2013 RIDE

Guide to northern Colorado Bicycling culture & events

2013

America’s

greatest race!

Build it and

they will crank

Cycling to

the MAX

Latinos Y

ciclismo*

Bike calendar

rides & clubs

*Mas artículos en español en línea Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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2013

Guide to northern Colorado Bicycling culture & events

From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pedal dancing

Contributor profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Meet the writers / riders

Diplomats of the Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Meet the all-new Bicycle Ambassadors

Straight! Straps! Snug! Snap! . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Helmets significantly reduce risk of severe brain injuries

Check out the hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 What does your future bike look like?

18 America’s greatest race

Breathtaking altitudes, treacherous climbs and the world’s best riders ©ROBINSON NOBLE

¿Montar bicicleta? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Percepciones de los Latinos sobre el ciclismo en Fort Collins

Ram cycling spirit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Advisory committee supports strong biking culture at Colorado State University

Build it and they will crank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Bicycle-friendly infrastructure makes riding safer and more efficient

For the love of bikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Bike Library gets a boost from the community

Roll with the crowd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Bikers of all stripes pull together to make this a great place to pedal

Take a free ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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Cycling to the MAX

Pedestrians, bicyclists and buses will share Mason Street Corridor

Improve health, save money, reduce stress and love the earth PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACK SHEEP

Bike Calendar CYCLING EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 REGULAR RIDES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 RACE SERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 BIKE CLASSES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

ABOUT THE COVER: Photo by Robinson Noble from the 2011 USA Pro Challenge.

28 Make it

made-in-NoCo Local bike-industry companies form an alliance Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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FROM THE EDITOR From Editor We’re getting The personal Pedal Dancing

HAVING A BICYCLE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY is not aboutof theitsmiles Since the dawn

of trails or the number of we bike two-wheeled invention, have boxesbeen a place has.

It’s about the dancing with our bicycles. people.

It’s about people Pelotons climbthe overway passes like a feel when they ride their bikes. graceful corps de ballet; she Do they feel included?

Free?

A part sashays over rough terrain on herof something bigger?

Safe? mountain bike; he mounts his Whether your ride transports penny-farthing bicycle with a you to work or to recreate on the weekgrand jeté. Everyone is choreoends,graphing whetherayou have a full-susdance to master his or pension mountain her machine. bike or a fixie, you are part ofWhether our local cycling culture. you are boogying And it is people like you who enjoy down to the grocery store for milk our exceptional infrastructure and or high-kicking in the chorus line demand more of it—more signal detection at intersections, more to the top of the Alpe d’Huez, bike parking, and better connections throughout the bike network. bicycling is like a dance; we need to think ahead to the next move, we You are the people who will be our Bicycle Ambassadors. You are have total control and freedom of expression, and we are having fun! the people who spread the good word on KRFC on the new Bikes These days, many people are literally dancing with their bicycles as and Beer show. And you are the people who commute to work, part of a synchronized troupe. Starting with the Sprockettes in Portonce a year or every day. You land, OR, more than a dozen bicycle dancing troupes have popped up make it fun and funny to ride a around the world! These groups of (mostly) women believe there is a bike—think Tour de Fat! And 2012They are happy, beautiful, emuniversal truth to having fun on a bicycle. you generate vigor and culture powered women engaging in pure bicycle dance. Their message is that when you bring your simple mawe are not stuck doing anything in this life because of the body image chines together. have.

And we needwe not be afraid of being beautiful—just the way Aswe the year revolves, we are.

Their movement about feeling good about oneself. Dancing are preparing to apply for isthe with a bicycle is a lively experience through which many women have League of American Bicyclists’ grasped a deeper understanding of their femininity.

BICYCLE Bicycle Friendly Community AMBASSADor At the sameCurrently, time, other people adventure ProGrAM more discreetly, dancing award once again. privately and elegantly with their steel, aluminum SAFE rouTES or carbon beasts on Fort Collins is a Gold-level To SChooL the trails.

And yet others are weaving through LoCAL congested traffic and the community; optimistically, our CYCLInG SCEnE meandering pedestrians, pumping their legs to the pulse of the city. efforts in education, encourageBIKE Calendar Whatever your pleasure, be it spinning in your living room, comment, engineering, enforcement peting in local racing events, volunteering as a Bicycle Ambassador, or and evaluation will be recogshredding mountain bike trails, I hope you are enjoying the dance! nized in 2013 with a Platinum-level designation.

You can help Fort Collins get there! Sign up to be a Bicycle Amon, your local bicycle retailers and manufacturers. bassador.Pedal Support Molly Participate in the 25th annual Bike to Work Day on June 27. And keep pedaling!

Happy trails, Molly

Ride

Guide to northern Colorado

biCyClinG Culture & eventS

Ride guideguide to northern colorado 4 | Ride bicycling Bicycling to northern Colorado

Ride

2013 2012

to northern Colorado Bicycling Guide Guide to Northern Colorado biCyClinG Culture & eventS

PUBLISHER PUBLISHER Scott Titterington Scott Titterington scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR EDITOR Molly North Molly North mnorth@fcgov.com mnorth@fcgov.com COPY EDITOR COPY EDITOR Kristin Titterington Kristin Titterington; kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com Calendar and listings Aly Titterington CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard CREATIVE DIRECTOR emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com Greg Hoffman

greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES Sara Hansen COVER PHOTO sara.rmpublishing@gmail.com Robinson Noble COVER PHOTO CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Darren Mahuron, Summit Studios, summitstyle.com Shelley Aschenbrenner, Eric Bracke, Joy Childress, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Aaron Fodge, Kurt Freiburg, Karla Gonzales Garcia, Bevin Barbara-Campbell, Jacob Castillo, Danielle Molly North, Stace Sebeczek, Kim Sharpe, Hastings, Robinson Noble,Thomas, Nancy Nichols, Molly Justin Stone, Claire Dee Wanger North, Kim Sharpe, Jordan Twiggs ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521 ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING VoiceCollins, 221-9210 825 Laporte Ave., Fort CO 80521 Fax 221-8556 Voice 221-9210 editor@rockymountainpub.com Fax 221-8556 www.RMParent.com www.rmparent.com Ride! 2012, is a special publication of Rocky Ride 2013 is a special pubication of Rocky Mountain Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this Publishing, Inc.not Publication of this does not magazine does constitute anmagazine endorsement of of the products services theconstitute productsanorendorsement services advertised.

Theoropinions expressed by contributors writers not any advertised.

RMP reservesor the right todo refuse necessarily reflect the reason. opinions Rockyexpressed Mountain advertisement for any Theof opinions Publishing. by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing.

Copyright 2012 Rocky Mountain Publishing, 825 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521, 970-221-9210. ©2013 Rocky Mountain All rights reserved.

Reproduction without written Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction permission is prohibited. without express written permission is prohibited.

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Ride contributors Shelley Aschenbrenner

Riding to work is relaxing, and recreational biking keeps me fit. I love watching a sunrise as I cycle through quiet farmlands... the sound of tires on pavement and birds chirping. I own four bikes, but the bike I ride most is my trek 1000.

Eric Bracke

Stacy Sebeczek

I’m the City Traffic Engineer for the City of Greeley. My department manages much of the bike program. My favorite ride is the Poudre Trail from Windsor to Greeley—my commute. I ride a Rocky Mountain RC-70—love that bike!

I fell in love on the mountain bike trails of California, grew wings on the open roads of Colorado, and always find time to frolic on a fat tire cruiser in my hometown. My favorite two-wheeled friend is a singlespeed 650b Blacksheep. I’m the director of the Fort Collins Bike Library.

Joy Childress

Kim Sharpe

I am coordinator of Bicycle Education and Enforcement at the CSU Police Department and involved with other cycling organizations. I often feel a spiritual connection while riding my bike—a silver hybrid Trek 7.2 FX.

I coordinate the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition, co-manage the Bicycle Ambassador Program and serve on the Bicycle Advisory Committee. Bicycling helps me save money, be a good steward of the Earth, stay in shape and relax. I’m happy just to ride.

Aaron Fodge

Justin Stone

I am a Senior Transportation Planner for the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization and serve on the national board of the Association for Commuter Transportation. I love cycling because I save money and improve my fitness while going to work… not bad.

My job is Civil Engineer for the City of Loveland including bicycle and pedestrian coordinator duties. It is nice to work with advocates who are passionate about creating an awesome bicycle and pedestrian culture in this region. I have a Schwinn Aluminum Comp Mountain Bike.

Kurt Freiburg

Claire Thomas

I’m the liaison for the Colorado High School Mountain Bike League, a BPEC member, and the Bike Friendly Business coordinator at Woodward.

What makes Fort Collins special is the bike infrastructure, community-government cooperation, and the variety of bike-culture events.

Cycling gets me closer to our neighborhood and nature, and allows me to experience life in an exhilarating way! I ride an orange and gray Raleigh cruiser with a wire basket in front to hold any assortment of things.

Karla Gonzales Garcia

Dee Wanger

I am from Iquitos, Peru, where I learned how to ride a bike. In Lima, biking become transportation and a great way to exercise. I enjoy the mountain bike adventures that my Santa Cruz and I have, including the really bad falls. And around the city, my new cruiser takes me where I need to go.

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Molly North

As a youth I loved anything with wheels. Now, I use my profession to promote safe walking and biking. My 4-year old is in a trailer and we can stop to play at the river or a park. I have a Raleigh Classic Roadster named Vanilla.

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

From my childhood, I’ve chased that sense of freedom. Now, I work with Ridekick International, whose mission is to encourage the use of bikes for transportation. My versatile Gary Fisher Wahoo has taken me on daily commutes and on my favorite ride—Durango to Moab.

