Things to see in Colorado

[hooverone]

I will be staying in Colorado Springs, CO the week of March 21st 2005 and I am going to go to Wheat Ridge Cycles and Anvil Cycles but I wanted to see if there are any other must sees within a few hours of Colorado Springs or places that I must ride that are within an hour or so of Colorado Springs.


I will have a 2 and 4 year old also so if there is anyting that is a lot of fun for the kids also plz let me know.

I will have a road bike and mountain bike with me.




Jim

[Climb01742]

i don't know how far englewood is from colorado springs, but getting fitted for a pair of LUST shoes would be pretty neat, i'd think. too tall seems to love his.

sightseeing-wise, i liked going to see the "ghost" towns that were once mining towns. like victorian era time capsules. i can't remember any names right now, sorry, but they were cool.

[hooverone]

It is only an hour away but the lust shoes look like they are 800$ that is a lot of money for shoes.


Jim

[Climb01742]

hey, too tall, should jim go or not? are they worth it? :rolleyes:

[gdw]

Since you're going to be in the Springs you should stop by Colorado Cyclist's store on E. Bijou Street. Excel Sports is in Boulder and about 20 minutes north of Wheatridge and is also worth a visit. If you have your kids with you stop by the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminister. http://www.butterflies.org/
You might also find nearby Golden interesting with Red Rocks, Buffalo Bills grave and museum, and the Coors brewery.

[dauwhe]

It's been more than twenty years since I rode a bike in the Springs. I imagine traffic, etc. is much, much worse, since the town seems to grow a mile a year in all directions. But if I were there I would try to ride through Garden of the Gods (wild rock formations, etc.), maybe Cheyenne Canyon (18% grade?) and probably up the highway to Deckers just for old time's sake (a good long climb). Assuming bikes are allowed, that is!

Dave Cramer
CC '84

[Bill Bove]

If you're a church going guy, I'd try to go to a mass at the Air Force Academy chapel. It's supposed to be beyatiful. If one of your kids is female though, I'd leave her at home. the Air Force is having some trouble admiting that their cadets aren't really gentleman.
And I'm a USAF vet, breaks my heart.

[Todd Owen]

Boulder --- Lennard Zinn custom cycles, Excel sports, Vecchios (old style bike shop), Boulder Running Co., Pearl Street Mall. Denver- Wheatridge Cyclery (Ron Kiefels shop), Cycle Analysts bike shop near washington park in Denver old style shop-- alot of retro campy stuff.

[Climb01742]

alot of retro campy stuff.

isn't all campy stuff basically retro? ;)

[Satellite]

Jim,

Mountain Biking you must ride Palmer Park. Right smack in the middle of town some good technical riding. Cheyenne Canyon and the Colorado Trail are good for Mountain Biking.

Road Biking is awesome on the Air Force Academy. Unfortunately the Academy is closed to visitors; war time here in Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods gets boring pretty darn quick.

Colorado Cyclist is a pretty cool stop; lots of Titanium hanging on the walls. Not as well know but a great bunch of guys “Pro Cycling” ex-Colorado Cyclist employees.

Family stuff, Olympic Training Center (its free). You can also see the Velo-Dome.

Best Regards,

Satellite

[hooverone]

My dad is retired air force but I am no longer a depentent, could I get on the academy with him and then ride? If garden of the gods gets boring where near colorado springs would you recommend and does anyone know of any local club rides near Colorado Springs within 45 minutes or so?



Jim

[Satellite]

Jim,

Your father could get you on the Academy if he still has his CAC card? Road riding isn't bad in Colorado Springs but the Mountain Biking is really the way to go.

Satellite

PS. When it gets closer look me up again I might be able to go with you and get you on base. Just don't show me up too bad I have had very few miles this year and I am not as young as I once was.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . store is indeed pretty neat. I dropped in five or so years ago while on vacation around the state with my daughter. I mentioned to the clerk during our conversation that I was on vacation from back east and he was surprised that I would go to the trouble to stop in--took me on a tour, gave me some free energy bars and current issue of Cycle Sport . . . they were really nice to me.

Excel was also nice, but they just had a tiny showroom. Maybe they’ve enlarged it by now? Schwab Cycles on the west side of Denver is also cool--they’re in an old gas station.

I don’t know if the weather will cooperate, but Lookout Mountain out of Golden is a real popular road climb, with Buffalo Bill’s grave site at the top.

