Colorado Bike Manufacturers
When you imagine zooming down the side of a mountain in Colorado, there’s a good chance you picture yourself with two skis on your feet. Or, in the epic battle between the two, you might be in the camp of those who strap on a snowboard.
But what about the less snowy months of the year?
If you’ve never taken the lift to the top of the mountain and then tried to hang on as the metal and wheels beneath you hurtle down the side of a rock-covered mountain, then you’ve never really lived.
Whether mountain biking, long-distance road cycling, or just burning some calories while heading to your local brewery (that quite possibly offers a 10% discount to everyone who gets there on their own power), there are plenty of cycling opportunities in the Centennial State. And there are also plenty of Colorado bicycle manufacturers.
Colorado Bicycle Manufacturers
Instead of buying a mass-produced contraption to ride on, consider supporting the locals by purchasing from one of these Colorado bike manufacturers. We’ve put together a list of some of the most innovative and solid manufacturers of metal steeds to brave the high-altitude roads and trails.
More Than Colorado Mountain Bike Manufacturers
Just to clear one thing up, we didn’t want to limit this to Colorado mountain bike manufacturers. From mountains to urban environments, and human-powered to electric-assisted bikes, we wanted to include a range of different types.
Alchemy Bikes
The good people at Alchemy Bikes see themselves as fabricators first, and bike sellers second. They give business school teachers headaches by refusing to sell you a bike if they think they don’t have the right one for you, but the fact that they’ve been around since 2008 proves that their customers like this approach. They have a direct-to-rider sales approach that allows them to figure out what they think you need, and then deliver it right to your house. They even give you 30 days to return it for a refund if it doesn’t feel right.
They’re not limited to one style, and they make:
- Mountain bikes
- Road bikes
- Gravel bikes
- eBikes
FattE-Bikes
Electric bikes are increasingly enabling people to solve more transportation problems (and have more fun) than the days when you had to have the thighs of someone who never skips leg day. FattE-Bikes loved seeing this change, but they didn’t love the low-quality bikes that were being imported from other countries.
They build these electric bikes in Denver, which allows you to pick out the best traits in a bike for you. When you’re not forced to choose from a cookie-cutter ride, you can transform your daily lifestyle with wheels that run errands, go for longer exercise rides, or just skip the sofa to feel the wind in your hair.
They sell bikes in the following styles:
- All-terrain mountain bike hybrid
- Step-through
- Folding fat tire electric bike
- Extended frame electric cargo bike
Yeti Cycles
Yeti Cycles dates back to the 1980s – a time when mountain biking wasn’t a thing that your average person knew about. Only hardcore riders needed mountain bikes, so their origin story involves building machines that could help them win races as the competitions grew. Being based out of Durango, they worked with the original superstars and were eventually acquired by Schwinn to allow them to grow. But, corporate oversight isn’t in the DNA of people who pioneer rocketing down mountains with just a bit of metal and rubber between you and the harsh terrain – so they managed to restructure as an independent bike company.
With history like that, you know that these bikes are the real deal if you want to win mountain bike races.
Guerrilla Gravity
The origins of Guerilla Gravity sound like the setup for a joke: An entrepreneur, an engineer, and a community builder get into a car for a road trip to a bike race. By the time they were there, they knew they needed to locally manufacture mountain bikes in Colorado so they could provide the quality and service that the big companies weren’t offering. Their bikes and their manufacturing facility have evolved a lot since getting their start in 2011, but the company is still set on three key foundations:
- USA made
- Direct to rider
- Driven by community
They sell bikes with varying traits, so there’s definitely one that will be a great companion on your mountain adventures.
Lenz Sport
Lenz Sport is another interesting one on our list of Colorado bike manufacturers, because they go above and beyond building their frames locally in CO. What makes them unique? They also make ski bikes. In case you’re not aware, ski bikes are exactly what they sound like – bikes with skis instead of wheels that are great for a powder day.
So the next time someone tells you that you have to choose between skiing and biking, just bring up Lenz Sport.
Reeb Cycles
“Reeb” is “beer” spelled backwards, and that’s not a coincidence. If you’re not familiar with Oskar Blues Brewery, you need to head right out and pick up a six-pack of the stuff that made it cool to put beer back in cans. While chugging that down, think about the fact that the same people behind that beer took inspiration from a stolen bike to start building bikes. I kid you not, that beer and these bikes were both born in the same barn in Lyons, CO.
These bikes are quality, no doubt there, but buying one also gives you a double dose of Colorado cultural cred.
Myth Cycles
Is it even physically possible to grow up in Durango and not become obsessed with mountain biking? Probably not, but definitely not for the founder of Myth Cycles. An experienced welder who learned from one of the all-time great builders, his passion and skill shows in every bike that Myth produces. They produce multiple types from full-suspension to all-road to fat bikes, and everything is American-made.
The philosophy of Myth is to build solid bikes (from steel) that will last a long time and make sure you are excited every time you ride. That’s the perfect recipe for an everlasting series of adventures.
Colorado Bikes For Everyone
The only thing better the breathing the mountain air while cruising on two wheels is doing it on one of these Colorado bikes. There are plenty of big companies with endless manufacturing and marketing budgets trying to convince you otherwise, but these Colorado bike manufacturers build what they know – and what they know is the exact same trail you’re currently zooming down at warp speed. Trust them, they know what they’re doing.
Want More Colorado-Made Products?
These aren’t the only talented makers in the Rocky Mountains. Check out our other lists to take your outdoor adventures to the next level:
