Inside the Movement to Make Colorado Springs a True Bike City

Is Colorado Springs a bike town or a car town? Carly sits down with three people who are quietly reshaping how the Springs gets around: Tara McCarthy, Executive Director of PikeRide; Torie Giffin, owner of the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort; and Kerry Childress, a city transportation planner who turns out to be one of the unsung heroes building the bike network behind the scenes.

From midnight rides through Garden of the Gods to the e-bike boom changing who can ride, this conversation covers what it really takes to move a sprawling, car-centric city toward two wheels, and why it matters whether or not you ever clip in.

In this episode:

• The single rides that made each guest fall in love with cycling in the Pikes Peak region
• Whether the Springs' "outdoor town" reputation actually holds up
• Why your tax dollars on a bike lane matter even if you never use one
• Planning a bike network for a city built on hills and sprawl, not a flat grid like Boulder
• The bike tourism money the Springs may be leaving on the table (think Fruita and Bentonville)
• Transportation equity and what it means to be "time privileged" with a set of car keys
• Pike Ride's expansion into Southeast Colorado Springs and the $35-a-month e-bike program changing lives
• The truth about what's actually being sold as an "e-bike"
• How to make cycling culture welcoming to anyone, no spandex or Strava required
• Everything you need to know about Bike to Work Day on June 24th (yes, there's bacon)

Mentioned in this episode:
Pedal the Springs podcast • Colorado Springs Cycling Club • Trails and Open Space Coalition • Kids on Bikes • Visit Colorado Springs • PikeRide Episode of Springs and Things

We Love Our Sponsors

• Pikes Peak Library District Summer Adventure Program — All you have to do is spend 30 days reading, creating, and exploring to win prizes.
• Vanguard Aesthetics — Skincare treatments with real, noticeable results.
• Core Collective — Our favorite spot for pilates! Use code SPRINGSANDTHINGS for 3 classes for $30. 

Grab your bike, take a ride, then come back and join us, because by the end, that "e-bike smile" might just make an addict out of you, too.