[Macpherson]

I'm hoping you guys can help me out. Myself and a friend will be in Denver early-mid April for work. We're driving there and are wondering if it would be worth it to bring our bikes? Neither of us have been mountain biking in Denver so we don't know anything about the trails. We'll be there Sun-Fri, and will most likely have classes until 5 pm each day. I don't know exactly where we'll be staying but I'm assuming downtown Denver somewhere. Are there some good trails close by that we can ride after 5 or 6 pm? I guess we're more downhill riders, but any all mountain trail would work, we just want to get out.

I hope I've given enough information, if not let me know. Thanks in advance for any help.



- Macpherson

 

[SkaredShtles]

If it's dry it'll be worth it. If it isn't dry it won't be worth it. Make the call the day before you come. And keep in mind - the weather forecasters are notoriously bad in the spring here.

Are you bringing heavy bikes? If so... you might be bummed by the climbs of the "standard" Front Range trails. 'Specially if you're from a lower elevation.

 

[schmed]

I'd bring the bikes. You might see 72 degrees and sunny or 25 degrees and 42" of snow. :thumbsup:

Downtown Denver is only 20-30 minutes from Golden and 40 minutes to Boulder. Lots of great riding close by.

 

[Macpherson]

My bike is not heavy, but my friends is a heavy downhill bike. However, he's a stronger rider than I am, so it equals out. We don't mind a moderate climb, and really any trail that's close to downtown will be good, since time may be an issue. And we're coming from Utah if that helps.



- Macpherson

 

[Pau11y]

Thought about renting a bike?
Save your ride from airline baggage apes, leave more money for econ in Golden/Lakewood/Boulder/Lyons, you get a bike more suited for the trails around here...just my thinking out loud

Oops, missed "driving"

 

[Macpherson]

We're driving, so airline baggage handlers won't be an issue.

What trails would you guys recommend?



- Macpherson

 

[Pau11y]

Drive south to Lake Pueblo State Park.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Drive south to Lake Pueblo State Park.

At 5:00 after work?

Take lights.

:lol:

 

[SkaredShtles]

My bike is not heavy, but my friends is a heavy downhill bike. However, he's a stronger rider than I am, so it equals out. We don't mind a moderate climb,

Dakota Ridge-Red Rocks-Matthew/Winters

 

[Pau11y]

At 5:00 after work?

Take lights.

:lol:

Wooo.... that would be OUT of control!

 

[Fischman]

Denver's big . . .

. . . it'd be good to know where your classes are. That'll help give you an idea of which rides were within range afterwards.

In any case, the aforementioned Dakota Ridge is probably your best bet and well worth the ride. If it's dry and within range, Chimney Gulch/Apex Park is a great ride. If you have time to get up to Loveland, Devil's Backbone is good and usually drys out fast.

BTW, if you're driving from Utah, you need to make time to stop in Fruita/Grand Junction on your travel day each way:thumbsup:

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
If it's dry and within range, Chimney Gulch/Apex Park is a great ride.

Most of the world would not consider either a "moderate" climb.

 

[xcguy]

You've still got time to do a ton of climbing before you come here. Thinking you're going to head to a typical Denver area trail and NOT climb to get your downhill on isn't going to work. There's no shuttling, it's climb, descend, climb, descend.

You want to have fun while you're here, maybe climbing isn't fun for you now but to have fun here...be in climbing shape. You already are acclimatized to the altitude so you got that working for you.

 

[coloskifreak]

Mt Falcon would be pretty close. It has a nice gradual climb, some rolling upper loops finishing with a fun ride down the hill you climbed.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Mt Falcon would be pretty close. It has a nice gradual climb, some rolling upper loops finishing with a fun ride down the hill you climbed.

Spoken like a true Front Ranger! :lol:

 

[Pau11y]

Mt Falcon would be pretty close. It has a nice gradual climb, some rolling upper loops finishing with a fun ride down the hill you climbed.

Makes me want to hook a lung every time I do it, but yeah, it's "gradual". :thumbsup: :skep: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster:

 

[jake7]

Makes me want to hook a lung every time I do it, but yeah, it's "gradual". :thumbsup: :skep: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster: :eekster:

It's all relative
Plus, those rest stops allow for time to reflect on the beauty of the land ... oh, and take a pull from the flask.

 

[Fischman]

I haven't done Mt Falcon yet . . .

. . . how does the climb compare to Chimney Gulch?

Agreed--Chimney Gulch is not what I would call moderate either. I took more than a few breaks on the way up.

 

[xcguy]

. . . how does the climb compare to Chimney Gulch?

Agreed--Chimney Gulch is not what I would call moderate either. I took more than a few breaks on the way up.

I heard about Mt. Falcon from a rider in Moab (all I rode back then was Walker Ranch). He described it as "a grunt". Yeah, it's gradual but I'd say that if the OP gets to the top of Mt. Falcon without puking or a coronary and with a smile on his mug I'd say he's in Front Range shape.

Mt. Falcon can be as hard as you make it but even at a crawl it's a "steady grunt". Do a time trial up it, now we're talking! I guess I'd say it's "easier" than a lot of Chimney Gulch (not nearly as technical) but I wouldn't call it "easy", like Coyote Song is "easy".

 

[BaeckerX1]

Mt Falcon would be pretty close. It has a nice gradual climb, some rolling upper loops finishing with a fun ride down the hill you climbed.

It's posts like this that damn near killed me when I first moved here from the flat state of Ohio.