2020
RIDE TIME NEWS In This Issue 2-3 Letter from Pete 4-5 Education Team updates 8-9 Policy Team updates 14-17 Inclusive Bike Attire 21 Remembering Bill Barr
BUILDING A BICYCLING MOVEMENT FOR EVERYONE Earlier this year, the Bicycle Colorado team was shaken by incontrovertible evidence of violence on our streets—not violence against bicyclists this time, as you’ve certainly heard us speak to before, but violence directed at people of color and at protestors coming out to make their voices heard. Since our founding in 1992, we’ve fought to make our streets safer. We’ve fought for a better Colorado for people who ride bikes, but the murder of George Floyd and the political unrest that followed underscored for us that we must do more to truly work for all Colorado bicyclists so that no one fears for their safety on our roads, in our institutions or at the hands of one another.
work in everything we do. It starts with listening to the most vulnerable voices, and actively seeking their perspectives when they can’t show up to advocate for themselves. It starts with supporting Black, Indigenous and other bicyclists of color, inclusive bike rides, organizations and events and using our platform to spread the word.
We realize our work to create safe biking for all Coloradans is more than a bike issue—it’s an issue of social justice, and we must do all we can to ensure our work is beneficial for everyone for whom we advocate.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done in this space since publishing our Strategic Plan in November 2018, which included our first-ever Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. But we know we’ve still got a long way to go. We ask you to join us as we continue to learn, grow and take action to build a bicycling movement for everyone.
That starts with educating ourselves, and with recognizing and embedding principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Those are just a few of the places where we begin to improve our work and expand our reach, but they are only the first steps in a journey that doesn’t end until structural racism is rooted out in our culture, including in bike advocacy and the institutions that make our work possible.
bicyclecolorado.org
Bicycle Colorado
1525 Market Street #100, Denver, CO 80202 303.417.1544 info@bicyclecolorado.org Copyright 2020 Bicycle Colorado, Inc. All rights reserved.
We envision a Colorado where riding a bicycle is always safe and convenient for everyone, where bicycling is the top choice for recreation and everyday trips, and where the benefits of bicycling are experienced and valued by all people in our state. DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT
Deborah Armstrong
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
Erica Hine
Bicycle Colorado Staff
MOBILITY PROGRAM DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
James Waddell
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER
Denver Streets Partnership Staff
Pete Piccolo
Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy COMMUNICATIONS AND POLICY DIRECTOR
Jack Todd
EDUCATION & SAFETY DIRECTOR
Maureen McCanna
EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Chris Winn EDUCATORS
Alex Jenkins AJ Rodriguez James Ziemer FINANCE DIRECTOR
Justin Millar
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Piep van Heuven
GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY MANAGER
Molly McKinley
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jill Locantore
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Curt Baker
COMMUNITY LIAISON
Cindy Ambs
PROGRAM MANAGER
Jessica Vargas
Board of Directors PRESIDENT
Brad Tucker VICE PRESIDENT
Shannon Anderson SECRETARY
Paul Majors TREASURER
Russ Shaw
Erik Esborg Mark Fetterhoff Lee Herndon Graham Hollis Andy Kerr Dawn Nakamura Kessler Ella Lyons Xavier Melendez Molly North Cory Popovich Roberta Smith
Advisory Board Bob Moore Ned Overend Sean Petty Andy Pruitt Bill Ritter Greg Seebart
RIDE Advisory Board Cindy Ambs Eugene D. Howard, AICP Dawn Nakamura Kessler Fleurette King Xavier Melendez Lauren Nagle Ann Nguyen Cesar Olivas Cory Popvich Barbara Thomas Cate Townley
LETTER FROM PETE As we publish this issue of Ride Time News—our first ever digital version of the publication—we’re already seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic that has upended the lives of countless Coloradans, Americans and citizens of the world. We’re also in the midst of ongoing protests against centuries of racially motivated violence against Black Americans, including violence carried out by police. It’s hard to fathom that earlier this year we hosted attendees at the Capitol for our annual Safe Streets Lobby Day, or that we held another successful Moving People Forward conference with 250 attendees from around the country. It’s hard to believe that as recently as March we were standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other bike advocates to fight for the passage of Colorado’s bike lane bill (which was signed by the Governor later that same month). The changes these past few months—social distancing from friends and family, wearing masks when out for a bike ride, protests across the country, working and teaching from home, and so much more—have felt, at times, exhausting and stressful. Through it all, one thing has remained consistent: the power of the bicycle. Pete Piccolo
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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For us at Bicycle Colorado, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a proof point for what we’ve been fighting for since 1992, and it has shown so many others the importance of safe streets and access to active transportation and recreation. During the pandemic, we’ve seen:
• bike shops declared essential and bicycling an
essential activity for Coloradans to pursue to take care of their physical and mental health at a safe social distance.
• people eager to learn to ride or to dust off their old bikes and start riding again.
• a rush on new and used bikes in shops across the country unlike any we’ve ever seen before.
• streets around the country—including in Denver—
limiting automobile traffic so that people biking, walking and wheeling could more safely recreate and travel.
As you read through this issue of Ride Time News, you’ll learn about how we’ve been fighting for you during the pandemic, why building a more diverse and equitable bicycling movement is so important to our work, our shift to virtual education programming to reach those who need it and much, much more. And I hope you’ll click through the links included to visit more in-depth versions of many of the stories. A crisis can open a window for us to learn, grow and make changes to improve our lives and the lives of others. In response to this health crisis and period of political tumult, our team is working to accelerate and solidify change that will create a Colorado that is better for bicyclists and free of inequity for generations to come. We are living in challenging times indeed, yet we see signs of hope all around us and are optimistic for what the future holds. Thank you for your continued support and please don’t hesitate to reach out with thoughts and ideas. Be Well ,
• bicycles used as vehicles of connection and protest in a fight for a more equitable society.
And we’ve been involved every step of the way.
BICYCLE SHORTS Some new faces at Bicycle Colorado We’ve got some new team members on the Bicycle Colorado staff! In November of last year we welcomed Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy to our team as our Communications and Marketing Manager. Aishwarya joined us after previously working as an academic advisor at CU Boulder and at the University of Rochester, and she’s excited to be able to translate her background in student support and advocacy to helping connect the Colorado community to Bicycle Colorado’s mission and goals.
Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy
Deborah Armstrong
And just last month we welcomed Deborah Armstrong to the team as our new Director of Membership and Development. Coming to Bicycle Colorado represents a return to the nonprofit sector after a 20-year career in higher education fundraising. Deborah is originally from upstate New York and has been in Colorado for three years. She is a triathlete, a certified triathlon coach and a current coach for the Colorado Wild Women Triathlon team. You can learn more about Aishwarya and Deborah, as well as the rest of our staff, by visiting the Our Team page on our website.
Pete Piccolo
Everything you need to know about riding your bike during the COVID outbreak When the COVID outbreak began we felt it was our responsibility to support bicyclists across Colorado and beyond, so we put together a one-stop resource for bicyclists like you to make sure you could continue riding safely as the coronavirus outbreak developed and changed the way we work, educate and interact with those around us. As we continue discovering new changes to our daily lives, it is our hope that you’ll still get out and ride your bike, because we know that bicycling makes communities more resilient. Bicycling connects people, it improves our health and the health of our neighbors, it reduces our stress levels in times of uncertainty like our current moment, and it allows us to see the world in new and unexpected ways. Click on the links above to read some of Aishwarya’s recent stories about the many benefits of riding a bike.
Now is the time to encourage biking for transportation Biking, walking and rolling need priority attention now so that people have attractive alternatives to driving both during and after COVID. In Colorado, we’re fortunate to have so much potential for better bike, pedestrian and transit infrastructure in communities of all kinds around the state. Many people do have to drive long distances or have a disability that makes other modes of transportation a nogo. Transit options can be limited or non-existent, especially in rural areas. So, how do we allow for folks who need to drive to do so, while ensuring that our public spaces are distributed equitably for all people who bike, walk or roll, too? We get our leaders on board.
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PROGRAMS
Getting new and returning bicyclists riding safely
We’ve made educating bicyclists and others about riding during times of uncertainty a priority this spring—virtually! Right now is a great time to get out on your bike: quieter streets for a leisurely ride, bike shops open for repairs and a need for fresh air and exercise to alleviate being stuck at home. We want people to get out and ride, and we want to help ensure everyone is doing so safely. In addition to the many resources we’ve put up on our website, including our Education and Safety Director’s primer on safe riding, we’re also:
• Hosting virtual education programming, including Bicycle-Friendly Driver, Learn to Ride, Basic Bike Mechanics and Confident Commuting courses, the latter three as part of our Active Bike Corridors program. So far, we’ve hosted 32 courses and reached more than 400 people, and posted recordings to our Vimeo page!
