If These PikeRide Bikes Could Talk…Oh The Wild and Emotional Stories They'd Tell!
What started as 60 pedal bikes downtown in 2018 has grown into a fleet of over 300 e-bikes serving Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Springs. But PikeRide is far more than a bike share program. In this episode of Springs and Things, Carly sits down with Tara McCarthy, Executive Director of PikeRide, to talk about how this local nonprofit is transforming transportation into a tool for freedom, dignity, and second chances. From a man in recovery who rode his way to custody of his daughters, to a 72-year-old who bikes to the senior center every single day, to Colorado College students howling at the moon at America the Beautiful Park, PikeRide's story is one of the most inspiring things happening in Colorado Springs right now. Yes, someone did once try to ride to Pueblo on I-25. They were fine. The bike was recovered.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Tara explains how PikeRide evolved from a downtown amenity for visitors into a life-changing mobility resource for Colorado Springs residents who cannot afford a car, work third shift when bus service is limited, or simply need a reliable way to get to work, a grocery store, a library, or a child's volleyball game. You will learn how PikeRide's 98 stations are strategically placed near small businesses, attractions like Garden of the Gods and the USOP Museum, community centers, libraries, and doctors' offices. Tara also clears up the biggest misconception about PikeRide: it is a local nonprofit, completely separate from for-profit scooter companies, with local staff working 365 days a year to keep bikes properly parked and the community served. Plus: Colorado Gives Day on December 9, how to donate, and why every ride you take on a PikeRide bike helps fund a ride for someone who cannot afford one.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and skincare glow-up talk with Vanguard Aesthetics
08:00 Meet Tara McCarthy, Executive Director of PikeRide
10:00 How PikeRide grew from 60 pedal bikes to 300 e-bikes across Colorado Springs
13:00 Why e-bikes made more sense than pedal bikes for Colorado Springs altitude and terrain
15:00 Transportation as a social connector: the 72-year-old who rides to the senior center every day
18:00 The biggest misconception about PikeRide (it is not the scooter company)
21:00 How PikeRide manages 98 stations and keeps bikes where they belong
25:00 You cannot make this up: the Pueblo attempt and the Colorado College full moon ride
30:00 The Name a Bike campaign and why 50 bikes carry someone's story
33:00 Community impact story: from living in a creek to a full-time job and his own apartment
37:00 Community impact story: a father in recovery rides his way back to his daughters
42:00 Colorado Gives Day: how to support PikeRide on December 9
45:00 Tara's personal Tour de PikeRide: Stellina's Pizza, Mash Mechanics, the Fine Arts Center, and the Legacy Loop
49:00 Picks of the Week: Sunday Funday indoor farmers market at Ivywild and JC Beauty Bar
About PikeRide:
PikeRide is a local nonprofit bike share program serving Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Springs. Founded in 2018 out of Downtown Ventures and Downtown Partnership, PikeRide switched from pedal bikes to e-bikes in 2020 to better serve the region's altitude and terrain. Today the organization operates over 300 e-bikes across 98 stations, with staff on the ground 365 days a year.
More than 30 percent of annual users are visitors and tourists, but PikeRide's impact on local residents is where the mission really lives. Affordability programs allow community members to access bikes at reduced cost, and partnerships with organizations serving people in transitional housing, recovery, and economic hardship have made PikeRide a genuine mobility lifeline for some of Colorado Springs' most vulnerable neighbors.
Every ride taken on a PikeRide bike supports the program and helps fund access for riders who cannot afford to pay. Learn more, sign up, or donate at pikeride.org.
Colorado Gives Day: December 9 PikeRide is fundraising through Colorado Gives starting November 1 and culminating on Colorado Gives Day, Tuesday December 9. The organization has been awarded a substantial matching grant and is raising funds to unlock it, with the goal of expanding services and making PikeRide more accessible to more Colorado Springs residents. Donate at pikeride.org.
The Name a Bike Campaign Donors can submit names to be placed on individual PikeRide bikes, personalizing the fleet and honoring people who have made a difference. Roughly 50 bikes currently carry a name, each one with its own story.
Tara's Tour de PikeRide:
Route 1: Start anywhere downtown, hop on the Legacy Loop, ride Shooks Run urban trail, stop at Stellina's Pizza Cafe (right off the trail with a bike lane up Willamette), and finish at Mash Mechanics brewery (bike lane, bike parking, full amenities). Bonus stop: the Fine Arts Center.
Route 2: Ride from Colorado Springs to Old Colorado City along quieter residential roads, exploring two distinct communities, different restaurants and shops, and yes, a few envious glances at people's backyards along the way.
Picks of the Week:
Sunday Funday Indoor Farmers Market at Ivywild (Carly's pick) Ivywild is launching a Sunday indoor farmers market every Sunday from 12pm to 5pm, featuring local vendors from across Colorado Springs. NFL Sunday Ticket will be playing, and whoever brings the most friends wins a special prize. A perfect way to keep the farmers market energy alive through winter.
JC Beauty Bar with Jen Chapman (Lauren's pick) Lauren has been getting her brows microbladed by Jen Chapman for five years and says the results are so natural that a professional makeup artist didn't notice until she was up close. Jen is based in Peyton, about an hour from Colorado Springs, and takes annual retouch appointments. Worth every mile of the drive.
Sponsors:
Vanguard Aesthetics is Colorado Springs' med spa run by Lisa, whose approach centers on skin health first. Carly and Lauren visited for consultations and are documenting their skincare journeys together across upcoming episodes. Stay tuned.
Modern Interior Company is a full service interior design firm based in Colorado Springs specializing in elevated, stress-free home design from concept to completion for busy professionals and high-end homeowners. Learn more at moderninterior.co.
Core Collective is Downtown Colorado Springs' reformer Pilates studio with welcoming instructors, great energy, and classes that have become a genuine highlight of Carly and Lauren's week. Use promo code SPRINGSANDTHINGS at checkout for three classes at $30. Visit corecollectivecos.com.
Key Quotes:
"You might see a bike on the corner and have no idea what that bike literally did for somebody today." -- Tara McCarthy
"The bike allowed him to go see one of his daughter's volleyball games." -- Tara McCarthy
"Every ride that you take with PikeRide stays in our community and helps support someone else take a ride where they might not be able to pay for that ride." -- Tara McCarthy
About Springs and Things:
Springs and Things is Colorado Springs' go-to local podcast for dining, arts, events, and community stories. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave a five star review, and share this episode with someone who loves The Springs as much as we do.
