By: Jazz Hennes

Fort Collins, Colo.- I didn’t grow up in a city where you could bike down the road a few minutes and go to class or the store. That’s probably been the biggest culture shock for me with moving to Fort Collins, everyone bikes everywhere.

But, everyone also seems happier here.

According to National Geographic, biking correlates with happiness. And, it’s hard not to see why having the ability to bike everywhere would make people happier. One way to cultivate happiness is by creating a sense of security and safety.Biking is safer and it places a preference on people over cars. 

Fort Collins has exemplified this by having over 45 underpasses and overpasses for bicyclists which makes biking safer. By increasing the safety of bikers, more people are encouraged to bike which will in turn increase their happiness. 

Tour de Fat riders prepare in Howes Street. Photo by: Jon Austria of The Coloradan, 2022

Anyone can get involved in the Fort Collins biking scene;  from participating in Tour de Fat, which is a great way to get connected with the culture of Fort Collins, to suggesting places for Fort Collins to place bike racks and even request temporary bike racks for large events.

While biking isn’t for everyone, it is certainly for Fort Collins. So next time you need to go to the store down the street, leave your car and take your bike instead.