For some Americans, pedaling is a way of life. These people prefer to get around on two wheels over walking or driving.
But which U.S. cities are most ideal for avid cyclists?
To mark World Bicycle Day on June 3, LawnStarter ranked 2022’s Best Biking Cities in the U.S.
We compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on 24 key indicators of a cyclist-friendly lifestyle, such as access to bike lanes and bike rentals, the share of bike commuters, the presence of cycling clubs, and the number of bike races and tours.
Check out our ranking of the best and worst cities for two-wheelers below, followed by some highlights, lowlights, and expert tips.
Contents
City Rankings
See how each city fared in our ranking:
Overall Rank (1 = Best) | City | Overall Score | Access Rank | Safety Rank | Climate Rank | Community Rank | Events Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | San Francisco, CA | 72.13 | 1 | 27 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
2 | Minneapolis, MN | 65.52 | 5 | 1 | 153 | 7 | 12 |
3 | New York, NY | 64.45 | 4 | 9 | 152 | 12 | 2 |
4 | Portland, OR | 63.4 | 2 | 12 | 63 | 2 | 20 |
5 | Eugene, OR | 62.21 | 3 | 8 | 95 | 5 | 28 |
6 | Boston, MA | 61.57 | 11 | 2 | 114 | 16 | 17 |
7 | Denver, CO | 60.94 | 9 | 10 | 83 | 11 | 9 |
8 | Seattle, WA | 60.18 | 6 | 21 | 81 | 3 | 31 |
9 | Washington, DC | 59.34 | 16 | 20 | 104 | 1 | 15 |
10 | Chicago, IL | 57.1 | 33 | 3 | 192 | 18 | 7 |
11 | Madison, WI | 54.66 | 17 | 7 | 183 | 9 | 125 |
12 | Fort Collins, CO | 54.23 | 7 | 34 | 79 | 6 | 94 |
13 | Albuquerque, NM | 53.78 | 15 | 23 | 55 | 50 | 29 |
14 | San Diego, CA | 53.53 | 25 | 30 | 11 | 28 | 12 |
15 | San Jose, CA | 52.89 | 14 | 28 | 4 | 40 | 39 |
16 | Philadelphia, PA | 52.63 | 53 | 11 | 141 | 32 | 24 |
17 | Alexandria, VA | 52.56 | 21 | 4 | 104 | 33 | 89 |
18 | Tempe, AZ | 52.34 | 73 | 5 | 56 | 15 | 65 |
19 | Los Angeles, CA | 52 | 60 | 32 | 29 | 10 | 14 |
20 | Sacramento, CA | 51.87 | 24 | 16 | 37 | 35 | 149 |
21 | Richmond, VA | 51.62 | 38 | 22 | 101 | 31 | 40 |
22 | Orlando, FL | 51.14 | 18 | 14 | 92 | 70 | 103 |
23 | Salt Lake City, UT | 50.66 | 12 | 113 | 93 | 23 | 3 |
24 | San Antonio, TX | 50.64 | 39 | 13 | 140 | 123 | 17 |
25 | Houston, TX | 50.44 | 27 | 26 | 195 | 52 | 10 |
26 | Austin, TX | 48.7 | 85 | 15 | 131 | 30 | 27 |
27 | Fremont, CA | 48.66 | 29 | 29 | 7 | 86 | 83 |
28 | Boise, ID | 48.53 | 55 | 35 | 71 | 22 | 31 |
29 | Jersey City, NJ | 48.19 | 41 | 17 | 168 | 46 | 125 |
30 | Durham, NC | 47.69 | 43 | 18 | 94 | 134 | 172 |
31 | Miami, FL | 47.64 | 8 | 68 | 88 | 74 | 31 |
32 | Tampa, FL | 47.3 | 32 | 31 | 75 | 42 | 103 |
33 | Arlington, VA | 46.97 | 35 | 39 | 104 | 27 | 45 |
34 | Charlotte, NC | 46.36 | 58 | 25 | 80 | 108 | 64 |
35 | Buffalo, NY | 44.96 | 19 | 44 | 176 | 56 | 49 |
