Fat Tire Topo Designs

Riding with @eliotjackson
Photos by @jussioksanen

In case you missed it, BIGTIME YGR supporters and Fort Collins companies, Topo Designs and New Belgium Brewing recently launched a collaborative collection of outdoor gear. Read the press release and checkout the gear below. 

Available at Topo Designs now: //topodesigns.com/collections/new-arrivals-bags

Topo Designs and New Belgium Brewing Company’s Fat Tire brand have partnered up to design a collection of gear for the outdoors-inspired beer lover. With both brands born in Fort Collins, Colorado, it was a natural joint effort to collaborate around each of their flagship products: New Belgium’s iconic Fat Tire Amber Ale and the classic Rover Pack from Topo Designs.

With strong parallels between design aesthetics, a vibrant company culture, a deep love for bikes, sustainability initiatives, and hometown Fort Collins pride, this project has been several years in the making for Topo Designs and New Belgium.

Along with the Rover Pack, rounding out the Topo Designs x Fat Tire Collection is a versatile Bike Bag [snacks, tools, townie rides along the river], a bikepacking-inspired organic cotton long sleeve tee [available in both men’s & women’s], and a nimble Taco Bag [keys, change, smaller items].

A brand new Cooler Bag [keep your lunch fresh & the beers cold] has been built exclusively for this collaboration, and is something Topo fans have been excitedly interested in for years.

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Primary Focus

Road, mountain, gravel, cyclocross- all the bikes. 

Type of racer

Men's and women's amateur race team

Mission Statement

The 1st City Cycling Team [FCCT] are a Front-Range based cycling team of women and men who share comaraderie for all things cycling. FCCT’s mission is to…• Field a competitive bicycle racing team of men and women of all ages and abilities• Promote our sponsors and other cycling-friendly businesses• Organize both grassroots, amateur, and professional cycling events• Volunteer for local and regional cycling events - not just our own• Advocate for cycling safety and awareness with stewardship and representation

• Showcase the Northern Colorado community

The 1st City Cycling Team is one spoke of the NoCo Cycling Project [NCCP], a 501c3 organization.

Press Release

Coming off a pandemic-"ridden" year [no pun intended], the 1st City Cycling Team [FCCT] is optimistic for 2021. First we’d like to recognize and thank our returning sponsors! • 1st City Mortgage - Mick Occhiato • proVelo Bikes - Greg Thornton• Spex Optical - Matt Skrdla • Elevations Real Estate - Mike Sibbald• Banner Health-[CardioVascular Institute of Northern Colorado] - Kate Schutze• The Royster• The Town Pump• Matador Mexican Grill - Brad Loyd• Your Group Ride• Skratch Labs

• Defeet

We’d also like to welcome the addition of our newest sponsor Cuore of Switzerland and are anxiously looking forward to “flexing” our colors on the pave, gravel, and dirt!

Even though we are the largest race team in Northern Colorado by the numbers, the competition begins and ends on race days as we continue to encourage collaboration, participation and volunteerism through hosting events and stewardship for the betterment of our cycling community. We are fortunate to live and ride in a region with multiple teams and individuals who share our vision, while consisting of a wide range of diversity and skillsets.

For 2021, you will see FCCT racing our bikes, participating in group rides, volunteering, and advocating for all cyclists. We have plans to resurrect, support, and assist grassroots racing [City Streets, New Belgium Short Track/Cyclocross, the YGR race series, etc.] and hopefully put a much-loved MTB event back on the calendar [TBA]. There is even a rumor that one of the premier cycling events in Northern Colorado will be returning in 2021! [I won’t spill the beans, but it occurs in November at a local brewery so stay tuned for those announcements.]

So if you see one of us on the street, trail, or road, introduce yourself. We look forward to riding, racing, and volunteering with you!

Sponsors

1st City Mortgage

proVelo Bikes

Spex Optical

Elevations Real Estate

Banner Health-[CardioVascular Institute of Northern Colorado]

The Royster

The Town Pump

Matador Mexican Grill

Cuore of Switzerland

YGR

Skratch Labs

Defeet International

Connect

Facebook: //www.facebook.com/1stCityCyclingTeam

Instagram: //www.instagram.com/1stcitycycling/

Website: //firstcitycyclingteam.com/

Roster

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Bike Fort Collins and the Overland Mountain Bike Association sent bike-related questionnaires to all of the 2021 Fort Collins mayoral and city council candidates.  These individuals will have enormous influence with regards to cycling infrastructure on our city roads and paths and in our parks, and natural areas. The city election takes place on April 6th. 