• Publishing safety and mechanics videos on our Vimeo account
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• Our Neighborhood Navigator program also
continues to operate in Denver, helping people on two or three wheels with 1-on-1 support from an experienced bike commuter.
“I got a bike a few months ago, and I’ve been thinking about riding but nervous about how to choose the right route and nervous about cars as well,” said Sheryl S., one of our first participants, before her first ride with a Navigator. After the fact, she was thrilled she’d joined us. “We went on a route that I didn’t know existed, and it was a lot more off the main road than I would have thought, so it was a much more enjoyable ride. I felt really safe, I highly recommend it!”
Bicycle Colorado in the news There’s been a lot of media coverage about riding bikes the past few months! Take a look at just a few of the pieces featuring members of the Bicycle Colorado staff below:
• Education Program Coordinator Chris Winn was
recently spotlighted in the Wall Street Journal with his tips on helping adults ride bikes for the first time.
• Government Relations Director Piep van Heuven cowrote this piece for Streetsblog about her work on the Denver Climate Taskforce.
• Education and Safety Director Mo McCanna was interviewed on helmet safety for youth riders in Colorado Parent.
• Communications and Policy Director Jack Todd
was interviewed by The Denver Post on the bike boom we’re seeing as well as how to keep your bike safe from theft, and by KOAA News 5 in Colorado Springs on Colorado’s newly-enacted Bike Lane Law.
• The Denver Streets Partnership’s C+ grade to the
city for their work on Vision Zero was picked up by Denverite, Colorado Politics and 9News.
Keep an eye out on your local stations and publications for more news coverage of our work!
Developing content and training for Denver’s Safe Routes to School program We are excited to be partnering more closely than ever with Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure to help children travel safely and encourage walking and wheeling to school. In addition to prioritizing infrastructure improvements in neighborhoods with the greatest inequities, the City is building out education modules to teach students, families and school staff about safe behaviors and ways to increase safety on the way to school. Bicycle Colorado team members Mo, Chris and Jack, with support from Walk2Connect and City staff, have led the content development for the first round of modules that cover a basic bike check and helmet fit, child passenger safety, walking and wheeling traffic safety tips and safe drop-off procedures. Materials include lesson plans, videos and handouts that will be bilingual and ADA accessible. We are doing everything we can to ensure the messaging is inclusive of all students—regardless of ability, gender, race, family structure, income or geography in Denver— and choosing intentional language that helps build a culture of safety and caring for each other on our streets. We’re grateful that the whole project team shares our desire to prioritize equitable messaging and humanize traffic safety. We look forward to training both City staff and Denver Public Schools teachers who will then bring this content to students and families across the district.
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Participating at all levels of transportation safety planning More and more agencies and governments are working to prioritize safety on our roads through transportation plans. When they do, they’re coming to us as reliable and experienced content experts on traffic safety. Across state, regional and local traffic safety initiatives, we are committed to advocating for people outside of motor vehicles who are more vulnerable to traffic violence, as well as lower income communities and communities of color who experience systemic barriers to safe and healthy transportation options.
BICYCLE-FRIENDLY DRIVER IN 2019 AND BEYOND 2019 was a big year for our Bicycle-Friendly Driver program and advancing safe streets through driver education. Grassroots Advocacy Manager Molly McKinley traveled to 36 communities to certify more than 1,000 drivers with a National Safety Council grant and Mo and Chris certified 700 drivers in partnership with Boulder County. In March of this year, we took our course online and have certified 180 drivers through interactive BicycleFriendly Driver webinars made possible by New Belgium Brewing. We’ve reached all ages and levels of drivers including students, fleet drivers, government staff and the general public.
“I think this information should be shown in driver education. As a driver, motorcyclist, and bicyclist there was a lot of new information that everyone should know.” How did our course impact these drivers (and bicyclists)? Here is some data from our evaluation and follow-up survey:
• 95% left with a better understanding of laws,
infrastructure and crash-avoidance behaviors
• 91% felt they will be a better and safer driver alongside bicyclists as a result of this presentation
• 84% felt they will be a safer and more confident bicyclist as a result of this course
• 96% have applied a lot or some of what they learned since returning to the road
If you’d like to help us continue these courses or support our efforts to make Bicycle-Friendly Driver even more accessible through digitization, please reach out to our Education and Safety Director Mo McCanna.
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We joined stakeholders in contributing to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Strategic Transportation Safety Plan which was adopted just this summer with a critical vision: “The future of Colorado is zero deaths and serious injuries so all people using any transportation mode arrive at their destination safely.” We also worked to strengthen the Denver Regional Council of Governments’ (DRCOG) Taking Action on Regional Vision Zero Plan before it was adopted this summer. As the plan neared adoption, we were persistent with our feedback during stakeholder meetings and the public comment phase to ensure the plan set a goal of zero fatalities on our roadways for the Denver region. We spoke to the disproportionate impact of enforcement on communities of color, additional opportunities in the plan to emphasize and advance equity, and language and strategies that could better serve vulnerable road users and active transportation. Both Bicycle Colorado and the Denver Streets Partnership also continue making progress with City of Denver partners on their Vision Zero Action Plan through the Vision Zero Technical Advisory Committee and, in 2019, we started joining visits to fatal crash sites to analyze current conditions and propose infrastructure improvements for safety. We’re grateful to have staff at these different levels championing traffic safety and eager to hear Bicycle Colorado’s contributions to strengthen their safety goals and impact. We look forward to continuing to collaborate as governments implement these plans that will help shift what transportation looks like in Colorado.
CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Using eBikes
When Colorado went under stay-at-home orders in March, many noticed a boost to our air quality shortly thereafter due to a significant reduction in transportation-caused emissions. Officials at the State of Colorado noticed the difference, too, and that’s why they launched the Can Do Colorado Community Challenge in late spring.
The challenge consists of three programs:
to drive transportation change
• Revitalizing Main Streets to encourage biking and walking • the CanDo Community Telework Program to support employers in helping their workers telecommute • and, lastly, the Can Do Colorado eBike Program, which Bicycle Colorado is overseeing and which aims to solve a transportation need for low-income essential workers by providing them with an eBike free of charge.
We know the transformative power of eBikes to shift travel and recreational behaviors, and we’re thrilled to be working with the Colorado Energy Office to show that power to program participants and other Coloradans as well. The first “mini pilot” of the eBike Program rolled out this fall to 13 individuals, and lessons learned now will inform a large, statewide pilot from the State in the Spring of 2021 to continue supporting essential workers.
BRINGING CLIMATE-FOCUSED CHOICES TO DENVER VOTERS Bicycle Colorado and the Denver Streets Partnership were honored to be involved in the Denver Climate Task Force, which released recommendations on July 6, 2020 on how the City of Denver can lead the country in adopting policies, strategies, and funding sources to achieve zero emissions by 2040. As the co-leads of the Transportation workgroup within the Task Force, our charge was clear: work with leaders and subject matter experts to identify policy, program and incentive opportunities to make Denver a leader in this space.
Recommendations included: prioritizing transit, reducing polluting trips, encouraging delivery companies to use micromobility technologies, and completing connected no-carbon networks like bike lanes and sidewalks. The recommendations also included sending a .25% sales tax increase which would fund these changes to Denver voters, which the council agreed to include on the November 2020 ballot.
• You can read more about this process and the recommendations on Streetsblog Denver.
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UPDATES FROM THE POLICY TEAM By Jack Todd
WHAT THE 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION MEANT FOR BICYCLISTS The 2020 legislative session will surely go down as one of the most unusual sessions in Colorado’s history, and certainly in ours at Bicycle Colorado. The session began on January 8 and was scheduled to run for the constitutionally-mandated 120 days until May 6, but that schedule was thrown off by the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 14, after being given the okay by the Colorado Supreme Court, the legislature officially went on hiatus in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus. When the legislative session resumed on May 25, the top priority for the remaining days was to get a balanced budget bill to the Governor’s desk by June 1 before tackling other remaining legislation that had been put on hold. Many legislators were asked to remove their own bills from consideration (including one that we had been working on— more on that below), resulting in a smaller load of bills for consideration in the final days of the session. Following the return of the legislature, Americans witnessed the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis. When protests about Mr. Floyd’s death reached the Colorado Capitol, legislators responded quickly with Senate Bill 217—the police accountability bill—which passed with bipartisan support. Shortly after, the legislature closed its doors for the year on June 15. This session, we worked primarily to support two pieces of legislation aimed to protect bicyclists, and responded quickly to amend a third bill that would have put bicyclists at extreme risk without changes. Read on for more information about each bill we worked on, where the bill ended up, and where we plan to go from here.
