HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 11/25/2014 - Information From Bicycling Magazine From Pat Mccarthy Re: 2014 Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities (Fort Collins #9)Bicycling Magazine
Nov. 20, 2014
October 2014 TO: Mayor & City Council
FROM: Pat McCarthy
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http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/2014-top-50-bike-friendly-cities?slide=9
2014 TOP 50 BIKE-FRIENDLY CITIES
9. Fort Collins, Colorado
9/49
Population 148,612 Great Bike Shops
2012 Rank 11 Community Connections
Bike Facilities 3.6 Best Events
People per Bike-Share 874 Must-Do Ride
http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/2014-top-50-bike-friendly-cities?slide=9
With the most microbreweries per capita in Colorado, Fort Collins produces 70 percent
of the state’s beer. There’s the New Belgium brewery with its Tour de Fat, a nationwide
bike carnival in support of bike advocacy. There’s Equinox Brewing, which delivers kegs
via custom trike and converted its entire parking lot into a bike depot. And two bike
shops that double as pubs, Road 34 and Cranknstein. “Most everyone I know here in the
beer world is also involved in bike advocacy,” says Cranknstein co-owner Evan Rau.
Between 2010 and 2012, an already expansive network of bike paths saw an 80 percent
increase in ridership (to 7.9 percent of all commuters), earning the city platinum status
from the League of American Bicyclists. The city’s Bike Library, where anyone can
borrow a bike for a day, was established in 2008, two years before the nation’s first
official bike-share system in Washington, DC. In 2014, it expanded into a new
Downtown Transit Center. When the city kicked off an update to its bike master plan in
October 2013 that included new facilities like protected bike lanes and neighborhood
greenways, 220 residents showed up at an open house to weigh in. Then almost
everyone rode their bikes—to toast their lifestyle.
Great Bike Shops
With two locations in Fort Collins and one near Loveland, Lee’s Cyclery has been around
since 1963—long enough to be considered an institution. Stop in for a laid-back but
professional repair job.
The Fort Collins Bike Co-op’s mission is to get the whole community riding and educate
everyone on bike safety and maintenance. Swing by to fix your bike during open shop
hours, or get involved in one of the co-op’s many volunteer programs.
Community Connections
It’s tough to know whether to file Cranknstein under bike shop or coffee shop/bar, but
it’s best not to overthink it and just enjoy the winning service—both drink-wise and
mechanical.
Dedicated to improving riding in Fort Collins, the local advocacy group Bike Fort
http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/2014-top-50-bike-friendly-cities?slide=9
Collins has a bunch of ongoing and annual events to get involved with, including a team
that volunteers to help out at the USA Pro Challenge race every year.
Best Event
New Belgium’s Tour de Fat is a US-wide affair, but the whole thing started here in Fort
Collins. Grab a beer and witness the parade and cycling circus that make up the annual
family-friendly bike festival.
Must-Do Ride
The Horsetooth Reservoir Loop is a local favorite, with challenging climbs, fast descents,
and all-around amazing views.
Ride Map
Additional reporting by Caitlin Giddings
Stat Key
Bike Facilities/Square Mile: Miles of buffered bike lane, cycle track, standard bike lane, bike boulevard,
and dedicated path per square mile
People Per Bike-Share: Number of people for every bike-share bike (US Census)
Bicycling-Friendly Business: Sum of designated points for each business recognized by the League of
American Bicyclists: platinum (4 points), gold (3), silver (2), bronze (1)
Safety Score Number of fatalities per 10,000 commuters (Alliance for Biking and Walking)
How We Chose the Top 50 Cities