July Momentum Newsletter from FC Bikes

July 15, 2013

July Momentum Newsletter

Greetings!

We survived yet another fabulous Bike To Work Day, the 26th Annual in fact! The event attracted over 3500 cyclists, 1000 of whom had not participated before. The event continues to grow each year and we cannot thank our sponsors enough for helping us put on such a great event and continuing to encourage Fort Collins' residents that cycling in town is fun and accessible. Check out some photos from the event on the City of Fort Collins Facebook page. If you have any comments or suggestions, we would love to hear feedback that participants may have about the event. Email Becky at rmoriarty@fcgov.com to share your experience.

While our signature summer cycling event may be over, there is plenty going on in the City. Check out all the fun activities coming up in the next few weeks!

City Bike Projects and Programs

Lincoln Corridor Plan Survey

Survey Closes: Tuesday, July 16

Lincoln Avenue between Jefferson Street and Lemay Avenue is a critical connection between Downtown and the eastern part of the community. It contains a rich and eclectic mix of historic neighborhoods, old and new businesses, and public/private open space. Changes are occurring rapidly along this corridor, and development of the Link-N-Greens site into a major employment center will transform how the street functions. In anticipation of these changes, the City of Fort Collins undertook many planning efforts, but the corridor is still lacking a cohesive identity and specific steps for improvements and change. The purpose of the Lincoln Corridor Plan is to develop a compelling vision and to identify and prioritize improvements to the street and surrounding area.

What is your vision for the Lincoln Corridor? Visit the Lincoln Corridor website to take a visioning survey.

Get Involved!

Help Raise Funds for the Fort Follies' Women's Grand Prix

Event Date: August 24, 2013

Fort Collins is lucky enough to host the finish for the August 24th stage of the US Pro Challenge. With such a supportive community, Fort Collins as well as the promoters of that stage, are allowing the Fort Follies to host a criterium at the finish line that same day, to finish before the participants of the US Pro Challenge come in.

For our criterium in Old Town, we will be hosting a Pro Women's race as they do not have an equivalent to the US Pro Challenge. We feel that it is important to display the talent in the Pro Women's category and show how women's cycling is very exciting and competitive! In the morning we will also host a "Ride with Pro" ride for women of all abilities, as well
as a lady-focused after-party after the conclusion of the women's pro criterium.

With the thousands of spectators who will already be in Fort Collins for the finish of the Pro Challenge stage, adding in a
criterium race will bring in even more racers who want to be involved in the event and encourage more spectators to
spend the day at the event, bringing additional exposure to sponsors who want to help fund our criterium.

To make a donation, please visit the Fort Follies' Pro Women's Grand Prix Funding Page. For more information on the event or sponsorship opportunites, please contact Whitney Schultz at wmhschultz@gmail.com or 970-818-1816. Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortFolliesProWomensGrandPrix .

Volunteer for the Fort Collins Stage of the USA Pro Challenge

Event Date: August 24, 2013

Stage 6 of the USA Pro Cycling is going to be a major undertaking. It will take between 600 and 800 volunteers to get all 17 teams safely from the start in Loveland up to Estes Park and back down to the finish Fort Collins. Positions will include but are not limited to, course marshals, city ambassadors, VIP relations, venue set up and tear down.

For more information, please visit the official website: http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/volunteer-signup

Local Bike Events

City Streets Criterium

Every Tuesday Evening in July, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
The City Streets Criterium Series will take place at the Fort Collins City Streets Maintenance Yard during all 5 Tuesdays in July.For more information and to register, please visit: City Streets Crits. For information on the FoCo Kids Bike Challenge which is a part of this event, please visit: http://www.fcgov.com/recreation/north-aztlan.php.

FoCo Cafe's Bike-In Music Festival

Sunday, July 21 from 3:00pm - 7:00pm at Spring Kite Farm

Bike-in for great music, food, and beer on beautiful Spring Kite Farm. Experience the best of Fort Collins in one Sunday afternoon! Gates open at 2:30pm, music begins at 3:00pm and the event will happen Sunday, July 21, rain or shine! Only 200 tickets will be sold, so this will be an intimate experience!

Featuring:

3:00 Grateful Dead Cover Band Switchman Sleepin'

4:30 Grammy-nominated Maxwell Hughes (former member of The Lumineers)

6:00 High Energy Blue Grama Bluegrass

For more information, please visit: Bike In Music Festival @ Spring Kite Farm.

Women's Wrenching Nights!

Thursdays, July 25, August 8, August 22 from 7:00pm-9:00pm at Fort Collins Bike Co-op

This summer, women cyclists are invited to join us at the Fort Collins Bike Co-op for wrenching sessions in a safe and welcoming environment! Each session will consist of an instructional demonstration of bicycle mechanics, followed by shop time where each participants can work on their own bikes of on Co-op projects. Each night will focus on one specific aspect of bike maintenance, such as brakes, wheels, or derailleur gearing. Please email karieonfire@gmail.com with questions. For more information, please visit: http://www.fcbikecoop.org/.

Lory Park Mountain Challenge

Every Tuesday in August, 4:00pm-8:00pm

For more information, please visit: Lory Park Mountain Challenge.

Double Damn Dams Time Trials

Every Thursday Evening in August

For more information, please visit: Double Damn Dams Time Trial Series.

Bike-In Block Party Premiere of the Movie: Whensday

Friday, August 9 at Lyric Cinema Cafe

Come to the premiere of Fort Collins' own Whensday. Documentarian Abe Benjamin stumbles across an old casette tape in a thrift store that leads him to investigate the mysterious origin of a bamboo bike and the odd little girl who accompanies it on its journey through time. Unbeknownst to Abe, the Braughman Brothers Security Team are on the hunt for the same bike at the request of their billionaire boss and best friend Joe Panda. Chaos ensues.