Senate Bill 20-061: The Bike Lane Bill Bill Sponsors: Senator Mike Foote; Speaker of the House K.C. Becker Status: Signed into law by Governor Polis on March 20, took effect on July 1, 2020. What the act does: SB 061 defines a bike lane in Colorado law for the first time, and establishes that bicyclists have the right-of-way in all circumstances when using a bike lane. It requires that drivers not drive in, idle in, or otherwise block the bike lane. Drivers or others who block the bike lane may be subject to a fine of $70 and 3 points of their license if caught blocking the bike lane, similar to other parking enforcement efforts around the state. If a vehicle is blocking the bike lane and is the cause of
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bodily injury to a bicyclist, the driver of that vehicle may be subject to charges of careless driving because of this law. In this case, drivers may lose as many as four points from their license. The legislative process: The bill was heard by the Judiciary Committee in each chamber of the Colorado legislature. In the Senate Judiciary the bill passed by a vote of 3-2 before passing on the Senate floor with bipartisan support. In the House Judiciary the bill passed by a vote of 7-2 before receiving the support of nearly two thirds of the full chamber. “Bicycle lane” means a portion of the roadway that has been designated by striping, signage, or pavement markings for the exclusive use of bicyclists and other authorized users of bicycle lanes. “Bicycle lane” includes an intersection if the bicycle lane is marked on opposite sides of the intersection” - Colorado Revised Statutes 42-1-102(10.3)
Senate Bill 20-065: The Handsfree Bill Bill Sponsors: Senator Chris Hansen; Representative Dylan Roberts Status: Withdrawn from consideration by Representative Roberts due to the COVID-19 crisis. What the bill does: The bill sought to reduce distracted driving on Colorado roads by requiring the use of “handsfree” devices such as headsets or Bluetooth in order to use a cell phone or other electronic device behind the wheel of an automobile. It would have added fines and drivers found to have been using a mobile electronic device behind the wheel would have also been subject to having points removed from their licenses had the bill passed. The legislative process: The bill successfully passed through:
• the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee by a bipartisan and unanimous vote of 5-0
• the Senate Appropriations Committee by a bipartisan vote of 9-1
• the Senate floor by a bipartisan vote of 25-9-1 Following the COVID-19-caused legislative hiatus, the bill was withdrawn from consideration by bill sponsor Representative Roberts. It was “postponed indefinitely” by the House Transportation & Local Government Committee on May 27 by a bipartisan vote of 11-0 Next steps: As we noted in our statement on social justice in bike advocacy, the murders of Elijah McClain, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others at the hands of police and former police officers have made it clear to us that we must
stop pursuing direct enforcement-based legislative strategies. These methods put communities of color at risk of over-policing and violence. Alternatives to how we approach distracted driving include:
• broadening where automated enforcement
technologies can be implemented—these technologies don’t require a physical police presence to discourage dangerous behavior
• network-level distracted driving legislation that
would require cell phone providers to shut off phones when their operators are known to be driving
These are two alternatives to handsfree legislation, but not the only ones. We have reached out to the bill sponsors to understand their thinking moving forward, and will keep our members and supporters informed as these conversations progress. “Until now we have made calculated decisions to support policies to protect bicyclists by means of enforcement on drivers. Traffic violence is a public health epidemic, we know that, but we cannot ignore the epidemic of police brutality on people of color as we seek to support our cause. We will continue to fight for policies that improve roadway safety while doing everything in our power to ensure communities of color, bicyclists or not, aren’t subject to more—and escalated— interactions with police because of our actions as advocates.” - Bicycle Colorado’s statement on social justice in bike advocacy.
House Bill 20-1178: The Speed Bill Bill Sponsors: Senator Jerry Sonnenberg; Representative Richard Holtorf Status: Signed into law by Governor Polis on March 27. What the act does: This act requires the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to conduct a study of rural highways and make recommendations of highways where they could raise the speed limit “without endangering public safety.” The legislative process: At Bicycle Colorado, we believe any hike in speed limits presents a danger to public safety. When we first heard about HB 1178, we knew we needed to act to ensure that bicyclists and other vulnerable road users were considered in any study that raises speed limits, so we worked to draft an amendment to do so. Prior to our efforts, the bill mandated that CDOT consider the following when conducting this study and recommending highways for speed hikes:
• Whether the portion of highway is predominantly straight
• The quality of the surface portion of the highway,
including whether the portion of highway has been resurfaced recently
• Any other safety concerns that the department, in its discretion, includes in the report
There were no guarantees that bicyclists would be considered in this study. We ensured they would be by asking bill sponsor Senator Sonnenberg to mandate that “the safety of vulnerable road users who use the portion of highway” be considered in any study as well. Bicyclists from around the globe flock to Colorado for our scenic rural road riding. Our safety must be considered in any conversation involving those rural roadways discussed in this bill. The bill passed the House Transportation & Local Government by a vote of 11-0, the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee by a vote of 5-0, and both chambers of the legislature with bipartisan support before making its way to the Governor. Next steps: We plan to work with legislators and CDOT officials to ensure that bicyclists have a seat at the table when discussing raising speed limits on rural highways and elsewhere. We support efforts to reduce speed limits around the state like those recently approved in Boulder, and will continue to prioritize speed-calming efforts moving forward. While the legislature has wrapped up its work for 2020, our policy team continues to work with state agencies and local communities to improve safety and accessibility for bicyclists across Colorado. We’ve also been hard at work during COVID-19 to ensure bicycling and bike shops are considered essential in statewide and local orders. You can read more about those projects on the next pages. We look forward to returning to the Capitol in 2021 with fresh ideas about how we improve roadway safety and protect people who ride bikes for recreation and transportation, by choice or by necessity. As mentioned above, we’re looking forward to exploring new ways to address distracted driving and traffic violence, and we’re eager to discuss our plans with our members in the months to come.
• The presence of absence of adequate spacing along both sides of the portion of highway to allow a vehicle to safely pull over to the side of the highway
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Adapting TO COVID-19 As Colorado moved toward Stay-atHome orders in early March, our policy team got on the phone with as many State and local leaders as we could to ensure bicycling would be allowed under any state order. Bicycling, we knew, was a safe activity during the pandemic; we asked that Governor Polis’ statewide order, as well as various county and local orders, include it as such. When orders didn’t include bicycling explicitly—as Colorado’s and Denver’s didn’t in their first drafts—we fought to fix it, and we won. Within 24 hours, orders were changed to embrace bicycling as essential.
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We also made sure bicycle repair shops could remain open as essential businesses and serve the many new and returning riders who wanted to get out and take care of themselves. Auto repair shops were to remain open to service cars and trucks for people who needed to drive, and we made sure bicyclists would have the same consideration under any statewide order, whether individuals were choosing to ride or required their bike for transportation. Every shop owner we’ve spoken to since the pandemic began has told us a version of the same thing: they’re busier than ever, and grateful to be able to serve Coloradans eager to get out and enjoy life on two wheels.
Colorado’s organized rides and races have been a similar priority for us, as we know what these rides mean for riders, organizers and the Colorado economy. Riding in an organized Colorado bike event, many of which are Event Members of Bicycle Colorado, is considered a bucket list item by people across the world. We’ve been working to ensure these events remain viable in 2020, 2021 and long into the future so Colorado’s bike tourism industry can continue to thrive.
in and even help them develop concepts for bike rides in protests of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police, while expanding our definitions of who streets should be built for and who we serve. These fights and others continue. We’ll be there every step of the way ensuring bicyclists are considered, prioritized and given the respect they deserve across the state.
We’ve also been supporting Black bicyclists from Black Girls Do Bike, the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Denver and the Ride for Racial Justice to promote, participate
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DENVER POLICY UPDATES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ONGOING PROJECTS By Curt Baker
In March, we were excited to announce that the Denver Streets Partnership was officially a fully-staffed multimodal advocacy organization with greater capacity to reclaim Denver’s streets for people and make them safer for everyone. This transition was possible when Bicycle Colorado and WalkDenver—the two founding members of the Denver Streets Partnership—merged. While we were proud of our Denver-focused work before, bringing the Denver Streets Partnership under our umbrella as a division of Bicycle Colorado allows us to increase and expand our reach. Formed in 2016 as a coalition of nonprofit organizations advocating for people-friendly streets, the Partnership continues to operate with leadership from that coalition. Our guiding principle has been that advocates are stronger when we work together. This announcement marked another step forward in that thinking. We are better together, and Denver residents and visitors all benefit when bike, walk and transit advocates unite. Take a look at some of the work we’ve been doing to make the Queen City a safer, more accessible, and connected city for all Denverites below.
