Greetings from Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou (PaC-MAN)! We recently interviewed Abraham Schubarth about his experiences bicycling as transportation. Here are his responses and words of encouragement for those who would like to try cycling as transportation in our community.
How long have you lived in Manitou Springs and why did you choose to live here?
I have lived in Manitou Springs on and off for 10 years, but more recently, I have been living in my current location for almost two years.
I chose to live in Manitou Springs mainly because of the slower-paced, mountain town vibe. The people here are either health-conscious, into athletics, or are an artist of some sort. Having grown up on the westside of Colorado Springs, Manitou wasn’t too far of a move.
As an avid cyclist, I have easy access to some of the best training rides one could ever ask for.
What are the pros/cons of cycling as transportation in Manitou?
Pros: When commuting via bicycle in Manitou Springs, I feel like I have a lot of freedom. I can ride on the road, I have access to cycling paths, or I can hop off and walk my bike to my destination. There are plenty of bicycle racks to lock my bike to and parking is always free. There are also plenty of steep hills to get a good workout in as part of my ride.
Cons: The large amount of car traffic can be a bit stressful if I am in a hurry, but the slower pace of downtown can be just right at times.
What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement in Manitou would have the most positive impact on your cycling experience?
I think proper signage to alert drivers to the new Safety Stop law would be beneficial to me as a cyclist. (Search www.bicyclecolorado.org for “safety stop.”)
What advice would you give someone who would like to give walking or rolling as transportation in Manitou a try but doesn’t have much time or know where to start?
The best advice I would give someone who wants to try walking or rolling around Manitou would be to give yourself plenty of time to get around. If you leave plenty early, you can enjoy the trip rather than be stressed out.
If you are thinking of cycling around Manitou, visit your local bike shop to get set up with everything you need to ride safely. I would also recommend researching bike routes and trails to avoid traffic as much as possible. And, as always, hills aren’t IN the way, they ARE the way.
What do you think would increase more walking and rolling of visitors and residents in Manitou?
I think public repair stations would benefit cyclists. Since there isn’t a full-service bike shop in Manitou, repair stations would offer some cyclists peace of mind knowing that they can fix their bike if they choose to venture into the town without their own tools.
(Note from PaC-Man: A public bike repair station is located on the south side of the 700 block of Manitou Avenue.)
What other forms of transportation do you use and what has that experience been like?
I sometimes utilize the public bus system. I really enjoy the fact that the buses have bicycle racks on the front of them for when I don’t feel like riding home. I have also rented some of the PikeRide e-bikes successfully. The bike share programs are perfect for someone who just wants a bike for a short period of time, without having to fully invest in maintaining their own bicycle.