Moving from SoCal to Colorado...need advice!
 

I've been commuting by bike off and on for about 20 years now and have spent nearly my entire life in coastal Southern California. My wife got the chance at her dream job which means we are moving to Broomfield, Colorado (between Boulder and Denver) in a little over a week. My plan is to get a job within 5 miles of where we are going to live and commute by bike...but I've never been to Colorado so I have no idea on what to expect or how to prepare for bike commuting there.

Are there any tips and/or advice that can be offered?

Are my cyclocross-ish Cross Check and Steamroller bikes adequate for commuting year round in that area? Should I be looking at a bike with disc brakes?

Looks like Broomfield has a bit of a milder climate than Bozeman, but I'll throw in my 2c. I think a cyclocrossish bike would be fine, provided you get winter tires (either studded or dedicated winter tires.) If it does get icy, you're going to want studded tires. With studded tires riding on ice is as simple as riding on asphalt. Also you're going to need some cold weather gear. Check out the winter forum for lots of suggestions. I personally ride a mountain bike in the winter, but that's my preference.

Otherwise, the other three seasons shouldn't be too difficult for you. Sure it'll be a bit colder, but that's not usually a problem.

As a native of Southern California who now lives in the mountains (So Cal mountains), I can say you will definitely need a new wardrobe. Southern Californians tend to put on a heavy winter jacket over their t-shirt as soon as the temperature drops below 60. People who live in colder climates wear layers of clothes and the jacket you wear isn't usually that heavy.

A few years ago, I commuted 13 miles each way between Ft. Collins & Loveland on most days for over a year (before I changed jobs and moved out of state); but I resorted to motor vehicle travel on the days with severe weather (thunderstorms, cold, precipitation). From Dec. through February, this was maybe 50% of the time.

i've lived in Denver and commuted to work about seven miles each way for one entire winter.

long and short of it? it's pretty much the same as anywhere else, except it snows, and there can be ice. it only lasts for a day or two, but can make riding difficult.

and it can get pretty cold in the mornings, like zero F. type cold. nice part is that the misery, as stated doesn't last long.

i commuted on a friend of a friend's 60ish womens' three speed. so any bike will work.

Quite right, in the colder months, I would set out with my Gore Tex Windstopper outer garment, and often times, about 15 min into the ride, as the sun came up (as it usually does in CO), remove that layer before continuing my ride.

The cross-check has clearance enough for studded tires and honestly I don't know how much you'd really need them. I use to work for a company based in Denver that also had a nice facility in Boulder. I'd spend weeks at a time in the Boulder office during the winter and I was surprised by the lack of snow. It definitely did snow, but it didn't stick around.

All in all I'd say the winters were pretty mild, but then I'm used to bad winters.

I didn't spend enough time in Denver for it to leave much of an impression but FWIW I liked the Boulder area. You could do a lot worse.

I moved to hilly Colorado from flat Iowa 22 years ago. Had to add a front derailleur for higher and more importantly LOWER gearing. Also it took a couple of months to really adjust to the altitude. And I wear loose longsleeve cotton shirts in the summer because thinner air means more and faster sunburn.

You will wish you had more Oxygen, a mile higher than you were . after a few years you may. or may not, acclimate..

FWIW, I was fairly fit when I moved from the lowlands to CO, and never noticed any acclimatization period.

Don't worry much about it. Your 20 years' riding experience will serve you well. The cold is gonna sting a bit until you acclimate though.

used to live in broomfield many years ago. make a return visit now and then. a very good place to live. would move back in a flash if i could.

You might want to invest in some studded tires and a cheap MTB to mount them on. Last year there were only about 6-8 days where I didn't ride because of ice.

This year was geared up (if not entirely prepared!) when Wintery stuff hit a couple weeks ago. Already matched last year's total of not riding through the entire season because of ice. This year, being ready with the tires allowed me to ride!

CO weather can be wildly unpredictable. Winter was a dry one here last year- a more "normal" season can see us getting plenty of snow. Match your equipment to your determination to ride.

I have family that I visit often in Lafayette. The only downside to winter riding in that area is the bike traffic. There is a lot of it.

I've lived in both areas, and used to commute between Denver and Boulder - sometimes just with the bike, sometimes with a combination of bike and bus. Broomfield was the halfway point, and the community has greatly improved its bicycle infrastructure in the past decade.

It's true that the air is pretty thin, but it's also not a hilly as you might expect until you get west of Boulder. A triple crankset would be overkill unless you're going into the mountains.

It's also quite dry in the area, so even though you'll probably be cold coming from California, the cold doesn't totally destroy you like East Coast cold. As others have mentioned, it doesn't usually last more than a week or so. I did just fine without any technical winter fabrics (dryer air meant less sweat, for me), but the choice is yours.

In fact, the weather can change wildly in the course of a single day, which means that it's important to be prepared for anything during the months of September through May. The biggest danger, I think, comes from being unprepared for the possible temperature shifts: it can be 70 degrees and sunny when you leave for work, but cold and snowing when you come home. I learned to always bring something waterproof, a midlayer, socks, and gloves.

My own experience was that a regular road bike was fine about 90% of the time. For the remaining days, something with wider tires and good traction (studded tires) works well. In many cases, the side streets will not be plowed - they just wait a week for everything to melt (unlike the Upper Midwest, where it remains a sheet of ice for the next four months.) A Cross-Check or Steamroller will work great: just be sure to get a good lock, because everybody will want your bike!

As a long time California transplant - you do NOT need studded tires here. Even in the mountain valleys, snow lasts only a few days a year and melts rapidly.

The climate is dry and the winters are usually mild. Arctic air blasts pass through here and are gone as quickly as they arrived.

I am a little over an hour south of where you will be. A Cross Check is more than enough to get around on, I actually had a friend who was a bike delivery rider for Jimmy Johns when he was in College in Boulder and he got by just fine with it.

I am not sure how bad bike theft is in your area but if you have to leave the bike locked up, I would invest in a good quality U Lock. Bike theft seems horrible in this area.

Here is a site you might enjoy since you are moving to the area. http://303cycling.com/