Cycling in Denver + surrounds

Frank Drebin said:

I'm possibly moving to Denver - not sure which area yet. (The Boss
hasn't decided on her job yet, which would be Englewood/Littleton area).

Some general questions... it seems that Denver metro has adequate areas
where one might cycle (much better than NE Atlanta area!). Are there any
major things I need to take into consideration? I'm from the wet, woodland
part of the country. I've heard of things like these gigantic thorns in
Texas, etc. Does Denver area have anything like that, where I'd move there
and hate it?

The last time I checked when I was there the West of Denver goes right
up to the rockies and then it is climb, climb, and more climb. Even my
van complained.
To the East it all seems to be just high plains, mostly flat. It seems
like all the relatively flat stuff stops at Denver and the City just got
shoved up against the mountains.

Quoted message said:

I have the option to veto the move; so far I'm neutral.
Have been there a few times, but not cycled there.

BTW I'm far fonder of flattish land than hills... mountains are purty, but
I don't want to be climbing them.

No,
But they are sure fun to try to set bicycle land speed records coming down.

Quoted message said:

Thanks
Frank

Bill (variety) Baka

Bill said:

Frank Drebin said:

I'm possibly moving to Denver - not sure which area yet. (The Boss
hasn't decided on her job yet, which would be Englewood/Littleton area).

Some general questions... it seems that Denver metro has adequate areas
where one might cycle (much better than NE Atlanta area!). Are there any
major things I need to take into consideration? I'm from the wet, woodland
part of the country. I've heard of things like these gigantic thorns in
Texas, etc. Does Denver area have anything like that, where I'd move there
and hate it?

The last time I checked when I was there the West of Denver goes right
up to the rockies and then it is climb, climb, and more climb. Even my
van complained.
To the East it all seems to be just high plains, mostly flat. It seems
like all the relatively flat stuff stops at Denver and the City just got
shoved up against the mountains.

Quoted message said:

I have the option to veto the move; so far I'm neutral.
Have been there a few times, but not cycled there.

BTW I'm far fonder of flattish land than hills... mountains are purty, but
I don't want to be climbing them.

No,
But they are sure fun to try to set bicycle land speed records coming down.

Denver is one of the flatter cities in the US.
Downtown is a good hour's ride from the nearest
significant climb.

Denver is a relatively good bike town but has a bit of a
goathead problem. Carry extra tubes, and try to ride
only where others are likely to have ridden before in
the recent past.

Robert

Quoted message said:

Bill said:

Frank Drebin said:

I'm possibly moving to Denver - not sure which area yet. (The Boss
hasn't decided on her job yet, which would be Englewood/Littleton area).

Some general questions... it seems that Denver metro has adequate areas
where one might cycle (much better than NE Atlanta area!). Are there any
major things I need to take into consideration? I'm from the wet, woodland
part of the country. I've heard of things like these gigantic thorns in
Texas, etc. Does Denver area have anything like that, where I'd move there
and hate it?

The last time I checked when I was there the West of Denver goes right
up to the rockies and then it is climb, climb, and more climb. Even my
van complained.
To the East it all seems to be just high plains, mostly flat. It seems
like all the relatively flat stuff stops at Denver and the City just got
shoved up against the mountains.

Quoted message said:

I have the option to veto the move; so far I'm neutral.
Have been there a few times, but not cycled there.

BTW I'm far fonder of flattish land than hills... mountains are purty, but
I don't want to be climbing them.

No,
But they are sure fun to try to set bicycle land speed records coming down.

Denver is one of the flatter cities in the US.
Downtown is a good hour's ride from the nearest
significant climb.

Bicycle legal maybe. When I was there the 'burbs pretty much extended to
the base of the mountains. A friend of mine has relatives there and goes
there about once a year and every time has tales of the smog. All the
smog gets piled up against the mountains and hence Denver.

Quoted message said:

Denver is a relatively good bike town but has a bit of a
goathead problem. Carry extra tubes, and try to ride
only where others are likely to have ridden before in
the recent past.

It is a big, spread out town so you can probably find all kinds of
things there. I drove, haven't rode there yet.
Bill Baka

Quoted message said:

Robert

Quoted message said:

Some general questions... it seems that Denver metro has adequate areas
where one might cycle (much better than NE Atlanta area!). Are there any
major things I need to take into consideration? I'm from the wet, woodland
part of the country. I've heard of things like these gigantic thorns in
Texas, etc. Does Denver area have anything like that, where I'd move there
and hate it?

I'm a relative newcomer to grown-up cycling, but I'm having a blast in and
around Denver. Those Teflon tire liners will just plain STOP the rams head
thorns - along with tough tires and a little Slime equivalent, I've been
just over 1900 miles this season with not one flat. Knock wood...

I think the bike path system is quite good, although I have little to
compare it to. Dedicated paths combine with on-street lanes to get you just
about anywhere you want to go.

Lots of parks, a surprising number of water features and reservoirs, and a
fairly young and sports-minded population add to the mix.

There have, however, been a number of grisly auto-pedestrian deaths
recently - maybe 8 or ten in the past two weeks. No bikes involved, but
still -

Also, 19 miles of new light rail has just opened up, which can take you from
the central downtown out to either Cherry Creek State Park or Chatfield
Reservoir, another great riding destination.

Mind the altitude. It doesn't take long to acclimate, but some folks find
it a bother.

My two cents,

J

Bill said:

Bicycle legal maybe. When I was there the 'burbs pretty much extended to
the base of the mountains. ...

Yes, and beyond. And the eastern suburbs go halfway to
kansas, only a slight exaggeration. But downtown is like I
said a good hour's ride from the nearest significant climb,
bike-legal or otherwise.

Quoted message said:

A friend of mine has relatives there and goes
there about once a year and every time has tales of the smog. All the
smog gets piled up against the mountains and hence Denver.

Smog can be pretty harsh here. I don't think we can blame
it all on the terrain. I think it has more to do with 3 million
residents driving around everywhere, and the Conoco refinery
which launches its orangish death plume over the city on
a regular basis.

Robert

Quoted message said:

Bill said:

Bicycle legal maybe. When I was there the 'burbs pretty much extended to
the base of the mountains. ...

Yes, and beyond. And the eastern suburbs go halfway to
kansas, only a slight exaggeration. But downtown is like I
said a good hour's ride from the nearest significant climb,
bike-legal or otherwise.

Quoted message said:

A friend of mine has relatives there and goes
there about once a year and every time has tales of the smog. All the
smog gets piled up against the mountains and hence Denver.

Smog can be pretty harsh here. I don't think we can blame
it all on the terrain. I think it has more to do with 3 million
residents driving around everywhere, and the Conoco refinery
which launches its orangish death plume over the city on
a regular basis.

Uh, yeah,
I have seen that plume, usually lighted on fire to burn off the nasty
stuff at the refineries in both Benicia and Martinez. They are on
opposite sides of the Sacramento river and sometimes there are tankers
lined up to unload their stuff into the huge refinery crude tanks.
Sometimes when I drove home that way after dark I could turn off the
headlights and see by the light of the 50 foot high flame. That just
made me wonder how many houses could be heated or how many cars could be
powered with that 'Waste' gas.
Bill Baka

Quoted message said:

Robert