Colorado Bicycle Laws: A Complete Guide to Your Rights and Responsibilities on the Road
You can ride a bike in Colorado for years and never actually read the laws.
Most people learn them the same way they learn everything else on two wheels: from other riders, near misses, and that one friend who confidently explains a rule that turns out to be completely wrong.
And honestly, that's how a lot of cycling knowledge gets passed around. Some of it's accurate. Some of it's bike-shop folklore that's somehow survived longer than certain trail systems.
The Rules Have Changed
Colorado's cycling laws have changed quite a bit over the years, especially as more people have taken to the roads, bike lanes, and recreation paths across the state.
Rules surrounding stop signs, passing distances, bike lanes, nighttime riding, and driver responsibilities have all evolved.
The problem is that many riders are still operating on information they heard a decade ago.
Things Most Riders Don't Know
That's where things get interesting.
Some of Colorado's bicycle laws are exactly what you'd expect. Others tend to surprise even experienced riders.
A few are rules that drivers should probably know too, considering we're all sharing the same roads whether we're commuting through downtown Grand Junction, grinding up South Camp Road, or trying to survive a summer afternoon on the shoulder outside Fruita.
A Complete Guide to Your Rights and Responsibilities on the Road
Gallery Credit: Tim Gray
Before Your Next Ride
After looking through the list, there's a decent chance at least one law caught you by surprise. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.
Colorado's cycling rules aren't exactly the sort of thing people sit around reading for fun on a Friday night.
Read More: Grand Junction's Traffic Woes: Look at 16 Hazardous Intersections
If nothing else, you'll be better prepared the next time somebody confidently explains a bike law that doesn't actually exist.