 2015 is a special publication of Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2015 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

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OUR 2015 CONTRIBUTORS

WILL ALLENDER

I am a cyclist, turned swimmer, turned runner and love all three activities! I also love the planning and mapping of a good ride and as a GIS professional, contributed to the map section.

MARK CONDON

It’s fair to say I’m a fair-weather bike commuter. When the days are warm, I pedal to my office at Unite for Literacy where I lead translation and narration efforts for its library of free, digital picture books for young children around the world.

NANCY NICHOLS

As the Safe Routes to School coordinator for the City of Fort Collins, I envision northern Colorado becoming a place where all children are able to incorporate active transportation for health, the environment and plain old fun.

JEFFREY BORING

I’m Larimer County’s Regional Trail Coordinator and member of the Northern Colorado Bike and Pedestrian Collaborative. I enjoy building trails that connect people to nature and their community.

KYLE EUSTICE

I recently moved to Fort Collins after growing up in Omaha, Neb. and living in Santa Fe, N.M. for four years. It just feels right to live in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. When I’m not riding my bike, I write for several publications.

MARTY SCHREINER

I commuted to my first bike shop job in 1975 and still play with bikes in my garage evenings and weekends, and ride to work more days of the year than not. I don’t know anyone else who has commuted four decades and is still at it.

THANK YOU

CAROL BUSCH

A Fort Collins native, I started riding my bike to Riffenburgh Elementary in kindergarten. I still love riding with the kids, although we’re now in our 30s and 40s and 50s and…

TESSA GREEGOR

I am the FC Bikes Program Manager for the City of Fort Collins. It’s an honor to be in Fort Collins, promoting and utilizing the bicycle as a viable, healthy and fun way of getting around town!

to those who contributed their time, talent, expertise and passion to create this year’s Ride magazine.

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KIM SHARPE

Pedaling one of my beloved two-wheeled tension fighters helps me balance the demands of wife, mom/frat house manager, owner of KBC Communications and everything else life throws my way.

JACOB CASTILLO

Bikes. I love riding ‘em, building ‘em and seeing ‘em on the road… and trails for that matter. I wear a lot of hats in this community, but I must admit that my cycling cap is among my favorites.

CHRIS HUTCHINSON

I’m a passionate practical bicyclist and father of four, and the proud owner of the Trebuchet Group, a Silver Bicycle-Friendly Business. We offer executive coaching, facilitation, organizational improvement work and bicycle commuting inspiration.

JAMES SHELTON

I’m a Berthoud resident and an avid cyclist who enjoys road cycling and mountain biking in Colorado, especially in Larimer and Boulder counties.

CONTRIBUTOR PORTRAITS BY SCHONFELD PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATION GENEROUSLY PROVIDED

BY CRANKNSTEIN

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

Students from Lincoln Middle School in Fort Collins take a practice ride on the Poudre River Trail. Lincoln has its own 20-bike SRTS fleet for use during PE classes and after-school bike clubs.

THE ACTIVE WAY TO GET TO SCHOOL Letting kids bike and walk more benefits everyone NANCY NICHOLS

THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL programs in Loveland and Fort Collins have a very straightforward overarching goal—get more kids biking and walking to school.

On the surface, this might appear rather easy to accomplish. After all, if you ask kids how they prefer to get to school, most would probably say they’d like to stretch their legs, breathe some fresh air and have some fun on their way rather than taking yet another boring ride in the back seat of a car.

Despite kids’ enthusiasm for getting to places under their own power, it’s still a challenge to persuade some families to choose active transportation (biking, walking or taking the bus) over driving.

Why? Partly because many of our local roads and traffic infrastructure are designed with a premium on efficiently moving cars rather than optimizing active modes. This situation is steadily chang-

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ing, however, as city leaders, transportation professionals and health officials consider the positive impacts of active transportation. Community benefits include reducing congestion, improving air quality, combating obesity, and reducing traffic-related injuries and death.

As our local transportation networks continue to improve, becoming ever more inviting to those who prefer to pedal, stroll or hop on the bus, families with school-age children still may not choose active transportation if the benefits are not clear and compelling, particularly at the family level.

So what benefit can speak to families in such a compelling manner? Perhaps the answer lies in the family pocketbook.

Families who choose to replace trips by car with trips using active transportation can reap a big bonus for doing so.

According to experts at AAA, it costs about $9,000 annually, on average, to own

Finding a Safe Route to School Safe Routes to School is a national program seeking to increase the number of students safely walking and bicycling to school. Whether through bicycle and pedestrian education classes, improved sidewalks and bike lanes, or enforcing school-zone speed limits, Loveland and Fort Collins are working hard to make walking or bicycling to school a viable choice for families.

During 2015, a focus in both cities will be on making traffic infrastructure improvements to provide safer routes for students to travel. For more information or to find out how you can get involved in local SRTS initiatives, visit Loveland’s and Fort Collins’ websites at www.cityofloveland.org (search for Safe Routes) and www.fcgov.com/ saferoutes, respectively.

and operate a vehicle. If some of that cost could be avoided by driving less, parents would suddenly have more money for things like family vacations or college education savings accounts for their kids (or whatever else they might need or want).

We’re not talking chump change here—a family with one or more schoolage children could potentially save thousands of dollars each year.

The National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates provides a calculator on its website to help you quickly calculate how much you might save by using your car less. Go to www.public transportation.org/tools and fill in the information to see your potential savings.

Our local SmartTrips organization has a similar tool to estimate savings: www. smarttrips.org/home/costcalculator.

What would your family do with a new windfall associated with choosing active transportation? You’ll never know unless you give it a try. And given all the improvements being made for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users in our local communities, there’s no better time to start than the present.

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THE SANITY OF CYCLING How biking saved my life KYLE EUSTICE

I GOT MY FIRST big wheel when I was 5 years old. It was a Strawberry Shortcake-themed trike with pink everything. I loved it and rode around my Grandmother Dee-Dee’s fancy cul-de-sac in West Omaha, Neb. (my hometown), like I was an Indy 500 race-car driver. I vividly remember the day it was stolen. I was devastated.

Thus began my love affair with bicycles.

A couple of years later, my parents gave me a Schwinn for my birthday. It was my first “real” bike, complete with a pink paint job (naturally), white banana seat and streamers coming out of the handlebars. I loved that bike, too. I felt free on that bike. About three years after that, my father surprised me with a Raleigh 10-speed and a couple of years later I got my first Trek. I wasn’t really too brand loyal; as long as I had a bike, I was happy.

Bicycles became very important to me in high school when I was struggling with my ever-fluctuating weight. I would toss my bike in the back of my parents’ old Buick station wagon and head for the Keystone Trail in Omaha. I would ride and ride until I was glistening with sweat.

The miles paid off as I lost the weight and began my freshman year of college at the

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University of Nebraska-Lincoln feeling like a new person.

In college, however, I experimented with things that weren’t exactly conducive to a healthy lifestyle. I was drinking, smoking and eating late-night cafeteria food. Needless to say, it wasn’t treating my physical, mental or spiritual condition well.

I suffered for a long time before I eventually ended up in a hospital for seven days due to one too many hits of LSD. Upon release, I made the decision to live a clean life. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple.

