Bicycle-friendly cities are those that are most accommodating to
cyclists, whether they are recreational bicycle riders or serious bicycle
commuters. Cities are thought to be bicycle cities when they:

Encourage cycling as a reliable mode of every
day transportation

• Show evidence of smart engineering and planning
• Create a safe and easy environment for cycling
• Educate the community on bicycle safety and
  laws
• Enforce rules and regulations surrounding
  traffic and marked lanes
• Contribute to a healthier environment by
  replacing a significant percentage of auto traffic with bicycle traffic

Bicycle cities can be found around the world. Some of the top
bicycle-friendly communities include:

Europe

Amsterdam, Netherlands – Forty percent of Amsterdam’s traffic is bicycle
traffic, which is why Amsterdam is considered the bicycle capital of the world.
In addition to safe bicycle lanes, the city is full of bicycle sheds, racks and
even a 10,000 bike garage for parking.

Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona offers 100 bike stations where registered
users can borrow bicycles at no cost. The city is also working on expanding cycling
routes and parking. They celebrate Bike Week annually in May to raise awareness
for bicycle safety and to educate people about biking.

Basel, Switzerland – Basel is full of well-marked bicycle paths that
include their own signals and many left turn lanes. The city offers commuter
lanes as well as those that extend outside of the city.

Berlin, Germany – Less than half of Berlin’s residents own cars, so cycling
is a way of life in Germany’s largest city. 2.5 million Euros were channeled to
developing more extensive and safer bike lanes throughout the city, and they’re
still working toward a goal of increasing their current 12% bicycle traffic to
15% by 2010.

Copenhagen, Denmark – More than 30% of Copenhagen’s workforce commutes by
bicycle. The city’s extensive bicycle lanes are safe and fast, and many have
their own traffic signals. Public bicycles can be used for free (with just a
refundable deposit), and the neighborhood of Christiania is car-free.

Groningen, Netherlands – 57% of travel in Groningen is via bicycle,
accommodated easily by the city as it strives to make its roads perfect for
cyclists. Groningen invests a lot of
money in its cycling initiatives, but less than they believe they would if they
were combating heavier auto traffic.

Sandnes, Norway – Part of a pilot program to reduce automobiles on the
road, Sandnes offers residents a number of bike rental programs as well as a
significant bicycling route system.

Trondheim, Norway – 18% of the population rides a bike to work or school,
and Norway is working to increase cyclists to account for at least 8% of all
traffic by 2015. The city is the inventor of the bicycle lift, which works like
a ski lift to take cyclists up hills.

Asia

Beijing, China – In China, most people can’t afford cars, so the bicycle
is the preferred method of travel. In recent years, the numbers of autos on the
road has swelled, but it is still is quite common to see the roads filled with
cyclists. Beijing accommodates them easily with plenty of bike shops for repair
and rental, bike signals and dedicated lanes.

Australia

Melbourne, Australia – Melbourne has an extensive network of city bike
lanes and paths and is in the midst of a five-year plan to improve bicycle
networks and facilities. The plan also includes education on bicycle safety.

North America

Davis, California – Davis was the first city in the US to achieve
platinum-level status from the League
of American Bicyclists’ list of bicycle-friendly cities. Home to more bikes
than cars, 95% of Davis’ streets are accompanied by bicycle lanes. Most
children in Davis easily walk or ride their bicycles to school, since the city
does not have a public bus system.

Madison, Wisconsin – Madison hosts a number of annual events to celebrate
and promote bicycle riding, and also works to ensure bicycle lanes are provided
on every major street. The transportation department recognizes the bicycle as
a major mode of transportation and includes bike accommodations in its city
planning endeavors.

Minneapolis, Minnesota – Home to a new $5.1 million pedestrian and
bicycle bridge, Minneapolis has the second-highest number of bicycle commuters
in the US, according to the US Census.

Ottawa, Ontario – With over 170 km of bike paths and bike lanes on most
major roads, Ottawa boasts the highest number of bicycle commuters in North
America.

Portland, Oregon – A League of American Bicyclists’ platinum bicycle
city, Portland has doubled its bicycling since the 90s. The city’s extensive
network of bicycle lanes includes clear pavement markings, bicycle signals and
regular maintenance. 60% of Portland’s police force patrols via bicycle. With
the highest percentage of bicycle commuters in the nation, Portland
accommodates them with bicycle parking, showers and storage.

South America

Bogota, Columbia – In the 1990s, Bogota set out to reduce the number of
automobiles on its roadways by reducing the space allotted for cars, and
instead creating bicycle lanes, pedestrian paths, and dedicated space for mass
transit. Since then, driving has decreased by a third during rush hour times,
and today, only about 13% of Bogota’s residents even own a car. More
impressively, cycling and walking has more than doubled.

Curitiba, Brazil – Considered to be the best-planned city in Brazil,
Curitiba first started trying to decrease car traffic and increase cycling
traffic in the 1970s. The city today has more than 100 miles of dedicated
bicycle space and places a strong emphasis on smart planning and alternatives
to auto travel.

Is your city a bicycle city? Tell us what makes your city especially
bicycle friendly using our feedback form on the right side of this page.