City Election information: //www.fcgov.com/elections/

Bike Fort Collins direct link: //bikefortcollins.org/2021-elections-we-asked-the-candidates/

Overland Mountain Bike Association direct link: //overlandmtb.org/about-us/fc-mayor-council-candidate-responses/

Elections are right around the corner [April 6] and as a city that holds the distinction and enjoys the reputation as one of the most bicycle friendly communities in the country, we feel its important that bicycling stays a priority among our newly elected City Council. With all but two seats [District 2 – Julie Pignataro and District 6 – Emily Gorgol] up for election this year , we wanted you, as bicycle enthusiasts and supporters to know where the candidates stand on the past-time, the sport, and the transportation mode of bicycling — that is so important to us and our future, as well as such a part of our city’s identity.

Bike Fort Collins sent each of the candidates listed below a short questionnaire intended to give them an opportunity to introduce themselves and provide their position on proximate bicycle and active transportation-related issues. While, as a 501c[3], BFC cannot endorse nor support a specific candidate, we are happy to compile and share their responses to better enable you to make more informed decisions when filling out your ballot this year.

All candidates are listed below alphabetically by Mayor or or Council District. Simply click on their name to view/read their questionnaire responses. Not sure of the boundaries each Council District represents? View a District Map here.

MAYORAL CANDIDATES [2-YEAR TERM]

• JENI ARNDT
• GERRY HORAK
• MOLLY SKOLD

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

• NICK ARMSTRONG
• SUSAN GUTOWSKY

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

• TRICIA CANONICO
• GAVIN KASZYNSKI

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES [2-YEAR TERM TO FILL VACANCY]

• JESSICA DYRDAHL
• ERIN HOTTENSTEIN
• SHIRLEY PEEL
• MELANIE POTYONDY
• SIDNA RACHID

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

Below you will find the responses from the candidates currently running for Fort Collins Mayor & City Council Districts 1, 3, 4 & 5.  OMBA submitted a list of questions to each candidate for their take on several trail and open lands related issues.  As a 501c3 charitable organization, OMBA is unable to endorse or support any candidate for elected office.  But…we can ask them questions on topics related to our mission and share that info to our audience.  You are encouraged to read each response and contact each candidate if you would like more information on their positions or responses to our questions.  Click here for candidate contact info

MAYORAL CANDIDATES [2-YEAR TERM]

• JENI ARNDT
• GERRY HORAK
• MOLLY SKOLD -Answers added 03/22/2021
  

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

• NICK ARMSTRONG -Answers added 03/22/2021
• SUSAN GUTOWSKY -No answers yet- 03/10/2021

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

• TRICIA CANONICO
• GAVIN KASZYNSKI

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES [2-YEAR TERM TO FILL VACANCY]

CITY COUNCIL – DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES [4-YEAR TERM]

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Primary Focus:

Road, gravel, cyclocross

Type of racer

Men's Domestic Elite Team

Mission Statement

The Rio Grande Elite Cycling Team is a US Domestic Elite Team based out of Fort Collins Colorado.  Our goal at Team Rio Grande is to cultivate the best emerging talent in Colorado through racing, community and philanthropy. Our program has developed and continues to develop elite and professional athletes who compete at all levels of competition nationally and regionally.  We give our riders the platform to perform at the biggest stage races in the country by attending UCI stage races and racing in the US Pro Road Tour events.  We also race the full Colorado Road Calendar.  

Press Release

Our roster consists of 11 riders this year, all returning members to the team.  This year we felt it was important to offer each rider from the 2020 season a spot, as COVID threw a wrench into everyone’s plans and prevented our guys from showing their full potential.  We did still manage to find some ways to compete in 2020 though!

The year that was 2020:

With many of our in-person events being cancelled due to COVID, we went virtual.  Using indoor trainer set ups and the online racing platform, Zwift, we attended the Virtual Tour of the Gila, Virtual Joe Martin Stage Race, and Virtual Redlands Bicycle Classic.  Even with a strong international and US fields, we were able to snag a few top 5 performances and fell just outside the top 10 in a Team Time Trial.  We didn’t just race online, we also looked to share our individual stories via instagram, which you can still find up on our page.  The one kind of road racing that could still be managed in a pandemic, the state time trial championships, was held with Jameson Ribbens defending his title!  We also looked towards smaller, gravel events later in the year, with Henty York taking 3rd place in the Grit Nine-0 against some strong professional teams.  We were also able to host a closed team camp for our riders [following strict COVID protocols] in order to bond and look towards the 2021 season ahead.

A huge boost for the team coming into this year is that we have successfully graduated not one, but two riders to the pro ranks for 2021!  Tyrel Fuchs has gone to Elevate Webiplex Pro Cycling and Travis Furman has gone to Team Illuminate.  Both are looking forward to racing in the US and abroad this season, but will both be based in Fort Collins this season so say hi if you see them out training.