36 | Rochester, NY | 44.84 | 23 | 43 | 159 | 41 | 67 |
37 | Lincoln, NE | 44.59 | 49 | 37 | 103 | 78 | 49 |
38 | St. Paul, MN | 44.42 | 44 | 41 | 153 | 54 | 31 |
39 | Anchorage, AK | 44.23 | 95 | 6 | 148 | 59 | 138 |
40 | Long Beach, CA | 43.2 | 10 | 169 | 15 | 84 | 71 |
41 | Pittsburgh, PA | 42.91 | 52 | 50 | 199 | 34 | 40 |
42 | Santa Rosa, CA | 42.84 | 34 | 118 | 1 | 43 | 71 |
43 | St. Louis, MO | 42.69 | 48 | 46 | 185 | 44 | 49 |
44 | Atlanta, GA | 42.67 | 45 | 65 | 107 | 39 | 40 |
45 | Las Vegas, NV | 42.62 | 71 | 47 | 40 | 100 | 40 |
46 | Spokane, WA | 42.57 | 28 | 54 | 85 | 87 | 108 |
47 | Knoxville, TN | 42.19 | 20 | 109 | 136 | 96 | 37 |
48 | Colorado Springs, CO | 42.07 | 30 | 154 | 73 | 45 | 16 |
49 | Oakland, CA | 42.05 | 47 | 144 | 7 | 25 | 61 |
50 | Vancouver, WA | 41.83 | 84 | 33 | 63 | 103 | 87 |
51 | Honolulu, HI | 41.71 | 22 | 155 | 6 | 38 | 89 |
52 | Cincinnati, OH | 41.68 | 13 | 122 | 143 | 117 | 58 |
53 | Milwaukee, WI | 41.43 | 26 | 119 | 145 | 81 | 37 |
54 | Baltimore, MD | 40.7 | 62 | 100 | 149 | 51 | 22 |
55 | Phoenix, AZ | 40.58 | 83 | 63 | 56 | 36 | 56 |
56 | St. Petersburg, FL | 40.36 | 40 | 145 | 75 | 58 | 23 |
57 | Providence, RI | 39.67 | 37 | 73 | 158 | 69 | 172 |
58 | Tallahassee, FL | 39.61 | 31 | 80 | 181 | 92 | 149 |
59 | Tucson, AZ | 39.59 | 79 | 156 | 52 | 26 | 21 |
60 | Sunnyvale, CA | 39.54 | 98 | 58 | 5 | 29 | 83 |
60 | Raleigh, NC | 39.54 | 46 | 77 | 115 | 88 | 108 |
62 | Toledo, OH | 39.24 | 54 | 56 | 167 | 144 | 172 |
63 | Columbus, OH | 39.06 | 72 | 59 | 189 | 128 | 49 |
64 | Reno, NV | 38.91 | 76 | 116 | 54 | 82 | 55 |
65 | Des Moines, IA | 38.8 | 61 | 60 | 134 | 140 | 172 |
66 | Rockford, IL | 38.77 | 68 | 55 | 175 | 163 | 108 |
67 | Indianapolis, IN | 38.71 | 78 | 133 | 188 | 61 | 11 |
68 | Riverside, CA | 38.69 | 50 | 135 | 16 | 101 | 138 |
69 | Garden Grove, CA | 38.63 | 36 | 168 | 16 | 80 | 125 |
70 | Detroit, MI | 38.6 | 42 | 148 | 164 | 84 | 24 |
71 | Winston-Salem, NC | 38.43 | 65 | 131 | 109 | 64 | 40 |
72 | Greensboro, NC | 38.32 | 70 | 107 | 86 | 140 | 58 |
73 | Grand Rapids, MI | 38.15 | 113 | 110 | 182 | 63 | 6 |
74 | Scottsdale, AZ | 38.04 | 88 | 75 | 56 | 75 | 65 |
75 | Fort Wayne, IN | 38.03 | 75 | 84 | 142 | 108 | 77 |
76 | Dayton, OH | 37.91 | 51 | 95 | 171 | 105 | 172 |
77 | Dallas, TX | 37.91 | 82 | 88 | 117 | 65 | 62 |
78 | Omaha, NE | 37.9 | 66 | 81 | 133 | 127 | 108 |
79 | Nashville, TN | 37.9 | 89 | 89 | 156 | 71 | 31 |
80 | Bellevue, WA | 37.6 | 100 | 38 | 78 | 98 | 108 |
81 | Tulsa, OK | 37.49 | 118 | 120 | 177 | 153 | 1 |
82 | McAllen, TX | 37.39 | 101 | 49 | 128 | 146 | 108 |
83 | Louisville, KY | 37.28 | 92 | 83 | 163 | 117 | 31 |
84 | Laredo, TX | 37.21 | 197 | 24 | 128 | 189 | 172 |
85 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 37.16 | 110 | 36 | 88 | 59 | 125 |