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Diplomats of the road Meet the new Bicycle Ambassadors Twenty-three! Thats how many people are rolling around Fort Collins and Loveland as official Bicycle Ambassadors since the Bicycle Ambassador Program (BAP) was launched in April of last year.

Perhaps you’ve encountered one at an educational Lunch & Learn presentation hosted by your work site or on a trail sharing helpful tips about rules of the road or at an Open Garage event performing basic bike maintenance or helping you choose a safe route to travel.

All Bicycle Ambassadors receive a minimum of 12 hours of training on sharing the road with motorists, trail etiquette, helmet fitting, bicycle-safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash-avoidance techniques, non-confrontational communication and more. Bicycle Ambassadors learn how to tailor educational messaging to children, teens, college-age students, families, adults in the workplace, seniors and motorists alike.

They also are equipped with schwag to distribute to other cyclists – items such as bike maps, bike lights, tube patch kits and friendly smiles.

“One strength of the program is the ultra-thorough training of volunteers. Even veteran riders will learn new information and skills to improve their teaching capacity,” says Alan Garten, a Fort Collins Bicycle Ambassador.

Joe Sanders, a Bicycle Ambassador and member of the Loveland PEDAL Club says, “I feel that the Bicycle Ambassador Program works on multiple levels; it demonstrates the community’s commitment to providing its citizens with the facilities, training and opportunity to enjoy our great outdoors. The program works to produce mutually beneficial results for cyclists and drivers by creating safe and efficient bike routes, and educating the public on the value of safe cycling to the community.”

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The BAP is part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC), which works to get more people walking and riding, and fewer people experiencing related injuries.

To learn more about the BAP, volunteering as an ambassador, or to request a presentation, bike rodeo or BPEC presence at an event, visit bicycle ambassador program.org, email info@bicycle ambassador program.org or call 970-495-7503.

Embajadores de Bicicletas en tu Barrio En mis primeras visitas a Fort Collins, siempre me causaba mucha curiosidad el saber cómo es que una ciudad de aproximadamente 150, 000 personas puede ser un lugar tan seguro para manejar bicicleta. Me impresionaba el hecho de ver a familias enteras en bicicletas, bebés con sus padres en la bicicleta, niños pequeños montando bicicleta, y adultos mayores sumamente rápidos (definitivamente más rápidos que yo) montando bicicletas. El simple hecho de ver que tanto niños como adultos se sientan tranquilos y seguros al pasear en bicicletas alrededor de la ciudad, te hace sentir las ganas de hacer lo mismo. En mi experiencia esto explica el que ahora –viviendo aquí en Fort Collins- la bicicleta que poseo, se ha convertido en mi primer medio de transportación.

La constante educación a la comunidad sobre la seguridad vial para el ciclista, ha hecho que esta ciudad sea

©DREW DAVIS

By Kim Sharpe AND Karla Gonzales Garcia

uno de las mejores lugares para la utilización de la bicicleta como medio principal de transportación y de entretenimiento.

El programa de Embajadores de Bicicletas, que forma parte de la coalición educativa de bicicletas y peatones –BPEC, cuya principal función es educar a la comunidad sobre cómo evitar accidentes relacionados con vehículos, bicicletas y peatones, y cómo mejorar sus habilidades al manejar bicicleta, viene realizando diferente proyectos para seguir haciendo de Fort Collins una ciudad donde las personas se sientan completamente cómodas y seguras al manejar bicicletas. Este programa está tratando de expandir a la comunidad Latina en Fort Collins, los diferentes proyectos, eventos y programas educativos que imparten en el resto de la comunidad, y necesita de su ayuda.

Si usted desea participar como voluntario en el programa, envíe un correo electrónico al info@bicycleambassador program.org ó llame al 970-495-7503.

También encontrará más información en español en la página web www.bpeclarimer.wordpress.com

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Straight! Straps! Snug! Snap!

Helmets reduce risk of severe brain injuries

BY Shelley Aschenbrenner

If you’ve had a 3rd grader in the Thompson or Poudre School District in the last decade, the four Ss may sound very familiar to you. That’s because they’re a critical learning objective from the Strap & Snap bike helmet program.

Helmet use is the single most effective way to reduce bicycle-related fatalities.

Each year Strap & Snap program coordinators reach out to all TSD and PSD 3rd-grade teachers to see if they are interested in hosting a Strap & Snap presentation in their classroom.

Last spring marked record involvement with 95 percent classroom participation throughout the two districts!

A fleet of trained volunteers including bike advocates, police, fire, EMS, transportation and health professionals dust off the kits each spring and set out to classrooms with this engaging program. The kit includes props such as Mr.

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

Bones, Eddy the Egg, a brain puzzle and Jell-O brain mold. Students discuss helmet styles, parts and proper fit. They talk about the brain and skull and why it is so very important to protect this organ.

“The great thing about this presentation is that it takes a serious topic – traumatic brain injuries – and puts it into an interactive format that is both educational and entertaining,” explains Loveland Deputy Fire Marshall and current Safe Kids Larimer County President, Scott Pringle.

Always a highlight during the presentation is the “eggsperiments” with Eddy the Egg and the Jell-O brain as they are dropped with and without a helmet. This

demonstration clearly shows the students how wearing a bike helmet can significantly reduce the chances of having a severe brain injury.

Students are encouraged to take home the Strap & Snap pledge, discuss the lesson plan with their family and return the form with signatures pledging to: always wear a helmet when bicycling, riding a scooter, roller-blading or skate boarding. I understand that wearing a helmet and following other safety rules of the road will help protect me from head injury.

The Family Medicine Center Residents at Poudre Valley Hospital created the “Strap-n-Snap” lesson plan in the late 1990s. It has since been taken over by Healthy Kids Club and Safe Kids Larimer County. Every year 1.2 million kids go to the hospital because of biking-related injuries. A recent analysis of several helmet studies found that helmets reduce the risk of head injury by at least 45 percent, brain injury by 33 percent, facial injury by 27 percent and fatal injury by 29 percent. One study suggests that helmet use can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent and severe brain injury by 88 percent.

The Four Ss: • Th e helmet should sit STRAIGHT on your head about two finger widths above your eyebrows.

• The STRAPS should form a “V” under the ears.

• The buckle should fit SNUG so that two fingers fit between the buckle and chin or when you open your mouth the helmet should lower.

• I t’s not going to stay on until the final SNAP! Please be an example for your child by putting a helmet on your brain too. Make safe bicycling and driving a lifetime commitment for you and your family, not just a one-day crash course!

Ride where motorists can see you and Remember to ride WITH traffic

Call Traffic Operations for more information on the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program.

970.221.6630

626 LINDEN•FORT COLLINS

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Check out the hardware What does your future bike look like?

by Kurt Freiburg

So you’ve seen enough of the bike culture in northern Colorado to want to be a part of it yourself ? Fantastic! Then it’s time to start checking out the hardware.

The first thing a new or returning cyclist will find is that this process isn’t so easy. The days of a simple choice between a cruiser or a racing bike are long gone. Okay, if you really want a simple answer, you just need to decide between a mountain, road or city bike. But start looking and you’ll find that today’s bike market has literally dozens of categories of bikes, and you can spend anywhere from $50 for a garage-sale special to $15,000 (and up) for a carbon wunderbike. Considering all of the amazing technologies that have developed over the years, the selection process can be completely overwhelming.

But don’t let it be! Just “close your eyes and picture what it looks like” is what John Crowninshield, General Manager at Lee’s Cyclery on Harmony tells customers who aren’t sure what to choose. The type of riding you’re thinking about will lead you to the right bike. Where do you want to ride– the paved trail system? The dirt trails at Pine Ridge or Lory State Park? Just a commute to work? Do you want to ride with friends? Where do they ride? And how far (and fast) do you want to go? Are you a 20-minute fitness builder? Or a 100-mile charity rider? Do you want to try your first triathlon? Maybe a little bit of everything?

Or do you just want to have fun? Don’t worry how the dream looks – there are no right or wrong answers. Whatever your vision, there’s a perfect bike for you.

Of course, where to start looking is a big question. There are plenty of inexpensive options – craigslist, ebay, on-line retailers, big box stores, your bike-geek friends....those are places where you can get some great deals. If you’re a complete newbie, it’s best to have a good friend who’s really, really patient, and has the time to help you through the process. It’s similar to

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buying a car, but, actually, a little more complicated. Not only are there intended uses and technical issues, and personal taste, but the bike has to fit correctly as well, to keep you comfortable and to help prevent injury.

You can’t just get any bike that you find and make it fit. Frames come in at least 3 sizes for any given bike, and maybe as many as six or seven sizes. With the help of the ‘net, and friends, and if you’re brave, resourceful, and willing to experiment a bit, then this is an attractive option.

that bike ends up being a fast, comfortable fitness bike, a rock-eating 29er, or an all day road rider, a professional will work with you through the process of test rides, explaining how those pesky gears work, and most importantly, getting you fitted and comfortable. And the service doesn’t stop there.

Shops usually include a free “break-in” tune up with the sale, to make sure things are working properly after a few rides. Having back, knee, or butt problems? They’ll work on adjustments, or make equipment

A more tried-and-true option is shopping at a local bike shop; and we have plenty! If you get beyond the sticker price and think of the total cost, this may be your best choice–especially for a new cyclist. There are many valuable services that a shop will provide that others simply can’t–it’s what they do every day.

First off, they know their huge array of inventory. They’ll listen to your dreams and lead you to the right bike, all the while keeping price in mind. “Our job is to educate and inspire, without preaching” says Tyler Schott at Full Cycle Bikes. Whether

suggestions. Don’t know how to fix a flat tire? Want to do the basic maintenance yourself ? Instruction and even classes are often another included perk. “What we want is that each customer has a good experience,” John Crowninshield summarizes.