For a brief time, I lived in Taos, N.M., and started drinking again, but something told me I had to stop. So in 2006, I quit for good. Once again, I vowed to live a clean life. I headed back to Omaha to regroup and get my life back on track, but it was too late. As soon as I got there I started experiencing paralyzing stomach pain, the worst pain I had ever felt in my life. In fact, the pain was so severe I was sheet white and could barely talk. I had jaundiced and couldn’t stand up straight. After an immediate trip to the doctor, I was told I had several abnormally large gallstones blocking my entire bile duct and needed emergency surgery. I survived, obviously, and became

more determined than ever to stay healthy.

I got a job at Whole Foods Market and completely changed the way I lived.

In 2007, Whole Foods participated in the Green Trek Challenge, which was a regional contest where employees would keep track of how much they biked or ran; whoever logged the most miles won.

Of course, I opted for the biking option. I started off slowly, logging about 20 miles a day, but soon those 20-mile rides turned into 50-mile rides. I took second place, only second to someone who did all of her biking indoors on a stationary bike. I felt like I was the real winner, though, as I rode in the harsh elements, eating bugs, getting rained on, having mud flung in my face and enduring such brutal winds I was reduced to tears.

Fast-forward to 2015. I have settled in Fort Collins. With easy access to the Spring Creek Trail, I bought a brand new Specialized hybrid to, once again, get my miles up.

Without a bike, I would be lost. It’s the one constant that keeps me sane. When I feel down, I get on my bike and it completely changes my mindset no matter how many bugs I have to eat. Biking is my ticket to freedom and health; it’s everything.

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A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

NoCo universities befriend safe cycling CAROL BUSCH

UNC is very safe. He says, “Bicycle connections to the university can be made from every direction on multiple routes through striped bike lanes.”

Lawrence says that feedback from student surveys offers campus transportation planners some good guidance for future improvements. “We would like to see more bike lanes around campus and on public streets,” says Lawrence. “Lighting on campus bike paths is also an issue. But overall, students say they feel comfortable riding on campus.”

on streets with low vehicle use.

“A lot of our infrastructure doesn’t end at the campus border,” says Fodge.

“Our plan takes into account the community and how it uses our infrastructure to travel through the university.” Fodge says CSU and the city have applied for federal funding that would create a new crossing at Shields and Pitkin Sts. Other future campus infrastructure improvements include closing Meridian Ave. permanently to vehicles (except buses),

BEAR COUNTRY UNC promotes bicycling through its free Blue Cruiser bike program, which features 100 custom-painted bikes that students can use for a week at a time. The program started in 2011. “Within the first two hours of each semester all the bikes are checked out,” says Daniel Lawrence, UNC’s Outdoor Pursuits coordinator, who manages the program.

“We’ve had some students be lucky enough to use a bike the entire semester long.” Outdoor Pursuits also offer bike safety workshops.

The university’s bike-only path, which extends roughly one mile across campus, makes cycling on the UNC campus a safe alternative. According to Eric Bracke, traffic engineer with the City of Greeley, biking in and around

RAM COUNTRY With its recently completed Bike Master Plan (http://pts.colostate.edu/bike-plan/), CSU is poised to continue improving bicycle safety on and around campus with the goal of increasing ridership among both students and employees. The plan identifies infrastructure and programmatic changes that will reduce bicycle congestion, increase bicycle safety, and increase bicycle convenience—all while protecting the campus pedestrian core.

Aaron Fodge, alternative transportation manager at CSU, led the development of the plan that was created in parallel with the City of Fort Collins’ Bike Master Plan update, which includes the development of a low-stress bike network

creating buffered bike lines and more separated bicycle/pedestrian paths, installing bicycle lockers and covered bike parking.

According to Fodge, three factors will help raise CSU’s BFU designation to Gold or Platinum: data collection, education outreach through the student Rambassadors and Ramguards programs, and having the bike master plan in place.

The Rambassador program, new as of fall 2014, is helping incoming freshman learn what it means to safely live and ride in bike-friendly Fort Collins. Ramguards control congested campus intersections during peak hours, taking the right-of-way out of the hands—and feet—of cyclists, pedestrians and motorists, and ensuring more efficient and safe travel for all.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CSU

NORTHERN COLORADO’S two universities have a clear goal when it comes to getting to and around campus by bicycle: make it easier and safer.

Enter the Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) program run by the League of American Bicyclists. The program currently recognizes 100 colleges and universities with Bronze-, Silver-, Gold- and Platinumlevel BFU designations for efforts to promote and provide a more bikeable campus.

In 2014, UNC received its first-ever designation as a Bronze-level BFU. CSU holds a Silver-level designation.

Universities and colleges apply to become League-recognized BFUs. They must reapply every four years to keep their status or hopefully earn a higher level designation.

Applicants’ efforts to promote bicycling are evaluated in five primary areas: engineering, encouragement, education, enforcement and evaluation/planning. Examples of these Five E’s, as they are known, include bicycle sharing programs, student ambassador outreach, data collection, bicycle infrastructure improvements, such as bike lockers and showers, and other ways to promote bicycling as a preferred mode of transportation.

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BIG IDEA! What the Fort Collins Bicycle Master Plan means to you T E S S A GRE EGO R

IT’S THE YEAR 2020. One out of every five people is traveling by bike with fewer bicycle-related crashes than we currently have. To help achieve this vision, the city of Fort Collins adopted a new Bicycle Master Plan in December 2014. The plan was developed through community input, data analyses and practices best designed to achieve “a world-class city for bicycling, where people of all ages and abilities have access to a comfortable, safe and connected network of bicycle facilities, and where bicycling is an integral part of daily life and local cultural experiences.”

The plan lays the foundation upon which all residents and visitors of Fort Collins, whether age 8 or 80, will have the opportunity to utilize the bicycle as a safe, healthy and affordable means for traveling around town. It focuses on improving safety and increasing opportunities for people to bicycle. The plan also builds upon the strength of the existing Fort Collins bicycle culture and environment, with the trend of increasing percentages of people choosing to bicycle and fewer

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numbers of bicycle-related crashes. Bicycle advancements made in 2014—including the City’s first dedicated bicycle signal at the intersection of Laurel and Mason Streets and buffered bike lanes on S. Shields Street and W. Stuart Street—are examples of enhancements to come through plan implementation.

2020 VISION A 162-mile, low-stress bicycle network will serve as the basis for achieving the City’s bicycling vision and reaching a majority of the population who would like to bicycle more often given the right environment (commonly referred to as the “interested but concerned” population).

This low-stress network will utilize existing low-speed and low-volume city streets, such as Stover Street, and existing and planned trail connections to develop crosscity routes that are comfortable for all, including youth and families, seniors and commuters. By 2020, more than 80 percent of Fort Collins’ population will live within one-quarter mile of a low-stress

bicycle route, connecting them to schools, transit, areas of employment and other community destinations.

The 2020 network will include upgraded bicycle lanes, such as buffered bike lanes on Swallow Road and intersection improvements to help people cross arterial streets. For example, improved crossings on Shields Street at Pitkin Street and on Lemay Avenue at Pitkin Street are proposed. These improvements will provide an opportunity for people to cross arterial streets using a signalized crossing, helping to create a safe and predictable experience for all users.

Improvements to key arterial streets, such as Shields, are included in this network and recommended as protected bike lanes, which would provide a physical barrier between the bicycle lane and travel lane.

BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE COMING SOON The plan identifies a handful of potential projects for 2015 (dependent upon available funding). These projects include the Remington Greenway, which will optimize Remington Street for bicycle and

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLNS

THE

pedestrian travel through buffered bike lanes, signage and intersection improvements; a protected bike lane demonstration project for Laurel Street; new buffered bike lanes on Columbia Street and W. Swallow Street; and intersection improvements at locations including Columbia Street and Lemay Avenue, and Tulane Street and Drake Road.

As the City continues to develop its low-stress bicycle network, it will be critical to make people aware of optimal cycling routes. In 2015, the City will lay the foundation for its bicycle wayfinding system, publish a new city bicycle map highlighting these comfortable routes and continue to develop online bicycle route finding tools, such as Ride the City and the Colorado Department of Transportation mapping tool.

If you don’t have a bicycle or would like to avoid using your personal bike for around-town travel, the City is working toward an innovative solution. In 2015, the city will seek funding to launch a bike share pilot program that will trial the use of “smart bikes” in Fort Collins—bikes that will be available around town for quick and easy access for residents and visitors.

ADVANCING EDUCATION AND AWARENESS With ambitious bicycle ridership and safety goals, the plan proposes building on existing bicycle programs using a collaborative approach that involves community organizations, schools, businesses and city government. With additional educational opportunities, encouragement initiatives and focused enforcement, these programs will complement the bicycle network plan and foster a culture of respect, responsibility and awareness for all transportation system users.

PROGRAMS TO LOOK FOR IN 2015 In 2014, through strong community partnerships, the city launched several new initiatives to target new riders. These initiatives included Women on a Roll, an initiative that sought to break down barriers to women bicycling through a bicycle expo, women-only bicycle rides, learn-to-ride classes and other educational opportunities.

The city’s inaugural car-free streets event,

Open Streets, also launched in 2014 as an opportunity for people of all ages to comfortably experience public streets on foot or bike and engage in physical activity with the goal of generating interest in future bicycle trip-making, building community and supporting public health goals.

This year will bring an expansion of these programs, with two Open Streets events planned in June and September, additional women-focused bicycle classes and rides through the Women on a Roll campaign, as well as a revamped Bicycle Ambassador Program (BAP).

The BAP will continue to offer regular Traffic Skills 101 classes, while adding new classes and outreach opportunities to its repertoire. The structure of the BAP continues to evolve and improve as FC Bikes seeks new and innovative ways to engage existing and future BAP volunteers, while offering new opportunities for middle- and high-school students to participate in the program.

Additional bicycle outreach efforts will focus on reaching Fort Collins’ Latino population; through a partnership with Vida Sana, bicycle education classes will be offered in Spanish, and neighborhoodfocused bicycle outreach will be conducted.

BICYCLE POLICIES ON THE HORIZON The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) awards bicycling friendly rankings to communities. In 2013, Fort Collins was designated in a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community. In 2014, a LAB representative visited Fort Collins to assess opportunities for the city to advance its bicycle-friendliness. While recognizing the bicycle culture and bicycle programs that have created the city’s bicycle-friendly environment, the LAB offered a short list of high-impact recommendations that were included in the new bike plan.

This year the City will continue to improve its traffic signals to provide additional video detection of bikes at intersections, while exploring opportunities to adjust signal timing to support bicycle travel. It also will update its street design standards to incorporate new bicycle design treatments, such as buffered bike

lanes, and will work to implement best practices for bicycle facility maintenance as new types of infrastructure are introduced. In addition, the City will continue to improve bicycle parking.

TRACKING PROGRESS The new plan includes a number of recommendations related to evaluation of the city’s programs and projects. Demonstration or “pilot” projects are a fundamental piece of the city’s near-term strategy to evaluate new-to-Fort Collins infrastructure, such as protected bike lanes and programs including Bike Share. New technology, like automated bicycle counters, will support overall efforts to measure progress over the years while determining the impact of bicycle-related investments.

And speaking of counters, with support from Kaiser Permanente, the City of Fort Collins is excited to announce its first Eco-TOTEM to be installed as part of the Remington Greenway project this spring.

An Eco-Totem bicycle counter serves as a visible display of the number of people who pass a given location on bicycle in a given period of time. The counter is planned for installation near the CSU Trial Gardens and will be supplemented with a public website for people to view how many bicyclists are traveling on Remington Street.

Another exciting data-collection program will start up at two Fort Collins schools in 2015. Known as the Boltage Demonstration Project, radio-frequency tags will be given to students to track trips made to and from school by bicycle while also serving as an incentive for bicycling among youth. Lesher Middle School and Bennett Elementary have expressed interest in serving as pilot schools for this program.

Looking to 2015 and beyond, the 2014 Bicycle Master Plan establishes a new and innovative approach to advancing bicycling in Fort Collins. With the vision in place, dedicated citizens, business leaders, agency representatives and City leaders will carry it forward to offer residents and visitors a world-class opportunity to safely ride a bicycle for transportation and recreation alike.

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BIKE STORE

MAPS! FORT COLLINS 1. Big Shot Bikes 106 N Link Ln. 775-1233 Bigshotbikes.com

2. Black Sheep Bikes 204 N Link Ln. 218-5952 Blacksheepbikes.com

8. Lee’s Cyclery 202 W Laurel St. 482-6006 931 E Harmony Rd. 226-6006 Leescyclery.com 9. Meet Sauce Bikes 581-6692 Meetsaucecycles.com

3. Brave New Wheel 105 East Myrtle St. 416-0417 Bravenewwheel.com

10. Niner Bikes 1611 S College Ave. 682-2241 ninerbikes.com

4. Drake Cyclery 2100 W Drake Rd., Ste 4 631-8326 Drakecyclery.com

11. Peloton Cycles 3027 E Harmony Rd. 449-5595 2101 S College Ave. 484-1800 Peloton-cycles.com

5. FC Bike Coop 331 N College Ave. 484-3804 Fcbikecoop.org 6. Fort Collins Bicycle Co 1824 LaPorte Ave. 682-2920 7. Gearage 119 E Mountain Ave. 416-6803 gearageoutdoorsports.com

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12. Performance Bike 2407 S College Ave. 419-2770 Performancebike.com 13. Provelo 4612 S Mason St. 204-9935 Provelobikes.com

BICYCLING GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO

14. Recycled Cycles 4031 S Mason St. 223-1969 CSU Store Lory Student Center 491-9555 Recycled-cycles.com 15. Richards Bike Shop 4319 SilverView Ct. 420-2039 16. Road 34 1228 W Elizabeth St. 689-3556 Road34.com 17. Rocky Mountain Recumbents 2111 S College Ave. 221-4838 Rockymountainrecumbent.com

GREELEY

18. Bike Peddler Cycling & Fitness 5240 W. 9th St. Dr., #200 356-3663 Bikepeddler.biz 19. George’s Repair Shop 825 W. 7th St. 352-9492

20. Ride 3830 W. 10th St. 356-7617 Ridegreeley.com

LOVELAND

21. Breakaway Cylces 2237 W. Eisenhower Blvd 663-1726 Breakaway-cycles.com 22. Days Roll By 1528 N. Lincoln Ave. 481-4339 23. Lee’s Cyclery 4880 Thompson Pkwy.