86 | Hayward, CA | 37.09 | 56 | 173 | 10 | 129 | 83 |
87 | Mesa, AZ | 37.05 | 108 | 79 | 56 | 79 | 45 |
88 | Springfield, MA | 37 | 67 | 108 | 111 | 175 | 94 |
89 | Macon, GA | 36.94 | 180 | 19 | 102 | 184 | 172 |
90 | Cleveland, OH | 36.8 | 64 | 126 | 191 | 67 | 71 |
91 | Pasadena, CA | 36.48 | 123 | 127 | 30 | 8 | 125 |
92 | Modesto, CA | 36.36 | 59 | 170 | 53 | 106 | 94 |
93 | Yonkers, NY | 36.28 | 57 | 129 | 168 | 163 | 125 |
94 | El Paso, TX | 36.16 | 109 | 92 | 45 | 152 | 49 |
95 | Plano, TX | 35.96 | 86 | 67 | 117 | 153 | 149 |
96 | Aurora, CO | 35.89 | 99 | 105 | 83 | 104 | 82 |
97 | Worcester, MA | 35.72 | 91 | 91 | 162 | 124 | 67 |
98 | Irvine, CA | 35.49 | 121 | 112 | 16 | 37 | 71 |
99 | Wichita, KS | 35.32 | 90 | 97 | 138 | 120 | 108 |
100 | Savannah, GA | 35.1 | 81 | 163 | 108 | 47 | 87 |
101 | Fullerton, CA | 35.03 | 77 | 181 | 30 | 71 | 125 |
102 | Torrance, CA | 34.85 | 129 | 123 | 30 | 13 | 103 |
103 | Huntsville, AL | 34.81 | 93 | 99 | 170 | 124 | 149 |
104 | Fort Worth, TX | 34.78 | 96 | 98 | 117 | 89 | 149 |
105 | Chattanooga, TN | 34.52 | 97 | 172 | 178 | 150 | 8 |
106 | Lexington, KY | 34.34 | 178 | 48 | 127 | 135 | 49 |
107 | Memphis, TN | 34.33 | 80 | 165 | 166 | 95 | 58 |
108 | Henderson, NV | 34.23 | 141 | 45 | 40 | 174 | 149 |
109 | Huntington Beach, CA | 33.82 | 74 | 195 | 16 | 48 | 76 |
110 | Salem, OR | 33.56 | 136 | 106 | 70 | 49 | 172 |
111 | Corpus Christi, TX | 33.56 | 87 | 136 | 96 | 175 | 172 |
112 | Syracuse, NY | 33.41 | 134 | 87 | 190 | 92 | 67 |
113 | Norfolk, VA | 33.24 | 94 | 121 | 66 | 112 | 172 |
114 | Glendale, CA | 33.19 | 144 | 164 | 16 | 17 | 89 |
115 | Salinas, CA | 33.17 | 150 | 78 | 3 | 189 | 172 |
116 | Pomona, CA | 33.05 | 145 | 159 | 30 | 14 | 149 |
117 | Springfield, MO | 33.04 | 146 | 66 | 155 | 111 | 149 |
118 | North Las Vegas, NV | 33.04 | 181 | 42 | 40 | 99 | 138 |
119 | Paradise, NV | 33.01 | 174 | 40 | 47 | 106 | 172 |
119 | Santa Ana, CA | 33.01 | 117 | 149 | 16 | 55 | 103 |
121 | Chula Vista, CA | 32.78 | 124 | 138 | 11 | 137 | 57 |
122 | Chandler, AZ | 32.56 | 157 | 85 | 56 | 57 | 71 |
123 | Orange, CA | 32.46 | 132 | 101 | 30 | 76 | 125 |
124 | Newark, NJ | 32.35 | 119 | 134 | 161 | 189 | 30 |
125 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 32.22 | 160 | 69 | 77 | 150 | 172 |
126 | Oklahoma City, OK | 32.15 | 114 | 150 | 126 | 124 | 47 |
127 | Mobile, AL | 32.01 | 112 | 125 | 173 | 189 | 108 |
128 | Cape Coral, FL | 31.91 | 155 | 74 | 130 | 175 | 138 |
129 | Peoria, AZ | 31.77 | 168 | 52 | 72 | 90 | 138 |
130 | New Orleans, LA | 31.74 | 102 | 199 | 179 | 24 | 4 |
131 | Bridgeport, CT | 31.69 | 163 | 72 | 139 | 160 | 125 |
132 | Gilbert, AZ | 31.67 | 161 | 61 | 56 | 117 | 125 |
133 | Ontario, CA | 31.46 | 115 | 167 | 16 | 129 | 172 |
134 | Elk Grove, CA | 31.43 | 116 | 132 | 37 | 161 | 172 |