The Bike-In Block Party will include live music performed by local artists featured on the soundtrack: Fierce Bad Rabbit, Mama Lenny & the Remedy, Michael Kirkpatrick and more . . . For more information, please visit: http://whensdaymovie.com/.

Larimer County Pro Challenge Experience

Sunday, August 11 Pro Challenge Experience

Join the adventure on Sunday, August 11 for the first annual Larimer County Pro Challenge Experience! Larimer County is famous for 3 things: the rugged natural beauty of the Rockies and our countless nature areas, a commitment to bike culture (which led this year to Fort Collins receiving Platinum status in the League of American Cyclists Bike Friendly Communities rankings), and our passion for great beer. The Larimer Experience brings all 3 together for one day that celebrates everything that makes Northern Colorado great. After departing from the famed New Belgium Brewery, the course tours the vast and breathtaking vistas of the region via tranquil county roads. But make no mistake, this is no Sunday cruise. The frontier spirit of Larimer County is on display in the 108 mile challenge, which includes over 30 miles of roadie friendly gravel and clay roads, plus an epic ascent from the front range into the remote and awe-inspiring Red Feather Lakes region. The more forgiving 52 and 30 mile course are no less scenic, and all finish back at New Belgium for a great party. Ride benefits the Noco Rebuilding Network, a local charity supporting the rebuilding efforts of those affected by natural disasters in Northern Colorado. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.prochallengeexperience.com/.

Fort Follies Women's Grand Prix

Saturday, August 24 at 12:00pm in Old Town, Fort Collins

This fast, flat .93 mile course is centered in the heart of the action in Old Town, Fort Collins on the same day as the USAMen's Pro Challenge Stage 6, also ending in Fort Collins. With a major $9,000 prize purse, primes, sprinter points, and a most-aggressive rider jersey, you can expect incredible action among some of the highest-level women professionals in the U.S.!

$50 Pre-Registration closes August 20 @ 8PM MST. www.bikereg.com/asldkfjasldfkj.
$60 Day-of registration 9:00-11:15.am

For more information, please visit the Fort Follies website or contact Whitney Schultz at wmhschultz@gmail.com or 970-818-1816.

USA Pro Challenge

Saturday, August 24 in Fort Collins

The USA Pro Challenge, also known as America's Race, is an annual multi-day professional road cycling stage race that first took place in Colorado in 2011. The race is marked especially by the incredible altitudes (over 12,000-feet), spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountain scenery and over one million annual fans onsite.

The 2013 USA Pro Challenge will take place August 19-25 USPCC

Stage 1: Aspen/Snowmass (Circuit)

Stage 2: Aspen - Breckenridge

Stage 3: Breckenridge - Steamboat Springs

Stage 4: Streamboat Springs - Beaver Creek

Stage 5: Vail (Time Trial)

Stage 6: Loveland - Fort Collins

Stage 7: Denver (Circuit)

For more information, please visit: http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/.

New Belgium Brewing Bike-In Cinema

Thursdays, September 12, 19, 26, & October 3

Every summer since then we have hosted our own outdoor Bike-in Cinema on the front lawn here at New Belgium. It's quite a sight - 400 or 500 of our friends and neighbors spread out on blankets, catching a flick and sipping a beer beneath the stars. All beer proceeds go to local non-profit partners. The best part is watching everyone ride away on their bicycles, lights flashing, bells ringing on those warm summer nights. For more information, please visit: Bike-In Cinema.

Fort Collins Tour de Fat

Saturday, August 31 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm

If dressing freaky, riding bikes, and listening to bands are things you like, then don't miss the most FUN fundraiser around...Tour de Fat is coming back to town! Gather up your friends, family and neighbors and come enjoy eclectic entertainment and stellar beverages, all while helping local bicycle nonprofits raise funds. The event is free, yet all proceeds from beverage and merchandise sales and donations from parade participants will help make 12 US cities better places to ride a bike.

Each day begins with a giant bicycle parade that weaves through city streets, designed for people of all skill levels; all are welcome and colorful costumes are encouraged. For the rest of the afternoon, the stages heat up with world-class acts and the park becomes a celebration unlike any other!

For more information, please visit: Fort Collins Tour de Fat.

TDF

Traffic Skills 101 Course

September 14 at 281 N. College Ave. from 8:30am to 4:00pm

This FREE course, based on the League of American Bicyclists curriculum, covers sharing the road, rules of the road, bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques, PLUS lunch and materials. It's recommended for students above the age of 14 years. For more information and to RSVP, contact Becky Moriarty at rmoriarty@fcgov.com or 970.224.6112.

If you have an event that you would like included in a future issue of the Fort Collins Momentum Newsletter, please email Becky Moriarty at rmoriarty@fcgov.com.

Bike News You Might Have Missed

7/12/13: Aspen Police Department launches 'bait-bike' program

7/11/13: A case study on cyclists' positioning at intersections with turn lanes

6/28/13: Pro Challenge Experience ride gives amateurs chance to ride like pros

6/26/13: Thousands of cyclists, no accidents reported for Fort Collins' Bike to Work Day

6/19/13: What does Three-Feet Mean for Cyclists and Motorists?

Just for Fun

"When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Here was a machine of precision and balance for the convenience of man. And (unlike subsequent inventions for man's convenience) the more he used it, the fitter his body became. Here, for once, was a product of man's brain that was entirely beneficial to those who used it, and of no harm or irritation to others. Progress should have stopped when man invented the bicycle." ~Elizabeth West, Hovel in the Hills