Bike Fort Collins

Whether you are new to Fort Collins or just visiting, this page contains a lot of information for the visiting cyclist, for newcomers to town and for newcomers to cycling in the Fort.
 

If the truth be known, people are bicycling all over this town, on surrounding county roads and on single track trails in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.  In short, this is a Bike Town with a capital “B.”  That’s in part, anyway, why Outside Magazine declared Fort Collins one of the “top ten American dream towns” in August 2005.
 

Fort Collins is also the recipient of the League of American Bicyclists' (LAB) silver medal award as a bicycle friendly community.  One of twelve communities nationwide to hold this distinction (five others hold gold or platinum level awards), Fort Collins increased bike trips to work from 1990 to 2000 by 100%  (compared to Platinum award winning Davis, CA which saw its bike trips to work drop by 25% during that same time frame). 
 

Reality is, however, that promotion of bicycling and bicycle tourism in Fort Collins is in disarray as the city tries to understand the importance of lifestyle and quality of life in the 21^st century. 
 

The City’s Bicycle Coordinator position was nearly eliminated during a budget crisis in the fall of 2005.  Indeed, the position had been frozen for 18 months before City Council voted to fund a half-time coordinator in response to requests from bicycle activists.  The entire alternative transportation program (SmartTrips) was cut completely at the same time and is currently being phased out.  
 

But don’t let this stop you!  Fort Collins is an extraordinary place to ride a bike and we’ve put this site up to help our half-time bike coordinator, our local Chamber of Commerce and our local Convention and Visitors Bureau provide you with the information you need to get cycling in the Fort!
 

Local Bike Clubs and Information about Cycling

• CiclismoRacing
• Fort Collins Cycling Club 
• North Front Range Bicyclists' Coalition
• Peak to Pub Bicycling Club (they have great ride maps; see this one for one of the best rides in Fort Collins)
• Team BOB (Babes on Bikes for women)
• Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol
• Fort Collins Velodrome (we don't have one yet, but we're working on it!)

Bicycle Tours in Fort Collins

• New World Sports (rents mountain bikes and leads tours locally)
   

Fort Collins Bike Shops

• Brave New Wheel (Local service and bikes)
• Damn Yankee Bicycle (Local, friendly, bike service specialists)
• Full Cycle (NEW in Oldtown!)
• Hilleman's Bike Shop (locally owned and operated)
• Lee's Cyclery  (Fort Collins local bike shop, since 1963!)
• Perfect Circle Cyclery (door-to-door service)
• Performance Bicycle
• The Phoenix Cyclery (Serotta Certified Advanced Fitting Experts)
• Recycled Cycles Bicycles and Fitness  (rentals and sales)
• Road 34 (mountain bike specialists)
• REI Fort Collins
• Single Track Mind
• Spring Creek Recumbent Bicycles
• The Cycologist 

Bicycle Cafes

• The Bean Cycle (in Oldtown)
• Road 34 (Bike Bar)

Bicycle Collective

• The Bike Co-Op 

Would you like a bicycle with that Hotel Room?

• The Armstrong Hotel 

Bike to Beer?

• Coopersmith's Pub and Brewing 
• Fort Collins Brewery 
• New Belgium Brewing
• Odell Brewing Company 

City Parks, Trails and Maps

• List of City Parks Bike Trails Larimer County Parks and Open Lands 
• Maps of City Bikeways

Road Rides in the Area

• See Peak to Pub Bicycle Club route maps 

Mountain Bike Rides in the Area

• Larimer County Parks and Open Space
• Lory State Park
• Roosevelt National Forest

• Fort Collins is a bike town.
  
• Downtown commerce concerns want more attractions. Track racing 2-4 nights a week boosts restaurant/bar business,
  
• Fort Collins is home to many racers, young and old, who would be eager “actors” on this stage.
  
• Youth racing programs, especially for the underprivileged kids, are popular where tracks exist.
  
• Equipment for this type of racing is less complicated and cheaper than for road or mountain, thus available to more people.
  
• The convention/tourism folks want events in Fort Collins, and track “tournaments” bring them in.
  
• The CSU Rams cycling team is a national powerhouse, and would be eager to field a track squad, if they had a home track.
  
• Several pro and amateur cycling teams already exist in Fort Collins, and they would love a track.
  
• The State and County are pressuring clubs and charities to reduce road racing on open highways.
  
• It has been suggested that Denver and Boulder would be more likely to attend track races in Fort Collins than Colorado Springs.
  
• A velodrome could possibly double as a “100 year” flood retention basin, making it feasible for otherwise unbuildable property.
  
• A velodrome has been a successful outdoor music concert venue in other parts of the world.
  
• A velodrome’s infield could possibly double as a Farmer’s Market location if scheduling permitted.
  
• Keirin racing with wagering is big in Japan, and could catch on here, if laws permitted.
  
• Bicycle friendly sponsors may want naming opportunities for a park like this. Beer and food vendors on site would be a possibility.

At this point, I am just “spreading the word” of my dream, and taking names and numbers of supporters. If there is anything you would suggest, to help me, your advice is valuable. This promotional effort will have to be a part time job for me until it grows to the extent that professional help can be engaged. I have to be a husband, father and dentist too!

Worldwide, existing velodromes are primarily outdoors, from under 200M to 333M with 250 and 333 being most popular. Banks in the corners are shallow, or steeper, sometimes over 45 degrees. Indoor velodromes are becoming favored for year round use, and are historically significant (Madison Square Gardens had one). San Sebastian, Spain has a grand enclosed velodrome (Anoeta Velodrome) that doubles as a concert venue. Surfaces are concrete, asphalt, or wood. The best way for track racing newcomers (riders and fans, either way it’s a gas) to learn more is to visit websites. That’s how I did, and it began fairly recently. I have never raced on a track (my Rio Grande teammates would say I have never really “raced” on the road, either, but at least I cheerfully donate my entry fee every weekend). I have played a bit on the 7-Eleven track in the Springs on a fixed gear bike, and ridden my road bike on the Washington Park track in Kenosha, WI, but this is not my sport (yet). I will save you Google time by listing some good sites and let you surf a bit. 

Wikipedia on Velodromes
Lehigh Valley Velodrome in Texlertown, PA
Alpenrose Velodrome in metropolitan Portland, OR
Encino Velodrome near Los Angeles, CA
Hellyer Park Velodrome in San Jose, CA
Shuermann Architects build velodromes