That’s simply how a shop stays in business. And one other consideration: Shops are the main supporters of the many bike events that make our city one of the most bike-friendly in the country.

So do your daydreaming, seek great advice, make sure you’re comfortable, and join our great bike community!

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¿Montar bicicleta?

Percepciones de los Latinos sobre el ciclismo en Fort Collins

by Karla Gonzales Garcia

Hace 10 años inmigré a este país. En mi ciudad y país de origen, Iquitos-Perú, las cosas siempre parecen más simples y livianas.

Caminas a todo lugar. Si la distancia es larga, utilizas el moto-carro ó la moto; si estás en buena forma, manejas la bicicleta.

Al mudarnos a la capital, Lima, la fotografía se convirtió para mi padre en su segunda fuente de trabajo. El entregar fotografías requería gastar dinero para el micro (autobús). Para ahorrar dinero, mi padre invirtió parte de su ganancia en la compra de una bicicleta. A sus 63 años, él todavía recorre las calles de Lima en su bicicleta para la entrega de fotos. Realmente nunca me tomé la molestia de preguntarle cuantas millas manejaba ó maneja al día en su bicicleta. Lo único que sé es que su inversión lo ayudó a mantener a una familia de 5 personas, y a cuidar de su salud física, ya que mi padre rara vez se enferma.

Ahora más que nunca, siendo una estudiante universitaria, aprecio que mi padre me haya mostrado una forma económica, fácil y sencilla de transportación. Sin embargo, no todos tenemos las mismas experiencias.

El ambiente socio-económico de cada ciudad o país del que venimos, influye en nuestra forma de pensar sobre ciertos estilos de vida que otros llevan.

Al platicar con Adela Sotello acerca de la cultura de manejar bicicleta entre los miembros de la comunidad Latina de Fort Collins, ella nos dice, “Depende de cada subcultura. En mi ciudad Parral, Chihuahua, para el trabajo [manejar bicicleta] es vergonzoso; significa que no tienes carro; es cool para ir al parque, pero para ir al trabajo is not cool.”

Esta percepción es también compartida por otro miembro de la comunidad Latina.

Lucia Díaz, al preguntarle sobre qué es lo que los Latinos piensan sobre manejar bicicleta alrededor de la ciudad, ella respondió, “hay muchos prejuicios…la gente piensa si manejas bicicleta es porque eres un pobretón porque no tienes carro, ó piensas en qué es lo que la

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

gente va pensar.”

El haber crecido en Perú, donde la división de clases económicas es sumamente visible y donde es necesario mantener cierto status para poder adquirir un buen empleo, rápidamente pude comprender que la bicicleta como medio de transportación -en la ciudad de donde Adela proviene- es vista en

la familia, “por ejemplo, juntarnos el tercer viernes de cada mes con los niños para hacer recorridos y aprender las señales, lo que uno debe de hacer, y los caminos…para hacer outdoors.”

Lucía Díaz también señala que el aspecto económico desfavorece el uso de bicicletas entre los miembros de la comunidad Latina.

la clase económica pudiente como sinónimo de escasez, limitaciones, pobreza. Es así que, la bicicleta como medio de transportación, es evadido por aquellos que desean usarlo para evitar el ser juzgado, ó en el peor de los casos, evitar perder un buen empleo por no pertenecer a la clase social afluente.

En el comentario de Lucía podemos inferir que la percepción negativa del uso de bicicletas, para algunos, es traída y mantenida en el nuevo entorno en el que uno vive.

Adela Sotello refiere que le gustaría empezar a manejar bicicleta como medio de diversión y un momento para compartir con

“Muchas familias no tienen recursos para comprar bicicletas para todos…los niños tienen pero los adultos no porque no hay recursos,” comenta Lucía.

Ambas mujeres concuerdan que el acceso a más información sobre las rutas, señales, y el cómo evitar accidentes, ayudaría a los miembros de la comunidad Latina a sentirse más cómodos a manejar en bicicletas, y de esta manera, generar una cultura de ciclista en la comunidad Latina.

Lucía nos dice, “la gente tiene miedo por las calles grandes, no saben las reglas…no hay una cultura de ciclista.”

Where There’s a

Wheel, There’s a Way

Bicycle Ambassadors: Provide education to children, youth, families, college students, seniors and motorists Are on patrol to reward safe cycling Host “Open Garage” events for their neighbors

Check us out! bicycleambassadorprogram.org

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Ram CYCLING SPIRIT

Advisory committee supports strong biking culture on CSU campus

by JOY Childress

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

has distributed hundreds of free helmets and bike lights over the last several years.

As a result of CSU’s constant population growth (which is expected to reach 35,000 students in 2020), more and more students, staff and faculty are choosing to ride bicycles to negate the hassles of parking and navigating campus in a car. With the steady rise in bicycle use, campus engineers are faced with the challenges of separating bicycle, pedes-

create a seamless bicycle network.

Fort Collins has a vibrant bicycling culture and CSU is fortunate to introduce incoming students to that love of cycling.

Noteworthy events such as the Ram Bicycle Classic and the Oval Criterium Races showcase that love. Each September, the CBAC organizes four Bike to Breakfast stations where free food and coffee is given to the first 300 cyclists. CSU also encourages its

trian and motor vehicle traffic. Recently, a multi-modal facility was installed on the west side of the Morgan Library to separate pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The path’s design has resulted in a decreased crash rate and as such will be a model for future projects. Shared Lane Markings have also made their way on to campus, traversing the Moby Parking lot.

These improvements are great examples of how the university continues to bring innovative ideas to the functionality of campus and how the university and city work together to

two-wheeled population by offering seven fix-it stands throughout campus. These handy stands come complete with a plethora of tools and an air pump for maintenance ease no matter where you are.

It is through education, mindful design, and promotion of health and environmental benefits that Colorado State University strives to nurture a thriving bicycle culture. For more information on how you can get involved with bicycling on campus please visit www.bicycle.colostate.edu.

©SCOTT TITTERINGTON

Since being designated a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly University in 2011 by the League of American Bicyclists, Colorado State University has had its eye on the Gold.

The Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC) was responsible for submitting the application that earned the Silver designation but our efforts have not stopped there.

The CBAC is a group of students, staff an faculty who have a passion for traveling on two wheels and encouraging others to do the same. With a specific goal to build a stronger biking culture on campus, members implement educational and encouragement opportunities and design infrastructure to improve connectivity and safety; together these things get more of our CSU community on bikes.

CSU has been developing more effective methods to reach out to students who are interested in learning about their bikes. The Recreation Center offers bicycle maintenance classes as well as day trips to local mountain bike parks. Beginning in the spring semester of 2013, CSU started offering monthly Traffic Skills 101 courses for motorists and cyclists. In this eight-hour class, students learn a breadth of useful information such as basic bicycle maintenance, lane positioning, crash avoidance techniques, traffic law, and basic safety equipment.

The CSU Police Department’s Bicycle Education and Enforcement Program (BEEP) not only facilitates these TS101 classes, they also house a bicycle registration program and incorporate educational components in their enforcement measures. BEEP offers a ticket diversion program in which people who receive a safety violation can take a variety of educational classes to either reduce or waive their ticket price. In an effort to encourage lawful behavior, the CSU Police Department organizes an annual positive reinforcement campaign where officers hand out gift cards and bike lights to cyclists who demonstrate safe cycling behaviors. To further encourage safety, the CSU Police Department

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America’s greatest

race Breathtaking altitudes, treacherous climbs and

the world’s best riders

By Molly North

Considered by many to be one of the toughest road events in the world, the USA Pro Challenge (USAPC) will test riders this August during a week of torturous and grueling mountain climbs in Colorado, some reaching above 12,000 feet. These elite cyclists will net more than 40,000 feet in elevation gain.

Christian Vande Velde was the overall winner of the 2012 race and he has committed to competing in the 2013 race. “When you combine the high-

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altitude climbs, the enthusiasm of the crowds and the level of competition, the USA Pro Challenge is one of my favorite race weeks,” says Vande Velde. “I can’t wait to get back in 2013 and defend the title with my Garmin-Sharp teammates.”

Essentially a high-speed chess game on wheels, the USAPC stage race will last seven days and the course will feature hills (which favor climbers) and flat sections (where sprinters excel). Riders from sixteen international, professional

teams will participate in the race, challenging the course’s thousands of feet of vertical climbing and technical descents.

The teams will work together to gain an advantage over other riders, usually designating one person as the leader for the day based on the terrain, fitness and competition. Competitive cyclists rely on teamwork, strategy, and preparation to claim a place on the winner’s podium.

But the USAPC is not just for the elite racer. Competitive cycling has long

©ROBINSON NOBLE

been a spectator sport. Residents of northern Colorado understand why spectating is fun – they can enjoy the outdoors, the spirited atmosphere and many times a cold drink while watching friends, family, and strangers race their hardest.

“The USA Pro Challenge has created an entirely new audience for our state,” Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper says. “Not only is it the best American competition, it’s essentially a week-long advertisement for our state with 128 of the best

cyclists in the world acting as tour guides.”

Across the country, cycling is experiencing a type of renaissance because it is one of the few sporting events where elite athletes compete in local neighborhoods and quaint downtowns with no admission fee for spectators. They pedal past our favorite restaurants, our homes, and the hills and mountains in our backyards. In this way, pro-cycling is a community sport; this is a world-class competitive sporting event to which everyone has access. And many people don’t mind waking up at 4:30am to get the best viewing spot on the hill climb or standing in the rain for hours to see their favorite pro-cyclists speed by at arm’s length.

