Author Topic: Bike shop in Denver area  (Read 19873 times)

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Offline smrachek

Bike shop in Denver area
« on: May 25, 2011, 09:55:04 am »
Does anyone know a any  bike shops in Denver area that are knowledgeable in Bike Touring.  Would like to do 2 week tour around Co. and will be starting and finishing in Denver.  My first solo, unsupported.

Offline John Nelson

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2011, 02:39:07 pm »
Are you looking to buy a bike, rent a bike, service a bike, assemble a bike, get route advice, buy gear, or someplace to ship your bike to?

Offline smrachek

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2011, 06:23:24 pm »
All the above.  Best scenario would be to rent bike out there so don't have to ship mine out there.  As of right now I don't even own a "touring" bike nor a trailer.  I do have a old steel Marin road bike I thought I might try to outfit and use a trailer with it.  It has Carbon forks so i don't think panniers and racks are a good idea.  It's my first solo unsupported trip so I'm a virgin at everything. The ideal situation would be to rent bike, panniers (or I could buy) and i would buy the rest of the equipment.  Used to camp a lot in my pre-marriage years so i do have some gear. I have a daughter in Denve so figured a 10-14 day tour around the state would be a good 1st tour.  I live in south florida and bike touring isn't really big down hear

Offline John Nelson

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2011, 10:07:58 pm »
Okay, I don't know of any bike shop anywhere that you can walk in and count on finding a touring bike in your size to rent or buy. I'm sure there are a few, but they are very few indeed and none are known to me. So if you want a touring bike, you'll need to prearrange. I know some good bike shops, but I don't know of any with much touring knowledge. I can highly recommend Wheat Ridge Cyclery (in Wheat Ridge) and University Bikes (in Boulder). If you need a touring bike on the spot and did not prearrange, then your best bet is REI. The flagship store is in Denver. They typically have one or two LHT on the floor, but it'd be pure luck if one was in your size.

You can usually count on REI to have some Ortlieb and Novara panniers and Tubus racks in stock, especially at the Denver flagship store. That store is probably your best chance at one-stop shopping for a bike and equipment. Shop around at their online web site and submit an order for everything you need. Have it delivered to the store and it will be ready for you when you get there. REI typically carries three kinds of touring bikes (Novara Randonee and Safari, and the Surly LHT)--you'll have to figure out the size yourself. I do not, however, currently see the LHT in their catalog.

If you order a bike through Wheat Ridge Cyclery or University Bikes, you'll likely get much better service making it fit you. These shops can readily swap out stems and saddles. They can probably order many of the bikes in the ACA buyers' guide.

Note that if you walk into any bike shop and ask to see their touring bikes, they will most likely not have any, but they will try to convince you that some bike on their floor is "practically the same thing." So if you want a real touring bike, and I do recommend you get one if you will be doing much touring, arrange ahead of time for them to order one.

I don't know of any place that rents touring bikes or touring equipment.

Offline smrachek

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2011, 02:54:08 pm »
John,
   Thanks a lot for your input.  I had rented a road bike from Wheatridge last year to do the MS150 and they seemed very professional.  I will give them a call.  I have some time as I am planning to to this in Aug. or Sept.  The problem is, I just don't know how much bike touring in the future I will be doing.  But that being said I don't have a problem investing in a bike I can shoot around town in. I'm just wondering if a $700-800 Safari (REI) or similar priced touring bike is adequate for me to "test the waters" of bike touring.  I'm sure I'm going to love the experience but having the time available will not be easy for years to come.  Thanks again for the advice

indyfabz

  • Guest
Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2011, 09:50:39 am »
I'm just wondering if a $700-800 Safari (REI) or similar priced touring bike is adequate for me to "test the waters" of bike touring.

It would be.  Whatever bike you use, make sure it is properly geared for the terrain. 

FYI, if you ever want to do any touring in the Glacier National Park area, Glacier Cyclery in Whitefish rents B.O.B. trailers.  (Make a reservation well in advance.)  You can do a nice 8-day loop (including a day off) up into B.C. and Alberta that comes back through Galcier N.P. over Going to the Sun Road.  The GF and I did that in '09.  It was her first self contained trip and she really enjoyed it.

Offline valygrl

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2011, 05:33:16 pm »
Hey - my take on it is that if you have 2 weeks of vacation, you don't want to spend 2 or 3 days of it messing around with getting your bike ready, so do that at home.

If you can fly Southwest or Frontier, the bike luggage charges are very reasonable, both hub out of Denver.  Not so United.

I'm in Boulder, and I don't know of anywhere that particularly specializes in touring.  REI has tour bikes as mentioned, I've seen Trek 520's at University Bikes and Bicycle Village, and there's a Trek store in town (and i think another in Lafayette).

Get low gears, especially coming from flat and sea level Florida.  Mountain bike gears are not too low.

this book is very useful
http://www.rei.com/product/688722/cycling-colorados-mountain-passes
this map is great:
http://www.amazon.com/Topographic-Recreational-Map-Colorado-Mapping/dp/1881262103

August is great.  If September, better be the beginning of September - by the end you can get some real weather in the mountains. 

when you get you route planned, post it up for comments, if you want.

Offline sspeed

Re: Bike shop in Denver area
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2012, 03:23:50 pm »
Salvagetti Bike Shop in the Highlands has a Long Haul Trucker and a Disc Trucker on hand.  I doubt they rent them though...