667-8735 Leescyclery.com 24. Loveland Cycle ‘n Fitness 524 Cleveland Ave. 667-1943 LovelandCycle.com 25. Rocky Mountain Cyclery 504 N. Garfield Ave. 669-2361

WINDSOR

26. Spokes 427 Main St. 686-9275 Spokesinc.com

COLLEGE

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TRAILS RUN THROUGH IT

Northern Colorado connects with shared-use paths JEFFREY BORING

A NEW ORGANIZATION IS BORN To facilitate the connectivity of shareduse paths between communities and ensure the trails take bicyclists and pedestrians where they want to go, a new organization was developed in 2014. The Northern Colorado Bike and Pedestrian Collaborative (NoCo Bike & Ped) was formed to facilitate communication between municipal, county and state staff, transportation agencies, cyclists and pedestrians. The organization is composed of planners, engineers and public health employees from Greeley, Fort Collins, Windsor, Loveland, Larimer and Weld Counties, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW ) and the MPO. “One of the primary purposes of NoCo Bike & Ped is to help implement the MPO’s 2013 Regional Bicycle Plan, a plan that includes 12 bike corridors and more than 200 miles of shared-use path,” says Sarah Boyd, Greeley Park Planner and NoCo Bike & Ped co-founder. “We can’t expect a single entity to fulfill a regional vision.”

Wade Willis, NoCo Bike & Ped’s other co-founder and Windsor Parks and Open Space manager, adds, “We intend to coordinate bike and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the region, promote investments in bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and share information that leads

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to greater bike and pedestrian connectivity.” Look for NoCo Bike & Ped’s fall conference in November 2015.

COLLABORATION ALREADY PAYING DIVIDENDS It didn’t take long for this new organization to make a real difference in northern Colorado, with two new shared-use paths funded with its help.

“The members of NoCo Bike & Ped played a critical role by participating in the MPO’s Regional Bicycle Plan and the MPO’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP),” says Terri Blackmore, MPO director. The MPO asked NoCo Bike & Ped to recommend projects for funding. “They came up with two very strong recommendations, both of which were approved. NoCo Bike & Ped made selecting shared-use path projects easy…they’re an asset to the regional transportation planning and funding culture of northern Colorado.”

NEW TRAILS FUNDED More than six miles of regional trail will be built, thanks to the MPO’s $1 million TAP award: the Great Western Trail and the Front Range Trail, Loveland to Fort Collins Segment. Where train cars once chugged down the tracks carrying sugar beets, the Great Western Trail will go. A four-mile section of this rails-to-trails project will connect Severance and Eaton with a trail. The Front Range Trail is about a two-mile shared-use path that will connect Loveland’s 17-mile paved recreation trail with Fort Collins’ paved Fossil Creek Trail.

“If you live or ride in Loveland or Fort Collins, you’ll now be able to enjoy more than 60 miles of paved trail without having to cycle on high-speed arterials, such as Lemay Avenue or State Highway 287. The shared-use path will connect the two communities between Boyd Lake

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC BRACKE

IF YOU’RE INTO RIDING or walking on paved recreation trails, northern Colorado is the place to be. Many of the cities and towns in both Larimer and Weld Counties have built miles of detached paved trails, known as shareduse paths, that connect housing and retail areas to schools, parks, open spaces and other civic areas. As both counties continue to grow, shared-use paths will become a staple of the recreation and transportation matrix.

State Park and Carpenter Road,” says Janet Meisel-Burns, City of Loveland Senior Park Planner. Both the Great Western Trail and Front Range Trail, Loveland to Fort Collins Segment are scheduled for construction in 2016.

WHAT ABOUT THE POUDRE RIVER TRAIL? The Poudre River Trail continues to be a high priority for the entire region because it will connect Greeley, Windsor, Timnath and Fort Collins with a single detached trail. Larimer County and the Town of Timnath will construct one-half mile of new trail east of Interstate 25 in 2015 and enhance an existing trailhead.

Negotiations continue on the remaining five and a half miles of trail that are needed, including the I-25 crossing.

Sometimes it is about the bike

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FIND YOUR FIT AND PEDAL ON

Northern Colorado has a group or club to match your speed KIM SHARPE

WHETHER YOU’RE YOUNG or old, fit or not so much, ride a lot or hardly at all, northern Colorado has a bicycle group or club to match your speed. Getting involved and riding with others is one of the best motivators to keep on pedaling.

THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, a subcommittee of the City of Fort Collins Transportation Board, meets the fourth Monday of each month, 6-8pm, in the Community Room at 215 N. Mason St. The BAC reviews and provides recommendations regarding bicycle capital improvements, bicycle policies and bicycle plan priorities with a goal of promoting safe, efficient bicycling. Meetings are open to the public. www.fcgov.com/bac THE BICYCLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM (BAP) is a partnership between the City of Fort Collins FC Bikes Program and Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC).

The BAP trains people to become ambassadors of safe cycling, increasing knowledge about how to ride and share roads and trails safely with a goal of reducing the number of motor vehicle/ bicycle/pedestrian crashes in our community. www.bicycleambassador program.org THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN EDUCATION COALITION (BPEC) is a group of movers and shakers in NoCo’s bicycling community.

BPEC members meet once a month to

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROL BUSCH

BELLE STARRS is a women’s bicycle “gang” that strives to inspire more women to get on their bikes and ride. No spandex or fancy equipment needed, just a passion for two wheels and the free spirit that accompanies it. The Belle Starrs (a.k.a. Rambunctious Women of the Road and Trail) organize group rides in and around Fort Collins.

Planned rides happen about once a month, with many spontaneous rides occurring as inspiration strikes. Stay in the loop by following Belle Starrs BC on Facebook. learn about bicycling-related matters, share information and plan ways to work together to meet the needs of our community.

Participants represent bicycle advocacy groups, nonprofit agencies, state and local governments, medical professionals, school districts, youth, parents and teachers. www. bicycleambassadorprogram.org/bpec/ BIKE FORT COLLINS (BFC) is a local nonprofit bicycle advocacy group that encourages safe and enjoyable bicycling. Led by involved and dedicated cyclists, BFC’s goal is to encourage an enthusiastic bicycling community through FUNdamental programs that educate, engage and enable cyclists of all ages and abilities. www.bikefortcollins.org THE CICLISMO YOUTH FOUNDATION (CYF) is dedicated to making cycling opportunities accessible to youth in northern Colorado. CYF aims to positively support the social and emotional development of children through the sport of cycling. CYF has programs for a variety of ages and abilities. www.ciclismo youthfoundation.org

DIAMOND PEAKS MOUNTAIN BIKE PATROL (a service of Overland Mountain Bike Club).

The Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol holds various training and outreach events for those interested in becoming a mountain bike patroller. Check website for dates, times and locations. www.overlandmtb.org/patrol EPIC BMX supports bicycle motocross (BMX) racing at the American Bicycle Association-sanctioned (ABA) track in south Fort Collins. The organization sponsors races on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.

They also conduct BMX skills clinics; ABA membership is required. www.epicbmxfc.com FC BIKES is the City of Fort Collins’ bicycle program. Through collaboration with communities, other City departments and local organizations, the program promotes safe bicycling and encourages it as a viable, healthy means of transportation for Fort Collins’ residents, employees and visitors of all ages and abilities. Through advocacy, programming, planning and infrastructure, the FC Bikes program seeks to increase bicycling while creating and maintaining a bicycle-friendly community. www.fcgov.com/bicycling BICYCLING GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO

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FORT COLLINS CYCLING CLUB (FCCC) brings together road cyclists from those just starting to the experienced rider. From April through August there are regularly scheduled Tuesday evening rides intended for all levels of riders. These rides provide the opportunity to meet and experience riding with club members who ride at comparable speeds and to socialize after the rides.