“The crowds at the 2012 USA Pro Challenge were unlike anything I’ve ever seen outside of the big races in Europe,” says the race’s CEO and co-chairman Shawn Hunter. “Driving the course every day and seeing the enthusiasm and passion from the fans lining the streets really gave a sense of the growing support for the sport of cycling in the U.S. This race showcases Colorado and provides an incredible economic impact that will hopefully be here for years to come.”

The race has drawn more than one million fans in each of its first two years and has generated “nearly $200 million in cumulative economic impact for the state,” according to race organizers.

In addition to the economic impact for our region, this race will highlight the arrival of bicycling into our mainstream culture, it will encourage motorists to also be cyclists, and it will provide the opportunity for young cyclists to meet their role models.

In early 2012, business leaders, city officials, and cycling enthusiasts from around the northern Colorado region saw an opportunity to bring the country’s largest cycling event to their backyard. A plan was devised to pool resources and bid for a stage as a region, which includes Loveland, Fort Collins, Windsor, Estes Park and Larimer County. A committee of public and private professionals collaborated to raise awareness and money and then confidently submitted a bid at the end of 2012. The committee’s successful

bid means the USAPC will bring professional racing to the only new cities to host a stage start or finish, Loveland and Fort Collins. Residents and visitors alike will watch the penultimate stage play out over what is expected to be a beautiful and mountainous route finishing in downtown Fort Collins.

“With the addition of Loveland and Fort Collins, we are adding two cities that have built a community around the cycling culture,” says Hunter. “We are thrilled to incorporate their enthusiasm as we continue to showcase Colorado as the center of the nation’s cycling spirit.”

“Riders now know that there is no race in America like the USA Pro Challenge, and these host cities help ensure cycling’s world stage returns to Colorado for seven days of grueling competition,” says Hunter. “Each of these communities will be on an international stage as we partner with them to ensure the USA Pro Challenge takes its place as America’s greatest race.”

To learn more about the route, ancillary events, or to sign up to volunteer, please visit: www.nococycling.com.

2013 USA Pro Challenge stages: August 19 Stage 1:

Aspen/Snowmass Circuit August 20 Stage 2:

Aspen/Snowmass – Breckenridge August 21 Stage 3:

Breckenridge – Steamboat Springs August 22 Stage 4:

Steamboat Springs – Beaver Creek August 23 Stage 5:

Vail Time Trial (ITT) August 24 Stage 6:

Loveland – Fort Collins August 25 Stage 7:

Denver Circuit www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com

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Build it and they will crank

Bicycle-friendly infrastructure makes riding safer & more efficient

By Eric Bracke, Aaron Fodge, Justin Stone

Northern Colorado is a moniker that can be applied to any portion of the state north of Denver and below the Wyoming State Line. For bicycle commuters and those seeking recreational opportunities, northern Colorado represents a team of communities committed to bicycle infrastructure.

The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (NFRMPO) is the regional transportation planning agency for northern Colorado—a collaboration of 15 member governments: Berthoud, Eaton, Evans, Fort Collins, Garden City, Greeley, Johnstown, LaSalle, Larimer County, Loveland, Milliken, Severance, Timnath, Weld County, Windsor. In 2012, our region crafted a Regional Bicycle Plan to identify where the region could invest transportation resources to advantageously connect our communities together.

A look at our regional bicycle map today reveals the incredible work our three largest cities (Fort Collins, Greeley, and Loveland) have accomplished retrofitting their streets with road diets and sharrows while requiring new shared-use trails and bike lanes as their cities develop. With over 600 miles of bike lanes, bike routes, and

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trails, northern Colorado is the envy of regions across the country.

As we look to the future, our challenge will be to creatively build and fund regional bicycle corridors to connect our communities. The Poudre River Trail is a shining, cross-county achievement in collaboration—bringing diverse funding resources to make the over 40-mile corridor. The question becomes, where can we collaborate next?

Regional bike corridors The Regional Bicycle Plan provides a set of regional corridors that pull from local, state, and federal planning in an effort to bring outside funding resources to our region. These corridors include: • River corridors—The Big and Little Thompson Rivers along with the South Platte are historically planned routes • Rail corridors—The Great Western Trail (Eaton/Severance to Windsor) and Mason Street in Fort Collins (BNSF) are poised to connect with other communities • Colorado Front Range Trail—Two legs of the Colorado State Parks Front Range Trail (one in Larimer, one in Weld) are proposed to navigate through our region and connect with

the Poudre River Trail • Bikeable shoulders—Our region envisions expanded shoulders for bicyclists to provide safer routes to locations such as Horsetooth Reservoir, Carter Lake, and Centerra.

Greeley gains ground The City of Greeley has approximately 90 miles of on-street bike lanes, five miles of off-street shared use paths, and 24 miles of trails. Over the past three years, the city of Greeley has made a concentrated effort in converting four-lane roads to a three-lane cross section that includes bike lanes. These new Greeley road diets are becoming very popular with the folks in Greeley and city staff is seeing an increase in bike ridership.

The latest road diet was on 13th Street from US 85 to 35th Avenue.

This three-mile diet finally provided an efficient east-west corridor for the residents of the City. Additional road diets have been completed that provide fast and convenient connections from the University of Northern Colorado to the downtown area.

During 2013, the city traffic engineering staff will add two additional road diets. The first will be on 14th Ave

from 9th Street to A Street. This connection will provide a convenient route from the downtown area to the Island Grove Park – Home of the Greeley Stampede. The second road diet will be on 11th Avenue and will complete the connection from UNC to the Union Colony Civic Center.

The city is also working diligently on the trail system in the community.

During the past year, the city has been working on the design of the Sheepdraw Trail. This project is expected to go out for construction in 2013 and make a north-south connection from the south side of the community to the Poudre River Trail on the north. All in all, Greeley is picking up the pace to add bicycle infrastructure and increase bike ridership throughout the community.

In the area of marketing and education, the city of Greeley recently launched www.Greeleybikes.com. This website, as it evolves, will provide information concerning bike events, tips, safety, and maps for folks who choose to bike in Greeley.

Loveland builds out The City of Loveland’s recently completed Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is

a response to the community’s desire for a well-balanced transportation system. The Loveland Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan recommended significant improvements to the existing bicycle infrastructure system, including new roads with added bike lanes, improvements to existing roads without bike lanes, and a comprehensive commuter-trail system to compliment the city’s recreational trail system and accommodate all modes of travel. With these improvements, the future City of Loveland bike system will provide safe convenient bicycle facilities to go by bicycle from virtually any place to anywhere within the city.

In the next few months, the City of Loveland will add specific projects to its capital plan that were outcomes of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. These projects will be listed with funding and scheduled for construction in the next 10 years.

Meanwhile, be on the lookout for the following bicycle infrastructure projects slated for construction in 2013/2014.

The Madison Avenue Bridge at Greeley-Loveland Canal Project will replace the narrow bridge over the GreeleyLoveland Canal on Madison Avenue

located one-half mile south of US 34 (Eisenhower Boulevard). The new bridge will carry three lanes of traffic over the canal, with bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. This project also will include a bike and pedestrian underpass to allow users of the city’s recreation trail to cross under Madison Avenue rather than dealing with traffic while crossing on the street.

The North Madison Avenue Trail Connector project will include roughly 900 feet of new bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalk on North Madison Avenue just north of 29th Street.

This project is being funded through a Safe Routes to School grant.

Shared-lane use markings (Sharrows) will be installed on Garfield Avenue between 8th Street and US 34 (Eisenhower Boulevard).

For more information about regional bicycle infrastructure, visit www. nfrmpo.org or contact Aaron Fodge at afodge@nfrmpo.org or 970-224-6162.

For those wishing to actively track their bicycle commuting, please register your commute with www.smarttrips.org.

Improve the infrastructure Residents of Fort Collins have the unique opportunity to participate in improving local bicycle infrastructure simply by tracking your rides using the CycleTracks app on your smart phone. Whether you’re an avid cyclist or a fair-weather rider, the routes you choose provide valuable information for future bike projects.

The free CycleTracks app (for Apple or Android) will anonymously log the routes you ride. As a bonus, you’ll be able to review your trips right on your phone. By simply tracking your rides, you will help shape the future of bicycle infrastructure in our community.

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CYCLING TO THE MAX

Pedestrians, bikers and buses share the Mason Corridor

by Claire Thomas

What happens when a pedestrian, a bicyclist and a 60-foot articulated bus share a transit system? In Fort Collins, that means our multi-modal goals have been met! And that is about to happen with the Mason Corridor.

Nearly 17 years ago, community members discussed ways to reduce congestion in Fort Collins. At the time, congestion was something rare, but these forward-thinking residents saw the writing on the wall and encouraged city planners to create a realistic solution.

Capitalizing on a current transit system, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway, planners developed a bold multi-modal system, just feet away from State Highway 287, or College Avenue. By grouping a bus route and bicycle and pedestrian trail on either side of the BNSF tracks, people could use alternate forms of transportation to go north and south, in the heart of Fort Collins.

The vision of the Mason Corridor is to link business, lifestyle and community. This can be accomplished through economic initiatives on Mason Street and College Avenue, from Downtown to south of Harmony, and by providing multi-modal forms of transportation to minimize congestion, improve air quality and provide alternative ways to get around town.

Thanks to a grant from the Federal Transit Administration and local matching funds, a five-mile bus rapid transit system is being built to reduce congestion, and encourage transitoriented development near all of the 12 MAX stations.

So what does MAX have to do with bikes? The system was designed with cyclists in mind! There will be bicycle parking at most of the MAX

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stations, and with platform boarding, you can roll your bicycle right on MAX. There will be space for up to four bicycles on MAX buses.