Pre-2020:

As far as pre-COVID results go; In 2016-2019, Team Rio Grande riders won the Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Road Cup for Colorado’s best all-around racers. In 2018, the team placed second in the Rocky Mountain Road Cup team classification and won it in 2017 and again in 2019.  Team Rio Grande will continue to build on these successes and strive to bring a strong national presence, representing Northern Colorado in the upcoming 2021 season.

Looking ahead to the 2021 schedule:

We’re proud to wear Rio Grande across our chests for the 23rd year of the Rio Grande Cycling Team’s existence!  We’ll be starting off with some local racing to warm up in the spring, with our home race the CSU Spring Race Weekend being one of the highlights.  This will be followed by a busy June, with three travel events; one to Oregon for the 5-day Cascade Cycling Classic, one to the 3-day Tulsa Tough Criterium Omnium, and one for US Pro Nationals in Knoxville, Tennessee.  This leads into a summer of criterium racing and gravel with the always exciting USA Crits Littleton Criterium followed by the Foco Fondo and SBT GRVL gravel events.  With all of the cancellations of 2020, the big stage races of the year all end up in September/October.  The first is the Steamboat Stage Race [normally our last race of the season] which will get us primed and ready for Joe Martin Stage Race [2.2], Redlands Bicycle Classic, and Tour of the Gila [2.2].  

All of the guys are so excited to get back to racing.  We truly cannot wait!  We have amazing support from sponsors like Flow Formulas who help keep us energized, Pactimo, BLIZ, and LazerSport to help keep us cool and protected, and phenomenal support via Bike Sports, Hagman Homes, The Phoenix Cyclery, Mawsome Lumber & Hardware, and Dohn Construction.

If you’d like to see what the team’s up to, we’ve just launched a youtube channel where we’ll post highlights of our different races, and you can also follow the team via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or our new website [coming soon]!

Train. Eat. Margaritas,

Rees York

Rio Grande Elite Cycling Team, Director

Roster

Brett RindtKip TaylorJameson RibbensHenry YorkMatti RoweMaxl FreemanChaz HogenhaurAlex MarrJames HilyerPeter Behm

Tayne Andrade

Sponsors

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Bike Sports Hagman Homes The Phoenix Cyclery Orbea Bicycles Pactimo BLIZ Zwift Mawsome Lumber & Hardware Co Dohn Construction Inc. LazerSport

Flow Formulas 

Connect:

Facebook: //www.facebook.com/TeamRioGrande

Instagram: //www.instagram.com/teamriogrande/

Youtube: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCZCVta2qnXK5C2AMCYGoQQQ

Website: coming soon.  

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2021 Team Press Release: Bike Sports

Gravel

Type of Riders:

Professional Gravel Racers

Roster:

Whitney Allison

Zack Allison 

Mission: 

Bike Sports, a new cycling brand from Zack and Whitney Allison, offers a gravel-focused racing team, a bike fit studio, biking expeditions and adventure travel experiences covering all skill levels to Northern Colorado and beyond. Whitney and Zack share over two decades of pro-level road and gravel racing between them and Bike Sports is an inclusive avenue for them to bring you along for the ride and see the world as they see it.

That apple on the tree that’s just out of reach — you know, that event you’ve been eyeing for years — let us springboard you out of your comfort zone and straight to it. Get sideways into a turn. Break the wheels loose on a gravel descent. Live like a king or queen slurping the oysters of the world’s most picturesque riding locations. We will bring you on an experience by bicycle. If you’re wondering if cycling is your thing, it will be after we hang out.

2021 Press Release: 

We’ve introduced ourselves as bike racers for over a decade. We drove cross country subsisting on gas station food, we “got signed,” we rode gravel before it was a thing and what we have now is speed, experience, and insight. As old as bike racing is, it’s currently experiencing a time of massive change. It’s shifting to what the masses want to see regardless of governing bodies and rules. Gravel racing is the next generation of racing that came from practicality and genuine love of riding. Gravel events are born out of a hypocritical, greedy, and unfair system of promoting a sport we all love. Who we are and the ethos of Bike Sports is simple, fun, pure, and inclusive. What’s for sure is we’re going to race bikes, we’re going to show other people the beauty of life on a saddle and we’re going to carry ourselves well, with pride and panache, under the banner of Bike Sports. You can find their current calendar and partners: //www.bikesportsco.com/bike-racing-team

Connect:

Facebook: //www.facebook.com/bikesportscolorado

Instagram: //www.instagram.com/bikesportsco/

Website: //www.bikesportsco.com/