The First Ride is the Hardest

We’ve had countless conversations with people in Denver who are “bike curious.” They want to ride bikes more frequently but are having difficulty getting started.

The first ride is hard.

What we suggest is to start small, with a short, easy trip within your neighborhood. Something that’s about a mile or so. A strong candidate: ice cream!

Here are a few examples of trips folks already make that can work well, using Wash Park as an example neighborhood. A lunch run for falafel at Zaman Mediterranean Fresh. 1.4 miles.

A stop at Devil’s Food Bakery, the neighborhood croissant indulgence. 1.1 miles.

A trim at Ollie’s Barber Shop. 0.4 miles.

Pick up a reserved book at Ross-Broadway Library. 1.8 miles.

These very doable short trips can help folks overcome the hurdle of the First Ride. You don’t have to be dressed to the nines, it’s not a significant distance, and you know the streets and geography of your neighborhood.

If there’s a spot that makes you uncomfortable, become a pedestrian and walk your bike on the sidewalk for a block or two.

Enjoy small trips like this. And over time, as you feel more comfortable biking, you can start to increase your radius.