Also, I don’t know if you’re getting out that way, but the Durango area is awesome! Keep an eye out for Bobke!

BBDave

[Zoomie80]

A nice ride I used to do when I lived in C-Springs many years ago is to start from GlenEagle (golf course community just north of the Colorado Springs on I-25). There's a small convenience shop area there and you should be able to park for a few hours. Take a left on the "main drag" and then climb toward Black Forest on Hwy 105 and then right on "Roller Coaster Rd" and then head down to the I-25 Frontage Rd until you get to Hwy 105 again, but take a left and head towards Monument and towards Palmer Lake and then head back to where you started in GlenEagle. There's some traffic but my past experience is that folks there were very cyclist friendly and respect your space.

I also used to ride the hills of the USAF Academy grounds...did about 50+ miles there one morning. You can get up to 55mph going down North Gate Rd; just watch out for deer. Stadium Blvd is great for hammering the big ring if you head south starting from the B-52 display; take a break by the Thunderbird overlook and watch some freefall parachuting and/or sailplanes. You can watch all of this if you just spin easy on Stadium Blvd, especially if you head North from the South gate as there is a gentle, rsing grade. Great riding if you can get on the base.

If you want to hook up with some riders, the Highlands Ranch Cycling Club http://www.highlandsranchcycling.com/ are a great bunch of folks. Check out their web site for ride schedules.

Cheers,
Zoomie80

[Dekonick]

ok - ok

I have another area that is a must see - Aspen. Absolute MUST.

there are paved trails for the kiddies (that run along the roaring fork which also just so happens to be loaded with trout...)

Independance pass is rated Hors Cat. if you want a climb! (never done it - but my next trip out I am bringing my Hors to ride that Hors)

other GREAT road rides in the area (especially in fall)
activities for the kids!
mountain biking EVERYWHERE - same for hiking. Its a long drive, but well worth it. If you go PM me and Ill try to hook you up with some locals

:D

[Ken Robb]

Aspen in March is usually pretty snowy for biking. Great skiing though.

[slowgoing]

I spent my last two years of high school in CS when it was still a small but growing cow town. Coming from the east coast, I hated it. The schools sucked and all of the good looking girls were going out with Air Force Academy cadets (the thought now of college age guys dating juniors and seniors in high school is disgusting, especially when right after graduation, about five of the girls married cadets who were graduating from the academy -- about four years their senior, and they had been going out for YEARS -- yikes).

Garden of the Gods is a must. If it was spring, summer or fall, a trip on the cog railway up Pikes Peak would be great. Great road riding up near Boulder and Golden west of Denver (a tour of the Coors brewery???). Ditto the comments above about Palmer Park. This all assumes it's not snowing, of course. The Broadmoor Hotel is also a nice place to visit and have lunch or dinner if you can afford it. The U.S. Olympic Training Facility is also in CS. Don't know if they permit visitors though.

I highly recommend a driving trip to the western slope of Colorado near Grand Junction, or a trip to Durango. It's a whole different world out there. Mountain biking season might be a better time though (Fruita is near Grand Junction).

[Dave]

All these ride suggestions, including riding to 12,000 feet in March are darn optimistic. You might luck out and hit one of our nice warm stretches, but it's just as likely that the roads will be snow covered and/or icy, particularly at high altitude, where it's guaranteed to be darn cold. If it's a rare warm spell it might be dangerously windy. I had to abandon a mountain ride yesterday due to winds 40+.

As for the independence pass climb, it's not rated that tough. Squaw/Juniper is lot closer and rates about the same. The toughest, Mt. Evans is a July-August ride only. Even then it may be in the 30's at the top.

http://www.rmccrides.com/ClimbDB/climb_frame.html

You'd probably find my regular riding area plenty tough enough. It's easy to get to, just off the C-470/wadsworth exit in Denver. Check out the April 25th ride.

http://www.teamevergreen.org/sitemap_RR.htm

As for the bike shops, Excel Sports is still tiny, with little on display. Not worth a stop unless they carry a frame that you've never been able to get a look at in-person. Same goes for the rest of the shops. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. I'd spend my time seeing sites like the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the like.

[hooverone]

OK here is another one I have been fit twice once at a shop in Saratogo Springs, NY the fitter thought I was more of a racer than I am becauase the tt lenght was a little long the headtube lenght was a little short, I have also been fit by one other shop.

