DENVER — It’s a day to celebrate a love of two wheels and the incredible biking community in the Mile High City on Wednesday as thousands of cyclists are expected to roll into Bike to Work Day.
Organized by Way to Go, which is part of Denver Regional Council of Governments, (DRCOG) the summer Bike to Work Day is expected to bring thousands of cyclists to the roads, trails and beyond who decide to swap their vehicle and ride into work.
“It's just a really fun day, an upbeat day,” said Nisha Mokshagundam, Way to Go Program Manager. “One of the things that Bike to Work Day does is it provides a structured environment for people to try out bike commuting if they're unfamiliar with it. I think it's also a great opportunity for local governments to showcase infrastructure that helps support cycling within the community.”
- This past winter, Mokshagundam joined Denver7's On Two Wheels on our bikes to talk about Bike to Work day. In the video player below, come along for the ride to get a glimpse of what it's like.
A main draw of Bike to Work day is exploring the many different stations set up across Colorado communities with all sorts of free goodies, things to eat and drink and people who are ready to encourage you to swap a vehicle for a bike ride.
“We give them a structured opportunity to get out of their single occupant vehicle and try other forms of transportation tomorrow,” added Mokshagundam. “We're really emphasizing biking, and we're hoping that people feel comfortable trying biking for the first time, second time, maybe they're seasoned cyclists who bike to work every day. We want to say thank you to all of them.”
There are tons of stations to explore in the Denver metro and you can check out this interactive map to find one or more along your route from home to work.
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FIND A STATION AT THIS LINK
“Check out stations that are doing free giveaways. We've got folks who skip breakfast on Wednesday so that they can get a free burrito. They don't want to fill up beforehand so they can, you know, pick up coffee muffins,” said Mokshagundam.
She encourages riders to check out one of four Bike to Work day marquee stations including at Civic Center Park between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. for all sorts of goodies.
Denver7 is updating a list of stations across the Front Range, and you can check those out below.
Organizers encourage everyone to pledge to ride on the DRCOG website for a shot at prizes.
This year, that includes Colorado Rapid tickets and their grand prize which is a three-night stay at Expedition Lodge in Estes Park. “Grand prize winners will also receive the loan of two foldable e-bikes, courtesy of Hardt Family Cyclery, to explore the town,” according to the press release.
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Then in the afternoon after work, the Bike to Work Day celebration continues.
“Join us at REI downtown, between 4:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., as Way to Go is going to be leading a group ride to the Highlands so that folks can taste the recently launched No Handlebars – It's the official Bike to Work Day beer that's being brewed by the Emporium Brewing Company,” said Mokshagundam. “There will be live music, we're doing free screen printing and there's going to be a food truck. It's going to be an awesome celebration.”
She also wants to remind drivers to expect many more cyclists on the roads and trails on Wednesday.
“If you are a driver, just be extra cautious on the road tomorrow,” she said. “Make sure you're looking both ways before you turn as there are going to be many more cyclists on the road, and many of those cyclists are going to be doing the commute route that you drive each day.”
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The Denver Police Department announced it will help cyclists register their bikes with DPD's registry in case of theft through the 529 Garage project, which is "designed to enhance bicycle theft prevention, lost/stolen bicycle recovery, bicycle theft investigations and more," wrote DPD in news release.
"On Bike to Work Day, DPD officers and volunteers will be at five locations set up throughout the city to encourage and help with (if needed) the simple registration process, which will include a free 529 Shield decal to enhance bicyclists’ registration by letting thieves know the bike is registered and by aiding police in recovering bikes, said DPD.
Registration comes with a free 529 Shield decal and registration takes less than five minutes.
Here are the locations where DPD will set up the program:
- Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
- REI, 1416 Platte St., 6:00 - 10:00 a.m.
- Cherry Creek Trail at S. University Blvd. and Cherry Creek N. Dr., 6:45 - 9:30 a.m.
- E. 29th Avenue Town Center at E. 29th Ave. & N. Roslyn St., 6:30 – 9:30 a.m.