We like to think of the Mason Corridor as a three-legged chair— MAX bus rapid transit, economic initiatives and the Mason Trail. In 2006, the three-mile Mason Trail opened on the west side of the railroad tracks, providing bicyclists and pedestrians a safe, separated north-south corridor.

Soon, bicyclists and pedestrians will be able to continue north on the Mason Trail at Prospect, with a new crossing signal and crosswalk, and travel on a

lege and beyond. This spring, the Troutman underpass opened, allowing residents another way to cross the railroad tracks safely and stay on the bicycle and pedestrian trails for their commutes.

Right now, the City is investing in another railroad crossing for pedestrians and bicycles. The Spring Creek overpass is under construction behind the Whole Foods Market shopping center. The overpass will connect people from the commercial district and new MAX station on the east side of the tracks to the Mason Trail, federal employment center, residential neighborhoods and CSU’s south campus on the west side.

rendering courtesy of: www.fcgov.com/max/

dedicated trail through CSU’s campus, just east of the MAX guideway, north to Laurel Street. At that point, the trail will merge with the bike facilities and sidewalks on Mason Street through Downtown to the Poudre Trail.

New Connections along Mason Corridor For many years, the neighbors west of Mason and Troutman have requested a pedestrian and bicycle underpass to access businesses along Mason and Col-

The new overpass will be operational by the time MAX service begins in early 2014.

Follow MAX progress The City is excited to have a lot of momentum behind the Mason Corridor; it is slated to be one of the City’s biggest legacy projects, joining City Park, Lincoln Center and the new City Museum of Discovery. We look forward to seeing you on the Mason Corridor! Check it out at www.fcgov.com/mason.

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For a digital version of the Brew Tour 2013, visit rmparent.com

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Longmont Left Hand Brewing 1265 Boston Ave. 303-772-0258

Pateros Creek Brewing Company 242 N. College Ave. 970-368-2739 www.pateroscreekbrewing.com

Oskar Blues 1800 Pike Rd. #B 303-776-1914

Road 34 1213 W. Elizabeth St. 970-491-9934

Pumphouse Brewery 540 Main St. 303-702-0881

www.road34.com

Fort Collins Anheuser Busch 2351 Busch Dr. 970-221-0922 Black Bottle Brewery 1611 S. College Ave. 970-493-2337 www.blackbottlebrewery.com

CB & Potts 1427 W. Elizabeth St. 970-221-5954 www.cbpotts.com

CooperSmiths Pub & Brewing 5 Old Town Square 970-498-0483

Equinox Brewing Company 133 Remington St. 970-484-1368

www.facebook.com/Cranknstein

www.wilburstotalbeverage.com

Fort Collins Brewery 1020 E. Lincoln Ave. 970-472-1499

Loveland Big Beaver Brewing 2707 Eisenhower Blvd. Unit 9 970-818-6064

Funkwerks 1900 E. Lincoln Ave., Unit B 970-482-3865

Grimm Brothers Brewhouse 547 N. Denver Ave. 970-624-6045

Hops and Berries 125 Remington St. 970-493-2484

Loveland Ale Works 118 W. 4th St. 970-619-8726

New Belgium Brewery 500 Linden St. 970-221-0524

Rock Bottom Brewery 6025 Sky Pond Dr. 970-622-2077

www.coopersmithspub.com

Cranknstein 215 N. College Ave. 970-818-7025

Wilbur’s Total Beverage 2201 S. College Ave. 970-226-8662

Odell Brewing Company 800 E. Lincoln Ave. 970-498-9070 www.odellbrewing.com

Greeley Crabtree Brewing 625 3rd St. #D 970-356-0516 Pitcher’s Brewery & Sport Shack 2501 11th Ave. 970-353-3393 Windsor High Hops at the Windsor Gardener 6461 State Highway 392 970-686-7771 www.highhops.net

www.rockbottom.com

Verboten Brewing 1550 Taurus Ct. 970-988-6333

Estes Park Estes Park Brewery 470 Prospect Village Dr. 970-586-5421 Berthoud City Star Brewing 321 Mountain Ave. 970-532-7827

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Check out the Bike Library LOCATION & HOURS April 5 is the season grand opening.

Café Bicyclette (the kiosk space in Old Town Square) will continue to serve as bike-love headquarters, with the garage at 222 Laporte used for maintenance and as a checkout station by appointment. After-hours returns are available at Cranknstein, the Fort Collins Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, and Café Bicyclette.

EXPANDED SERVICE The FCBL will be open every day of the week. Once the volunteer program is well established, the FCBL will expand hours according to staff availability.

For the love of bikes Bike Library gets a boost from the community

by Stacy Sebeczek

Do you ever wonder what your life would be like without a bicycle? Imagine your very first ride on two wheels and the fear-turned-satisfaction-turned-love that ensued.

Love may be nurtured in so many ways. Perhaps you and your trusty steed have bonded throughout a soul-searching intra-continental tour, or maybe you’ve fallen deeply for one another through the consistent miles you’ve shared while commuting each day. If you’re a new cyclist, you might be bursting with honeymoon love, having just successfully navigated the streets of your hometown on two wheels.

At the Fort Collins Bike Library (FCBL) people fall in love every day. From toddlers to adults, novices to seasoned riders, those who are using Fort Collins’ bike sharing program have an opportunity to borrow a bike when they might not otherwise have access to one.

It is easy to forget what it takes to keep the FCBL running all season long.

Without love the FCBL becomes depleted and can no longer give love back. However, love prevails! Just as a major grant was set to expire at the end of 2012, supporters

poured donations and volunteer hours into the increasingly popular program. Of the $120,000 needed to continue to operate the FCBL, a patchwork of funding has come about from various sources: The City of Fort Collins allocated $80,000 for each of the next two years as well as the storage space at 222 Laporte Ave; The Downtown Development Authority donated the kiosk space in Old Town Square; a Community Funded fundraising campaign raised $10,000; and New Belgium Brewing donated an additional $10,000.

Just when the Bike Library needed a little love, the community gave it. With capital and in-kind donations, the FCBL team will operate the bike sharing program with improvements to the customer experience.

BIKES Walk-ins are free but you can reserve a bike ahead of time for $10 per bike.

Yours for up to three days.

DONATE YOUR BIKE Need to free up some space in your garage? The FCBL accepts donations of gently used bikes, bike racks and bike accessories.

COMMUNITY Much more than a lending service, the FCBL is a hub for bike advocacy and visitor information. Partnering businesses enjoy the cross-promotion, while customers appreciate the bountiful resources and knowledgeable volunteers.

New this year is an educational outreach opportunity program organized by, for select schools and special interest groups. Interested? Apply for a personalized bike safety presentation and introduction to cycling using FCBL bikes!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Are you between the ages of 9 and 90?

Be a FCBL Bike Librarian! Choose from a variety of roles: kiosk staffing, bike maintenance, bike fitting, and helping at events. For more information, visit www.fcbikelibrary.org.

For additional information, contact: information@fcbikelibrary.org, or visit www.fcbikelibrary.org.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BAR-BARIANZ

Make it made-in-NoCo

Local bicycle-industry companies form an alliance

By Dee Wanger

There’s an exciting new synergy among more than 20 local bike industry companies. These companies manufacture custom bikes or trailers; nutrition bars; bamboo, urban, children’s and mountain bikes; shock absorption systems; convertible panniers; bike-rack security systems; bicycle-themed house wares; handlebar lights; comfortable supportive apparel; or first-of-its-kind motorized trailers that push bikes. Together they are establishing the Fort Collins Bicycle Industry Alliance (FCBIA).

Through collaborative marketing activities, including tradeshow participation and a shared website, FCBIA aims to increase its reach in northern Colorado and beyond, and ultimately, its economic impact.

With involvement of competing companies, FCBIA members demonstrate the power of cooperation and collaboration. Check out these local manufacturers.

Bar-Barianz 970-217-5681, www.Bar-Barianz.com Bar-Barianz bicycle lights are happy blinking monsters for your bike. Eight different monsters contain a dual-mode super bright

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late any wheel size and style of riding into a beautiful high-performance bicycle that will last a lifetime.

Boo Bicycles LED light that will strobe or pulsate a rainbow of colors. Bar-Barianz will put a smile on your face and light up the night.

Big Shot Bikes 970-775-1233, www.bigshotbikes.com Big Shot Bikes specializes in made-toorder fixed gear and single-speed bikes.

Using the unique customization tool on the Web site, customers are able to design their very own bike, choosing everything from the color of the chain to the style of handlebars. With millions of color combinations to choose from, 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. We stand out in this flock with our signature aesthetic and ground breaking designs. Tuned race machines to all-terrain phat bikes, it is easy to see that Black Sheep can trans-

515-554-9226, www.boobicycles.com Boo Bicycles specializes in highperformance bamboo-carbon fiber hybrid bikes for on road and off. Every Boo is 100 percent custom. They are designed by Princeton mechanical engineer and professional racer Nick Frey and hand built by master craftsman James Wolf from the very highest quality bamboo in the world.

287 Bikes carversurfracks@yahoo.com A creative fabricator, Orlando Baker started dabbling into bikes in the early ‘90s 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.

CycleTote Bicycle Trailers 800-747-2407, 970-482-2401 www.cycletote.com CycleTote Bicycle Trailers, a Colorado company, builds lightweight, nimble trailers

as well as larger heavy-duty bicycle trailers.

Riders can safely carry children, pets or cargo in hand-crafted aluminum bike trailers. An optional automatic braking system enables control on downhills, providing one of the safest ways to navigate descents.

Jett Mountain Bikes 866-630-7561, www.jettmtb.com We’re Riders. We live to ride, ride to live.

Every waking moment we dream of the last trail ridden, the perfect downhill. We climb to descend and descend for speed. We’re driven by innovation and dedicated to developing Rider-proven mountain bike gear.