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Streets are for people! In the spring, as the coronavirus pandemic slowed official activity in Denver to a crawl, we witnessed a rapid uptick in public awareness regarding the value of repurposing street space for people. Nearly 1,500 people responded to our survey in April with almost 80% indicating they are walking & biking as frequently or more often than before the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, nearly 90% of respondents supported reallocating street space for people by restricting car traffic on certain streets. A follow-up survey found that 95% of respondents would like the restrictions on vehicular traffic to remain in place permanently, even after the pandemic subsides. Shortly after the release of our survey data, the City of Denver restricted or prohibited vehicle traffic on nearly 16 miles of streets, many of which have seen a significant increase in walking, biking, and rolling traffic as a result. Public support has been overwhelmingly positive, with one community member noting, “I feel as though our neighborhood has come alive—I am seeing people who I have never seen before, out and about with their pets or families on walks. It has been a pleasure, especially with the nice weather, to be able to connect with our neighbors and neighborhood in this way.”
20 is Plenty The evidence is clear: speed kills. Even small increases in vehicle speed can have fatal results: a pedestrian has a 13% likelihood of a severe injury or fatality if struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph; that chance jumps to 40% if the vehicle is traveling 30 mph. Denver’s Vision Zero Action Plan specifically calls for speed reduction as a tool to reduce traffic deaths and injuries. We’re calling on city leaders to reduce the default speed limit for Denver’s neighborhood streets from 25 mph to 20 mph. It’s time for action. Supporters of our 20 is Plenty campaign can join hundreds of advocates across the city by ordering a free yard sign.
Vision Zero A central pillar of our work is advocating so that no one dies or suffers serious injuries just trying to get around our city. In the spring, we released Denver’s 2019 Vision Zero Report Card, grading the city’s efforts a C+. There is plenty of work ahead to achieve the goal of zero traffic fatalities and injuries, one of the reasons we partnered with Bicycle Colorado to ask DRCOG to set a firm commitment in their Regional Vision Zero Action Plan, which you can read about on page 6.
Community Transportation Networks We’re actively supporting Denver’s rapid buildout of a connected network of bikeways between downtown and some of our central neighborhoods. This includes 125 miles of bike and pedestrian improvements across Denver. When bikeways are strategically designed to connect, people will finally have real choices about how to get around our city.
At the Denver Streets Partnership, we believe in an equitable and vibrant Denver that guarantees our public spaces are designed for people. There’s no hiding it. We believe in that Denver, where human dignity is the guiding principle of our transportation system, where everyone can thrive and connect to what matters most. We believe in a city full of people walking, biking, and rolling, a city with clean air and safe public spaces regardless of your skin color or zip code. We believe in a Denver where any life lost on our streets is considered one too many. And we’re working to make that vision of the city a reality. Because we believe.
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INCLUSIVITY
Finding the right gear WHEN THINGS AREN’T MADE FOR YOU By Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy One barrier that isn’t obvious to a lot of bicyclists is finding appropriate gear and apparel. No, you don’t always need a kit and helmet to go for a bike ride, but for some folks, finding supportive and durable riding apparel can be daunting and demoralizing. No matter who you are, padded bike shorts can really help make a longerdistance ride more comfortable. For many it’s easy to pop into your local bike shop and find what you need, or do a quick search online and find options at different price points. But what if you can’t find a size that fits, a product within your budget or shop employees that know how to help you? For this story, we spoke with bicyclists and industry leaders who have explored and experienced the limitations of bicycling gear and are challenging the status quo.
When Deirdre Moynihan was Executive Director of Front Rangers Cycling Club, she led bike rides with a group of Somali girls at Denver’s Sun Valley Youth Center. She noticed that the girls, who were Muslim, were having trouble safely riding while wearing their modest long skirts and hijabs. Helmets didn’t fit over the hijab and their hair buns, and their skirts would catch in the chain. This was a new challenge for Deirdre and she wanted to help the girls find a solution. She sourced some athletic hijabs that were thinner and moisture-wicking, and the girls took down their buns underneath. Next, they tackled the skirts. Long skirts are worn in the Muslim community of Somalia to hide the shape of the body, and the Sun Valley riders wore pants underneath. Deirdre and the girls found a solution where they would wear shorter skirts while riding, and as soon as they took a break or stopped, they would change into the longer skirt again. “It was very labor-intensive,” Deirdre said. “These girls love to ride. They really did. But it was a struggle for them.” Bicycling has long been considered the realm of fit white men with money to spare on expensive road bikes and gear. However, the culture has been shifting in recent decades, and there is a greater push to include bicyclists of all races, ages, abilities and genders in advocacy and industry. If the bicycling world wants to welcome more riders on board—and a more diverse group of riders—we have to address a lot of the issues that we at Bicycle Colorado work to tackle, including accessible infrastructure, representation of diverse bicyclists and equitable safety legislation.
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Marley Blonsky, a self-described fat bicyclist, participated in her first organized ride in 2014. The ride was Bike MS: Deception Pass in Washington State; she participated through her employer who ordered the ride kit for the team, consisting of a jersey and bike shorts. “I had no idea what size to order so I ordered an XL in the women’s because I just assumed that would fit, and then it came and it was embarrassingly small and tight and it was awful,” said Marley. She has several stories like this: of being part of a group or organized ride where she felt isolated because her clothing didn’t fit or she was uncomfortable. In one case, she was sent men’s clothing as there weren’t larger sizes in the women’s style, and the cut wasn’t the right fit. Despite the event organizers knowing her size and having time to source appropriate clothing, she ended up in ill-fitting clothes and “feeling really ostracized.” On that ride, the
bike she was sent as a sponsored rider was the wrong size as well—the smallest size of bike was still far too large. Marley says one of the most significant challenges to getting fat people on bicycles is a perceived sense of safety, both physical safety and feeling welcome in a cycling space. People worry their bike might not hold their weight, are afraid of being made fun of, or of the fit, clothing and saddle being uncomfortable or causing pain. A major obstacle, she notes, is finding high-performance clothing that fits and looks like what other riders wear. “Once you get into a sport, let’s say you become a golfer and you want to look like everybody else out there, it’s the same thing with cycling, but it just doesn’t exist,” she said.
and additional support from a nutritionist and running specialist, as well as mindset coaching from Vanessa herself. The athletes receive sponsorships, get to speak to pro Triathletes and are supported as they become more familiar with the sport. For Vanessa, this is enacting change at the individual level. Vanessa encourages people to voice their concerns about equipment and apparel that doesn’t work for them. She points out that some manufacturers and designers just might not know or be aware of fit and style issues, because there might not be people in those roles who have experienced that discomfort.
Micki Krimmel, founder of Superfit Hero, sees this play out in the realm of size-inclusive clothing. She thinks there are two main reasons that larger brands have been slow to offer more inclusive sizing. Fatphobia is one reason, and the other is the mass production of garments. “Taking the time to actually work on the fit of your garments is time consuming and expensive,” she said. “It would require slowing down the process and in turn, lowering your margins, and shareholders don’t like that.” Read on for a longer conversation with Micki.
Vanessa Foerster also knows the frustration of trying to fit into a world that doesn’t have much representation of people who look like her. In 2009, fed up with the difficulty of fitting her high-volume curly hair under a helmet, she cut her hair short. “I wasn’t ever really conscious of the connection between my bike fit and the fact that my hair is ‘different,’” she said. “I think it’s like a body type because we want to fit into a dress: ‘How can I change myself to fit what’s available.’” A long-course Triathlete currently based in Montana, Vanessa continues to wear her hair short today. She started competing as a college student in Georgia, and was acutely aware of the lack of racial diversity in her bicycling teams and clubs. For her, another large barrier of entry for Black bicyclists, apart from the financial investment, is the lack of role models or familiar faces in the sport. Vanessa’s frustration with the lack of urgency in making triathlon events more diverse or even organizations dragging their feet on commitments to being anti-racist made her realize she needed to take the lead. She discovered early on as a bicyclist in Georgia that she couldn’t wait for others to make her feel welcome.
In the case of the Front Rangers, Deirdre tried to connect with manufacturers and didn’t have much luck. She found that there isn’t interest in designing the kind of modest functional bicycling wear needed by the Somali children she served. So, she and the girls’ families got together to develop an outfit themselves. This apparel would be respectful of their religious tradition and allow them to ride safely. Deirdre says the skirt would be attached to light, moisture-wicking leggings and could be cinched up shorter during rides. The tunic-like top would have long sleeves but be lightweight and comfortable. Deirdre has since left Front Rangers, and still hasn’t heard of any manufacturer moving forward with designs like hers. She points to female athletes competing in hijabs and Nike’s recent release of full-coverage swim options as examples for other manufacturers to follow. “How can you not be interested? You would be breaking a barrier.”
