New Venture Cycling

Fantastic trip. My wife and I (age 60) were hesitant about riding more than 20 miles down Trail Ridge Road. We are not athletic. Co-​owners/​husband wife Carrie and Brandon gave us an honest assessment and volunteered that riders can opt out of various parts and ride in the van. So glad we went. We started early, with them professionally fitting us with good bikes, helmets, pant clips, gloves and some other extras. They drove our group (total of 6 riders and two guides) up to 12,000 feet near top of Trail Ridge Road. Clear instructions. Personal service. Ride as fast or slow as you want. More professional riders rode toward back, accelerating more to catch up. Multiple stops with very informative talks by one of the guides, a geologist. I learned alot about glaciers, history of the park, and Long’s Peak. Wife opted out of the one leg that involved uphill pedaling. Good decision! The guides anticipate various things, traffic issues, and are very safe. One rider was about 12, no problem, though I would not take younger. Cars do sometimes pass you in the other lane when the guides signal them. Layer clothing. They provided snacks, water, and a simple lunch. Amazing views. Great pictures. I would do this again, and bring friends and family. Everyone in our group came back pumped! Reasonable price. Reserve a couple days ahead as groups are small.

Riding the trail ridge east road with these guys was definitely the highlight of our trip.
The trail ridge road– if you haven’t otherwise heard– is kind of a don’t miss ride in RMNP, whether you go by car or bike. The east ride specifically starts at 12k feet and traverses the park road on the east side of the ridge, naturally, and then the town of Estes Park between about 7:30 am (arrival) and 12-​ish all told. Our guides Brandon and Kyle were awesome: professional, friendly and clearly concerned about guests’ comfort and safety. We had come to Estes without much in the way of specific plans (family wedding) and as such were not adequately prepared with clothing and they lent us all manner of gear from jackets to gloves.
On the drive up, they gave all of us tons of awesome history and geology about the area, and continued a really cool tour with details on the way down. They stopped regularly enough that we felt we could stop, strip off some clothes as it got warmer and get some photos and enjoy ourselves, but not so often that we were bored.
Great light lunch at the end of things in beautiful endovalley.
The only reason I give these guys four stars instead of five is they did not vet the cycling experience of the people signed up for the tour. The trail ridge is an easy tour meaning it does not require much stamina and you’re entirely on a paved road, but you should be off training wheels if you’re out here. One lady literally showed up in the shop saying «I’m not good at shifting». She stayed in the van for most of the ride because she clearly understood quickly that actually riding a bike on steeper terrain was beyond her abilities, but during the last hour where the grade was more moderate she joined the group. Once she was with the group she was slow and terrified and the guides understandably had to make sure she was safe but it was an utter drag as we were literally stopping every ½ mile at most to make sure she was keeping up and hadn’t wrecked. I understand they had to do this but… truly they shouldn’t have. Maybe its incorrect to blame the outfitter but I think they should vet these things in advance.

If you are looking for a memorable experience biking Rocky Mountain National Park with highly knowledgeable guides then go for the gusto and experience the 29 mile downhill ride with these guys. You will not be disappointed. A great adrenaline rush. The guides knew everything about the park’s history and geology. We were impressed with their attention to safety and concern for all of the people on our tour. An added bonus was the relaxing snack break with stunning views, ice-​cold water refill and more interesting local historical anecdotes.