135 | Lancaster, CA | 31.39 | 147 | 182 | 30 | 19 | 149 |
136 | Virginia Beach, VA | 31.38 | 153 | 102 | 66 | 94 | 94 |
137 | Clarksville, TN | 31.15 | 69 | 187 | 157 | 199 | 172 |
138 | Naperville, IL | 31.11 | 137 | 62 | 197 | 175 | 149 |
139 | Birmingham, AL | 31.1 | 103 | 177 | 184 | 120 | 94 |
140 | Lakewood, CO | 31.08 | 107 | 160 | 112 | 66 | 125 |
141 | Lubbock, TX | 31.06 | 189 | 103 | 43 | 129 | 108 |
142 | Kansas City, MO | 31.01 | 105 | 147 | 146 | 142 | 172 |
143 | Palmdale, CA | 30.99 | 143 | 189 | 30 | 19 | 138 |
144 | Tacoma, WA | 30.86 | 106 | 146 | 81 | 112 | 172 |
145 | Anaheim, CA | 30.78 | 125 | 190 | 16 | 77 | 62 |
146 | Killeen, TX | 30.76 | 196 | 53 | 131 | 170 | 172 |
147 | Cary, NC | 30.72 | 104 | 157 | 115 | 115 | 149 |
148 | Oceanside, CA | 30.71 | 128 | 171 | 11 | 83 | 83 |
149 | Escondido, CA | 30.68 | 126 | 194 | 14 | 53 | 26 |
150 | Columbus, GA | 30.67 | 166 | 111 | 86 | 144 | 108 |
151 | Midland, TX | 30.64 | 185 | 64 | 39 | 175 | 172 |
152 | Olathe, KS | 30.38 | 179 | 51 | 150 | 137 | 108 |
153 | Arlington, TX | 30.23 | 156 | 94 | 117 | 97 | 149 |
154 | Brownsville, TX | 30.14 | 194 | 76 | 100 | 175 | 108 |
155 | Stockton, CA | 29.92 | 63 | 198 | 46 | 163 | 172 |
156 | Moreno Valley, CA | 29.77 | 139 | 161 | 16 | 170 | 149 |
157 | San Bernardino, CA | 29.66 | 142 | 178 | 16 | 153 | 67 |
158 | Glendale, AZ | 29.64 | 164 | 130 | 56 | 68 | 89 |
159 | Fontana, CA | 29.33 | 152 | 162 | 16 | 153 | 149 |
160 | Thornton, CO | 29.28 | 111 | 185 | 112 | 153 | 125 |
161 | Amarillo, TX | 29.25 | 195 | 57 | 74 | 189 | 172 |
162 | Bakersfield, CA | 29.15 | 135 | 186 | 51 | 163 | 108 |
163 | Overland Park, KS | 28.97 | 172 | 96 | 146 | 148 | 108 |
164 | Santa Clarita, CA | 28.89 | 131 | 197 | 16 | 19 | 94 |
165 | Hialeah, FL | 28.89 | 120 | 150 | 88 | 143 | 172 |
166 | Mesquite, TX | 28.85 | 183 | 70 | 144 | 175 | 94 |
167 | Fresno, CA | 28.85 | 127 | 176 | 65 | 120 | 172 |
168 | Little Rock, AR | 28.75 | 167 | 175 | 110 | 161 | 47 |
169 | Fayetteville, NC | 28.73 | 162 | 142 | 99 | 149 | 172 |
170 | Irving, TX | 28.69 | 186 | 71 | 117 | 137 | 138 |
171 | Augusta, GA | 28.67 | 170 | 139 | 174 | 163 | 94 |
172 | Joliet, IL | 28.6 | 140 | 93 | 197 | 189 | 149 |
173 | Oxnard, CA | 28.42 | 133 | 191 | 2 | 146 | 125 |
174 | Frisco, TX | 28.3 | 187 | 90 | 117 | 159 | 94 |
175 | Aurora, IL | 28.27 | 158 | 115 | 192 | 184 | 108 |
176 | McKinney, TX | 28.1 | 184 | 114 | 117 | 129 | 77 |
177 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 27.88 | 130 | 192 | 16 | 116 | 149 |
178 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 27.85 | 148 | 137 | 88 | 170 | 149 |
179 | Garland, TX | 27.7 | 193 | 82 | 117 | 153 | 149 |
180 | Shreveport, LA | 27.52 | 188 | 124 | 160 | 175 | 172 |
181 | Metairie, LA | 27.46 | 182 | 86 | 179 | 102 | 103 |
