Want to pedal a Revel? Take it out for a spin
Carbondale’s Revel Bikes lets you demo before you buy
Jacob Lepori/Courtesy photo
Editor’s note: A version of this story appears in the 2024 Cycling Guide.
Ever wondered what it’s like taking a Ferrari out for a test spin on some of the most spectacular, heart-wrenching routes? In trail-abundant Carbondale, Revel Bikes offers the same experience, but instead of luxury sports cars, customers can test out its world-class mountain bikes before purchase.
Located at 770 Industry Way Unit B, Revel CEO Ben Coates says patrons can demonstrate any Revel mountain bike in exchange for a $25 donation to local trails. The demo, however, doesn’t take place atop some hot parking lot. Testers can either ride the bike at nearby Red Hill or Prince Creek — two of the Roaring Fork Valley’s most iconic trailheads.
“It’s such an inclusive opportunity for everybody who comes here, and they can feel good about trying out a bike because the donation is good for the valley and good for our company to have more trails out there,” he says, adding that this experience includes possibly riding $10,000 bikes. “And riding a $10,000 bike is good for your soul. It’s just fun.”
Revel Bikes, launched by founder Adam Miller after he introduced a carbon masterpiece called the “Rascal” at Sedona Bike Fest in 2019, is an international organization with headquarters in both Taiwan and Carbondale. The company services about 18 countries, including 500 retail partnerships.
A fortuitous ride is what lured him and Revel to Carbondale. Miller, who’s originally from Alaska and worked at a bike shop since age 12, was living in Ogden, Utah, when he decided to ski the Grand Traverse, a 40-mile expert race route between Crested Butte and Aspen that ascends nearly 7,700 feet before dropping 6,381 feet. Driving back through Carbondale after the race was when he came up with the idea to move to the Roaring Fork Valley.
Now, Revel has 13 models.
“I had learned a whole lot and knew that I love bikes — how to design and make them and sell them. I got this amazing kind of, I call it, a grad degree and bike business,” Miller told The Aspen Times in a 2023 article. “And so after I sold my first company, I want to do this. I want to make the bikes that I want to ride, which luckily is a wide array of bikes, and luckily, a lot of other people want to ride those bikes, so we can make a business out of it.”
Outside Magazine ranked Revel seventh in “Best Trail Bikes” of 2023, and Coates says what makes Revel so great is its mission to be a lifelong product. Meanwhile, Revel bikes are the only carbon fiber Canfield-balanced formula bikes on the market. This technology in suspension “results in maximum pedaling efficiency regardless of terrain,” according to Revel online.
“When you pedal a Revel, when you come into our facility, you feel something different,” he says. “And that’s what we’re after.”
The Revel shop sees the whole gamut walking through its doors, he says. Could be the Roaring Fork bike freak who wants to know every specification down to the sealant or simply someone who likes the color. No matter the customer, chances are when they walk through Revel doors, they’ll be greeted by Nina the dog, then a great list of questions from Revel staff: What terrain do they want to ride, what do they want to test, and how does it look?
Based on the answers, customers will either be sent with their favored bike to either Prince Creek or Red Hill, which Coates says “will test the bike to its absolute highest level of your capability.”
When the customer returns with the bike, chances are a Revel employee greets them with an ice cold beer.
“Our mission is to cultivate a community of Revelers by building bikes we believe in,” he says. “Every time somebody steps into our building, I want them to feel that. I want them to feel part of our community.”
For more information, visit revelbikes.com or call them at 970-456-7336.
Government Trail
Steep. Rocky. But beautiful.
Government Trail No. 1980 runs 9.8 miles between Aspen and Snowmass Village through Maroon Bells. It begins at 8,000 feet before ascending to an ending elevation of 9,400 feet.
“The government trail in Aspen is a brutal climb, but it is so beautiful. And if you catch it in the fall, it’s life changing,” Coates said. “It’s as good as anywhere — beauty, the leaf litter on the ground, the technical nature of the trail — and you can ride the short loop from Tiehack, or you can ride a monster loop all the way up to the top of the peak.”
In Aspen, the trailhead is behind the baseball fields at the Aspen Recreation Center, 0861 Maroon Creek Road. In Snowmass, the trailhead is at the end of Wood Run Road, at the cul-de-sac. There is a gated dirt road on the far side that leads to the parking at the trailhead, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The trail is closed for elk calving May 15-June 27.
Red Hill
This Carbondale centerpiece is a combination of five trails that range from intermediate to difficult. It’s 95% singletrack and has 6.1 miles of trails. Its lowest elevation is 6,191 feet, and highest is 6,985 feet. At the top, riders get a spectacular view of Mt. Sopris, the same majestic mountain that inspired John Denver’s 1972 hit, “Rocky Mountain High.”
“My number two ride is probably the outer loop of Red Hill,” Coates said. “I just think it’s so technical and so fun, and there’s such a variety across the whole piece that it really is a special ride, like the topography changes; the view over Carbondale is just absolutely incredible.”
The trails can be accessed at two points: just north of the intersection of Colorado highways 82 and 133 or at the Sutey Ranch lot about 2.3 miles north on County Road 112 from Colorado Highway 82.
Prince Creek and Crown Network
This is a vast series of trails that traverse the Crown. It offers miles and miles of routes. The system includes 34 mountain biking trails that run through mountainous terrain between Carbondale and El Jebel.
The upper Crown Royale trail at Prince Creek is one of the crown jewels of the Roaring Fork Valley, Coates said.
“I like to ride the loop,” he said. “I like to ride from Carbondale, up Prince Creek, over the top, then I like to ride into Willits, stop at Sure Thing, have a burger and an ice-cream and a beer, and have a nice pedal back to Carbondale.”
Prince Creek Trailhead can be accessed by heading 1.25 miles east on Prince Creek Road until reaching the Bull Pen parking lot.
