Planning a trip to Colorado? Why not explore the Front Range from the seat of a mountain bike?
Colorado’s Front Range includes countless mountain bike trails offering an abundance of steep, rocky and sandy terrain with exposed terrain, an abundance of climbing, as well as easy, smooth single track. Sounds like a mountain biker’s dream – and it is.
Whether you’re traveling solo, with your family, or in a large group, the trick to enjoying the Front Range Single Track is being prepared.
The first step in your trip preparation is selecting the trails you want to ride. Golden, located just outside of Denver, Colorado offers world class mountain bike riding. Some of the popular Front Range trails include:
- White Ranch Trail
- Dakota Ridge and Red Rocks Trail
- North Table Mountain
- Green Mountain Park
- South Table Mountain
- Chimney Gulch Trail
- Apex Park Trail
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- Lair O’ the Bear
Next, you’ll want to gather trail intelligence. Meaning, there are key elements you should know before heading out on any unfamiliar trail:
- Know the profile – How much climbing and descending should you expect?
- Know the route – Where is the trailhead? How long is the route? What is the technical difficulty? What type of terrain will you be riding? And, What are the current trail conditions?
- Know the weather conditions before, during, and soon after you expect to ride. Colorado weather changes quickly and sometimes, radically. Be prepared.
- Know what cycling apparel to wear. Being over or under dressed makes for an uncomfortable ride.
- Know which bike components are best for the terrain type and the right mountain bike tire to use.
Finally, there’s a checklist of essential items to carry with you.
- Map or a GPS
- Food, gels, and on the bike nutrition
- Tubes, lube, a pump or C02
- Chain and multi tool
- Rain jacket
- Sunscreen
- Hydration pack and extra bottles for fluids
The big question is what to ride? Of course, you can ship or bring your own bike. Our shop, Peak Cycles Bike Shop offers rental bikes and all the bike accessories you may have forgotten to pack. Or, opt to buy a new bike! Embark on its inaugural rides here in Golden and ship it home.
Which bikes would we suggest for Front Range riding? One option is a hard tail Stump Jumper or Giant XTC Composite hard tail. If you don’t mind a little extra weight but want a more comfortable ride, the Epic Carbon Expert is a good choice or the Giant Anthem. Both are full suspension bikes. Whether you go the hard tail option or with a full suspension bike, having the right bike parts and mtb parts is going to make a difference over the long haul in terms of performance and comfort.
Enjoy Colorado’s Front Range mountain bike trails. Stop by our Peak Cycles Bike Shop for trail information, to pick up a map, or visit us online at BikeParts.com to get trail information as you’re planning your trip! Happy Riding!
Peak Cycles - BikeParts.com Blog 
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