The Colorado Transcript records cycling in Colorado as early as 1869, less than 5 years after the invention in Paris of the foot driven Crank and Pedal. In a Colorado Transcript article on Feb 17th of that year there was a mention of a bicycle (velocipede) built for 22 which was used for touring to Billy Martin’s Cold Spring Ranch from Golden City. That same year Jim Boyd (Boyd Street in Golden is named for his father Judge Boyd), was recorded as being a cyclist who had an accident while riding south toward Clear Creek on Ford Street. It was reported that his “steed shied to the right” and he missed the bridge, flying into the creek.

In 1884 The Colorado Transcript reports on the Golden Bike club having organized rides. They indicated that “Bicycle riding is getting to be a glorious pastime about Golden”. In 1887 the League of American Wheelmen (LAW) Bulletin reported that Denver had approximately 700 cyclists. Other publications indicated that Golden had less but had a higher Wheelmen percentage of the population than Denver. In 1889 the Denver Rambler Cycle Club was pictured on Washington Avenue in Golden in the middle of a days tour.

In 1891, the first bicycle ascent of Pikes peak was performed. In 1892 there were more than a dozen such group trips to the summit of the great 14er. When the cog railway was available, cycle clubs would use the space between the rails as a bike path for the descent. Other railroad rights of way in Colorado were also “Rail Trails” including the line into Golden from the East and the narrow gauge route up Clear Creek Canyon. In the October 12, 1892 edition of the Transcript, it was reported that the first Cycling Hill Climb in Colorado was performed on the sidewalk of Court House Hill on Washington Avenue in Golden. Although short, it was the steepest narrow (forcing straight up riding) route known to the organizers.

On April 8, 1893 the Cycling West magazine reported (with a photo) on the Denver Athletic Club doing a “run” to Golden on cycles. Also in 1893, Denver’s Five Points Wheel Club was reported in the Golden Globe as having toured through Golden and “whiled away the day in this vicinity”. George West’s son L. B. West was an agent in Golden for the Victor brand of bicycle according to advertisements in the Transcript.

Chimney Gulch, just to the west of Golden, was made famous to all eastern cyclists who visited Colorado and who showed too much of an air of cycling superiority. The local Denver riders would offer them a tour to the mountains and lead their guests over easy trails, past Elitch Gardens, to Golden. While the easterners would find this quite pleasant, they would then quickly despair as the locals would quicken the pace and lead them up Chimney Gulch toward the summit of Lookout Mountain.

In 1894, Annie Oakley added a skit in her act where she did her fancy shooting while riding “no hands” on a ladies cycle. The Poet Scout for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, Capt. Jack Crawford, also was involved with cycling. He wrote an Epic Ballad: “Bronco vs. Bicycle” about a 10-mile challenge race nearby the Santa Fe Trail. This race involved the Patron Saint of cycling, Thomas Stevens. Thomas Stevens, was the first person to ride a bicycle across the USA in 1884. He then continued around the world in 1885 and 1886.

Thomas Stevens himself has a Colorado connection. He was working in Denver in 1882 and 1883 when he first learned about cycling. It was here in Colorado that he decided to perform his historic ride.