Free Air for Bike Tires in Colorado

Where Colorado has the most stations

Cities and towns with the most pumps, air stations and repair stations mapped in Colorado. Linked cities have their own page with a station list and map.

How Colorado compares

Colorado ranks #12 of 38 states on this site for public air pumps and holds 4% of the stations mapped across them.

Most stations in Colorado are bike repair stands with a hand pump, often on campuses, trailheads and in parks. They are slower than a compressor but almost always free.

66 towns and cities in Colorado have at least one station; Fort Collins, Denver, Aurora have the most.

What to expect at stations in Colorado

3 stations list their valve types: 3 fit Schrader and 3 fit Presta.

Of all stations, 2 have a pressure gauge and 6 are lit at night.

102 stations are open 24/7 and 107 have opening hours listed. Air pumps at stores and gas stations follow their opening hours.

Free or paid air in Colorado

52 stations in Colorado carry fee information in OpenStreetMap: 42 are marked free and 10 are marked paid. The rest have no fee tag, so treat them as unknown rather than free.

Example stations in Colorado

• AAFES

  East Winer Park Avenue, Aurora

  Free

• 7-Eleven

  East 47th Avenue, Denver Connection

• Saris

  Saint Vrain Greenway, Weld County

  24/7

• City of Colorado Springs

  Pikes Peak Greenway, Old North End, Colorado Springs

  Free

• Dero

  Wadsworth Blvd Sidepath, Lakewood

  Free24/7

• Dero

  Piney Creek Trail, Centennial

  Paid24/7

Brands and operators in Colorado

• Dero95 stations
• University of Northern Colorado - Campus Recreation - Outdoor Pursuits4 stations
• Saris3 stations

Using gas station air on a bike tire

The 55 public air pumps mapped in Coloradoare compressors, mostly at gas stations, convenience stores and car washes. Their air chuck is made for car tires, which use Schrader valves, the same valve found on most kids' bikes, cruisers and many mountain bikes. Road and gravel bikes usually have thinner Presta valves; for those, screw a small brass Presta-to-Schrader adapter onto the valve first. Our guide to Presta, Schrader and Dunlop valves shows which one you have.

A compressor fills a bike tire in a second or two, so press the chuck on for short bursts and check the pressure between them. If the pump has a preset gauge, set it to the pressure printed on your tire sidewall before you start. Coin-operated machines often run for a few minutes per payment, which is more than enough for two bike tires. Many stores switch the air on for free if you ask at the counter; the free air guide lists which chains usually do.

FAQ