Faces of Shift with Colorado Avid Cyclist

Hi Gary! Tell us the story behind how Colorado Avid Cyclist was founded?

I first started Colorado Avid Cyclist as a small site that appealed to cyclists of all
interests and abilities, from racers, to recreational or just weekend riders. There were plenty of sites geared to competitive and or elite racers, I wanted something that was more of a lifestyle site that would appeal to anyone who liked to ride for any reason

What inspired you to create a platform centered around cycling in Colorado?

Colorado is my home state and is rich in cycling history. It is home to the Olympic Training Center, The Coors Classic, and rides like the Triple Bypass, and Tour of the Moon that draws riders from around the country, and world. It is also the home to many cycling-related manufacturers including Trek, Skratch, Pearlizumi and more. I thought Colorado was a great spot to start and be the hub as we grew.

What do you enjoy most about cycling in Colorado’s unique landscapes?

The great climbs. It is the only place you can actually cycle up 2 different 14000 ft peaks. The altitude is great to train in, and there is a huge number of teams, clubs for everyone if they want companionship and camaraderie, from the elite or pro racer to teams that love to just ride for fun on weekends or charity rides. With the continued expansion of bike paths, there are safe ways for cyclists to go anywhere they want to.

How do you decide which trails, rides, or cycling events to feature on your platform?

That’s easy, WE DON’T. Our goal is to list every cycling-related event on our calendar of event calendar that we have built. We are currently adding a feature to list club rides as well, as routes. Our goal is to become the leading cycling resource in Colorado for Events and Businesses. We have a directory of every bike shop, repair shop, and any business related to cycling, including coffee shops or pubs that cyclists like to go to after rides.

What’s been the most memorable cycling experience you’ve had while working on Colorado Avid Cyclist?

Most memorable – May 19th of this year, coming home from a training ride, I was going down a hill at 32mph and was hit from behind by a driver of an F-250 doing almost 50mph and I flew over 65ft rolling on the pavement. While I lost over a pint of blood, the driver screamed at me, posted pictures on social media of me, and asked for advice on who he should call to make sure I pay for his bumper. Somehow a chain of events after that led to me working with different advocacy groups, as well as 3 law enforcement agencies to build education and respect between motorists and cyclists. This was featured on several different Denver News stations in the next months. While still dealing with the trauma of this…there has been an amazing positive result in the work that we are doing for a safer biking community.

How do you engage with the cycling community and local businesses through your work?

We engage with different parts of the cycling community through our diverse articles, blogs and news features on our site as well as social media. We have a Facebook Page, a Group Page where all riders can post their rides, pictures of their rides and experience or just chat. We have a Strava Group, and also a classifieds page to list anything bike-related for sale. We also are hosting events such as an upcoming ColoradoAvidCyclist.com night at the Avs this coming March.

What are some upcoming trends or innovations in cycling that you’re particularly excited about?

One of the big trends is the popularity of Fondo events. That is when a race is basically open to everyone, including all racers. So you do not need to be a licensed racer to be in it. It allows anyone to ride, or race at their own pace. Easiest way to compare it is to any running race you see….the racers, elites or competitors are in the front, but there are hundreds of others enjoying the route as well. It allows for more people and with that, the entries pay for a higher quality event that more people enjoy.

Can you share tips for beginners looking to get into cycling in Colorado?

Find a local bike shop that you trust, ask for referrals from people you know that ride at any level for who they like. When picking out a bike, make sure they ask you and listen to what YOU want to do, not what is on sale. Find the right bike that fits your ambitions, Then get into some FB groups that allow you to ask about routes, advice based on where you live…and group rides. You will be amazed, we cyclists love to share info and give advice,…hence the reason for our site and the groups and resources we have created. And please, use us as a resource. 🙂

How do you envision Colorado Avid Cyclist evolving over the next few years?

While we are Colorado Based, we will be expanding into surrounding states, and being Rocky Mountain Region focused in the upcoming years. With Gravel Rides and Races becoming so popular, Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are hosting epic rides and events on the plains. We want to expand our reach to provide the same resources to those states as well as Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona in the coming year.

How has joining Shift Workspaces Littleton contributed to your growth or success?

I am not sure if “CAC” would be here today if it was not for Shift. We started with Shift with a mailbox, for a business address, and then over 2024 used it as a place for meetings. Not only was it a great place for an identity location for our business, but just coming in to work energized myself and became more productive because of the environment, to where over the past half year, I have been using the co-working option, and as of January 1, 2025, having my office in Littleton.

Tell us what you enjoy most about being a part of the Shift Workspaces community?

I have never been in an environment that is continually so energized and so positive. The people here are here to do business and grow, and you can feel it. The staff at Shift emulates that as well. I would find it hard to be in a bad mood here, I have come to Shift to get my mind focused. It is almost as if everyone here has a dog in the same fight-Success. I have always said, there are 2 types of people in the world, those who energize the room when they walk in, and those who energize it when they leave. The people here are the first of those! Thank you Shift!!