Bikes make the Democratic National Convention wheely Green

August 27, 10:27 PMDenver People ExaminerErnie Tucker

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The ExamCam rider set to roll from downtown.

Love or hate the current Democratic National Convention in Denver, it has spawned an explosion of bicycling in Denver. The Freewheelin bike library, a combo of Humana and Boulder’s 10-year-old Bikes Belong coalition, has loosed some 1,000 cycles  on the streets from seven stations, including the main one across from the Colorado Convention Center at 14^th and Stout.

This high-tech operation, in which anyone with ID and a credit card can check out a cycle daily and return it, is also a test-run, according to Bikes Belong Executive Director Tim Blumenthal.

“It’s gone phenomenally well,” Blumenthal said, adding that all types of people – even those who haven’t ridden for years  -- are checking out bikes, helmets and locks as part of the free program. Some ride on the Cherry Creek Bike Path, others tool around seeing the DNC action. The bikes, from six top manufacturers, are also linked via computer to keep a running tally of stats such as miles ridden, calories burned and even (theoretical) carbon offset, assuming of course that the bike miles replaced car miles.

“With the support of Mayor Hickenlooper and the business community” a version of this convention  pilot could return in 2009. The idea, so simple, was enough to tempt even a rider who has had his share of accidents, including one that landed him in St. Anthony’s Central Hospital for a night.

And so it was that ExamCam got rolling from the Convention Center to nearby the Pepsi Center on Day 3 of the DNC. A sturdy Trek Lime, with wide tires, foot brakes and automatic gears was excellent for a city romp.

And while that journey was short, Blumenthal said that by Wednesday afternoon, there had been more than 4,000 rides  in Denver this week, totaling 15,000 miles, 400,000 calories and 5.2 metric tons of carbon offset. Most of the bikes and tech support will be shipped off next week to Minneapolis and St. Paul for the Republican National Convention.

But after it has rolled on, the experiment will leave plenty of happy riders here, waiting for the cycles to re-cycle.