This group is for roadies of all abilities. Tell us about your favorite places to ride, your training, or the tour you just completed. Share info/photos about group rides and gear. Click "START DISCUSSION" below to post your stories/photos.
Sonya...our best advice is lots of fun miles with a smile on your face and the pure joy of riding in your heart. :)
And if you're looking for some good ol' fashioned pain, Cheyenne Canyon, Star Ranch Road and Farthing Drive will give you a nice burn. The AFA and the Black Forest provide some long miles with some nice hills. On the mountain bike, go the back way up High Drive, or just point it west and pedal. And your work on the Incline will definitely help. Get good rest and enjoy.
New to road biking...any advice on a good, but not overly expensive first bike for the newbie at least until I start getting more and more into road biking....keep in mind I'm only 5'1 1/2" so I kind of need a small (short) bike lol
Hey Trudy! There are a lot of quality bikes out there. Be patient. Shop around and find one that fits your body type. Sounds like you're gearing up for a fun summer. We'll see you out there!
Two cycling groups in the area that might appeal to many of you.
Colorado Springs Cycling Club - fantastic club that will be celebrating their 25th annniversary next year. Primarily road focused group that has a ride for all abilities. Very social in nature, they recieved the League of American Bicyclist's Club of the Year award in 2008 (Disclaimer: I was the Pres for 4 yrs and do Outreach & Advocacy for them now. Great group of people and many of my closest friends in CS have been found there!)
North Colorado Springs Cyclists - very fun and dynamic new group of cyclists here in town based off of the Meetup.com site. Ralph Bidwell has done a fantastic job of engaging local cyclists that like to ride road & mountain, they have a very active schedule that keeps increasing!
Recreational cyclists wanted for fun, friendly group rides! Join the Chick-fil-A Cycling Club and enjoy FREE Breakfast entrees and FREE guided rides (around 10 - 15 miles to start and adding increasing distance and challenges through the summer). We meet at Chick-fil-A at Garden of the Gods and leave at 8am. We'll travel mostly paved trails, low-traffic roads and some packed dirt as we tour various parts of our beautiful city. FREE Breakfast entree with purchase of side and drink available before or after the ride from 6am to 10:30am. FREE Waterbottle on your first ride.
As a spin instructor at the YMCA, I tell all of my classes if you want to ride outside you have to check out bikesprings.org and the Colorado Springs Cycling Club. Their weekly ride calendar is packed with offerings for every interest: road, mountain, beginner, fitness, dinner rides and rides for "serious cyclists." They have dedicated, experienced ride leaders who know this town inside and out and know how to lead a great, safe, ride.
I've enjoyed numerous rides with the Tuesday Basics Ride which may start with a nice 4- 5 mile loop along the Monument Valley River for beginners, but regulars come for the 10 - 20 (and sometimes more) mile adventures that follow afterwards. Thursdays with the Olde Pheartes is a bit faster pace and about 15 to 30 miles. The regulars on both of these groups are just some of the best people I know, they're caring, funny, friendly, like family and new riders are always welcomed right in.
When I was a new mom and new to cycling in the Springs they took me & my young children (in tow) under their wings, fixed my flats, lunched at playgrounds and even handed down a mountain bike to me and helped me learn to love life in the Springs and as a full-time mom. Now I'm back to full-time work and leading spin classes and my own bike rides around town, but every chance I get, I join up with them, catch up with their lives and get ideas for more great new rides.
I agree with Torie Giffin that Colorado Springs Cycling Club is the way to really get into cycling. They offer group rides for every kind of cyclist, from beginner to advanced, road or mountain biking. In fact, Colorado Springs is one of America's hot spots for cycling, with places like the Olympic Training Center and Carmichael Training Systems right here. We have the best terrain, too. I have a business called OPT OUT Cycling (opt for the outdoors). It's indoor cycling movies made from outdoor rides - reality based indoor cycling.
OPT OUT Cycling's mission is simple:
Defeat indoor cycling boredom.
Build cycling fitness indoors that will translate to stronger riding outdoors.
Bring some of Colorado's best riding to you.
I've made movies from a variety of group road rides and mountain bike races in the Pikes Peak region. See what I'm doing at www.optoutcycling.com.
Hello all, I just joined the Road Cycling group to ask for help. I have never ridden road or owned a road bike, but ride daily up roads like Rampart Range Road, N. Cheyenne Canon, High Drive, etc.