But since I am going to be in Colorado should I get that last final opinion fit at Wheat Ridge seems like a good place to get a 2nd or 3rd opinion and at both of my fits even though the numbers were a little different I have learned things about fit that has improved my riding and enabled me to reproduce my fit on different bikes.

So should I go for another fit, it would be at a great shop, at Wheat Ridge?


Jim

[Dekonick]

LOL - I wasnt even thinking march in Aspen! Cycling would be a 'little' tough... but as mentioned you could go skiing (unlike the other Colorado resorts, there really are NO liftlines in Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, or Buttermilk - the 5 resorts that encompass Aspen Skiing Co. - all on the smae lift ticket. No I dont work for em, just a HUGE Aspen fan - especially Snowmass. Underrated resort EXCELLENT terrain for the good but not expert skiier like me....

Also dont forget the Pine Creek Cookouse in Ashcroft - Yummmy (and you have to either snowshoe, or x-country ski to the resteraunt! Cool eh?)

Aspen is worth visiting - but I wouldn't make the trip in winter from Co SPrings just to see it. I-70 Eisenhower can be iffy that time of year... I would stay east of the big mountain passes in March. Garden of the gods - a must. Redrocks - also worthy of a visit. Boulder - well Boulder is a great town. Dont overlook Loveland (just on the east side of Estes Park - too bad Estes will be closed that time of year.)

Plenty to see and do - but IMHO Colorado is best seen in Summer and Fall. (even the skiing pales in comparison to Aspen in fall...)

[RichMc]

I did some of what you are thinking about doing when I visited my family there last Sept. Even got fitted at Wheat Ridge Cycles. If you are going to do that make sure you bring your saddle & shoes. BTW, they fitted me a little different than the Seven factory recommendations and they sell both Serotta and Seven. Still gave me the long headtube but about a 1 cm longer top tube. I am seriously thinking about buying a Serotta through them and having it shipped to me as there is no Serotta dealer within 2,500 miles of here.

When in Colorado Springs you could visit Colorado Cyclist, which is a nice shop, not real small as some would suggest, and they have some stuff that is not in the catalog or on the website (at least when I was there they had a few nice Tommasini steel frames on sale). Criterium is a larger shop (with a good rental selection - Specialized bikes) and is located right beside one of the larger bike trails through town. They have quite a few of these dedicated bike trails but if you ride them you may want to take a mountain bike or at least something with tougher tires than 700x23's.

Cave of the Winds, up in Manitou, is always fun to visit.
However, spring time is sometimes the nastiest weather of the year there. Have fun.

[Dave]

Fittings are nothing but opinions and a place to start fine-tuning on your own. In my experience, once you've established a KOP that you find effective and know what TT length, stem length and stem height that you find comfortable, another fitting is just another opinion. If you try a new position suggested by a fitter and find it uncomfortable it's money down the drain. Another fitter is likely to suggest one size shorter stem and a bit more stem height if you find your current position too aggressive. If you think your current stem is too long and too low, just flipping some stems may fix that. A common 84 degree stem raises nearly 2cm when flipped and becomes about 7mm shorter. What I'm trying to say is that at some point, you just have to experiment on your own. My rule of thumb for stems is that changing the angle (or spacers) to raise the bars should be done to make your back more upright, while decreasing stem length should be done if you experience shoulder strain due to an extreme angle between the arm and torso. I often read of very cramped fits and most often they are due to the rider's lack of fitness. Exercises for the back and abs, plus stretching can work wonders.

I made a major change to my KOP, moving the saddle back about 2cm when I moved to the Colorado. I think it improves my pedaling efficiency during seated climbing (which I do a lot of now). In order to avoid an overly short stem, I carefully analyzed the geometry of several stock frames and found one with 1.5 degree less STA (51cm LOOK KG381i), but the same TT length. This allowed me to move the saddle back about 2cm, but have the same reach with my preferred 110mm stem.

[dauwhe]

Dont overlook Loveland (just on the east side of Estes Park - too bad Estes will be closed that time of year.)

I didn't know Estes Park closed! I love it in the winter--fewer hordes from the Midwest. Great (if challenging) XC skiing in RMNP, and enough wind to make anywhere else seem tropical! Trail Ridge Road through the park is closed, but the road to Bear Lake is open (but not a bike ride in March unless you're braver than I). Often times the roads around town are OK that time of year (but often not)--Peak View, Mary's Lake Rd. etc. can be nice short rides.

DC