Pedal AI

Bustang to Frisco With a Bike — Ride Home to Denver, Ride There for the Day, or Ride to the Next Stop

▼ 3,900 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
Frisco Transit Center · 1010 Meadow Dr. · West Line

Frisco is the highest stop on the West Line and the best-connected place in Summit County for bikes — paved path in every direction, Loveland Pass and Boreas within reach, and a long descent home down I-70's frontage and the Clear Creek corridor.

🚲 2 rack spaces guaranteed — more usually fit underneath

Bustang's published limit is two bikes on the rack, first-come first-served, with no reservations. In practice the under-bus luggage bay takes more: riders regularly get three or four bikes on a mountain run. Mountain bikes go in the bay with the front wheel off; gravel bikes usually fit underneath as-is, wheels on.

Rack rules: Bustang FAQ. Real-world capacity from riders who have done it — treat the bay as likely, not guaranteed.

Rocco & Wolf’s Pick

Planned in Pedal from a sentence — a one-way ride on the Colorado Trail — then ridden for real, start to finish. The bus covers both ends: West Line at Frisco, Outrider at Buena Vista.

Frisco → Buena Vista on the Colorado Trail — 98 mi

Two bikes on the 7:00 AM West Line's front rack; the other two rode in the belly of the beast, front wheels off.Looking down toward Camp Hale from the top of the descent. Four of us — one is always behind the camera.Kokomo Pass, 12,022 ft — the Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide Trail share the sign.

Our own ride, start to finish: off the bus at the Frisco Transit Center, out the Tenmile recpath, and then the Colorado Trail nearly the whole way south — the Tenmile Range, Kokomo and Searle passes, the Collegiate Peaks country — into Buena Vista, where the Outrider stops a block from the trail's end. Big, remote, and almost all dirt: a very long day or a perfect overnight. Photos & the two days →

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The ride back to Union Station

Same start, same finish, three different bikes — the route changes with what you are riding, not just the surface mix. All three finish at Denver Union Station; plan it to your own address if you live somewhere else.

Road BikeRoad

Pavement the whole way, on the quietest roads that still go where you're going.
99.34 mi
distance
399 min
time
8529 ft
climb
A one-way point-to-point heading east on paved roads, about 99 miles with 8,529 ft of climbing spread across the day. Fair warning: you'll spend more than half the ride on busier roads, so pick your time and stay visible. This is a serious day in the saddle, so fuel and hydration are non-negotiable.
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Gravel BikeGravel

Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
86.0 mi
distance
429 min
time
12665 ft
climb
Heading east on a mix of pavement and singletrack, you're looking at 86 miles with about 12,665 ft of climbing across the day, this is a big one. The trail sections demand a capable bike and solid fitness, and you'll finish somewhere different than you started, so plan your logistics accordingly. Quiet roads keep traffic minimal throughout.
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Mountain BikeMTB

Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
88.52 mi
distance
443 min
time
12886 ft
climb
You're looking at an 88-mile point-to-point heading east on a mix of pavement and trail, with about 12,886 ft of climbing spread across the day. Half the route is singletrack or dirt, so bring a bike that can handle it, and plan for nearly 7.5 hours in the saddle. Quiet roads for most of it, but this one rewards an early start and steady pacing.
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Routes at the stop

Riding there rather than home? Start and finish at the bus.

Short spin

An hour to shake out the bus legs.
15.88 mi
distance
65 min
time
582 ft
climb
Head northeast on quiet paved roads for about 16 miles out and back, picking up about 582 ft of climbing along the way. The surface stays smooth throughout, and traffic is barely a factor on these side streets. You'll find the real work early, so settle into a steady pace and enjoy the easier miles on the return.
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Half day

The best half-day ride from the stop.
13.44 mi
distance
54 min
time
779 ft
climb
Head southwest on quiet paved roads, climbing steadily through the first half with about 779 ft of elevation gain, then enjoy the easier descent back. You'll spend roughly 54 minutes out and back on low-traffic streets with no gravel to worry about.
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Gravel rideGravel

Dirt roads out of town.
28.25 mi
distance
146 min
time
3463 ft
climb
Head south on quiet roads and trail, mixing paved, gravel, and singletrack over about 28 miles with serious climbing: roughly 3,463 ft spread across the day. You'll ride out to the turnaround and back the way you came, so pace the climbing early if you can.
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All Bustang stops · Plan your own ride