- Skyline Park at 16th St. & Arapahoe St., 6:00 – 9:00 a.m.
You can also register your bike online anytime at this link.
Denver7’s On Two Wheels will be out there tomorrow morning, so feel free to say hi.
If you have a biking story, or someone in the Colorado cycling community we should feature, reach out to us at on2wheels@denver7.com.
Here’s a list of events, happenings and stations for Bike to Work Day. Check back as we’re updating this list.
Bike to Work Day "marquee stations" listed from the Waytogo media alert:
DENVER
- Civic Center Station: Join Way to Go and partners in downtown Denver at Civic Center Park station between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. “Deck out” your bike with cool decorations, pick up a free burrito and coffee, and enter a raffle for a free Pure Cycles Urban Commuter bike, courtesy of sponsor Wilhite Law!
- Empourium Brewing Company: Close out Bike to Work Day by dropping by The Empourium Brewing Company on Tennyson St.! Visitors can enjoy live music, a food truck, refresh their helmet head and taste the official Bike to Work Day beer, No Handlebars, which launches June 25! Way to Go will offer free screenprinting on site, so bring a t-shirt or tote bag to commemorate the night. Celebrations begin at 5:30 p.m. Sign up to join a group ride to the brewery led by Way to Go from REI in downtown Denver.
- Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig and City of Greenwood Village: Stop by first thing in the morning to enjoy delicious breakfast burritos to fuel your ride and pick up free swag for riders! Moonrise Coffee Roasters will be on-site to serve up coffee and iced chai tea. Celebrate the cycling community with giant yard games courtesy of City of Greenwood Village.
- Commuting Solutions Smart Hub: Visit the Northglenn Recreation Center and Denver Premium Outlets in Thornton in the morning and afternoon to check out the latest tech-enabled Bikeep bike racks and lockers in action! Learn how Way to Go and our partners are developing mobility hubs to make it easier for cyclists to commute to work and anywhere else.
- Check out more Denver stations at this link.
ARVADA
- Check out Arvada's celebration at Memorial Park for burritos, coffee and prizes. Located at 8151 West 59th Avenue from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
AURORA
- The City of Aurora's Bike to Work Day station is at City Center North: 15288 East Cedar Place from 6:45 a.m. to 9 a.m.
"Come join the City of Aurora on the High Line Canal, just west of Chambers Avenue. Breakfast Burritos and Coffee sponsored by Bicycle Aurora."
BOULDER
- Boulder has a ton of things going on for Bike to Work Day. Here's a website with an interactive map of breakfast stations.
CASTLE ROCK
- Check out Festival Park in downtown Castle Rock between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. for free breakfast, giveaways and prizes.
FORT COLLINS
- The City of Fort Collins says there are nearly 90 morning and 12 afternoon stations. Here's a link to their interactive map of stations and more information here on what you can expect.
LITTLETON
- Mary Carter Greenway Super Station located at 2630 West Belleview Aveue from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
"Stop by the City of Littleton’s Super Station on the Mary Carter Greenway to fuel up with fruit, bars, breakfast burritos courtesy of Arapahoe County Open Space, fresh coffee sponsored by Kiln, and all the donut holes you desire. Pedal Bike Shop will be on site offering quick bike checks to keep you rolling, and free helmets from AdventHealth Littleton."
LONGMONT
REEB Cycles' Hooptie Bike Lounge is hosting a Bike to Work Day event by releasing REEB Rocky Mountain IPA, according to a press release. The event lasts all day starting with free coffee and waffles and they offer some "minor bike adjustments." Info from their media alert below:
7–10AM – Free Traction Coffee and Waffles: Kickstart your Bike to Work Day with free Traction Coffee Roasters coffee and waffles and free minor bike adjustments.
3–7PM – Hooptie Happy Hour & REEB IPA Beer Release: Stop in on your ride home from work for $3 Dos Equis and $1 off all draft beer including the new REEB Cycles and Bootstrap Brewing “REEB Rocky Mountain IPA” collaboration beer.
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