LawnStarter ranked the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on 18 key indicators of a bike-friendly lifestyle.
Factors include: length of bike lanes, the share of workers who bike to work, and access to bike stores and repair shops. Also taken into consideration were air quality, weather, and availability of biking clubs in each city.
Check out the 10 best (and worst) cities for biking.
2021’s Best Biking Cities in America
Rank City
1 San Francisco, CA
2 Portland, OR
3 Fort Collins, CO
4 Eugene, OR
5 Minneapolis, MN
6 Seattle, WA
7 Washington, DC
8 Salt Lake City, UT
9 Boise, ID
10 Boston, MA
2021’s Worst Biking Cities in America
191 Shreveport, LA
192 Murfreesboro, TN
193 Jacksonville, FL
194 Mesquite, TX
195 Chesapeake, VA
196 Montgomery, AL
197 Mobile, AL
198 Newport News, VA
199 Jackson, MS
200 Baton Rouge, LA
Highlights and Lowlights:
When it comes to finding a nice place to bike, pedal toward the sunset. Cities from all over the Western U.S. dominate the top of our ranking. Starting on the Pacific Coast with San Francisco, rated the No. 1 biking city, up through Oregon — Eugene at No. 4 and Portland at No. 2 — and continue north to Seattle at No. 6. Before heading inland toward Boise, Idaho, in ninth place and back down to Salt Lake City in eighth.
While these cities ride well across most categories, the Pacific Northwest especially sets itself apart in safety. Oregon and Washington cities claim four of the top 10 slots in this category.
Many big cities have invested in biking infrastructure that’s reflected in the rankings. Washington, D.C., for example, has the fourth highest share of bike commuters and the second best bike score in the country. Boston is No. 5 in safety, while New York City ranks fourth in bike-trail access.
Uneasy Riders in the South: It’s no surprise that Southern cities tend to find themselves at the bottom of the ranking for best bike friendly cities. Biking requires a lot of outdoor time, which isn’t as easy in a place like Montgomery, Alabama, with an average of 85 very hot days in a year and a whopping 53 inches of monthly rain. Warm and wet don’t mix well with cycling.
Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to interview our editor-in-chief about the study and findings.