Your Complete Summer Guide to 2014 Colorado Cycling Events, Rides, and Bike Races

May 28, 2014

954850_462221050538424_1088116634_nColorado has some of the greatest road bike rides and mountain bike trails in the country.   And, it’s host to one of the world’s favorite bike races – the US ProCycling Challenge.  While some cycling enthusiast plan to visit Colorado for the 7 day stage race, others come to ride and race more frequently in Colorado.

Knowing where and when to ride is half of the trick to enjoyable riding in Colorado.  Whereas being prepared is the other half. The first step in your trip or cycling preparation is selecting the road rides or mountain bike trails you want to ride.  As you’ll soon see from the links below, some rides are shorter, convenient rides whereas others offer steeper, longer climbs and extended distances. Locals and vacationers alike welcome the challenge of pushing the limits while taking in breathtaking views that only Colorado has to offer.  Look through the options and choose your favorites.

Next in your planning preparations, you’ll want to gather road ride or trail intelligence.  Meaning, there are key elements you should know before heading out on any unfamiliar route:

  • Know the profile – How much climbing and descending should you expect?
  • Know the route – Where is the start or 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 if opting for a mountain bike ride?
  • 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 parts and 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.

The next big question is which bike 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. Finally, have you dialed in which cycling events or races are for you?

Not sure yet?  Well, stop by the Peak Cycling Bike Shop for help or visit us at bikeparts.com for maps, information, or general bike components that you may need for your next big event.  And, as a little teaser to whet your appetite for Colorado’s finest, enjoy the cycling videos, pics, and trail reviews.  Happy Riding!

 

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See You Monday! Memorial Day Demo Day at Green Mountain Open Space

May 22, 2014

Ride Life Ride Giant Demo @ Green Mountain Open SpaceAre you feeling the itch for a new bike?  Maybe you’ve heard all the rave of the new Giant Anthem 27.5 mountain bikes?  Well guess what?  We’ve teamed up with Giant to host a mountain bike and road bike demo day.

Celebrate your Memorial Day weekend by stopping by Green Mountain Open Space to check out and ride an impressive line up of Giant bikes.

At Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop, our job is matching bikes to riders and ensuring that your bike fits properly and that you are happy with it. If you’re considering a new road bike – try a new one out.  If you are thinking of riding trails for the first time in a long time, this is a no risk way to dip your toe in the water while trying out a new mountain bike.  And, if you’re curious as to what a 27.5″ feels like compared to a 26” wheel or a 29’er, here again, you have a chance to find out for yourself!  A short test ride will help you compare different bikes and make sure your new bike suits your needs exactly.

Mark your calendar!

  • When: Saturday, May 26th from 10:00am – 3:00pm
  • Where: Green Mountain Park, 1000 S Rooney Rd Lakewood, CO 80228
  • What to bring: Please bring valid ID, credit card, and helmet to ride.

If you have any questions be sure to stop by the Peak Cycles Bicycle Shop at 1224 Washington Ave #145, Golden, CO, give us a ring at 303-216-1616 or chat with us on Twitter or Facebook   You can find more information about the event here  and learn why Green Mountain Trail: Why It’s a Year Long Favorite of ours to ride.

See you Monday!

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Late to the Game? Ways to Make up for Lost Training Time

May 15, 2014

image003Even the best made training plans go awry. Work demands, family obligations, illness, injury, or even weather challenges all can take a toll on training.  Now with the Colorado racing season underway, the pressure is on to get into racing form.

But what do you if you are behind the curve? Stress out? Freak out? Beat yourself up?  No! There’s nothing you can do about the past so you have to let it go and move forward.  Here’s how to make the best of what you’ve got.

The post, Making up For Lost Training Time, suggest to focus on what you can control and let go of things beyond your control.  What can you control? The intensity, duration, and consistencies of your workouts.  You can also control the elements surrounding your training, as in, your bike parts, bike functioning, and being well prepared nutritionally to get the best out of your workouts.

You can also focus your efforts on training with power and heart rate. Both play a key role in training and you can use both to target weaknesses and strengths.  Other options include Dialing in Your Race Day Nutrition Needs adjusting your goals to reflect your current fitness level and your aims for the season and preparing race strategies that you can build upon as the season progresses.