My bosses bosses bosses boss is coming to town (he is president of my division, and I work for a VERY large company), and he wants to do a road ride next week starting from the Broadmoor at 5:30am to be complete before 7am.
He is from St. Louis, so a hill climb like N. Cheyenne Canon is probably not the best (too short and I don't want him to die due to lack of oxygen). We were thinking of taking Cresta up to 21st and work our way into the Garden of the Gods. Any suggestions... A ride with good scenery would be nice as well.
A lot of climbing out there. If you get him out the door right at 5:30, the Garden ride sounds doable, otherwise I'd blast over to some of the quiet streets in Old Colo. City and then take him up Gold Camp to the point where the pavement ends..give him a different look at the Broadmoor. He'll be impressed. Then haul it back to the hotel.
Heading down to the Colorado Springs Cruisers ride in a little while. Come down and join me for an easy spin on the bike and socializing. Details here.
Has anyone ever ridden the New York 5 Boro bike ride? I am planning on riding in May 2011 and I am curious if anyone has done it and what it was liike. Pro's and Con's.
Well we've been meaning to throw together this list for awhile but right when we thought it was done we'd get another email or phone call asking if there was any space left. We still have about 9 places we're waiting to hear back from, but for now this is the final list. We'll add to it should we get any last minute additions:
1. PikesPeakSports.us
2. Kickstand/Denver Cruisers
3. Women’s Mountain Bike Association
4. Bike Colorado springs
5. Tops
6. Medicine wheel
5. Imba
6. Pace
7. Assisted bicycle tours
8. Highlands ranch cycling club
9. Lofty's Bike Art
10. Manitou bike shop
11. Bike clinic too
12. Cos bike club
13. Cheyenne Mt High School
14. COMBA
15. Salida Area TrailBuilders
16. Betty Bike Bash
17. SOCO Cycling Team
18: Bailey Hundo
19. Colorado Endurance Series
20. Tour de Cure
21. UltraRob.com
22. Victoria Cycles
23. Raven Cycles
24. One Hour Cycling Team
25. CO High School League
26. Ride for the Cure
27. Bandwagon
28 Old Town
29 SRM
30 Tessier Bikes
31 Salsa/Lazer/The Hub
32. Vincero/Mosiac
33. CS West
34. Angletech
35. Colorado Cyclist
36. Rec Rac
37. Koobi
38. Ground Up Designs
39. Upadowna
40. Kids on Bikes
41. Sand Creek Sports
42. "Shiggy's Out There" w/Titus Cycles and On-One Bikes
One of my favorite rides is Hwy 105 from Palmer Lake to Sedalia (or visa-vera). It's about 50 miles round trip. There are great views, rolling hills and curves. If you want to add an additional 6 miles or so, you can take a side trip into Perry Park to check out the cool rock formations.
Dan - I live in Monument so that is most definitely one of my favorite rides. Spruce Mtn Road into Larkspur is one of my favorite stretches of asphalt!
Sonya Norris
Apr 4, 2010
Pikes Peak Sports
And if you're looking for some good ol' fashioned pain, Cheyenne Canyon, Star Ranch Road and Farthing Drive will give you a nice burn. The AFA and the Black Forest provide some long miles with some nice hills. On the mountain bike, go the back way up High Drive, or just point it west and pedal. And your work on the Incline will definitely help. Get good rest and enjoy.
Apr 4, 2010
Trudy L DeCoronado
Apr 4, 2010
Pikes Peak Sports
Apr 4, 2010
Allen Beauchamp
Colorado Springs Cycling Club - fantastic club that will be celebrating their 25th annniversary next year. Primarily road focused group that has a ride for all abilities. Very social in nature, they recieved the League of American Bicyclist's Club of the Year award in 2008 (Disclaimer: I was the Pres for 4 yrs and do Outreach & Advocacy for them now. Great group of people and many of my closest friends in CS have been found there!)
www.bikesprings.org
North Colorado Springs Cyclists - very fun and dynamic new group of cyclists here in town based off of the Meetup.com site. Ralph Bidwell has done a fantastic job of engaging local cyclists that like to ride road & mountain, they have a very active schedule that keeps increasing!
www.meetup.com/North-Colorado-Springs-Cyclists
My motto: "More Butts on Bikes, More Often, Safely!"