182 | Corona, CA | 27.43 | 151 | 184 | 44 | 187 | 138 |
183 | Kansas City, KS | 27.41 | 192 | 143 | 150 | 136 | 108 |
184 | Sioux Falls, SD | 27.4 | 198 | 117 | 137 | 163 | 77 |
185 | Miramar, FL | 27.34 | 149 | 140 | 97 | 187 | 172 |
186 | Spring Valley, NV | 27.15 | 175 | 141 | 47 | 189 | 149 |
187 | Newport News, VA | 27.14 | 165 | 158 | 66 | 112 | 77 |
188 | Grand Prairie, TX | 27.1 | 190 | 104 | 117 | 169 | 149 |
189 | Paterson, NJ | 27.06 | 173 | 152 | 165 | 199 | 138 |
190 | Akron, OH | 26.8 | 138 | 174 | 187 | 184 | 149 |
191 | Jacksonville, FL | 26.11 | 154 | 188 | 135 | 110 | 138 |
192 | Enterprise, NV | 26.09 | 175 | 166 | 47 | 175 | 172 |
193 | Chesapeake, VA | 25.93 | 159 | 180 | 66 | 170 | 108 |
194 | Hollywood, FL | 25.88 | 122 | 200 | 97 | 62 | 17 |
195 | Sunrise Manor, NV | 25.43 | 175 | 183 | 47 | 189 | 138 |
196 | Montgomery, AL | 24.28 | 199 | 153 | 196 | 189 | 77 |
197 | Murfreesboro, TN | 24.1 | 171 | 179 | 172 | 129 | 149 |
198 | Pasadena, TX | 23.36 | 191 | 128 | 200 | 71 | 89 |
199 | Jackson, MS | 20.85 | 200 | 193 | 186 | 189 | 172 |
200 | Baton Rouge, LA | 20.75 | 169 | 196 | 194 | 91 | 149 |
Highlights and Lowlights
Big-City Speeds
The bigger the city the better it rides on our list. Here’s why: Large metros need to invest in good biking infrastructure to support high population density. That’s reflected in our top biking cities, such as San Francisco, Denver, Minneapolis, and New York: Each claimed one of the best spots in our “Access” category.
Eugene, Oregon, is the exception. Although smaller than the other nine cities in our top 10, Eugene managed to get ahead because cycling is clearly a lifestyle: The city ranked No. 3 in Access, No. 5 in Community, and No. 8 in Safety.
Let’s connect the big-city dots: If you have the endurance, the gear, and the time, you can recreate your own version of the ultra-distance Race Across America (RAAM) by hitting up every city in our top 10. Or race in the actual RAAM event, which historically begins in Oceanside, California, and ends in Annapolis, Maryland.
Tour de San Francisco
For the second year in a row, the The Golden City is also our gold medalist.
You might wonder why a city defined by its steep hills could be the best city for avid cyclists, but it’s those challenging inclines that help bikers develop strong endurance — and legs. That and San Francisco simply has a lot going for it: The city coasted through just about every category but owes its win particularly to Access and Climate.
San Francisco swept four out of six Access metrics, and among our best 10 cycling cities, only the Golden City managed to rank in the top 25% in Climate. Weather matters when you’re out in bike shorts — that’s how otherwise great biking cities lost the race again to San Francisco in our ranking.
