i'll be heading out to Vaile for the first week of july. i'm not really interested in shipping my bike, and therefore, would like to know of any shops that rent bikes. also....any good riding routes that you'd be willing to share (road or mtb)? thanks in advance for any info, and if you're from the area and would like to hook up for a ride, PM me. thanks.

-matt

How far do you want to ride?

You can go east on the I-70 frontage road (turns into a bike path) and go over Vail Pass. This is part of the Triple Bypass. Check the Breckenridge thread http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=34222
and check out the IronTriangle/Leadville Loop. Or do variations of it Vail Pass and back, Tennesee Pass and back. Whatever you do, the I-70 frontage road (Old US 6) will be the "trunk" for all of your routes. Most of the roads have pretty decent shoulders.

Mountain Biking is a different story. You are not necessarily limited to the frontage road. You can go directly into the ski area (both Vail and Beaver Creek) and have some pretty nice single track.

Here's a list of bike rental places:

http://www.ypengine.com/yp.cfm?hr=1&bid=&rid=2081&pag=767&BRD=2539&st=&ct=&zp=&AreaSearch=1&sic=799909&BC=&BN=&YPID=0&fc=&sdesc=Bicycle+Rental&ic=&ShowEnh=&EnhOnly=0&sradius=0&dirpage=1&StartRec=1&StartLet=

Check out http://www.ecosports.com/ecosports/ and click on Mtn Bike or road bike to get some ideas.

Have fun.

i'll be heading out to Vaile for the first week of july. i'm not really interested in shipping my bike, and therefore, would like to know of any shops that rent bikes. also....any good riding routes that you'd be willing to share (road or mtb)? thanks in advance for any info, and if you're from the area and would like to hook up for a ride, PM me. thanks.

-matt

Tons of mtn bikes to rent. Call a couple shops, they can direct you. Pedal Power. Colo Bike Service. There are others.

Mtn biking is endless. Again ask the shops for info. Road rides include over Vail Pass to Copper and back. From Vail ride west out to Wolcott even Eagle - lots of miles of rolling terrain. Many little climbs - inlcuding riding up to Beaver Creek Resort, Singletree, up to Cordillera, it goes on.

thanks PDex and Carver for all the info. sounds like finding a rental and getting in some excellent rides shouldn't be too difficult. also...thanks for not pointing out the fact that i'm a huge moron for repeatedly referring to vail as vaile. :p

one more question - how bad is altitude sickness/acclimation? i've never been above 4k' before, so it's all new to me. is my riding going to be seriously affected? i know it's all subjective, but i'm open to opinions and maybe some suggestions on how to avoid getting sick.

thanks again!

the_dude

thanks PDex and Carver for all the info. sounds like finding a rental and getting in some excellent rides shouldn't be too difficult. also...thanks for not pointing out the fact that i'm a huge moron for repeatedly referring to vail as vaile. :p

one more question - how bad is altitude sickness/acclimation? i've never been above 4k' before, so it's all new to me. is my riding going to be seriously affected? i know it's all subjective, but i'm open to opinions and maybe some suggestions on how to avoid getting sick.

thanks again!

the_dude

In my years of having flatlanders come up to visit, the key is drink before, during, and after. Water is good, but making sure you get salt and electrolytes is crucial. If you are looking to ride hard, for meals I suggest eating smaller portions of lean meat, veggies, and low glycemic carbs like oatmeal and real whole wheat. Seems simple, it is, but if I had a buck for every time someone had good intentions. Seriously, if you're going be at 8-10K feet for just a few days, no way to "get ready", the key is stay hydrated and fed (but not full) and your cycling will be awesome.

In my years of having flatlanders come up to visit, the key is drink before, during, and after. Water is good, but making sure you get salt and electrolytes is crucial. If you are looking to ride hard, for meals I suggest eating smaller portions of lean meat, veggies, and low glycemic carbs like oatmeal and real whole wheat. Seems simple, it is, but if I had a buck for every time someone had good intentions. Seriously, if you're going be at 8-10K feet for just a few days, no way to "get ready", the key is stay hydrated and fed (but not full) and your cycling will be awesome.




excellent advice. thank you much.

the_dude