The Denver Post
July 11, 2010, Nancy Lofholm

Cycling is banned from Black Hawk streets. Mounting problems between drivers and riders in Colorado National Monument have park officials considering restrictions. In Durango, a push is on to make all Colorado cyclists pay registration fees. Arguments over the new "3-foot rule" are popping up across the state. It appears that Colorado is in a cycle of ill will toward the 1.2 million adult riders who pedal the state's roads. New laws designed to make cycling safer seem to have exacerbated problems. So has the testy bike/vehicle crowding on mountain roads as more knee-challenged baby boomers hang up their skis and turn to bicycles. To top it off, Black Hawk's attention-grabbing bicycle ban — the only one by a municipality in the country — has put a much-publicized, far-reaching, negative spin on Colorado cycling. But even as some out- of-state cyclists say they're staying away because of Black Hawk, Colorado has been ranked among the country's most cycling-friendly places. Municipalities are adding bike libraries, bike lanes and trails and bike-education programs. The state's increasingly well-known large, organized cycling events pack in riders from around the country and the world. As of this month, a new law requires the Colorado Department of Transportation to ensure that roadways accommodate cyclists and pedestrians as well as vehicles. "I feel like overall, cycling is strong in Colorado and getting stronger," said Tim Blumenthal, president of the Bicycles Belong coalition. "The bike- riding experience here is one of the best in the country." It is difficult to find a mid-sized or metropolitan municipality in the state that is not promoting cycling. Steamboat Springs recently adopted a commuter plan that declares, "All city policies and plans, codes and programs are updated and implemented to take advantage of every opportunity to create a more bicycle friendly community." Boulder has created a website where commuters can plan their bike routes as well as calculate calories burned and carbon dioxide saved. Boulder County has also helped defuse problems in its heavily biked narrow canyons through education, more signs and stepped-up enforcement. Denver's new bike-sharing program has netted about 8,000 riders who borrow two-wheelers for trips around town. Fort Collins' "bike library" has about 4,300 patrons. There are now more than 30 major organized rides in the state, including this weekend's Triple Bypass over Squaw, Loveland and Vail passes. Registration for the grueling ride topped out at 3,500 riders in just 20 minutes of online registration. "I think people underestimate just how powerful biking can be for Colorado," said state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, who recently organized the inaugural Bailey HUNDO endurance mountain-bike race. The event filled area lodging and drew four state senators and 20 of the world's top riders to the starting line. This proliferation of bikes and cycling events may have a lot to do with conflicts between those who push bike pedals rather than gas pedals. It has certainly led to confrontations in places like Deer Creek and Left Hand canyons in Jefferson and Boulder counties, on farm roads in Larimer County, and in tourist haunts. ...

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