It’s little shock, then, why San Francisco is home to one of the largest cycling communities.
Pulling the Brakes on the South
While no single region dominated the top of our ranking, the South and Southwest claimed much of the bottom spots. In fact, the last 10 places are all occupied by cities from these two regions.
That’s no surprise: Biking requires a lot of outdoor time, which isn’t as easy in places like our worst city overall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, No. 157 for extremely hot days and No. 189 for annual rain. Warm and wet don’t mix well with cycling.
It also makes sense that many of these cities, such as Montgomery, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi, have few bike trails and bike commuters. Why invest in the infrastructure if the climate can’t match it? But don’t let that stop you — if you love cycling enough to hit that wet pavement when the air is thick as soup, ride on.
Ask The Experts
The pandemic fueled a bike boom. Two years in, bike buyers are still running into a dead end across many parts of the world — not just in the U.S. — as bike suppliers grapple with supply-chain delays.
We turned to a panel of cycling experts for tips on finding bikes and riding for the first time. See what they had to say below.
- What are the top three benefits of cycling?
- What are some alternative places to find bikes amid the current national bike shortage?
- What are your three best tips for first-time cyclists?
1. What are the top three benefits of cycling?
- Cycling is a great form of exercise because it improves the cardiorespiratory system, which is important because heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S.
- If cycling is done on hilly terrains, there is even greater stress to the muscular system than on flatter terrains, which is important for maintaining strength.
- Cycling is also an excellent choice for individuals who need to do low-impact exercise due to joint problems, such as arthritis.
2. What are some alternative places to find bikes amid the current national bike shortage?
Bicycle shops’ inventory may be slow to recover as production catches up, but individuals may be able to still find a good bike on local buy-sell-trade sites as some individuals may have upgraded their bicycle during the pandemic and now have a bicycle to sell that still has some usefulness. There may be some great deals available.
3. What are your three best tips for first-time cyclists?
My best advice about cycling is to first find a bike that fits your body and the type of surfaces you will most likely be riding on. Bicycles vary greatly with the construction of the frame, the type of tires, and the components (gears, brakes, etc).
While your local bicycle shop is your best resource, there are articles online about how to get a general idea of what frame size you need and how to choose the type of bike that will be best for your riding conditions.
Second, find people to ride with. It is not only safer, but you also can learn about cycling a lot faster, including basic bicycle maintenance. Many bicycle shops have group rides for people of varying abilities.
Third, invest in proper cycling shorts. You will be a lot more comfortable and enjoy your rides much more.
1. What are the top three benefits of cycling?
- Cycling is a great way to increase your physical activity, which has numerous physical and mental health benefits.
- Cycling is a low-impact exercise. It is a great option for health benefits while reducing impact-related stress on knees, ankles, hips, and lower back.
- Cycling is the most efficient form of locomotion, meaning that it requires less energy per kilometer than any other type of human-powered movement. This can expand your “playground” to allow you to explore a much greater area. While it may take five to seven hours to cover 20 miles while hiking, you can cover that same distance on a bicycle in one to two hours.
2. What are some alternative places to find bikes amid the current national bike shortage?
The shortage of new bicycles will probably continue for the next six to 12 months. However, there are still lots of places where bicycles are still available. There are several websites where used bicycles can be found that are sold by local sellers, including Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Nextdoor.
Also, check local sporting goods and outdoor consignment stores. If you already have a bicycle that hasn’t been used in a few years, your local bicycle shop can tune it up for you and have it ready to go in just a couple of days.
3. What are your three best tips for first-time cyclists?
- Invest in a good pair of cycling shorts and a new helmet. Cycling shorts with padding will help reduce some of the soreness that will inevitably occur after you spend an extended amount of time on your new bicycle saddle. Don’t worry if the skin-tight lycra look isn’t for you — there are lots of options of shorts with a padded liner that look like “regular” shorts. The helmet doesn’t need to be expensive, but it needs to have a Consumer Products Safety Committee (CPSC) sticker. Purchasing a new helmet will ensure that the protective components have not been damaged due to a previous accident or from an accidental drop.
- Learn how to change a bicycle tire. A flat tire 10 miles from home can turn a morning bike ride into a long walk home. Check with your local bike shop or sporting goods store to see if they offer classes on basic bicycle maintenance.