“I would always create my own sense of belonging instead,” she said. Earlier this year Vanessa founded the Diversify Triathlon Movement, bringing Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) athletes to Triathlon coaching. Participants receive three months of free coaching
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For Vanessa, the issue of inclusive bicycle gear and apparel boils down to a need for companies to invest time and money into learning the stories of people who do or who might use their products. She points out that when a manufacturer makes products for people who are already buying them, other populations will continue to be excluded. She says it is important to have representation of BIPOC bicyclists and athletes in the company’s marketing, reflecting the diversity of the world and not just the company’s current consumers. “I think that anytime we are in a space of providing a service to people, we are actually more impactful and we give more value when we are willing to serve the people who don’t pay us,” she said of advocacy and industry. Deirdre, too, knows well the necessity of understanding and providing for the needs of people not often represented in bicycling. As godmother to four Ethiopian boys in Denver, Deirdre says she and the kids are always aware they are often the only Black participants in rides and races, and for her, encouraging more diverse ridership is part of “instilling the love” of bicycling in BIPOC children. “I get questions like ‘How do we get them involved?’ and I say, ‘How do you get them to places, how do you pay for things like bikes, how do you make it all accessible?” she said. After her stint at Front Rangers Cycling Club, Deirdre took on the role of Tour Director for the Denver Post Ride The Rockies and Pedal The Plains. For her, it’s a priority that the rides are fiscally accessible, and she makes sure to give out complimentary entries to people of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds and physical abilities who might not be able to cover the cost on their own. She also ensures that the ride environment is inclusive and does not tolerate divisive language or behavior. When asked how she encourages and draws a diverse ridership to her events, Deirdre says, “I try to specifically invite them.” Bike shops, too, can train their employees to have empathetic and understanding conversations with customers. Marley has observed that when she visits bike shops away from home, she’s treated as though she’s inexperienced and unfamiliar with bicycling. “I get treated like an idiot,” she said. A conversation that some heavier individuals need to have when shopping for a bike is making sure that the bicycle’s structural weight limit is adequate. Marley says
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she usually asks candidly what a bike’s weight limit is, and often the employee doesn’t know, or doesn’t know where to find that information or assumes it isn’t relevant. Understanding that asking about a weight limit can be difficult for people, Marley suggests asking as though you are going bikepacking and you need to know how much it can hold, or say you are asking for someone else. Marley does praise a few apparel manufacturers who are doing good work with inclusive clothing. She highlights Machines for Freedom but notes that their gear skews more pricey. She says she is “really impressed” with their work to promote BIPOC within the company and their dedication to having a more inclusive size range. Tonik Cycling and Superfit Hero are two other companies that Marley feels are moving in the right direction. She wants to see a more inclusive size range of clothing, from XS to 3XL at stores like REI, or Dick’s Sporting Goods, where a bicyclist new to riding distances or competitive rides can find gear like shorts, bibs or jerseys at an entrylevel price point. “You can get the super high-end stuff, but if you just want regular stuff to wear out on a Saturday ride, it’s next to impossible to find,” she said. She notes that in particular, rain gear and outerwear are still not available in plus sizes, which can make bicycling feel more daunting and difficult in rain or cold weather. She hopes more manufacturers will produce wider ranges of clothing, and that attitudes in the U.S. will change to welcome and support bicyclists who ride for transportation. “I’m looking forward to biking being in my life for the rest of my life,” she added. “Whether that’s on a recumbent or a tricycle or whatever that looks like, I’m looking forward to keeping that in my life.” At Bicycle Colorado, we envision a Colorado where the benefits of bicycling are experienced and valued by all people in our state. In order to get more people to ride their bicycles, for transportation, recreation or anything else, we need to make sure there is gear and attire accessible for all riders. One size doesn’t fit all, nor does the limited range of sizing offered by most stores and companies. We also want our bicycle events and races to be inclusive and safe environments for BIPOC, adaptive and WFTNB (women, femme, trans, nonbinary) athletes and others who are not traditionally represented in the sport. If you work for or with a manufacturer or bicycle shop and want to explore how you can make your products and services more accessible and inclusive, contact us!
A conversation with an athletic clothing manufacturer MICKI KRIMMEL, FOUNDER OF SUPERFIT HERO
Your company’s slogan is “Fitness is for Every Body”. What made you decide that it was important to offer affordable fitness clothing in such a broad range of sizes? The fitness industry has long perpetuated the myth that only thin people participate in sport or any kind of movement practice. All you need to do is look around at a marathon, bike race, weightlifting competition—or in my case, roller derby practice— to know that’s not true. I was inspired to create Superfit Hero after years of playing roller derby transformed my perspective on fitness and my relationship to my own body. I wanted to be a part of building a more inclusive and empowering movement culture. Participating in a regular movement practice is one of the best ways to feel grounded in your body and to improve your mental health. This is something everyone deserves access to.
Do you think other companies should follow suit? Why? Excluding the majority of the population is a moral failure as well a huge business mistake. We’ll continue to make our brand more inclusive and wait for them to catch up.
What do you think is preventing other companies from doing this? Small businesses and startups are doing this work. There are more and more inclusive brands popping up every day. I think there are two main reasons larger, more established fashion brands are slow to offer more inclusive sizing. The first is fatphobia plain and simple. The fashion industry might be the only one more biased than the fitness industry. The second reason is that your favorite giant brand makes its money by mass producing garments as quickly and cheaply as possible at scale. Taking the time to actually work on the fit of your garments is time consuming and expensive. It would require slowing down the process and in turn, lowering your margins, and shareholders don’t like that. Smaller businesses like mine have the luxury of focusing on
quality and fit, and truly caring for our customers. I believe this is not only the right thing to do, but will also mean more customer loyalty and more long term success for my brand.
What do you find are areas of greatest need for your customers in larger bodies? It’s funny you should ask that. We just completed a customer research project where we asked members of our community this exact question so we can find ways to better serve them. It’s 100% about fit. Even brands that claim to offer inclusive sizing often don’t do the work to ensure their larger sizes fit well. Size charts are untrustworthy, a 5XL at one brand will fit like a 2XL from another. Many of our customers described the process of shopping as a traumatic experience. We’re in a moment now when many brands are making a show of being size inclusive but when customers actually try to buy, they find the experience to be less than inclusive or empowering.
What can a company do to make sure they are being size-inclusive, apart from offering a larger range of sizes for customers to buy? What does your company do? You need to do more than simply make larger versions of the clothes that fit smaller bodies. We fit and test all of our new products on models across our entire size range. We use multiple patterns when necessary - not just one pattern per style. It’s also really important to test your size chart so customers can trust your sizing and feel safe ordering from you. And finally, it’s important to recognize the unique needs of your customers. We know that plus size athletes have been excluded from both the fitness and fashion industries for the majority of their lives. We know that shopping for clothing has often been painful. Our number one mission as a brand is to make our customers feel respected and cared for. We will always go the extra mile to help our customers find the right size and they know we’ve got their backs.
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COLORADO BIKE L AW
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
IN ENCOURAGING BICYCLING FOR TRANSPORTATION By Brad Tucker Brad Tucker is an avid bicyclist, president of Bicycle Colorado’s board of directors and an attorney in his 29th year of practice with a specialty in bicycle liability and insurance issues. If you have questions concerning legal issues affecting cyclists, you can contact him at brad@colobikelaw.com or 303.694.9300.
In Colorado, we are fortunate to have a number of state statutes that protect our rights on the road and help provide a legal framework for increasing safety for all road users. The primary state statute that impacts us as bicyclists is C.R.S. § 42-4-1412, which was enacted in 1994 and has been amended with greater protections for bicyclists several times since. Though bicycling was an important part of the Colorado lifestyle in 1994, it has grown in ways that could not have been predicted. While Bicycle Colorado and Colorado Bike Law are thrilled at the growth in our community, legally, there has been a lack of foresight into bicycling’s surging popularity as a transportation tool. When our state statutes affecting the rights of bicyclists were first enacted, bicycling was considered much more of a recreational activity, rather than a transportation choice. Since then, state and local governments have worked to provide infrastructure that encourages this utilitarian cycling. However, state laws regulating the operation of bicycles haven’t always kept up, nor are they consistent from community to community. It is unimaginable that state law would allow cities and
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towns to enact different “rules of the road” for the use of motor vehicles on roadways. If bicycles are to be recognized as a legitimate form of transportation, our state laws should acknowledge that by requiring uniform bicycle “rules of the road” throughout the state. While we support this concept, we should also point out that there has been some benefit to allowing cities and towns to enact laws that provide cyclists with safer laws as an interim step toward statewide adoption. Examples of that are the local governments that have ratified the “safety stop.” As such, there could also be benefit to allowing local governments the option of enacting laws that increase the rights of bicyclists on those local roads, without running the risk of local governments using their power to erode and decrease those rights. Bicycle Colorado has been actively engaged in increasing the rights of bicyclists throughout Colorado, and we will continue to do so. C.R.S. § 42-4-1412 has been amended at five different times since it was first enacted, and we have played a critical role in achieving those amendments each time. In the years to come, we will continue to push for laws that increase our safety and access on roads and highways throughout the state.