There are other recreational rides of varying difficulty throughout the year, including the winter months. www.fccycleclub.org, www.facebook.com/groups/fccyclingclub/ THE FORT COLLINS VELO PARK ASSOCIATION is a nonprofit organization formed in 2006 to bring a world-class community cycling venue to Fort Collins. This facility will provide multiple benefits to the community, such as: training and competition for all levels of cycling; a safe environment for all cyclists to gain confidence and skills; and a multi-use park for athletic activities and community events. www.fcvelo.org FORT FOLLIES, established in 2012, empowers women in the Fort Collins area to be active and impactful members of the cycling community through riding, racing and philanthropy. The group is suited for women of all abilities and disciplines who want to ride for recreation, get in shape or race competitively. www.fortfollies.com GREELEY BIKES is the City of Greeley’s initiative to encourage and educate more people to travel by bike. Designated a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists in 2013, Greeley is coming into its own as a great place to ride. www.greeleybikes.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

THE FORT COLLINS BICYCLE CO-OP builds community through bicycling by helping people earn a bike who otherwise couldn’t afford one; educating people about all things bike-related including bike maintenance and safety; and refurbishing and donating bicycles for a wide variety of charity events and programs for those in need. www.fcbikecoop.org

THE NORTHERN COLORADO BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN COLLABORATIVE (NOCO BIKE & PED) strives to create a bicycle-friendly region, so that no matter what northern Colorado city or town you travel in, bicycle safety and accessibility will be a priority. The NoCo Bike & Ped, a regional collaboration of agencies and organizations, encourages communities to share best bicycle planning practices with respect to infrastructure and facilities, and works to secure funding to complete the regional bikeway network. www.nfrmpo.org NORTHERN COLORADO CYCLING EVENTS (NCCE) is a loose board of promoters, managers and other leaders in the local competitive cycling community. NCCE members are committed to the long-term, sustainable growth of competitive cycling in northern Colorado through resource and process sharing, community outreach, and coordination and integration of efforts. www.YourGroupRide.com OVERLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB (OVERLAND) is the premier mountain biking organization in the northern Colorado and southern Wyoming region, and a federally registered 501c3 nonprofit organization. Overland members build and maintain trails, teach people how to ride and patrol trails assisting all user groups. www.overlandmtb.org P.E.D.A.L. (PEOPLE’S EFFORTS TO DE-EMPHASIZE AUTOS IN LOVELAND), established on Earth Day in 1970, educates the public on bicycle-related issues and organizes group rides. The group’s diverse

members represent every type of cyclist. www.pedalclub.org SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL (SRTS) is a nationwide effort to encourage students to walk or bike to school. The Fort Collins and Loveland SRTS programs bring bike-ped safety instruction into local schools and are building a cadre of PE teachers and volunteer trainers to provide SRTS instruction to Poudre School District and Thompson School District K-12 students. www.fcgov. com/saferoutes, www.cityofloveland.org TEAM B.O.B. (A.K.A, BABES ON BIKES) has been promoting women mountain bikers since 1992. The group offers group rides for novice and experienced riders, as well as skills seminars. The team also performs trail maintenance and participates in cycling-related community events. www. coteambob.com TRIPS FOR KIDS was established in 1988 in Marin County, Calif. The Fort Collins chapter of Trips For Kids provides cycling to underserved youth populations.

The group hosts free rides twice a month, providing bikes, helmets, lunch, transportation and instruction to kids 8-17 years. www.tripsforkidsfoco.org TWO RIVERS CYCLING CLUB, formed in 2009, brings together cyclists in the Greeley area. With group rides in Weld County and along the Front Range, both beginners and seasoned riders are welcome. www.tworiverscycling.org

WAY TO GO! 22 GOLD

*As designated by the League of American Bicyclists (bikeleague.org)

HONORABLE MENTION

BRONZE

BRONZE

SILVER

PLATINUM

Northern Colorado is home to Bike-Friendly Businesses!

ARAPAHO & ROOSEVELT NATIONAL FORESTS

Support Businesses and Organizations That Support Bikes!

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NOCO BUILT

Local entrepreneurs craft ways to be free

PHOTO COURTESY NINER BIKES

INTRO BY JACOB CASTILLO

FREEDOM. FREEDOM TO explore, freedom from the rat race, freedom to push physical limits, freedom to express oneself. In northern Colorado, we enjoy pedal-powered freedom in many different ways, from zany events such as Tour de Fat, to the more serious USA Pro Challenge, to using bikes for transportation and commerce. And we are fortunate to have a bike-building community that caters to the diverse needs of those who enjoy two wheels.

The level of innovation and sophistication of our local frame-building industry regularly blows me away. Our area is home to nationally recognized and awardwinning fabricators who contribute to the unique fabric of the bicycling community.

These men and women are using steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, bamboo and other materials to make bicycles for local riders and for clients all over the

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world. We have a wonderful freedom of choice at our fingertips.

It doesn’t stop at frame building, however. We have some outstanding apparel, component and accessory companies here, too. If you have not explored the depth and breadth northern Colorado has to offer in local bikerelated companies, peruse the next few pages to see a sample of what is available in our own back yard.

BIG SHOT BIKES 970-775-1233, www.bigshotbikes.com

Big Shot Bikes specializes in made-toorder fixed gear and single-speed bikes.

Using an online customization tool, customers can design their own bikes, choosing everything from the color of the chain to the style of handlebars. With millions of color combinations from which to choose, customers can design a bike that is truly one of a kind.

BLACK SHEEP 970-218-5952, www.blacksheepbikes.com

Black Sheep Bikes was born out of a flock of high-quality, hand-crafted bicycles, here in this Titanium utopia we call Colorado. They stand out in this flock with their signature aesthetic and groundbreaking designs. With tuned race machines to all-terrain phat bikes, it is easy to see how Black Sheep can translate any wheel size and style of riding into a beautiful high-performance bicycle that will last a lifetime.

BOO BICYCLES 515-554-9226, www.boobicycles.com

Boo Bicycles handcrafts both highperformance, bamboo-carbon race bikes and more affordable bamboo-aluminum road and townie bikes. Bamboo is extremely lightweight and stiff, and the silky smooth ride and telepathic handling are unmatched. They have been piloted by two

of Fort Collins’ best young talents, Skyler Trujillo and Brannan Fix. BRAAAP NUTRITION, LLC 855-8-BRAAAP, www.braaapnutrition.com

The Braaap Bar is a soy- and gluten-free protein bar that delivers energy-infused nutrients and protein to meet the demands of today’s toughest athletes and adventurers. Influenced by riders, racers and outdoor enthusiasts on the tracks and trails of Colorado, the revolutionary Braaap formula is balanced with clean, high-quality natural foods.

CANTITOE ROAD 800-422-2104, 970-472-0125 www.cantitoeroad.com

Cantitoe Road sells bicycle parts, tools and accessories.

JETT MOUNTAIN BIKES

ON THE WHEEL

866-630-7561, www.jettmtb.com

970-482-2401, www.on-the-wheel.com

“We’re riders. We live to ride and ride to live. Every waking moment we dream of the last trail ridden or the perfect downhill yet to come. We climb to descend and descend for speed. We’re driven by innovation and dedicated to developing rider-proven mountain bike gear.”