Meetsauce Cycles 970-581-6692, www.meetsaucecycles.com Taylor, at Meetsauce, has been 

PHOTO COURTESY OF YIPSAN BICYCLES

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACK SHEEP

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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.

frame material yields a supple yet responsive frame that is a joy to ride whether you are doing a leasurely ride on the bike trails or hitting the road for a challenging tour... and everything in between. Go Far. Do Good.

Niner Bikes

Ridekick International

1-877-NINER92, www.ninerbikes.com Founded in southern California and now based in Fort Collins, Colorado, 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.

877-974-4440, www.ridekick.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.

Panda Bicycles 970-372-2123, www.pandabicycles.com Panda Bicycles specializes in hand-crafting 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

Swobo Bicycles and Apparel 970-219-3166, www.swobo.com 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.

Yendra Built 970-430-6505, www.yendrabuilt.com At YendraBuilt, they dream, design, and fabricate functional works of art.

They can take your needs and ideas and turn them into reality. From a trike designed for delivering kegs to a custom built jockey box for serving beer, YendraBuilt specializes in many unique commercial and residential jobs.

YiPsan Bicycles 970-672-0168, www.YiPsanbicycles.com YiPsan Bicycles was conceived by Renold Yip to continue the craft of framebuilding by single person workshop. YiPsan’s goal is to integrate modern fitting concept, frame tubing and components with traditional building skills. YiPsan builds road, cross, track, touring and off road bicycles and specializes in steel.

Pick up your FREE copy today!

Northern Colorado’s Favorite Parenting Magazine.

visit us online at:

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ClimateWise Benefits Business

S

ometimes, a million doesn’t seem like a very big number. But for ClimateWise partners, a million is a big deal. And 59 million is an even bigger deal. That’s how many dollars business partners in the City of Fort Collins’ voluntary program saved since its inception in 2000. In 2011 alone, partners collectively saved more than $13 million.

“These numbers say a lot about the ClimateWise business partners,” said Kathy Collier, ClimateWise Program Manager. “It shows that what we’re doing is working and it’s making a difference for our partners and our community.”

Those numbers are being noticed throughout the country. Natural Capitalism Solutions, based in Longmont and founded by sustainability expert L. Hunter Lovins, recognized ClimateWise as a best practice program. Harvard University presented its Top 50 Innovative Government Program award to the program. ClimateWise is also a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Local Government Innovation award from the Alliance for Innovation, which is an “international network of progressive governments and partners committed to transforming local government by accelerating the development and dissemination of innovations.”

The ClimateWise program model is making a difference in other communities as well. Durango developed its Four Core program based on it. Aspen, Vail and Park City, UT modeled their Save Our Snow program on ClimateWise. Both the University of Chicago and CSU have student research programs in place that are exploring the program model.

Even the State of New Mexico has embraced ClimateWise assessment materials in its Green Zia Environmental Leadership Program. Michelle Vattano, past Pollution Prevention Coordinator stated, “...we contacted ClimateWise and found it to have a very successful program...we’re using some program assessment materials ClimateWise shared so we can improve and expand recruitment of businesses and adopt pollution prevention and waste minimization practices.”

As the numbers grow, so too does the success of ClimateWise. And to its business partners whose efforts and ingenuity make those numbers possible, Fort Collins says, “Thanks a million!”

ClimateWise Reductions By The Millions ELIMINATE THE EMISSIONS Reduction of 149,000 metric tons of Co2e is approximately equivalent to: • 13 million trees planted or • 2 million fewer vehicular round trips between Fort Collins and Denver or • 176,000 fewer round trip airline flights between Denver and New York or • Removing 23,000 vehicles off the road this year or • Taking 452,000 60-Watt light bulbs (burning 24 hours a day) out of service EVERY DROP COUNTS Since 2000, 9 billion gallons of water have been saved which is the same as: • The water use of 13,000 homes (over the same period) • Filling City Park pool 42,000 times

BRIGHT IDEAS Cumulative electric energy savings since 2000 equals 586,000,000 kWh, which is the same approximate usage of 6,300 homes (over the same period).

IT’S A GAS From 2000 through 2011, 14,600,000 therms of natural gas energy have been saved: approximately equivalent to the amount of natural gas consumed by 1,900 homes.

DARE TO DIVERT 254,000 tons of waste has been diverted from the landfill in the past 12 years. That’s the approximate weight of 18,000 Transfort city buses.

- PA I D A D V E R T I S E M E N TBicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Roll with the crowd Riders of all stripes pull together to make this a great place to pedal Find your fit. Whether you pedal for fun, fitness, competition, commuting or the great social network, you can discover a group that supports you. So jump in and roll with the crowd.

Belle Starrs is an all-women bicycle club in Fort Collins that strives to capture the spirit of the Women on Wheels and inspire each other. The mission is to bring together women who love bikes, organize group rides to show their strength as women and silliness as girls, give back to the community, find group volunteer opportunities, and provide a forum to make connections for biking. www.the bellestarrs.wordpress.com.

Bicycle Advisory Committee is a subcommittee of the Transportation Board.

The Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) reviews bicycle plans for capital improvements, provides recommendations to the Transportation Board regarding bicycle policies and prioritizes Bike Plan recommendations. All meetings are open to the public; regular meetings are the second Monday of every month at 6pm in the Community Room at 215 North Mason. www.fcgov.com/bac.

Bicycle Ambassador Program is a partnership between the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC) and the City of Fort Collins, FC Bikes. The Bicycle Ambassador Program has several components to encourage people to ride their bikes and share the road lawfully and safely in both Fort Collins and Loveland. Programs include educational outreach to children, youth and families, college students, and adults. In addition, Neighborhood Open Garages are a monthly opportunity to plan routes and learn basic bike repair.

The Community Patrol encourages and rewards safe-cycling behavior, and courte-

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

ously educates cyclists. www.bicycle ambassadorprogram.org.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC), through education and encouragement, works to reduce the number of motor vehicle/bicycle/pedestrian crashes in our communities, and increase knowledge and awareness about how to safely share the road. The coalition works to increase the number of bicycle riders and pedestrians in the community. The BPEC members include bicycle advocacy groups, nonprofit agencies, state and local governments, school districts, youth, parents and teachers. www.bpeclarimer.org.

The Bike Co-op’s mission is Building Community Through Bicycling. They provide tools and expertise to learn how to fix your own bike, bike-safety education, earn-a-bike, and bikes for Ghana.

They also launched a Trips4Kids chapter in 2012. The Co-op accepts donations of anything bike related. The sale of low-cost bikes and parts helps pay their rent. www.fcbikecoop.org.

Bike Fort Collins is a local nonprofit bicycle advocacy group, which encour-

ages safe and enjoyable cycling. Led by involved and dedicated cyclists, their goal is to encourage an enthusiastic bicycling community through FUNdamental programs that educate, engage and thus enable cyclists of all ages and abilities. Some of BFC projects include the FC Bike Library, Safe Routes to School, the Vintage Bicycle Museum Without Walls and the Community Cycling School. For more details on these projects or to get involved with BFC visit our website. Look for the BFC booth at community events. www.bikefortcollins.org.

BikeWise (Linking northern Colorado) is the regional extension of the City of Fort Collins’ bike program. BikeWise strives to create a bicycle-friendly region, so that, no matter what city or town you travel in, bicycle safety and accessibility will be a priority. Also, BikeWise encourages connections among communities throughout the region to share best bicycle planning practices with respect to infrastructure and facilities and to provide consistent bicycle-safety education and promotion throughout northern Colorado. www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Overland Mountain Bike Club promotes mountain biking by providing education and assistance to all trail users, and by working to build and maintain quality, sustainable trails that enhance the mountain-biking experience. Overland hosts an array of fun events, group rides, and volunteer events. www.overlandmtb.org.

CSU Rams Cycling Club is open to all students. Whether or not you have raced before the club is happy to get you on your bike and rolling. Their goal is to get more students on bikes, so if you don’t want to race you can meet them for their group rides. www.ramscycling.com.

From April to October they have a regularly scheduled ride on Tuesday evenings.

They also have special weekend rides and informal “Show & Go” rides throughout the year. They’re incredibly friendly; please join them for a ride soon! Visit their website at www.fccycleclub.org.

Epic BMX supports bicycle motocross (BMX) racing at the ABA-sanctioned track in south Fort Collins. The organization sponsors races on Thursday evening and Saturday mornings. They also conduct BMX skills clinics. Sanctioned by USABMX. ABA membership required. www.epicbmxfc.com.

The Fort Collins Velo Park Association’s vision is to help to create a world-class Velo Park for our community’s educational, recreational, fitness, and competitive cyclists to enjoy and support. It will be open to people of all ages and abilities and, through effective programming, will make efficient use of its wide variety of courses. It could be designed with and for environmental and economic sustainability by local design professionals to attract individual, family and group riders from the region, nation, and world for healthy year-round fun. Visit them at www.fcvelo.org.

FC Bikes is the City of Fort Collins’ bicycle program. FC Bikes staff act as the liaison for all bicycle-related questions in our community. FC Bikes promotes a safe bicycling community through collaboration with communities in northern Colorado, city departments, and local bicycle organizations. Safe cycling is promoted through programming and infrastructure; staff implements continuous improvements in existing education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement and evaluation. www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

Fort Collins Cycling Club is for beginning road cyclists and experienced riders who enjoy century rides and challenging climbs on our gorgeous mountain roads.

You will find numerous riding opportunities with the Fort Collins Cycling Club.

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Northern Colorado Cycling Events (NCCE) is a loose board of promoters, managers and other leaders in the local competitive cycling community. They 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 their efforts.

They strive to develop northern Colorado’s profile as a premiere-racing scene at every level from grassroots though international events. www.YourGroupRide.com.

