Aspen is an exceptionally bike-friendly town. There are dedicated bike lanes on several city streets, bike trails in and around town, and a handful of excellent bike shops that cater to enthusiasts. At any point of the day, during every season, you’ll see bikes being ridden all over town. It’s a wonderful exercise in the high altitude, and it’s practical transportation in the tiny mountain town. The local bus service even has special buses to transport riders and their cycles all over the valley that open the door to limitless possibilities from Aspen to Snowmass, and all the way down-valley to Glenwood Springs. If this is your opportunity to ride an Aspen e-bike; the latest phenom, read on!
Electronic Bikes in Aspen
Electronic bikes, or e-bikes, are growing in popularity – and a darn sweet ride. Basically, e-bikes are just like a regular bicycle, except there is an electronic motor that assists your pedal power, so you don’t have to work so hard. The powered motor lets you ride longer distances without getting tired. E-bikes don’t do the entire job, so you’ll still have to pedal a bit. An Aspen e-bike make riding up hills, handling bumps, and facing wind a lot easier.
On an Aspen e-bike, you can travel further. The motor on an electronic bicycle can last up to about 120 miles before it needs to be charged. With the power of the motor to propel you when needed, you can bike endlessly around Aspen without getting tired.
Aspen is surrounded by hills and mountains, so an electronic bike can be exceptionally useful. E-bikes make riding easier for anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. An electronic bike allows you to enjoy Aspen’s scenery by riding longer, and with less effort. For example, you can easily ride all the way to Maroon Bells, a difficult uphill climb, even if you’re not in top physical condition. Even something as simple as running errands around town is much easier on an electric bike. The best thing is that all riders stay in a pack; nobody is faster or stronger or quicker. Everyone rides on an equal plane.
Another benefit of an electronic bike is parking. Aspen is notorious for its cramped parking and limited parking spaces in the downtown core. But there are bike racks and spots to park your cycle on nearly every block. If you have an electronic bike, you’ll have a front-row parking space waiting for you all over town.
Road E-Bike and Mountain E-Bikes
E-bikes can handle all types of terrain. Consider an urban e-bike and ride on roads and trails around town. An urban e-bike, or road e-bike, can get you just about anywhere in town – which means you won’t have to fight traffic or parking, all good things. On a road e-bike, you can make uphill journeys to destinations like the Maroon Bells, Brush Creek, Ashcroft, or Snowmass Village. It can also be fun for trips down-valley and up-valley on the amazing 40-plus-mile Rio Grande Trail.
E-mountain bikes, or eMTBs, are smooth rides and handle well. The advantages of eMTBs are that they handle more aggressive terrain — on and off pavement. They are ideal for navigating rough and rugged roads and trails.
An important note: E-bikes are allowed on dirt and fire roads (doubletrack), but are banned from singletrack mountain biking trails in Aspen and around Pitkin County. It is a ticketable offense.
What to Know About Riding in Aspen
If you’re planning on renting an electronic bike while you’re in Aspen, there are a few things to remember:
- Wearing a helmet is advisable.
- Be courteous to other riders. Use hand signals when switching lanes or making turns.
- Ride single file.
- Obey all traffic laws.
- Slow down around runners and hikers.
How to Rent E-Bikes in Aspen
There are a few places around Aspen and Snowmass where you can rent an electric bike. For a quick and free ride, try WE-cycle. WE-cycle’s bike-share program provides 30-minutes rides on their blue bikes for free. Just remember to dock your bike at any WE-cycle dock station before the time is up. (The overtime fees can be brutal, so bikers beware.)
If you want something a little longer than 30 minutes, you’ll need something other than WE-cycle. Thankfully, there are a few terrific bike shops around town that can hook you up with an electric bike rental. Try these outfitters:
Aspen Bikes
Aspen Bikes has pedal-assist electric bikes that you can rent. There are bikes you can rent for rides around town or on paved roads, or bikes for off-roading. E-bikes for kids are also available.
Four Mountain Sports
One of the town’s largest outfitters, Four Mountain Sports offers electronic bike rentals at various locations around Aspen and Snowmass. You can rent a single bike for a solo ride, or take your entire family or group on a fun trip. At Four Mountain Sports, you can even do a one-way rental, where you pick up at one location and drop off at another.
Silver City Cycles
Silver City Cycles has been in the motorized bike game for years. Today, it rents its own unique and stylish motorcycle-theme electronic bikes to vacationers to buzz all over town. If you’re looking for something a little different, try Silver City Cycles.
Where to Stay in Aspen
Aspen’s roads and trails are a thrilling ride for bike enthusiasts, and there’s nothing quite like riding an electronic bike around town. While a traditional bike requires maximum effort at points, an electronic bike allows more time to relax and take in the scenery.
When you stay at Lift One Condominiums, you’re close to several bike paths and trails, as well as many of the Aspen e-bike rental shops. From Lift One, you can walk a few blocks downtown and rent a bike, and from there head all over town. You can explore town, head east toward Independence Pass, or go west and explore Castle Creek, Brush Creek, and Cemetery Lane. The streets around Lift One Condominiums have dedicated bike lanes for added safety.
Lift One Condominiums has accommodations ranging from one to three bedrooms. Our turnkey vacation rentals come fully furnished with a full kitchen, linens, flatscreen TV, and kitchen amenities like a microwave, coffee maker, and toaster. Basically everything you need for a wonderful vacation!
Browse our vacation rentals for the dates you’d like to visit. From there, you can select your accommodations and book your reservation directly on our website. If you have any questions, you can always call our vacation specialists at 800-543-8001.
Leave a Reply