On the Wheel is a distinctive collection of masterfully hand-blown wine goblets and beer glasses featuring images of original paintings of classic cruiser bicycles by award-winning Colorado artist Amanda Acheson. Each glass included in a suite of four bears a different design. Four-glass suites are presented in an artfully designed, museum-shop quality gift box designed to appeal to your appreciation for fine beverages and great times on two wheels.

MEETSAUCE CYCLES 970-581-6692, www.meetsaucecycles.com

Taylor, aka Meetsauce, has been hand-building bikes in Fort Collins for over 18 years and has some unique designs.

He builds cr-mo road, track, commuter, 29ers, and custom fork and stems. He also offers a patina finish with clear coat paint.

NINER BIKES

CARVER SURF RACKS/287 BIKES

877-646-3792, www.ninerbikes.com

808-389-4372, www.carversurfracks.com

Founded in Southern California and now based in Fort Collins, Niner makes bikes for the passionate rider. Featuring CVA™ Suspension and the C5 Carbon warranty, Niner Bikes are globally recognized for ride quality and designed in your backyard.

A creative fabricator, Orlando Baker started dabbling into bikes in the early 1990s as a mode of transportation. This led Orlando into innovative ideas based on his personal needs. Inspired by an industrial town “the motor city,” he manufacturers bicycle surf racks and local fabrication of the next inspired idea.

PANDA BICYCLES 970-372-2123, www.pandabicycles.com

Panda Bicycles specializes in handcrafted unique bamboo bike frames.

Their level of craftsmanship, comfort and eco-chic style set them apart from other builders in the industry. The use of bamboo as the primary frame material yields a supple yet responsive frame that is a joy to ride whether leisurely on bike trails or on a challenging tour...and everything in between. Go Far. Do Good.

CONTINUED 

CONVERTIBLE BACKPACK BY RICHARD JONES 970-222-4190, www.convertiblebackpacks.us

The Convertible Backpack by Richard Jones is a full set of bicycle touring panniers that converts to a comfortable internal frame backpack. Go from biking to hiking and back again with specialized dual-mode bags.

CYCLETOTE BICYCLE TRAILERS 800-747-2407, www.cycletote.com

CycleTote Bicycle Trailers builds quality bicycle trailers in Fort Collins. Since 1979, they have built each trailer, one-at-a-time, by hand. These include two sizes of dog trailers, a trailer for children and teens with special needs, fabric-covered cargo trailers, aluminum utility trailers, child trailers, and a large, aluminum-mesh, landscape trailer.

PHOTO COURTESY PANDA BICYCLES

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PARSLEY ART ANKLE BANDS www.parsleyartstudio.com

Ride in style with handmade, fashionable bicycle ankle bands that keep your pants from catching in your gears or getting covered in bike grease. Each design is a limited edition, and sewn for durability.

PUSH INDUSTRIES, INC. PHOTO COURTESY BOO BIKES

970-278-1110, www.pushindustries.com

Established in 2003 in Irvine, California, PUSH quickly established itself as the premiere suspension tuner for North America. In May 2005, PUSH moved to northern Colorado for expansion and a more centralized location for customers of its world-class suspension products and apparel. One hundred percent of all parts are machined in house.

SWOBO BICYCLES AND APPAREL

877-974-4440, www.ridekick.com

970-219-3166, www.swobo.com

Ridekick International produces electric-powered trailers that attach to almost any bicycle to carry loads and provide a 19-mile-per-hour boost. At an affordable cost, the Ridekick power trailer helps you use your bike for short trips, taking you farther, getting there faster and fresher, and for a lot of fun. It is designed and manufactured in Fort Collins.

Haberdashers of velocipede couture, purveyors of sensible bikes, avoiders of the bummer life. Swobo’s motto is simple: no-nonsense bikes and clothing for possibly complicated, but no-nonsense people.

PHOTO COURTESY YIPSAN BICYCLES

RIDEKICK INTERNATIONAL

TRAIL CRAFT CYCLES

lightweight, high-performance, 24-inch cross country mountain bikes. Their goal is to build the best 24-inch bike that allows young riders to take their riding to the next level, create fun family memories on the trail and build a lifetime love of mountain bike riding. Climb higher and ride farther as a family!

970-310-3714, www.trailcraftcycles.com

YENDRABUILT

Trailcraft Cycles specializes in super

970-430-6505, www.yendrabuilt.com

“At YendraBuilt, we dream, design and fabricate functional works of art. We can take your needs and ideas and turn them into reality. From a trike designed for delivering kegs of craft brew to a custom-built jockey box for serving beer, YendraBuilt specializes in many unique commercial and residential products.”

YIPSAN BICYCLES 970-672-0168, www.YiPsanbicycles.com

YiPsan Bicycles was conceived by Renold Yip to continue the craft of framebuilding in a single-person workshop.

YiPsan’s goal is to integrate modern fitting concept, frame tubing and components with traditional building skills.

YiPsan bicycles are built by hand, one at a time; every bicycle is unique. YiPsan builds road, cross, track, touring and offroad bicycles, and specializes in steel.

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Sometimes it is about the bike

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED 4612 S MASON #110 | 970-204-9935 | WWW.PROVELOBIKES.COM

BICYCLING GUIDE TO NORTHERN COLORADO

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THE 2015 BICYCLING

EVENTS

Calendar

Bicycle Advisory Committee Meetings The BAC, a subcommittee of the City of Fort Collins Transportation Board, meets the fourth Monday of each month. The BAC reviews and provides recommendations regarding bicycle capital improvements, policies and priorities with a goal of promoting safe, efficient bicycling. Community Room, 215 N. Mason St., FC. 6-8pm. 970-4162471, www.fcgov.com/bac.

Overland Mountain Bike Club Meetings Overland meets the first Thursday of each month, March-October. Visitors and potential members are invited to see what’s going on in the club and mountain biking community. Check website for locations. 6:30pm. 970-4305336, www.overlandmtb.

Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) Meetings FCCC meets the third Thursday of each month, April-October. Learn about opportunities to participate with the club and road cycling community. Pappy’s Corner Pub, 1027 W. Horsetooth Road, FC. 6:30pm. www.fccycleclub.org.

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Overland Trail Days Help our regional land agencies build and maintain area mountain biking trails. Tools and lunch provided. Check website for dates, times and locations.

970-430-5336. www.overlandmtb.org.

Neighborhood Bike Days Two bike days will be held in April in select Fort Collins neighborhoods.

Activities include bike safety checks, helmet fitting, fix-a-flat demonstrations and a family bike rodeo. Check the website for dates, times and locations.

970-221-6987, www.fcgov.com/fcbikes.

National Bike Challenge Held Friday, May 1-Wednesday, September 30, this nationwide campaign aims to encourage people to ride more while competing on local, state and national levels. www.nationalbikechallenge.org.

Colorado Bike Month June 1-30. Help celebrate cycling in Fort Collins by attending one of many free events held throughout the month.

970-224-6112, www.fcgov.com/bikemonth.

Bike-in Movies Enjoy this late summer tradition on Aug. 20 and 27, and Sept. 3 and 10. Check website for times and movie selection.

New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden St., FC. www.newbelgium.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 Overland Season Kick-off Meeting Start the mountain biking season right with a fun and informative get together.