P.E.D.A.L. (Peoples’ Efforts to De-emphasize Autos in Loveland) began on Earth Day in 1970 and is still educating the public on bicycle-related issues and organizing group rides. The group’s diverse members represent every type of northern Colorado cyclist. www.pedalclub.org.

Safe Routes to School is a nationwide effort to encourage students to walk or bike to school by addressing the safety risks associated with walking and riding a bike. In 1969, 50 percent of all schoolchildren walked or rode a bike to school, but by 2005 that number was down to just 15 percent. The Fort Collins SRTS program brings bike-ped safety instruction into local schools and is building a cadre of PE teachers and volunteer trainers to provide SRTS instruction to 11,000 K-12 students annually. www.fcgov.com/saferoutes.

Team B.O.B., also known as 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 does trail maintenance and cycling-related community events. www.coteambob.com.

Velo-One Cycling of Colorado wants to build a supportive and friendly riding, racing, and social environment for all to enjoy, from seasoned racers to new recreational riders. Their goal is to put together a club where members know each other, ride together, race together, and share the common bond of cycling. Velo-One is under re-development and is seeking individuals who are interested in leadership roles.

Visit the website for up-to-date membership and ride details. www.velo-one.com.

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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THE 2013 Bicycling

Calendar Tuesday, April 23 Lunch & Learn Presentation: Enjoy Your Bike, Wheel to Wheel Learn how to make your workplace more bike-friendly. Snacks provided. RSVP to info@bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Sponsored by the Bicycle Ambassador Program. Location TBA. 11:30am-1pm. www.bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Wednesday, April 24 Pedal for Pizza Ride your bike and be rewarded for your efforts. Help to create an environmentally sustainable campus and safe cycling environment.

Sponsored by the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee and Bicycle Ambassador Program. CSU, Meridian Ave & University Ave., FC. 12-2pm. www.bicycle.colostate.edu or www. bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Wednesday, April 24 Neighborhood Open Garage Open bike garage, music, refreshments and giveaways. Sponsored by the Bicycle Ambassador Program. City of Fort Collins Bicycle Library, 222 Laporte Ave., FC. 5:30-7:30pm. www. bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

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Thursday, April 25 Alternative Transportation Fair The CSU campus encourages students to consider driving less and walking, biking and busing more. Learn more about options on and around campus. Lory Student Center Plaza, CSU, FC. 10am2pm. www.bicycle.colostate.edu Saturday, April 27 Friends of Lory Trails Day, Trail Maintenance and Improvements at Lory State Park. Sponsored by Overland Mountain Bike Club in partnership with Lory State Park. 8:30am to 3:00pm. Lunch provided! Lory State Park, FC. 8:30am-3pm. Information and Registration at http://overlandmtb. org, www.overlandmtb.org or www. bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Belle Starrs’ 3rd Annual Spring Fling Disco Rodeo! Dancing and fun.

Live music. 7pm. Bar SS, 3311 W. County Rd. 54G, Laporte, CO. www. bicycleambassadorprogram.org.

Saturday, May 11 Poudre Trail-athlon Discover the Poudre Trail on this selfpaced morning of fun with nine event

stations. Sponsored by Poudre River Trail Corridor. Poudre Learning Center, 83 Ave. & F St., GR. 9am-12pm.

336-4044 or www.poudretrail.org.

Sunday, May 19 Community Classic Bike Tour 10- 30-, 37- & 62-mile ride options.

Benefits Stepping Stones Adult Day Program at McKee. McKee Medical Center, 2000 Boise Ave., LV. 6:30am.

Register at 970-203-2519 or www.McKeeFoundation.com Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23 Glendo State Park Grand Opening Ceremony and Campout Help work on the trail. Ride after.

Overland Mountain Bike Club. 8am.

430-5336 or www.overlandmtb.org.

Wednesday, June 26 26th Annual Bike to Work Day, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland Ride your bike to work and receive a free breakfast at any one of the breakfast stations. 6:30-9:30am. www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

970-416-0417

New & Vintage Bicycles • Sales & Service 105 EAST MYRTLE • FORT COLLINS

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Thursday, June 27 Downtown Bike Show Sponsored by FC Bikes. Location TBA. 6-8pm. 970-416-2411 or www. fcgov. com/bicycling.

Friday, June 28 Bike n’ Jazz Sponsored by FC Bikes. Location TBA. 6-8pm. 970-416-2411 or www.fcgov. com/bicycling.

Saturday, June 29 The 3rd annual “40 in the Fort” Endurance Mountain Bike Race Experience one of the Front Range’s toughest mountain bike races. 40 miles, nearly 9000 vertical feet of lung-busting, leg-searing climbs and grin inducing descents. Once again we will be holding the regular two-lap, 40-mile individual race and the Just for Fun team race where a team of two riders can ride one 20-mile lap each simultaneously.

Either race is a great test of your physical endurance, mental toughness and mountain bike skills. The race benefits Overland Mountain Bike Club, the premier mountain bike advocacy organization for northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. Visit www. overlandmtb.org for more info.

Downtown Bike Show June 27, 6-8pm Bike ‘n Jazz June 28, 6-8pm Traffic Skills 101 July 13, 8am-4pm

Ride the Rockiees June 8-15

Damn Double Dam Time Trials July 4-25, 5:30pm City Streets Crit July 2-30, 5-7:30 Taft Hill Time Trial Series June 4-25, 5:30pm Lory Mountain Bike Challenge August 6-27, 4:30pm 10th Annual Bike-in Cinema August 29-September 19

Friday-Sunday, July 19-21 6th Annual Curt Gowdy Campout.

Help work on the trail. Ride after.

Overland Mountain Bike Club. Noon.

430-5336 or www.overlandmtb.org.

Saturday, August 24 Poudre River Trail Challenge Take this 3-mile Challenge obstacle course run. LOTS of water and MUD are involved! For kids, families and those not feeling as adventurous there will also be music, games, activities, and prizes.

Island Grove Regional Park, 11th Ave & D Street, GR, 8-11am. $15. Sponsored

by Poudre River Trail Corridor. 3364044 or www.poudretrail.org.

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Thursday, August 29 Bike-in Movies Aug. 29 –Sept 19 on Thursdays. Movies start at dark. New Belgium, 500 Linden St., FC. 221-0524 or www.newbelgium.com.

Saturday, August 31 Tour de Fat Bicycle parade and festival. New Belgium, 500 Linden St., FC. 221-0524 or www.newbelgium.com.

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Sunday, September 8 Cross of the North Cyclocross Race The Cross of the North returns to northern Colorado for its 3rd year.

Contact Timothy Lynch, Race Director at Cubiclex@gmail.com.

Sunday, September 22 5th Annual Ram Bicycle Classic Four rides including a 101-mile, metriccentury, half-metric-century, & family cruiser ride. Post-ride party. Sponsored

by CSU GSSE program. CSU Campus, FC. 6:30am for long rides. 9am for cruiser ride. www.rambicycleclassic.org.

Saturday, September 28 Stone Temple 8 Mountain Bike Race Race at Curt Gowdy State Park, WY. Overland Mountain Bike Club. 7am.

430-5336 or www.overlandmtb.org.

Saturday-Sunday, October 12-13 USGP of Cyclocross National cyclocross races. Kids clinic and races. Races at 5757 S. College Ave., FC. www.yourgroupride.com Wednesday, December 4 Bike Lunch Talk Sponsored by FC Bikes. Home State Bank, 303 E. Mountain Ave., FC. 121pm. 970-416-2411 or www.fcgov.com/ bicycling.

Friday, December 6 Light up the Night Sponsored by FC Bikes. 6-8pm. 970416-2411 or www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

Wednesday, December 11 Winter Bike to Work Day, Fort Collins Ride your bike to work and receive a free breakfast at any one of the breakfast stations. 7-9am. www.fcgov.com/ bicycling.

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Regular Rides

Paseos regulares

Mondays

Team Peloton Ride 1-1.5 hours, recovery/social ride. Peleton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 6pm.

449-5595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Tuesdays

Tuesday Ride 10-15 miles. Entry level (10/12 mph) with intermediate (15/20 mph) options.

No drops. Post-ride get-together. Fort Collins Cycling Club. Location TBD, FC. 6-8pm. www.fccycleclub.org.

TTH Ride A hard paced year-long ride. 1-1.5 hours.

This is a friendly ride, but it’s a full-drop, no-waiting ride. Peloton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 11:07am. 970-4495595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Womens Road Ride 1+ hours. Easy, no-drop ride. Peleton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 4495595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Club Peloton Ride Moderate training ride. Peleton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 6pm. 4495595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Wednesdays

Wednesday Singletrack Social Come out and join us for a fun ride and post-ride get together. All skill levels are welcome. April 3-24 . Overland Mountain Bike Club. Spring Canyon Park, 2626 W. Horsetooth Rd., FC. 5:45-7:30pm. www.overlandmtb.org.

TOWN Ride Designed to focus on developing skills and confidence for new or prospective racers. The TOWN Ride is led by experienced local racers and is inclusive of many experience levels and speeds.

Though we can’t guarantee “no drop”, we make an effort to stick together. Come out to sharpen your chops in a friendly, supportive environment. Peloton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5:30pm. 970449-5595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Peloton on Zeigler and Harmony. 5:30pm.

Overland Mountain Bike Club Social Ride Fun rides for riders of all levels. Join us.

We always socialize afterward. These rides are weather dependent. Don’t forget to bring a helmet and a positive attitude! Meet at Maxwell Natural Area Parking Area, FC. 6-8:30pm. www. overlandmtb.org.

