Boulder, Colorado on Two Wheels: Experience Boulder Like a Local + America’s Largest Urban Bike Park

BOULDER, COLORADO, March 25, 2011 – Riding a bike is a fun way to see Boulder and experience the town like a local.  Boulder is relatively small and compact with bike paths and lanes everywhere.  It’s mostly flat which makes it easy to bike around town with shops that rent cruiser bikes or fast racing bikes for an hour or a day.  Even though Boulder is home to passionate cyclists such as Olympic bike racers and the International Mountain Bicycling Association, the opportunities to see Boulder by bike are plentiful with Boulder B-cycle bike sharing and many bike shop rentals. There are easy urban trails for carefree cruising or hard-core mountain trails for gnarly riding. 

Valmont Bike Park – The largest free urban bike park in America will open June 11, 2011 in Boulder.  Valmont Bike Park is a 40-acre off-road bike park with competition-grade cyclo-cross racing trails, big dirt jumps, dual slalom tracks, pump tracks, and slope-style trails.  That’s 1.7 million square feet of off-road cycling for all levels of riders.  Family friendly features include a trike track, a learning loop, a kids’ play area and restrooms.  Plus, it’s accessible from a number of the city’s bike trails.  For information, construction updates, photos and opening date announcements, see www.BoulderParks-Rec.org

Rentals and Tours – There are six outfitters in town that offer bicycling tours.  From two-hour tours around the picturesque downtown area to full day adventures in the mountains – on road bikes or mountain bikes – there is an outfitter for every level of cyclist.  There are four bike rental shops in town and most of them are located near hotel rooms.  Pick up a map and have some fun. www.bouldercoloradousa.com

The Boulder Creek Bike Path – This is the premier cruiser ride in town.  The Boulder Creek Path meanders for five miles along the scenic and gentle Boulder Creek that runs right through Boulder’s historic district.  Some of it is paved, some is dirt and there are spots for picnics, wading, tubing and strolling. 

Top Chef Bicycling Itinerary – Boulder was named “America’s Foodiest Town” in October 2010 by Bon Appetite magazine.  It is also the home of Hosea Rosenberg, the winner of Top Chef: Season 5. He suggests this bicycling itinerary to discover Boulder’s food scene: 
*    Rent cruiser bikes from University Bikes on Pearl Street.  Ride up Pearl Street to Eben G. Fine Park and then catch the Boulder Creek Bike Path.
*   Cruise along the path, following Boulder Creek, into historic downtown Boulder.
*    Have coffee at the Trident Booksellers.
*    Ride the bike a few more blocks along the Boulder Creek Path to the Boulder farmers’ market.  Grab a meal prepared by a local chef.  Talk with the growers.
*    Continue the afternoon shopping and people watching along the Pearl Street Mall.  Don’t miss Peppercorn – a cooking store that’s been described as one of the best in the country.
*    Have dinner where he got his start, Jax Fish House.
*    Sleep, eat, repeat.
To learn more about Hosea and the other top bicycling chefs, see www.boulderslicedanddiced.com.

A City Designed for Bicyclists - There are more than 300 miles dedicated to bikeways (bike lanes, routes, designated shoulders, and paths).  In Boulder, bicyclists are the norm and seen everywhere and automobile drivers are used to bikes and respectful of them.  Surprisingly, 90% of Boulder's arterial streets have bike lanes or trails on them and there are 76 underpasses along the bikeways, which means that bicyclists avoid intersections and traffic lights.  Plus, every single bus in town has a bike rack designed to haul bikes.  It is a true statement that there are almost as many bikes in town as there are cars.  www.goboulder.net

Awards - The League of American Bicyclists awarded the city of Boulder its platinum designation.  Boulder is the only city in Colorado, and one of only three cities in the country, that has earned this designation due to its commitment to bicycle enthusiasts.  Other awards include: 
*    Eleven Most Bike Friendly Cities in the World – Virgin Vacations, January 2010
*    America’s Best Bike Cities – Bicycling magazine, May 2010

Hard Core Road Rides and Riders - Boulder is the hometown for one of this year's Tour de France teams.  In fact, almost half of the nation’s pro cyclists are based in Boulder.  The Garmin-Cervélo squad is led by Boulder cyclist Christian Vande Velde and managed by Boulder local Jonathan Vaughters.  One of Jonathan's favorite bike rides is a 93-mile ride starting in Boulder that goes up into the mountains on the Peak to Peak Highway, one of Colorado’s scenic by-ways.  Many bicycling Olympians live in Boulder including the Phinney family – Davis Phinney, Olympic bronze medalist in 1984; Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Olympic gold medalist in 1984; and their son Taylor Phinney, Olympic team member in 2008.

Morgul-Bismark - The Quiznos Pro Challenge is coming near Boulder on its final weekend, August 27-28, 2011.  The race is loosely based on the fabled multi-week Coors Classic bike race of the 1980’s which was initially organized and sponsored by Boulder’s Celestial Seasonings in 1975.   One of the most anticipated stages of the Coors Classic was the Morgul-Bismark, a 13-mile loop located south of Boulder that includes “the wall.”  It is still today, considered a classic American road bike ride.  The Morgul-Bismark was featured in the 1985 bicycling movie, American Flyers, starring Kevin Costner. 

Boulder B-cycle - America’s burgeoning bike sharing movement will continue to grow this spring, when Boulder welcomes B-cycle to its downtown streets. Starting May 20, visitors and residents of this famously cycling-friendly city will have access to B-cycle bikes spread strategically throughout the city’s commercial corridor. Users need only buy a membership on-line or purchase a 24-hour pass at any B-station, then grab a bike and go. When done, simply re-dock the bike at any of the conveniently located B-stations and go on with your day. That’s why they call them magic bikes: They are there when you need them, gone when you don’t. www.boulderbcycle.com

Boulder’s Velodrome – There are only two indoor cycling tracks in the country and Boulder Indoor Cycling is one of them.   Visit the velodrome and watch the action up close for free – riders come within 5 feet of the viewing rail – or pay the small membership fee and take a class.  The velodrome serves elite-level and recreation cyclists along with offering classes for small children. www.boulderindoorcycling.com


Located 35 minutes northwest of Denver and 45 minutes from Denver International Airport, Boulder is a captivating community enriched with natural beauty, hip urban culture and a vibrant love of the outdoors. Visit Boulder and experience its distinctive lifestyle overflowing with world-class restaurants, inspired shopping and art, unbeatable people watching, and thousands of acres of wide open spaces.

www.bouldercoloradousa.com
The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau
2440 Pearl Street  Boulder, Colorado 80302           
303-442-2911 --- 800-444-0447