New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden St., FC. 6:30pm. 970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 Fort Collins Bike Library Spring Grand Opening The Bike Library provides free bicycles to Fort Collins visitors and community members for up to three days; after that it’s just $10 per day. 970-419-1050, www.fcbikelibrary.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Bike Fort Collins Membership Kickoff Learn what being a Bike Fort Collins member is all about. Check website for details. www.bikefortcollins.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Spring Bike Soiree Beer, tapas, silent auction, bike art gallery, local bands, dance. Benefits the Fort Collins Bike Library. Check the Bike Library’s Facebook page for more details. www.facebook.com/ FortCollinsBikeLibrary.

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SATURDAY, MAY 9 Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) Spring Warm-Up Ride Starts and finishes at Fossil Creek Park with 12-, 22- and 61-mile rides. Proceeds benefit a local charitable organization.

Entry fees are $40 for individuals and $60 for families, with a $10 discount for early registration. www.fccycleclub.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 16 Triple C Bike Ride Scenic 43-, 62- or 103-mile routes.

The ride mirrors the historic northern Colorado coal seams that run from Marshall Mesa in the southwest through the Dacono, Frederick and Firestone townships in the northeast. Benefits A Precious Child. www.3cbikeride.com.

Spring Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day This Overland event is open to kids of all ages, with a limit of 50 participants.

Includes guided rides with safety and trail etiquette instruction, a post-ride lunch and swag for the kids. Free.

Maxwell Natural Area, FC (tentative, please check website to confirm). 9am.

970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5 Bike Art Show To kick off Colorado Bike Month, Bike Fort Collins will host a bicycle art show featuring local artists, a bike museum, music and beer. Check website for location and time. www.bikefortcollins.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 7 Open Streets Come play in the streets! Local streets temporarily will be closed to motorized traffic and opened up for walking, jogging, cycling and playing. 970-2246112, www.fcgov.com/fcbikes.

SUNDAY, JUNE 13 National Get Outdoors Day Join the festivities and try new outdoor

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activities at this event that celebrates the outdoors. Visit the cycling village for fun and education on two wheels. Free. www.larimer.org/getoutdoorsnoco.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 Bike to Work Day Ride your bike to work and receive a free breakfast at one of the breakfast stations located in Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland. www.fcgov.com/bikemonth, www.greeleybikes.com, www.cityofloveland.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 17-19 8th Annual Curt Gowdy Campout For Overland members, families and friends to enjoy a weekend of great biking. Camp Jack Campsite, Curt Gowdy State Park, Wyoming.

970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 31 Blue Moon Ride View the Poudre River Trail in new light on this 28-mile ride. Start at the 71st Avenue Trailhead and travel to the River Bluffs Trailhead in Windsor and then return to the starting point in Greeley.

7:30-9pm. www.greeleybikes.com.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 Neighborhood Night Out Bike Activities Bicycle Ambassadors will visit select neighborhoods to provide bicycle safety checks, helmet fittings and host other fun activities. Check the website for neighborhoods that will be hosting bike activities. 970-221-6987 www.fcgov.com/fcbikes.

SATURDAY AUGUST 8 (TENTATIVE) Wanda’s Ride The 3rd annual fundraiser organized by the Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) for Wanda Roche, a FCCC member.

Funds from this ride assist in enhancing her mobility and independence. Entry fees are $60 for individuals and $100 for families. www.fccycleclub.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 USA Pro Challenge – Stage 6 Stage 6 of this seven-stage, week-long professional bike race will begin in Loveland, roll through the foothills, including Estes Park, and end in Downtown Fort Collins where you can enjoy post-race shopping and dining. www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com.

Schrader Oil Co. Grand Prix This competitive tricycle race benefits Junior Achievement of Rocky Mountain, Inc. Four-person relay teams race on a dirt track covered with obstacles. Odell Brewing Company and The Goodness Truck are co-sponsors of this new and exciting event. Schrader Oil Headquarters, 320 N. College Ave., 3-6pm. www.socgrandprix.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Tour de Fat Bicycle parade and festival that benefits the Bike Co-op, Bike Fort Collins and Overland Mountain Bike Club. Civic Center Park, 201 Laporte Ave., FC. 9am. 970-221-0524, www.newbelgium.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Open Streets Come play in the streets! Local streets temporarily will be closed to motorized traffic and opened up for walking, jogging, cycling and playing. 970-2246112, www.fcgov.com/fcbikes.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 (TENTATIVE) Wild Animal Sanctuary Century Enjoy one of the most unique rides of the year—a century ride from Windsor to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg and back. Benefits the Wild Animal Sanctuary (www.wildanimalsanctuary. org). With a lunch stop at the Sanctuary.

Ride starts at Eastman Park, Windsor. www.fccycleclub.org.

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Full Moon Ride View the Poudre River Trail in new light on this 28-mile ride. Start at the 71st Avenue Trailhead and travel to the River Bluffs Trailhead in Windsor and then return to the starting point in Greeley.

Time TBA. www.greeleybikes.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 Fall Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day This Overland event is open to kids of all ages, with a limit of 100 participants.

Includes guided rides with safety and trail etiquette instruction, a post-ride lunch and swag for the kids. Free. Lory State Park, FC. 9am. 970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

THURSDAY, OCT 29 Overland Season Finale Awards Night and Celebration Overland members wrap up the season in style at this meeting/costume party, and head out for the traditional postmeeting pub crawl. Location TBD. 6:30pm. 970-430-5336 www.overlandmtb.org.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Winter Bike to Work Day Ride your bike to work and receive a free breakfast at any one of the breakfast stations located around Fort Collins.

7-9:30am. 970-224-6112 www.fcgov.com/bikemwinter.

RIDES Tuesdays

Head for the Hills Rides feature climbing, increasing in difficulty through early spring and summer. Start times, locations and mileages vary. LV. 970-667-6957 www.pedalclub.org.

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Family Rides Enjoy a leisurely bike ride with family and friends through select Greeley neighborhoods the first Tuesday of each month, May through September. Check website for times and locations. www.greeleybikes.com.

Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) Tuesday Ride Affording riders of all abilities the opportunity to meet and experience riding with club members who ride at comparable speeds. The rides will avoid routes with difficult climbs. Check website for route and start times. www.fccycleclub.org or www.facebook.com/groups/fccyclingclub/.

Laid-Back Rides Easy rides of 10-25 miles. Centennial Park, 977 W. 1st St. (near the inline hockey rink), LV. 6pm. 970-218-8665, www.pedalclub.org.

TTH Ride A fast, friendly ride usually with a decent warm up. Registration required. Rides leave Tuesdays and Thursdays from the Specialized Store parking lot on the corner of Ziegler and Harmony Roads.

11:07am. www.yourgroupride.com.

Wednesdays

Overland Singletrack Social Rides March-October, weather and trail conditions permitting, enjoy a fun ride and after-ride get together. All skill levels welcome. Start at Spring Canyon Park, FC, or Blue Sky Trailhead, FC. Evenings; start times vary depending on available light for riding (usually 4:30-6pm).

970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

Pinewood Hill Climb A 20-mile, difficult hill climb. Meet at Namaqua Park, N. County Road 19E, LV. Start times vary. 970-593-2851, www.pedalclub.org.

Thursdays

Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) Thursday Ride Thursday Evenings, April-September, weather and road conditions permitting, enjoy a fast-paced ride and after-ride get together. Check website for ride start locations, routes and times. www.fccycleclub.org and www.facebook. com/groups/fccyclingclub/.

Go the Distance on Thursday Fun social rides. Start times, locations and mileages vary. LV. 970-613-9012, www.pedalclub.org.

