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Sidewalk Bike Parking#

The City of Fort Collins installs public bike parking in the public right-of-way (City property) to encourage bicycling for short-trips. Bike rack locations can be suggested by individuals and businesses. Requests will be reviewed by the City and installed if it meets the City's bicycle rack location criteria and as funding allows.

Bicycle racks are installed in public right-of-way within the city limits. Racks are placed to avoid conflicts with pedestrians, parked vehicles and other sidewalk amenities. Racks are usually located near the curb and away from building entrances or crosswalks. Racks may be installed by bus stops if they do not conflict with the boarding zone.

To request a public bike rack or suggest a location for a bike rack, please submit an Access Fort Collins request.

On-Street Bike Parking Corrals#

The City of Fort Collins currently has six on-street bike corrals. Bike corrals are a new approach to bicycle parking and allow for increased capacity for people to arrive at business destinations by bicycle. On-street bike corrals typically replace one to two on-street car parking spaces with space for 10-20 bike parking spaces.

The City has recently launched an on-street bike corral program providing businesses the opportunity to request an on-street bicycle parking rack (utilizing an existing car parking space). Learn more about the program and apply for an on-street bicycle parking rack. The City will review applications twice a year according to the schedule noted in the application.

Why on-street bicycle parking?

  • Businesses: corrals provide a 10:1 customer to parking space ratio and advertise "bike-friendliness." They also improve the outdoor cafe seating environment by removing locked bicycles from the sidewalk and allow for great visibility of your business.
  • Pedestrians: corrals clear the sidewalks and allow for more pedestrian space.
  • People on bicycles: corrals increase the visibility of bicycling and support bicycling for short trips.
  • Motor vehicle drivers: corrals improve visibility at intersections by eliminating the opportunity for larger vehicles to park at street corners.

Public Bike Rack Maintenance#

The City of Fort Collins is responsible for maintaining its bike rack fleet. If you notice a damaged bike rack on public property, please report it online through Access Fort Collins.

Bike Parking On Private Property#

The City of Fort Collins does not typically install bike racks on private property. If you are interested in purchasing and installing a bike rack on your property, the following guidelines offer best practices on site planning, bicycle rack selection, installation and placement.

For additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Request Temporary Bike Racks For Event#

The City of Fort Collins has two types of bike racks available on request for temporary events:

- 15 A-frame bike racks. Each rack is approximately 8 feet long, weighs about 15 pounds and can hold 20-25 bikes. These racks require a truck and typically 2 people to load and unload them. To request these racks, please fill out the A-frame Bike Rack Request Form and email to Amy Gage at agage@fcgov.com.

- 5 collapsible bike racks. Each rack is approximately 110 x 48 x 60 when set up, weighs about 18 pounds, and can hold up to 8 bikes or up to 200 pounds. These racks can collapse down to a size that can be easily transported in a smaller vehicle or bike trailer. To request these racks, please fill out the Collapsible Bike Rack Request Form and email to Amy Gage at agage@fcgov.com.

The event contact person is responsible for picking up and dropping off the reserved bike racks.

Stolen Bike#

If your bicycle was stolen in Fort Collins, please report it immediately to the Fort Collins Police. To increase the likelihood of retrieving a stolen bicycle, make sure to register all of your bikes.

Tips for Locking Your Bike#

The best way to protect your bike is to have a good U-lock; cable locks can be cut easily. Locking your bike where there are lots of people around is helpful as well. A U-lock should be used to secure your frame, and a cable can be used to protect your wheels, if desired. When locking to an object, make sure the object is securely in the ground!

Found And Abandoned Bikes#

The Fort Collins Bike Co-op is contracted by FC Moves and works to recover, identify and return abandoned bicycles to their rightful owners. Stolen bikes need to be reported to Fort Collins Police Services and a stolen property report completed to allow the Bike Co-op to match recovered bikes with their owners.

After the appropriate impound period, unclaimed bikes become the property of the Bike Co-op and are utilized locally for the Earn-A-Bike and other charity programs. Any bike that cannot be refurbished is recycled to keep it out of the landfill.

Fort Collins residents are encouraged to drop off found or abandoned bikes at the Fort Collins Bike Co-op located at 1501 N College Ave, during open hours. In the event a bicycle cannot be dropped off, please make arrangements with the Co-op by calling 970-484-3804.