The post, Missing training – Adjusting the plan, reminds us, “ It’s easy to beat yourself up over missed training, but if you have been steady with training, give yourself a break. Gaining fitness doesn’t happen in one or two days and losing fitness doesn’t happen in one or two days. It takes months of steady training to gain good fitness. A few days missed or logging a fewer less hours than planned for a week is a small blip on the radar.”

You may or may not be at the front of the pack in your early Spring races, but you can definitely show up at the line in the best form possible, mentally race ready, and prepared for a healthy and strong 2014 cycling season.

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BikeParts.com is Ready!  August 24 – Stage 7 of 2014 USA Pro Challenge 

May 8, 2014

USA Pro ChallengeIt is no secret that some of the largest crowds in USA Pro Challenge history have been in Boulder, Golden and Denver, so why not put them all in one stage?   That’s in fact what Stage 7 of the 2014 USA Pro Challenge is!

On August 24, the race returns to the site of some of the largest crowds in USA Pro Challenge history with a stage between Boulder, Golden, and Denver. Leaving Boulder on Colorado Highway 93, the riders will face several hilly and windswept miles as they head toward Golden. Through Golden, the riders will tackle the four-mile climb of Lookout Mountain. After a quick pass back through Golden, the race will head to Denver for three-and-a-half laps of an abbreviated version of last year’s circuit.

According to  Rick Schaden, owner of the USA Pro Challenge, “The 2014 USA Pro Challenge is going to be the most exciting year yet.” “Boulder, Golden and Denver have been such great hosts over the history of the race, so we decided to work them all into the final day of competition. These three iconic Colorado cycling locations are going to create one grand finale!”

At BikeParts.com, we couldn’t be happier!  As local supporters of the USA Pro Challenge for the past three years, we’ve welcomed locals, travelers, and tourist to road ride, mountain bike, and enjoy all the great cycling that Golden, Colorado has to offer.  The week long race invites tourist from all over the country and world to our city.

As such, it makes Peak Cycles the perfect bike shop to coordinate all of your week long adventure travel plans.  Are you considering shipping your bike to Colorado?  What about picking up bike parts, tubes, or cycling accessories while you are visiting?  Maybe even rent a bike?  Whether your plans include a week long stay for the race or an exciting culmination to the race with Stage 7, bike parts.com is your cycling needs destination.

Here’s to America’s Race – Bring on the 2014 USA Pro Challenge!

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How Bikes Are Transforming America with National Bike Month #NBC2014

May 1, 2014

How can you make cycling get even better?  Make a whole month celebration of it!  Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply to explore your community, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride.  Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling.

Here are some important national dates for May this year:

Aside from the joys of celebrating our two-wheeled friends, National Bike Month does more for our businesses, cities, and communities than you know.  Considering that League of American Bicyclists recently announced 80 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses (BFB) in 29 states and Washington, D.C. These new awardees join a trendsetting group of almost 700 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 100 companies in 46 states and D.C. that are transforming the American workplace.  Bicycle Friendly Businesses encourage a more bicycle-friendly atmosphere for employees and customers alike. BFBs attract and retain energized, alert and productive employees, while decreasing healthcare costs.

Also, from a business perspective, cycling ups the ante on networking. Across America, entrepreneurs and seasoned executives are sidelining a popular networking activity — golf — in favor of a different group sport. For entrepreneurs, cycling is the new golf. “Unlike golf, cycling is also a great equalizer,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “You’re the same as the person riding next to you. So it makes people more approachable. ”

So get on board with celebrating National Bike Month!  Join the 2014 National Bike Challenge. The National Bike Challenge, now in its third year, is a fun, free, game-changing event that runs from May 1 to September 30. Last year, 30,000 Challenge riders from across the country logged nearly 19 million miles. The goals for the friendly, online competition remain the same: to get more Americans bicycling, whether it’s for fun, for work or for health.  Users can pick from Moves,  MapMyRide or Endomondo, allowing users to seamlessly synch their trips throughout the Challenge.  And for much needed bike parts, cycling accessories, and maintenance tools to keep you in the game going strong, visit www.bikeparts.com.

National Bike Month starts TODAY!  Let’s get riding!

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