Fort Collins Cycling Club (FCCC) Social Rides Third Thursdays each month, May-Sept.

Check website for start locations and times. www.fccycleclub.org.

TTH Ride A fast, friendly ride usually with a decent warm up before things get amped up. Registration required. Rides leave Tuesdays and Thursdays from the Specialized Store parking lot on the corner of Ziegler and Harmony Roads.

11:07am. www.yourgroupride.com.

Saturdays

Saturday Rides Rides of 30 miles or more. Moderate, with easy options. Start times and locations vary.

LV. 970-218-8665, www.pedalclub.org.

Saturday Ride Leaving from ProVelo A solid B+ to A pace ride with a different route every week. The ride leaves from Pro Velo, 4612 S. Mason St., FC. 9am (summer); 10am (winter). www.yourgroupride.com.

The Oval Early December through early spring. A Colorado 80-mile classic for serious riders that will get and keep you in shape. Starts at the southwest corner of the CSU Oval.

10am. www.yourgroupride.com.

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Trips For Kids Mountain bike rides for kids 8-17 years. Bikes, helmets, lunch and instruction provided. Rides begin mid-May and run every other Saturday through August. Free. Meet at Spring Canyon Park, FC. 970-672-0657, www.tripsforkidsfoco.org.

Sundays

Rio Base Mile Ride Through May, this group ride is a great way to start building for the upcoming season. Ride starts at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, FC. 10am. www.yourgroupride.com.

Sunday Show ‘N Go Rides Moderate. Start times and mileage vary.

Meet at Centennial Park, 977 W. 1st St. (near the inline hockey rink), LV. 970-218-8665, www.pedalclub.org.

RACES

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 40 in the Fort Endurance MTB Race Held on the trails in Lory State Park and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, the event will be bigger with expanded course options, more sponsors and a great after-ride party. Volunteer or race. Soldier Canyon Group Area, Lory State Park, FC. 7am. 970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 Laramie Enduro Endurance MTB Race An Overland Partner Event, this is

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one of the nation’s premier endurance mountain bike races. Volunteer or race.

Interstate 80 and Happy Jack Road, Wyoming. 7am. www.laramieenduro.org, www.overlandmtb.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Stone Temple 8 Endurance MTB Race An Overland Partner event this fun, laid-back endurance mountain bike race benefits Wyoming high school mountain bike racing teams. Volunteer or race. Aspen Grove Group Area, Curt Gowdy State Park, Wyoming. 7am. www.laramie enduro.org/st8/, www.overlandmtb.org.

Tuesdays

New Belgium Short Track Races A springtime, Tuesday night racing tradition in NoCo. Categories for all ages and abilities. Kids up to 18 years race for free; adults-$12. New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden St., FC. www.ciclismoyouthfoundation.org.

Lory State Park Mountain Challenge Categories for all ages and abilities.

All participants are required to sign a liability waiver. Lory State Park, FC. www.ciclismoyouthfoundation.org.

New Belgium Cyclo Cross Races An autumn, Tuesday night racing tradition in NoCo. Categories for all ages and abilities. Kids up to 18 years race for free; adults-$15. New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden St., FC. www.ciclismoyouthfoundation.org.

CLASSES

Overland Trail Training Learn trail building, maintenance theory and technique. Free or discounted price for Overland members; nominal fee for non-members. Check website for dates, times and locations. 970-430-5336, www.overlandmtb.org.

Overland MTB Skills Clinics Multiple skills clinics to help riders improve their mountain biking skills and help make riding safer and more enjoyable. Free or discounted price for Overland members; nominal fee for nonmembers. 970-430-5336 www.overlandmtb.org.

Traffic Skills 101 (TS101) Gain confidence to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. Learn how to conduct bicycle safety checks, and crash avoidance techniques. Each participant must have a helmet and bicycle in good working condition. For adults and youth 14 years and older. Registration is required and closes 10 days prior to the date of each course. 970-221-6987 www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

For more information about bicycling events, rides and classes in Larimer County, visit www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org/ calendar. Visit www.greeleybikes.com for cycling events in Greeley-Evans. Check www.yourgroupride.com for races in NoCo.

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A BICYCLE TALE OF TWO CITIES A new resident discovers the joy of cycling MARK CONDON

I’M NEW TO Fort Collins and Colorado.

I moved here two years ago to make digital, picture books. Since I was the only one of my startup colleagues who didn’t live here, I was the designated “movee.” Newly retired from university work, my spouse and I were thrilled at the prospect of literal new horizons. We packed up our pets and headed west from Louisville, Ky., in December 2012. (That Louisville should not be confused with Louisville, Colo. My hometown is pronounced Lou’-uh-vull, no S sound, by natives of the Bluegrass.)

The long winters notwithstanding, we have enjoyed our life here and I have particularly embraced bicycle commuting each warm-enough day.

We first moved into a lovely house in Taft Canyon south of Harmony Road, positioning me about 300 yards from an entrance to the Fossil Creek Trail. At about 7.5 miles from my Old Town office, it was a manageable ride for a retiree, made all the more delightful as spring sprang along the traffic-free parkland and creek-side right-of-ways. Arriving at CSU I entered streets with generally courteous drivers, sneaked under College Avenue by the Dairy Queen, and along with a half dozen other fellow riders, I’d take a largely traffic-free Remington Street north to Mountain Avenue. I looked forward to the ride pretty much every day (heavy wind being my sole enemy) and in about 30 minutes I could be parked behind the Opera Galleria, my face pink with effort and feeling smug about my greenness.

We then moved north to Terry Lake.

The joy I took in riding was diminished by three miles each way and by having fewer good commuting options. The most direct route to my office is down Colorado State Highway 1 (that has a nice wide shoulder, but lots of fast traffic) and U.S. 287 (that has significant pot holes and a few stretches offering no option but to enter car traffic lanes). Disappointed in the loss of my

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stress-free Fossil Creek route with the horses and deer that would greet me there, I still enjoy riding. I am delighted at the construction on north College Avenue that just may extend the lovely bike trail/lane culture that is so strong north of the Poudre River, but pretty much absent on my side of the stream.

Now, for some perspective. I recently visited the Derby City (one of Louisville, Kentucky’s nicknames) and returned with a fresh perspective on bicycle culture in my two very different cities. My Kentucky hometown is roughly 10 times the size of Fort Collins, with perhaps 10 percent of the dedicated bike lanes and trails. It is a very old city in a very old state (Louis and Clark are local heroes) named after French King Louis XVI and with a university established in 1792. The streets beyond the river floodplain are hilly, narrow and winding, further complicated by on-street parking. Roadways reflect scant modernization

from game trails back when Daniel Boone was hunting in the Ohio River Valley.

I love my hometown and almost everything about it, but during this trip I was struck by the lack of anything that northern Coloradans would call bicycle culture. For example, Kentucky and Indiana have only recently collaborated to re-purpose an old railroad bridge to provide easy cycling traffic from Louisville to Jeffersonville, a lovely halfmile across the huge Ohio River. Before that we took our lives in our hands to cross the river into Indiana and few motorists showed any sympathy for our comparatively sluggish pace. Bikes and cars sharing the road is not part of community consciousness there.

Fort Collins reflects for me what commitment and leadership can do. I am most grateful for my time in Fort Collins.

It’s spoiling me with the revolutionary perspective of what might become the norm, even in old, Eastern cities.

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