The bike with the lawn chair, with the "captain" talking on a cell phone.

FC Vintage Cruiser Ride

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, it seems like the bike-crazy town of Fort Collins has some sort of cycling event seemingly every weekend. This weekend was no exception, with the Colorado Cycling Festival being held Friday-Sunday. Kicking off the festivities was a Vintage Cruiser Ride through Old Town Fort Collins.

My friend Sarah was visiting from California for the weekend, and happily she was keen on joining me for some cruisin’. We rode over to Old Town (with me riding Carrie the Commuter Bike and her riding Cranky the Mountain Bike) where we joined up with 100 other Fort Collins for a mini-version of Critical Mass.

This ride differed from Critical Mass, however, in that the CM rides usually are in-your-face rides that try to raise cycling awareness among the communities (and usually end up annoying lots of drivers). In contrast, this ride was more like a party on wheels that mainly took neighborhood roads or bike paths, with most drivers and their cars being considerate and accommodating. Some driver’s even gave a thumbs up or honk of approval.

Three-quarters of the ride in, we all stopped at Lee’s Cyclery across from the CSU campus where there were cups of water and free cookies. Yum. After the ride, slick Australian-designed Knog LED headlights about the size of a wrist watch were given out to all participants as another perk.

Only about half of the participants were actually riding cruiser bikes, and I noted afterwards that this was “probably the longest five-mile ride I’ve ever done” (taking over an hour). Yet, it was also one of the most fun five-mile rides I’ve ever done, all in the festive Fort Collins spirit.

Gathering in Old Town Square for the Fort Collins Vintage Cruiser Ride.
Gathering in Old Town Square for the Fort Collins Vintage Cruiser Ride.
Some nice Trek cruiser bikes.
Some nice Trek cruiser bikes.
A vintage tandem with my mountain and commuter bikes behind it.
A vintage tandem with my mountain and commuter bikes behind it.
A "tandem" with a lawn chair.  Whoever would ride in the lawn chair had it good.
A "tandem" with a lawn chair. Whoever would ride in the lawn chair had it good.
Time to ride! You can see Sarah riding Cranky, my yellow Cannondale mountain bike.
Time to ride! You can see Sarah riding Cranky, my yellow Cannondale mountain bike.
There were about 100 of us.
There were about 100 of us.
This kid got a good taste of open-air "motoring."
This kid got a good taste of open-air "motoring."
Us bicyclists sort of took over the neighborhood streets, but most drivers were courteous and considerate.
Us bicyclists sort of took over the neighborhood streets, but most drivers were courteous and considerate.
The bike with the lawn chair, with the "captain" talking on a cell phone.
The bike with the lawn chair, with the "captain" talking on a cell phone.
Three-quarters through the ride we stopped at Lee's Cyclery, where there were free cookies and water.  Thanks, Lee's!
Three-quarters through the ride we stopped at Lee's Cyclery, where there were free cookies and water. Thanks, Lee's!
I decided I should get some sort of bell or horn for the commuter bike.  Hey, maybe I should get this cow horn!
I decided I should get some sort of bell or horn for the commuter bike. Hey, maybe I should get this cow horn!