Apr 9, 2010
Torie Giffin
May 7, 2010
Torie Giffin
I've enjoyed numerous rides with the Tuesday Basics Ride which may start with a nice 4- 5 mile loop along the Monument Valley River for beginners, but regulars come for the 10 - 20 (and sometimes more) mile adventures that follow afterwards. Thursdays with the Olde Pheartes is a bit faster pace and about 15 to 30 miles. The regulars on both of these groups are just some of the best people I know, they're caring, funny, friendly, like family and new riders are always welcomed right in.
When I was a new mom and new to cycling in the Springs they took me & my young children (in tow) under their wings, fixed my flats, lunched at playgrounds and even handed down a mountain bike to me and helped me learn to love life in the Springs and as a full-time mom. Now I'm back to full-time work and leading spin classes and my own bike rides around town, but every chance I get, I join up with them, catch up with their lives and get ideas for more great new rides.
May 7, 2010
David Kriegshauser
OPT OUT Cycling's mission is simple:
Defeat indoor cycling boredom.
Build cycling fitness indoors that will translate to stronger riding outdoors.
Bring some of Colorado's best riding to you.
I've made movies from a variety of group road rides and mountain bike races in the Pikes Peak region. See what I'm doing at www.optoutcycling.com.
Jul 27, 2010
Bill Schmeister
My bosses bosses bosses boss is coming to town (he is president of my division, and I work for a VERY large company), and he wants to do a road ride next week starting from the Broadmoor at 5:30am to be complete before 7am.
He is from St. Louis, so a hill climb like N. Cheyenne Canon is probably not the best (too short and I don't want him to die due to lack of oxygen). We were thinking of taking Cresta up to 21st and work our way into the Garden of the Gods. Any suggestions... A ride with good scenery would be nice as well.
Thanks,
Bill
Aug 4, 2010
Tim Bergsten
Aug 4, 2010
Jon Severson
Aug 16, 2010
Rob Lucas
Aug 31, 2010
Barbara Bannister
Sep 11, 2010
Jon Severson
Nov 1, 2010
Jon Severson
Mar 15, 2011
Jon Severson
Well we've been meaning to throw together this list for awhile but right when we thought it was done we'd get another email or phone call asking if there was any space left. We still have about 9 places we're waiting to hear back from, but for now this is the final list. We'll add to it should we get any last minute additions:
1. PikesPeakSports.us
2. Kickstand/Denver Cruisers
3. Women’s Mountain Bike Association
4. Bike Colorado springs
5. Tops
6. Medicine wheel
5. Imba
6. Pace
7. Assisted bicycle tours
8. Highlands ranch cycling club
9. Lofty's Bike Art
10. Manitou bike shop
11. Bike clinic too
12. Cos bike club
13. Cheyenne Mt High School
14. COMBA
15. Salida Area TrailBuilders
16. Betty Bike Bash
17. SOCO Cycling Team
18: Bailey Hundo
19. Colorado Endurance Series
20. Tour de Cure
21. UltraRob.com
22. Victoria Cycles
23. Raven Cycles
24. One Hour Cycling Team
25. CO High School League
26. Ride for the Cure
27. Bandwagon
28 Old Town
29 SRM
30 Tessier Bikes
31 Salsa/Lazer/The Hub
32. Vincero/Mosiac
33. CS West
34. Angletech
35. Colorado Cyclist
36. Rec Rac
37. Koobi
38. Ground Up Designs
39. Upadowna
40. Kids on Bikes
41. Sand Creek Sports
42. "Shiggy's Out There" w/Titus Cycles and On-One Bikes
43. Colorado Wielersport Gold Sprints
44. Pactimo
45. Mecury
46. Dirtlabs
Mar 17, 2011
Bridget Jordan
Apr 17, 2011
Dan Greene
One of my favorite rides is Hwy 105 from Palmer Lake to Sedalia (or visa-vera). It's about 50 miles round trip. There are great views, rolling hills and curves. If you want to add an additional 6 miles or so, you can take a side trip into Perry Park to check out the cool rock formations.
Has anyone else enjoyed this route?
Nov 25, 2011
Nicole Odell
Dan - I live in Monument so that is most definitely one of my favorite rides. Spruce Mtn Road into Larkspur is one of my favorite stretches of asphalt!
Nov 27, 2011