Denver's fleet of bicycles-on-demand is back. After a maintenance hiatus during winter's worst, the B-Cycle [2] fleet is ready to roll from the University of Denver Campus all the way up to the Highland neighborhood. "We do a detailed tune-up looking at every possible thing—gears, tires, broken bells. We clean every part," says Parry Burnap, the executive director of Denver Bike Sharing [3] (the nonprofit which owns and operates B-Cycle).

In its third year serving the metro area, B-Cycle has grown to 51 stations with 520 bikes serving 44,995 riders during the 2011 season. An annual pass is just $80 (discounted to $59 until Earth Day [4], April 22). Plus, if you just need to run a quick errand made quicker with two-wheels, a half-hour ride is free. If you don't make it back in 30 minutes, the next half hour is only a buck. "They are designed to replace short car trips either on its own or with public transportation," Burnap says. "It's works well for local people for commuting, errands, and recreation. It's a great way to see Denver in a different way."

TRY IT: Take in the Mile High City by pedaling a B-Cycle from stop to stop (otherwise known as the Tour de B-Cycle). If you make it between stops within the half hour limit, switch bikes and the day is free. 

—Photo courtesy of George Ferris Photography  [5]