BY THE NUMBERS 2020 INCOME
EXPENSES
$1,867,501
$1,521,468
39% GIFTS 28% SERVICE CONTRACTS 21% MEMBERSHIP 11% EVENTS 1% MERCH/OTHER 0% SHARE THE ROAD ED FUND
84% PROGRAMS 9% DEVELOPMENT 7% PROGRAM SUPPORT
The financial statements of Bicycle Colorado are audited annually by an independent auditor using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Bicycle Colorado and Denver Streets Partnership ended the fiscal year with $408,428 in donor restricted funds.
We envision a Colorado...
where riding a bicycle is always safe and convenient for everyone, where bicycling is the top choice for recreation and everyday trips, and where the benefits of bicycling are experienced and valued by all people in our state.
DIVING INTO VIRTUAL FUNDRAISING We were so heartened by how many of our members and supporters showed their support and helped us raise almost $20,000 during our virtual Gear Up! Fundraiser in April. We’re also excited to host our People Powered yearend fundraiser this year, aiming to raise $150,000! While much of the world has slowed its pace, Bicycle Colorado is busier than ever. More people have been out exploring Colorado’s amazing scenery—some places have twice as many riders as usual! There is currently a worldwide bicycle boom in full swing. We’ve been working tirelessly to continue and in some cases increase our programs
and work toward our mission of making Colorado the best place to bike. Funding raised at our virtual Gear Up! Fundraiser and and our People Powered campaign goes toward the work we do day in and day out: teaching new bicyclists to ride, training drivers to navigate the road safely with other users, working with decision makers to make sure bicyclists are included in the conversation, and building the community of bicyclists of all kinds in Colorado.
Thank you for your support!
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INDIVIDUAL DONORS Bicycle Colorado thanks these donors who contributed from March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020. Our work would not be possible without them and all our members!
Jennifer Struthers-Johnson
$10,000+
Sandy Saul
Shannon and Todger Anderson
Michael Schopp
Patrick Tierney
The Patricia Crown Family
Cheryl Scott
Mary Turek
Karl and Barbara Friedman
Deborah Self and William G Self Jr
Bill Wildberger and Barb Bieber
Graham and Cathy Hollis Brad and Liz Tucker
Barbara Simon Alethea Smock
Mark and Nancy Wood Missy Woods Pat Yoseloff
Perry Haney and Noreen Shea
David Perkins
John Harrigan
Charles and Cathy Pfaeffle
Patricia and Jason Heinhorst
Amy and John Pilger
Scott Hendrickson
Neil and Cory Popovich
Lee Herndon
Laurence Potter and Tracy Leiner
Herz Family
Elle Powell and Mason Holland
Matt Herzberger
Charles and Darlene Pratt
David Hicks
Bob Presson and Deborah Byrd
Richard and Carole Hiegert
Dan and Stephanie Price
Helene Hock
Jeff Prillwitz
Erin Hodgess
Andy and Susan Pruitt
$5,000+
Thomas Stoffel
Peter Adeney
Paige Swenson
Michele Hogan and Doug Deleff
Dan and Heather Raine
Bill and Sheri Barr
Steve and Cyd Szymanski
Alexander Hsia
David and Carolyn Rapp
Ken and Rebecca Gart
Jack and Anita Trautman
James and Laurie Alexander
Curt and Jean Hull
Dorothy and Peter Raymond
Sam and Michele McCandless
Teri Vogel
Patricia Anaya and Alvaro Vargas
Larry and Suzanne Hutson
John and Lesia Rehl
Tim and Lisa Walsh
Kevin and Tenly Williams
Ruth Aponte
Abe Hutt
Martin and Christine Remy
Steve and Pam Williams
$500 - 999
Bruce Appel
Douglas Inskeep
Quince Rickard
Larry Arbuthnot
Sheldon Irish
Sander and Lori Rigney
Bryce and Patricia Anderson
Russ and Carol Atha
Eric Janes and Kacy Crawford
JJ Risch
Heath Beaver and Mindy Gehrs
Mr. James and Mrs. Laura Bales
Lisa Jenks
Michael and Michele Ritter
Travis Berry
Nancy and Mike Berman
Jim Bartley
Micki and Michael Jeronimus
Michelle Roche and Arturo Caro
Jason and Caroline Carolan
Richard Bottjer and Sara Peyton
Carol Bazzanella
Peggy and Peter Johnston
John Rocks
Kevin Cross
Ilene and Denis Bourdeau
Heath Beaver and Mindy Gehrs
Craig Jones
Martha Rudolph and Bob Brown
Vincent and Dr. Lisa Davis
June Bouscaren
Bruce Beyerly
Harold Kamins
Randall Rutsch
Scot and Nancy Harris
Randall Brodersen
Ralph Bolman III
Sally Keefe and Pete Webber
Jo Ann Rzeppa
Ella Lyons and Jeanne Fritch
Matt Burkley
Elizabeth Bonney
Kevin and Bobbi Kilgore
Hank Saipe
Patrick O’Rourke
Dale Cantwell and Pamela Ray
Pat and John Bowen
Henry and Ann Klaiman
Peter Sauve
Tiffany Payne and Matt Mann
Nard Claar and Sheary Suiter
Jeff Bradley and Marta Turnbull
David and Judy Koff
PB Schechter
Jennifer and Peter Piccolo
Lee Cryer
William Brett
Robb Krenz
Vicki and Randy Schillinger
Charles and Nan Procknow
Tim Cunningham and Janice Hartley
Jay Busch
Jarrod Krug
Ken Schroeppel
Rob and Gretchen Busch
Trish and Chuck Kurnik
Jeffrey and Joanne Schwartz
Chris Deptula
Brian and Adriana Carpenter
Tania Landauer
Michael Deru
Jim Carver
Inge and Ulrich Lange
Jacquie Seabert and Christopher Dillis
Connie and Douglas Dohn
Colin Catel
Aaron and Ann LaPoint
Mark and Leslie Chapman
Chuck Latham
Rebecca and Ronald Dreasher
Ellen Chilikas
David and Helene Lawful
David Fullagar
Sally Clair
Tim Layland
Greg Wright and Kim Hanraty
$2,500+
Gregg Reese and Jan Eyer Bob and Nancy Shaw Russ Shaw Roberta Smith and Paul Majors Vicki and Lee Wilkerson
$1,000 - 2,499
Lauren Abernathy
Jeanne Downing and Bruce Hall
Matthew Young
$200-499
Chuck and Laura Ankeny
Mina and Tamir Goldstein
Victoria Clement
Laura Leitzinger
Scott Baldermann and Amy Kenreich
Bruce Greiner
John Connell
Helene Levin
Ed Guhman
Paul Conover
Renee Lockey
David and Deb Janik
Lily Conrad and Jerry Siegel
Lori Logan
David Jessen
Mark Cowan
Janeva Crawford and James Loud
Kris and Barton Kiburz
Cathy Cramer
Mark Kiehn
Paul and J’ne Day-Lucore
Jilayne Lovejoy and Aaron Bouplon
Barbara Krichbaum and Kent Erickson
Marieke Dechesne and Joost de Gouw
Marty and Peggy Bloom Michael Bonino John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Traci Carpenter Matthew Chambers Steven and Wendy Cohen
Nick Machol Jane and Richard Marsh
Steve and Amy Coyer
JB Lafon
John Desmond
Jarod Martin
Randy Culver
Kathy and John Lindeberg
Beth Dickhaus
Laura and Jim Marx
Robert and Leslie Cutler
Chester and Debra Luby
Darlene Dietzler
Steven Mattics
Janet and James Dulin
Daniel Lyons
Michael Dillon
Jeff and Laura Mauck
Erik Esborg and Rebecca Tucker
Mary McCanna
R. Stanton Dodge
Joseph and Annie McCarthy
Mark Feuer and Meg Porfido
William Mistretta
Mike Drummond
Thomas McCloskey
Hal Naiman
Lynda and David Dunn
Mary McCurdie
Michael and Billi Nelson
William Eder
Dan McDonald
Alice and Andy Newberry
William Edwards
Kevin McDonald
Denis Newman and Michelle Klaus
Timothy Eller
Peter and Alex McNutt
Christopher Nixon
Merritt Stephen Enders
Stacie McWilliams
Wynne and Doug Odell
Tony and Sherri Eret
Robin Mills
Tom and Mary Orsini
Eileen Fagan and Bob Kaplan
Joe Moenich and Gary Chappel
Eric Perryman and Lori Potter
Bob Fay
Allan Bach and Carol Mosier Bach
Debra Perscio
Diana and Steve Fitzgerald
Keith and Lisa Mullineaux
Marilyn and Bill Plummer
Ellen Fitzpatrick
Haleigh Murphy
Bob and Mary Prall
David and Sherry Fitzpatrick
Nathan Muzos
Christopher Price
Lynn Fleming
Laura and Mark Najarian
Arthur Reimers
Kenyon Fox
Allison and Frank Navarro
John and Suzanne Robinson
Howard Fry
Tara and Andy Neuman
Amanda Sandoval
Charlie Fuenzalida
Renee and David Newcomer
Dr. Peter and Julie Savoie
Peter Fuhr and DeeAnn Rivera