Mountain Bike Ride 1-1.5 hours. Shuttle provided. JJ’s, 4015 S. Taft Rd., FC. 5:30pm. 449-5595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

Mountain Bike Ride 1.5 hours. No drop. Meet at Peloton Cycles, 1310 E. Eisenhower Blvd., LV. 5:30pm. 970-669-5595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

ProVelo Ride Fast pace. A-AX rie. Slower-pace option.

ProVelo Bike Shop, 100 E. Foothills Pkwy. FC. 5pm. Fort Collins Cycling Team, 204-9935. www.provelobikes.com.

Wednesday Worlds Ride Fast, mostly flat. Mountain Vista Dr. and eastern I-25 Frontage Road, FC, 5:30pm, info@yourgroupride.com, www. yourgroupride.com.

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Ride | 41

Thursdays

Thursday Night Road Rides 20-25 miles. Moderate pace, beginners welcome. Spokes, 1530-C Main St., Windsor. 5:30pm. 686-9275 or www. spokesinc.com or www.facebook.com/ SpokesBicycles.

TTH Ride A hard paced year-long ride. 1-1.5 hours.

This is a friendly ride, but it’s a full-drop, no-waiting ride. Peloton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 11:07am. 970-4495595 or www.peloton-cycles.com.

101 Beginner Road Rides 1+ hours. Easy, no-drop ride. Peleton Store, 3027 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5:30pm. 449-5595 or www.pelotoncycles.com.

Fridays

Beer & Bike Tours Multi-day bicycle tours leaving from Fort Collins. Some variations. See website for specifics. 970-201-1085 or http://beerandbiketours.com/tourscalendar.html.

Saturdays

Saturday Rides Road and Mountain Bike rides. Check at the shop for times and locations. Spokes, 1530-C Main St., Windsor. Times vary.

686-9275 or www.spokesinc.com or www.facebook.com/SpokesBicycles.

Ladies Only Bicycle Association Different theme at each meeting. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. ProVelo Saturday Rides Moderate to very fast pace. Group splits by ability. Fort Collins Cycling Team.

ProVelo, 100 E. Foothills Pkwy., FC. 9-12am in summer; 10am in winter.

204-9935 or www.provelobikes.com.

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The Oval Bring your A game to the CSU Oval!

When this ride reaches it’s maximum distance of 80 miles, it has it all from flat crosswind sections, rollers, power climbs, to the long grinds. Meet at the CSU Oval, FC. 10am-2:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

Sundays

Rio Base Mile Rides 2-3 hours. Mid-level. No drop. October through April. Rio Grande Restaurant, 149 W. Mountain, FC. 10:30am. teamriomanager@gmail.com.

Mountain Bike Ride 1.5-hour ride. No drop. Meet at Peloton Cycles, 1310 E. Eisenhower Blvd., LV. 8:30am. 669-5595 or www.pelotoncycles.com.

Race Series

Series de Carreras

Tuesdays

Horsetooth Time Trial Series April 2-30. Individual time trial open to all ages and abilities. North Taft & 287 Under the Overpass, FC. 5:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

New Belgium Brewery Short Track Series May 7-28. Mountain bike races for all ages. New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden St., FC. 4:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

Taft Hill Time Trial Series June 4-25. Individual time trial open to all ages and abilites. N. Taft & 287 Under the Overpass, FC. 5:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

City Streets Criterium Series and Healthy Kids Bike Challenge July 2-30 and August 24. This classic crit series for racers of all ages and experience levels runs 5 Tuesdays in July, and may culminate in a race-day event for youth only on the finishing enclosure of the USA Pro Cycling finish in Old Town Fort Collins. Kids series podium awards will be held on the actual USAPC podium in front of thousands of excited bike racing fans! Each week of the series features several age- and experience-based races, safety and skills clinics, and bike maintenance stations.

Volunteers and citizen-racers welcome.

Fort Collins Streets Department, Lemay and Vine Dr., FC. 5-7:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

Visit YourGroupRide.com for more info.

Lory State Park Mountain Bike Series August 6-27. Mountain bike racing for all ages. Lory State Park, FC. 4:30pm. www.yourgroupride.com.

Crazy Joe Cross Series September 3-24. www.yourgroupride.com.

Fort Collins Cyclocross Race Series October 1-22. Cyclocross races for all ages. New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden, FC. 4:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

Thursdays

Damn Double Dam Time Trials July 4-25. Individual time trial open to all ages and abilities. Overland Trail & Stadium Hill, FC. 5:30pm. www. yourgroupride.com.

Sundays

6th Annual Races at the CSU Oval June 2-23. All ages and abilities are welcome. Volunteers and citizen-racers are welcome. CSU Oval, FC. 4-7pm.

970-484-3297 or www.fcvelo.org.

education | encouragement | enforcement | engineering | evaluation

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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Classes

fixing a f lat, changing your bike tube and getting back on the go. REI, 4025 S. College Ave., FC. 9:30-11am.

970-223-0123 or www.rei.com.

Basic Bicycle Maintenance Class Last Wednesday of each month. Lee’s Cyclery, 4880 Thompson Pkwy, LV. 5-6pm. www.leescyclery.com.

B.I.K.E. Camp, Beginner & Intermediate Mondays-Fridays, June-August Learn basic road rules, safe riding strategies, emergency skills, bike handling skills and drills, nutrition and hydration, and bike maintenance in this fun camp! Recreational riding will take place along the Poudre and Spring Creek trails. You’ll get your own safety pack and tool kit.

6-10 years, beginner; 11-14 years, Intermediate. 8:30am-12:30pm.

Sponsored by FC Bikes, the Bike Co-op, Boys & Girls club and City of Fort Collins Recreation. 224-6032. www.fcgov.com/bicycling. June 3-7, Northside Aztlan Center; June 10-14, EPIC; June 17-21, Spring Canyon Park; June 24-28, Fossil Creek Park; July 8-12, Fossil Ridge HS Track; July 22-26, EPIC; July 29-August 2, Rolland Moore Park.

Clases

Traffic Skills 101 for Cyclists Second Saturdays: May, July, September, November. Eight-hour course covers bicycle safety checks, fixing a f lat, on-bike skills and crashavoidance techniques. Classroom and hands-on instruction. Sponsored by FC Bikes and Safe Routes to School.

Ages 15+. Free. Lunch provided.

Location TBA. 8am-4pm. 970-4162411 or www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

Saturday, March 30 Hands-On Bike Maintenance: Fix A Flat We have all had it happen, riding along the trail and now your tire is f lat. In this hands-on class our bike techs will share tips and tricks for

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Friday-Sunday, September 13-15 League Cycling Instructor Course Instructors will be certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach bicycle safety. Space is limited to 16. Sponsored by FC Bikes. 970416-2411 or www.fcgov.com/bic Sunday, December 8 Winter Cycling Skills 101 Classroom and hands-on instruction.

Free. Sponsored by FC Bikes.

Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 2-5pm. 970-4162411 or www.fcgov.com/bicycling.

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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TAKE A FREE RIDE

Improve health, save money, reduce stress and love the earth

By Kim Sharpe

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Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

a car or suffer another kind of crash. I say there’s an inherent risk in everything we do.

From the moment we get out of bed each morning, we become vulnerable to experience one kind of mishap or another. Driving around wrapped in a steel cage can be just as dangerous as pedaling along without the false sense of protection it may offer.

I’d rather wear a bike helmet and practice safe cycling, because to me, nothing is more liberating than moving along under my own power.

Bicycle commuting frees me from the stress of traffic woes. A recent study

by Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute concludes that nationwide, motorists spend an average of 38 hours a year stuck in traffic.

Multiply those 38 hours by an average of 60 years of driving and we can deduce that the average motorist spends almost 100 days of their life going nowhere. Riding my bike frees me from wasting part of my existence snarled in traffic, and it gives me free time to process, reflect and clear my head at the end of each day. I say riding my bike is much cheaper than therapy.

In addition to suffering less from mental health issues related to stress, bicycling frees me from struggling with physical health issues related to inactivity. Just getting to and from work each day provides me with more than the recommended daily amount of exercise. To that I say, ride on! *Taken from an inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York City.

The mountain is high The valley is low And you’re confused on which way to go So I’ve come here to give you a hand And lead you into the promised land So...come on and take a free ride.

Much thanks to the Edgar Winter Group for these inspiring words.

©Robinson Noble

When I ride my bike, I’m free. Free to enjoy fresh air, nature and movement my body craves.

I commute to work by bike almost every day of the year, an average of 15 miles round trip. Some would say dealing with the elements costs me time and frustration or perhaps looking presentable when I arrive at my office. Because just like the postman, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays me from the swift completion of my appointed rounds.* When it’s sunny and warm, commuting is relatively uncomplicated. When there’s snow or ice on the roads and trails, I dress in layers – much like when I ski or enjoy other outdoor winter activities – and change into work attire as necessary. I also use extra caution and allow more time as I navigate my routes (but I would do that even if I were driving a motor vehicle). When the wind blows, I hope it’s at my back and when it isn’t, I welcome the added resistance as it provides a better workout. So, I say the elements add a free dose of adventure to the daily grind and hairstyles are overrated.

Commuting by bike frees me from paying high fuel and motor vehicle maintenance costs. A Forbes magazine article reports, “The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308, compared to $8,220 for the average car.” That means I’m free from earning an extra $7,912 per year just to get around. Or it means I’m free to spend those earnings in more meaningful ways.

Riding my bike frees me from guilt associated with not being kind to Mother Nature. The League of American Bicyclists states that, “a short four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air.” Based on this estimate, my daily commute keeps almost 60 pounds of pollutants out of the air. I say, breathe deep.

Some argue that biking won’t be free and I may not breathe again if I get hit by

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado

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48 | Ride

Bicycling guide to northern Colorado