- Keep it fun! Incorporate cycling into family activities, visit a new park or trail, or ask a friend to join you on a bike ride. We are less likely to continue an activity if we do not enjoy it. If it starts to become a chore, slow down or shorten the ride. You will still get many health benefits with a 10- to 20-minute bike ride.
Methodology
We ranked the 200 biggest U.S. cities from best (No. 1) to worst (No. 200) for biking based on their overall scores (out of 100 possible points), averaged across all of the weighted metrics listed below.
Metric | Weighting | Min. Value | Max. Value | Best |
---|---|---|---|---|
Access | ||||
Friendliness of State Bike Laws | 2 | 1 | 49 | Min. Value |
Miles of Bike Lanes per Square Mile | 5 | 0.1 | 5.4 | Max. Value |
Number of Bike Trails | 5 | 0 | 34 | Max. Value |
Bike-Sharing Program Present (1 = Yes, 0 = No) | 3 | 0 | 1 | Max. Value |
Bike-Rental Facilities per Square Mile | 2 | 0 | 0.87 | Max. Value |
Bike Shops per Square Mile | 2 | 0 | 1.3 | Max. Value |
Safety | ||||
Bike Score | 4 | 27 | 83 | Max. Value |
Share of "Moderately Difficult" and "Hard" Biking Trails | 1 | 0% | 100% | Max. Value |
Biking-Related Fatalities per 100,000 Residents | 5 | 0 | 3.28 | Min. Value |
Vision Zero Program Present (1 = Yes, 0 = No) | 5 | 0 | 1 | Max. Value |
Bike Thefts per 100,000 Residents | 3 | 0 | 277.39 | Min. Value |
Share of Roads in Poor Condition | 3 | 4% | 71% | Min. Value |
Natural Hazards Index | 2 | 9 | 20 | Min. Value |
Climate | ||||
Historical Number of Extremely Cold Days | 1 | 0 | 192 | Min. Value |
Historical Number of Extremely Hot Days | 1 | 2 | 169 | Min. Value |
Historical Average Monthly Inches of Precipitation | 1 | 5.37 | 65.28 | Min. Value |
Historical Average Percentage of Sunshine | 1 | 42% | 85% | Max. Value |
Median Air Quality Index | 1 | 19 | 77 | Min. Value |
Community | ||||
Share of Workers Who Bike to Work | 3 | 0 | 5.4 | Max. Value |
Number of Bike Clubs | 2 | 0 | 25 | Max. Value |
Number of Bike Meetups | 1 | 0 | 48 | Max. Value |
Events | ||||
Number of Cycling Races and Events | 3 | 0 | 12 | Max. Value |
Number of Bike Tours | 2 | 0 | 25 | Max. Value |
Naked Bike Ride Present (1 = Yes, 0 = No) | 1 | 0 | 1 | Max. Value |
Sources: AllTrails, Bikeshare.com, Bike Index, The League of American Bicyclists, Meetup, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, National Centers for Environmental Information, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, TRIP, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USA Cycling, Vision Zero Network, Walk Score, World Naked Bike Ride, and Yelp
Pedal Power
The global bike shortage might have slowed the pandemic-fueled bike boom, but there’s no shortage of exciting news in the cycling world:
- Cycling is kicking back into high gear amid rising gas prices. Since fuel costs started hitting record highs in March, metros like the Bay Area, Cincinnati, and San Antonio have seen spikes in bike sales.
- E-bikes, suddenly all the rage, outsold electric cars and plug-in hybrids combined in the U.S. in 2021, according to Electrek, and projected demand is strong.
- Cycling events canceled during the pandemic are back on the road. New York’s TD Five Boro Bike Tour, the nation’s largest charitable bike ride, for example, will operate at full capacity this year. The prestigious 200-mile Unbound Gravel ride in Emporia, Kansas, also is still on course for June 4.
- A first-of-its-kind federal bill will help develop long-distance bike trails and expand mountain biking access to public lands.
But you don’t have to be a pro cycler to enjoy a ride out. Even if you’re a more casual or beginner bicyclist, there are many ways to enjoy — and benefits to reap from — pedaling on two wheels.
So, grab your helmet, and enjoy your ride this World Bicycle Day, June 3.
Main photo credit: Shutterstock