David Newman
Jonathan and Robin Gear
Suzanne and Paul Norris
Dr. Erwin and Adele Gelfand
Darcy and Daniel O’Connor
Andy and Marjory George
Amy and Chuck Oden
Annette and Mark Germinario
Charles Oleson
Rose Gillett
Dr. Michael Onstad and Susan Wood-Ellis
Paulette and Thomas Groves Patrick Hogan Peder and Holly Horner James “Pat” Kelly and Margaret Mahoney Stephanie Kelly Alex Khizver Dr. Robert and Patty Mack Ray Magee Shannon Magee Felix Magowan Richard Mandell and Audrey Lee-Mandell Jake Migler Cindy and Bob Moore Dawn Nakamura-Kessler Joel Noble Robert Pew The Preston Family Charitable Fund
Greg Seebart Alan Severn Janet Slate
Laurel Raines and William Vitek
Cherie Smittle
Richard Rainaldi and Martha Records
Jana Sodic
Bruce and Sally Rogers
Avi Stopper and Kalliopi Monoyios
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Fredrick Glick and Donna Bryson Paul Guenther
Myrna and Thomas Orlando Deborah Pelter
Gina Shedd Tenlee Shoffstall Scott Shultz William Smith and Sue Hammerton Joan and Karl Stang Phillip Steers Leslie and Gary Stiefler Daniel Sullivan Shane Swift Richard and Jennifer Taranow Jennifer and Seth Terry Suzie Todd and Jimmy White Jim and Jodi Tompkins Andrew Toole Alison Torvik Tom and Mary Trotter Janet and Richard Tyrrell-Ead Matthew Uren Buzz Victor Hugh and D.S. Wallace Diane Wallach Dan and Margie Walter Kenneth and Mary May Walters John Warner Robert Watson Clifford Watts Brent and Angela Webb Timothy Webb Brian Weiss Rick and Kathryn Werner David Westberg Kevin Yoder and Rebecca Wiebe Andrew Wiedrich and Stacey Mulligan Barbara and Joseph Wilcox Robert Wilford Janice and Earl Wilson Dee and Janice Wisor David Wolenski John and Angela Wolgamott Anne and Andie Wolper David Zink
DONOR PROFILE
Remembering Bill Barr
AN ICON IN THE COLORADO BICYCLING COMMUNITY The bicycling world mourns the loss of Bill Barr who, alongside his partner of more than 40 years, Sheri, was a monumental figure in Colorado’s bicycling world, and especially in bike philanthropy. Bill died in Colorado on June 27, 2020 after an extended battle with cancer. Bill and Sheri have supported bicycling organizations far and wide because they know the power of the bicycle to change lives. They both served on the Bicycle Colorado board for nine years beginning in 2008, Bill also acted as president of the Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado (BRAC), and they’ve given generously to bicycling causes over several decades. Bill began riding his bike as a commuter in the 1970s when he owned two grocery stores. He began racing bikes after meeting a competitive bicyclist and was hooked from that point on; and he and Sheri spent countless hours and days touring the country by bike after selling their business in 1999. “He loved every bit of our trips across the U.S.,” Sheri told us while relaying a story about the two of them getting lost in Virginia—he on his bicycle, she following in their motorhome—and subsequently rescued by locals they had never met. “The people on the route were just so amazing. We enjoyed it greatly.” While Sheri enjoyed riding, her primary involvement in the bicycling world has been through officiating races,
which she was introduced to through Bill in the 1980s. Sheri later served as Chief Judge of international bike events, including in Canada in 1991, Vail in 1992 and France in 1993. It was only after Bill suffered a couple of injuries through bike crashes that Sheri stopped officiating international events. Between commuting, racing, touring and officiating, Bill and Sheri developed deep relationships in the bike community, relationships that Sheri continues to cherish today, and that encouraged them to get involved in supporting the community even after they stopped riding. “Bill has had a love of cycling and we have tried to do everything we could to support and further that in Colorado,” Sheri told us before Bill’s passing. “I am proud of how hard Bicycle Colorado has worked with kids and cycling. Getting the vans and working at schools and teaching kids about riding and safety and fixing up bikes, Bicycle Colorado has gotten so many young people involved in riding. It’s extremely important,” she continued. “I’m really proud of what Bicycle Colorado has done for cycling in the state.” Bill and Sheri Barr have been instrumental in helping organizations like ours and many others work to improve bicycling for everyone. We are eternally grateful for their support.
“It was my privilege to be a small part of Bill’s life. He touched, influenced and helped more people than he could possibly imagine. He lived a magnificent life, and gave graciously to our community in countless ways.” - Brad Tucker
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BUSINESS DONORS
These organizations contributed from March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2020. Please join them in helping us build and bicycle-friendly Colorado!
$50,000+
Colorado Health Foundation Gates Family Foundation The Trust for Public Land
$10,000 - 49,999 ColoBikeLaw
Creative Strategies Group and the Denver Century Ride JUMP Karl and Barbara Friedman Foundation Lyft Mirrycle Corporation Salesforce.com Foundation Spin Marketing Sweet Sadie Team Evergreen Cycling: Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride, Bob Cook Memorial Mt Evans Hill Climb The Snider Foundation Tokyo Joe’s
$2,000 - 9,999 AAA Colorado
Alchemy Bicycle Co AlphaGraphics American Heart Association Bicycle Passport Big Ring Cycles
PeopleForBikes
Colorado HeartCycle Association
Reynolds Smith & Hills Inc
Denver Charter Bus Company ECO Trails
San Juan Hut Systems
Elevation Cycles
PoliticalWorks
Colorado Park 2 Park Challenge
Ride4Success
Councilman Albus Brooks
FattE-Bikes
Quality Bicycle Products (QBP)
Sand Dollar Cards
Councilman Paul Kashmann
Fort Collins Cycling Club
RAZOR USA Regional Air Quality Council
Councilwoman Robin Kniech
Shears Adkins Rockmore Architects
Golden Gran Fondo
Rocky Mountain Cycling Club
Craig Hospital Foundation
Steamboat Stage Race LLC Stimulation Petrophysics Consulting LLC
Google Matching Gifts Program
Pocket Outdoor Media and VeloSwap
Roll Massif: Tour of the Moon, Copper Triangle, Tour de Vineyards, Elephant Rock Rose Community Foundation
CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center Deborah “Debbie” Ortega, Council At Large
Stonewall Century Ride by Spanish Peaks Cycling
Denver Boulder Couriers
The Drift Wind River Mountain Festival
DERO
The MoJo Charitable Fund
SRAM
Destination Denver Realty
Toole Design Group
Strava Metro
DezignLine
Transportation Solutions
Texas Instruments Foundation
Downtown Denver Partnership
Venus de Miles
The Denver Post Ride The Rockies and Pedal The Plains
eGo CarShare
RPM Events Group and the Colorado Classic
The Ohana East Foundation United Health Foundation University of Colorado School of Public Affairs Visit Denver Wege Foundation WSP
$500 - 1,999
60+ Ride / Ride & Revel! American Planning Association
Feedback Sports
$250-499
Full Service Bicycle
Gran Fondo Aspen Groove Subaru Excel Sports Cycling Team Growing Spaces GruneStrasse Backpack Co. Hadfield Stieben & Doutt, LLC Hewlett-Packard Matching Gifts Impact360 Jeffrey L. Kaes, DDS, PC Juggernaut Cargo Bikes Killian Davis Richter and Mayle, PC
Fehr & Peers
Absolute Bikes
Gran Fondo Moab
Alameda Connects
Grannis Family Foundation
Alison Dunlap Adventure Camps
Great Outdoors Colorado
Alp Fitness
HDR
Alpha Bicycle Co.
