Summit County has something for every biker.

Looking for easy-to-moderate mountain-biking jaunts with sweet singletrack? Try the Sally Barber Mine trail, a 9.5-mile loop that's a mix of dirt road and trail, taking you past the well-preserved mine on a scenic, aspen-lined ridge above French Gulch. Or check out Boreas Pass, a 12.5-mile out-and-back that follows old railroad grade along the flank of Bald Mountain. Singletrack spurs along the way add moderate challenges.

Need to hurt? Montezuma Loop will get its revenge after 13.5 miles of rocky, steep climbing — in some places so steep in the switchbacks that nearly everyone must walk — alternating with rocky, steep descending.


Road riders will appreciate Ute Pass, a 32-mile climb that takes on 2,000 vertical feet and rewards with views of the Gore Range on the breezy downhill side.

For a little less exertion, there's the paved path from Breckenridge to Frisco. It's the same number of miles — one way. Ever try a tandem? This is a great place to check one out, the undulating path just steep enough in parts to work the lungs and legs.

Four legs make half the effort, twice the fun

There comes a time in every relationship — be it familial, friendly or romantic — when a little trail test of communication, compatibility, trust and tolerance might be, um, fun.

Tandem cycling is just such a test.


Let's just say that if you can get past the first hurdle of deciding who is going to be the captain (or pilot, the person who sits up front and is the lead rider) and who is going to be the stoker (the person who sits in the back and is at the mercy of the captain), well, then, you're probably going to be all right.

Or not.

The biggest mistake with tandem biking would be to imagine that because you see people breezing by on them all the time on the 9.5-mile (one way) paved bike path from Breckenridge to Frisco, that it's easy-peasy. It's harder than it looks.

Tandem biking in Summit County.
Tandem biking in Summit County. (Photos provided by Breckenridge Resort Chamber )

Then again, once you get the hang of it, it is actually easier than, say, doing your taxes and a heck of a lot more entertaining. But it takes a little bit of practice (preferably in a large, empty parking lot, like the one near the bike rental shop in Breckenridge) and a lot of patience with each other until both of you feel comfortable.

You don't have to be a serious road or mountain biker to ride a tandem, and kids can be excellent stokers. Just remember that the captain ultimately is the one who has to hold up the bike.

Here's what not to do as the captain: Suddenly yell out, "Oh, (expletive deleted)," and then slam on the brakes, causing the stoker to imagine the worst. (We are going to die. Or kill someone. Or both.)

Here's what not to do as the stoker: Suddenly stand up to fix a wedgie in your bike shorts. To the captain, it feels as though the whole back of the bike is being abruptly chewed off by a Tyrannosaurus rex.

And here are a few other helpful hints for a successful first-time tandem experience:

• The captain should ride around solo first to get the hang of having so much bike in back. Tandems are heavy, and then they get really heavy after the stoker climbs aboard.

• Starting and stopping are the toughest, so practice a few times somewhere with some room before heading onto a street or busy path. To start, the captain holds the tandem steady with one foot on the ground and one on a pedal, the brakes locked as the stoker gets on and sits in the seat, putting both feet on the pedals, matching the up pedal with the captain's up pedal. Then both push down on the up pedal at the same time as the captain gets onto the saddle. Pedal fast.

To stop, first everyone should know that stopping is about to occur, if possible. The stoker should stay centered and still, both feet on the pedals. The captain holds the bike and stays centered, putting a foot on the ground first. Once the bike is stable, then the stoker can begin to dismount.

• While riding, matching cadence gets tricky when one person gets tired. Usually, someone wants to pedal when the other person is ready to coast. This is when communication becomes key.

• Come up with a good set of code words you can both understand quickly. Good: Obvious things such as "faster," "slower" and "stop," but also something such as "right" and "left" if the captain wants you to watch for traffic on either side so he or she can take the other, and "bump" or other warnings to the stoker. Bad: "What are you doing?!" and "Don't do that!" Be specific. And gentle.


• Talk, or yell, much louder than you think you need to. With the wind, other bikers and ambient noise, it's hard to hear. And some things need to be heard immediately.

The details

BIKE RENTAL: Rent tandems at Avalanche Sports (540 S. Main St., 970-453-1461, for $25 a day; Mountain Wave (600 S. Park Ave., 800-453-3050, for $25 (up to 4 hours) or $31 (4-8 hours); or Alpine Sports (North, 400 N. Park Ave., 970-453-4455; South, 610 S. Ridge St. 970-453-8100, for $35 (4 hours) or $45 (full day).

STAY: Valdoro Mountain Lodge (500 Village Road, 970-453-4880, is ideal for a bike vacation stay — a bike shop and storage are on the premises, and their deal with Alpine Sports means rentals, as well. In addition, once you've done the damage to your bod, a day at the spa is in order, followed by relaxing in the lounge, maybe with a game of pool. Speaking of pool, there's an indoor-outdoor heated swimming one, as well as two hot tubs. If you must spend time in your room, that's not going to be a problem — even the smallest studios have sitting areas and a full kitchen; the three-bedroom condos sleep eight. Rates start at $130 a night for a studio.

DINE: A good bike ride requires fuel, and very casual Lucha Cantina (500 S. Main St., 970-453-1342, has several options. Need the big carbo load? Go for the grande burrito, a massive mess of . . . whatever you decide. There's a list of stuff — first meats (shredded beef, mahi mahi, ground turkey) or grilled veggies, then fillings such as cabbage, cheese and sweet potatoes, and then seven salsas ranging in heat from none to 11-alarm. Just need a snack? The poco nachos are perfect. Margs are made with fresh-squeezed juice, and they have a top-notch roster of other beverages, including Izzes and Red Bull.


What do you want to do on your summer vacation?

The Trek with Teens

The Peak Bagger's Blowout

The Spiritual Sojourn

The Low-Key Car Camp

The Cultural Connection

The Fly-Fishing Jaunt

The Western Wind-Down

The Budget Birder's Getaway

The Bon Vino Voyage

The All-in Bike Outing

The Pampering Pilgrimage

The Way-Cool Whitewater Odyssey