Bicycle Rules & Regulations

• Complete listing of the laws pertaining to bicyclists in Fort Collins (Fort Collins Municipal Code)
• Complete listing of the laws pertaining to bicyclists in Colorado (PDF Format)
  The free Adobe Acrobat Reader required
• Complete Colorado Cycling Manual

• In the state of Colorado a bicycle is a vehicle, you have the same rules and responsibilities as a motor vehicle
• Ride in a designated bike lane if one is present, otherwise ride as far to the right hand side of the road as practicable
• Don't weave in and out of parked vehicles - hold a straight line of travel
• Ride with traffic
• Ride single file
• Don't cling to other vehicles
• Obey all traffic signs and signals
• Use a light at night
• Yield to Pedestrians and give an audible signal when passing

Bicycle rules and regulations links

Bicycle Safety

• When crossing railroad tracks ride perpendicular to the rails
• Be predictable to others around you
• Ride defensively
• Wear a helmet
• Keep control of your bicycle by keeping both hands on the handlebars
• Use hand signals when turning

Bicycling Prohibited

• Although it is legal to ride in most parts of the City there are sections that are posted as Dismount Zones or No Ride areas and can be identified by official traffic signs
• Bicycles are not allowed on College between Laurel St. and Harmony Road
• Bicycles are not allowed to ride in the Downtown Dismount Zone
• Bicycles are not allowed to ride in the Colorado State University Plaza Dismount Zone
• Rules and Regulations that govern bicyclists vary from the City of Fort Collins and Colorado State University

Sharing the Road

• Allow at least 3 feet between your vehicle and a cyclist when passing
• Signal your intentions before you turn
• Look back before making turns - cyclists may be approaching
• Be aware that when roads are too narrow for cyclists and motorists to ride side by side, cyclists are encouraged to take the lane when appropriate. This is especially true for narrow City streets where cyclists can be "pinched" between vehicles
• If you must honk your horn at a bicycle, do so from a friendly distance, not from directly behind or directly beside - this is startling and unsafe to the bicyclist
• Don't cut off a bicyclist when turning right. Be patient.
• Look before exiting a parked vehicle - "car dooring" has dire consequences
• Don't harass or endanger a bicyclist - by law this is considered reckless endangerment - a misdemeanor offense
• It is illegal to drive in designated Bike Lanes unless to turn into or out of access points - and even then, by City Traffic Code, bicyclists have the right of way