Hot Tomato Pizzeria
American Tower Foundation
Kent Eriksen Cycles and Tour de Steamboat
Autodesk Matching Gifts Program
KIPP Colorado Schools
Battelle Always Giving
Liveable Cities Studio
Baxter International Foundation
LocalWorks and the Ridge at 38 Criterium and Brewfest
Belden
OppenheimerFunds Matching Gifts
Bicycle Aurora
MAD Racing
Orange Peel Bicycle Service, LLC
Big Al’s Bicycle Heaven
QEP Resources Raisa Energy
Avid4 Adventure
Mile High Bike Tours Mountain Bike Specialists Mountain Toad Brewing National Charter Bus Denver Neisen Borth Insurance Agency Nuance Chocolate Old Man Winter by Adventure Fit Old Town Bike Shop
Boa
Apple Inc. Matching Gifts Program
Boulder County Colorado
Baird Foundation
C Lazy U Ranch
Ball Corporation
Metropolitan State University of Denver Alumni Association
City and County of Denver
Bank of America Matching Gifts
Mountain Top Cycling Club
Bike Colorado Springs, a program of the Trails and Open Space Coalition
Mountains to Desert Bike Ride
Bike Fort Collins
S&P Global Foundation
Nard Claar, Comtemporary Fine Artist
BikePlusTours
Schneider Electric Foundation
Boettcher Foundation
Skratch Labs
Bomb Squad Cycling
Sloat & Nicholson, PC
Boulder B-cycle
T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Broadcom
The Fang Law Firm
Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort
The Renuart Group, LLC
Champion Charter Bus Aurora
TisBest Philanthropy
Champion Charter Bus Denver
US Bank Matching Gifts
Chook on Pearl
Velofix Colorado
City of Arvada
Buena Vista Bike Fest
Oracle Corporation Matching Gifts Program
Verizon Matching Gifts Foundation
CF Cycle for Life
OV Consulting
Colorado Barricade
City of Boulder and GO Boulder
Parker Core Knowledge Middle School
Colorado Springs Cycling Club
Xcel Energy Matching Gifts Foundation
City of Thornton
Parker Task Force
Colorado Tandem Club
Xilinx, Inc.
CoBank
pedal
Commuting Solutions
Zinn Cycles Inc.
COBRAS
Pedaling 4 Parkinson’s
Collins Cockrel & Cole
Pikes Peak APEX
Colorado Egg Producers Association
Pinnacle Surgery Center
Collegiate Peaks Bank Communication Infrastructure Group: CIG David M Budd Photography
Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado Bike Shop Girl
DaVita
BikeSource
National MS Society and Bike MS: Colorado
Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
Bird Scooter
Netflix Employee Matching
Black Dog Digital
Odell Brewing Company
Denver International Airport
Boulder County
Denver Public Works
BoulderCentre for Orthopedics Cycling Team / Boulder Masters Cycling
Office of City Councilwoman Jamie Torresl/District 3
Denver Regional Council of Governments FirstBank Gates Carbon Drive Goldsmith Metropolitan District, M-Bike at Meridian Hottman Law Office, P.C. Lime Luum Moots New Belgium Brewing Company PDC Energy
Buddy Insurance
22 | RIDE TIME NEWS - 2020
Office of City Councilwoman Kendra Black/District 4
Primal
Cleary Bikes
Councilwoman Mary Beth Susman Criterium Bicycles, Inc. DCP Midstream De Sena Associates
Routt County Riders
Wheat Ridge Cyclery
BUSINESS SUPPORTERS Bicycle Colorado is fortunate to have businesses small and large, local and national support our work. These organizations are just three among so many others who have given money or in-kind donations to make sure we can keep fighting to make Colorado the best place to ride a bike year after year. We thank them for their generosity and support.
QBP We are grateful for the support of Quality Bicycle Products, also known as QBP, who is instrumental in supporting Bicycle Colorado’s equity work. Internally, QBP is also committed to advancing equity through their own DEI initiatives, including their Equity and Diversity Internship. QBP is the leading sponsor of our RIDE Advisory Board, and they have been since 2018. This year, they extended additional sponsorship support, leading to the success of our first-ever equity-focused webinars. We have been working internally to build our understanding of equity in the bicycling world and to educate our members and supporters in this area as well. That work wouldn’t be possible without QBP.
Bike Shop Girl Family Cyclery Though closing at the end of this year, Bike Shop Girl Family Cyclery has made a huge mark on the greater Denver bicycling community. Run by Arleigh Greenwald, Bike Shop Girl’s mission is “empowering families to get on the bike and leave the car at home.” At her shop, Arleigh focuses on building community on two and three wheels by showing people just how life-changing and beneficial e-cargo bikes can be for the people riding them, their neighbors and all Coloradans. Bike Shop Girl Family Cyclery also helped Bicycle Colorado and the Denver Streets Partnership in our search for an e-cargo bike for staff members and volunteers to use to spread the word about our work in safe streets advocacy. We purchased an e-cargo bike from Bike Shop Girl, and were thrilled to have Arleigh’s support and know-how on our side.
DaVita For several years now, we’ve hosted our annual Gala and Gear Up! Fundraiser at DaVita World Headquarters in Downtown Denver. Those who have attended our fundraiser know that the location is unbeatable—the dramatic views of the mountains and downtown Denver are hard to beat! We’re able to use that space because DaVita generously donates or discounts the space for us year after year, meaning the dollars we raise each year at our biggest fundraiser can go as far as possible.
bicyclecolorado.org | 23
Bicycle Colorado 1525 Market Street, Suite 100 Denver, CO 80202-1661
PERMIT 2883
MAY
28
Bicycle Colorado Gala
19-20
Primal Colorado Bike Expo
17
Coldwell Banker Denver Century Ride
24-25
Bike MS: Colorado’s Ride, powered by Anthem
AUG
APR
Bicycle Colorado Events Calendar 5
Stonewall Century Ride
5
Colorado Park 2 Park Challenge
5
i25 Kia Copper Triangle
23
Bikes & Brews
30
ICON Eyecare Tour of the Moon
30
Ride 4 Success Crooked Gravel
SEP
JUN
Aspen Fat Tire Race
24-30
Revel! Mavic HauteRide Route&Rockies
Old Man Winter
28
Mountain Challenge Colorado Bike to Work Experience Day
Grand Enduro
Wild Horse Gravel Tour de Victory Steamboat Roubaix Buena Vista Bike Fest
8-9
Bike MS: Ride Colorado Triple Bypass Bicycle
15
Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb The Tour de Steamboat
22 22
OCT
JUL
Gran Fondo Moab
Colorado Classic
Coldwell Banker Denver Century Ride 2
The Drift
NOV
201 7
12-13 bicycling Bike MS: Bighorn Year after year,21people flock for our scenic andCountry bikeClassic McKee Classic to BikeColorado Tour 26 Denver CF Cycle for Life culture, and many come just to participate in an organized bike ride or 3 Buena Vista Bike Fest race. The events are financial supporters of Bicycle Colorado, andRide to Defeat ALS 4 below Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival 2 Red Rocks Challenge, 10-12 DEATH RIDE Tour and Challenge, 15-17 cases The Denver Post Pedalor The Plains many were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, in most delaying Ride to Defeat ALS 16 ColoBikeLaw.com Adventure CX Race Denver We Post Ride The Rockies canceling their 10-17 2020The rides. hope you’ll support them in 2021! 16 Tour de Vineyards
Steamboat Springs Stage Race 4
Kent Eriksenpresented Tour de Steamboat, by Shimano Presented by Shimano
Colorado Park 2 Park Challenge
SOS Outreach Colorado - Eagle River Ride
Venus de MilesSummit Colorado Bicycle
Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb
The Denver Post Pedal The Plains Subaru VeloSwap Desert’s Edge Triathlon Festival Tour de Vineyards Pedal 4 Possible
Ride4Success Copper Triangle Sunrise to Sunset Elephant Rock Pikes Peak APEXColorado as Denver Century Ride, Tour of the Moon, Team Evergreen, and VeloSwap have chosen Bicycle presented by RockShox their primary beneficiary.Littleton Twilight Criterium Elephant Rock Winter Park Sunrise to Sunset Mountains to Desert Pedaling 4 Parkinson’s Each event listed supports Bicycle Colorado through our Event Membership program. Stonewall Century Ride Tour of the Moon Thank you 2017 Featured and Champion Events for helping us build a bicycle-friendly Colorado! Ridge at 38 Criterium and Brewfest The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Hill Climb VeloSwap The Denver Post Ride The Rockies
Events
Explore the full event calendar | bicyclecolorado.org
Colorado CF Cycle for Life
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