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By Seamus Roddy
Wealth of Geeks

Most Americans navigate their city by car, public transportation, or their own two feet, but they need to take advantage of a healthy, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly travel method.

Riding a bicycle — an activity primarily associated with childhood — is now a common form of transportation in major American cities. Cycling has grown in popularity across the United States, but efforts to accommodate cyclists haven’t spread evenly across all cities.

The East and West coasts are some of the best places to ride a bike, with many bikeways and trails for cyclists to cruise, according to a new Clever Real Estate survey ranking the 50 best bike cities in the U.S.

In other cities, particularly those in the South, cyclists try to avoid being clipped by oncoming traffic.

Top 10 Bike-Friendly Cities in The U.S.

1. Minneapolis, Minnesota
2. Portland, Oregon
3. San Francisco, California
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Salt Lake City, Utah
7. San Jose, California
8. Denver, Colorado
9. Seattle, Washington
10. Providence, Rhode Island

In Minneapolis, Miles of Bike Paths and Ample Bike Share Docking Stations

America’s top cycling city is cold, snowy Minneapolis. Minneapolis might not have year-round sunshine, but residents willing to bundle up can enjoy 2.6 bike trails per 100,000 residents — a whopping 42% more than the average city.

“Over the years, the city has been embracing better, safer bicycling infrastructure and gradually transitioning streets from faded sharrows to buffered bike lanes to protected lanes,” said Natalie Wagner, vice chair of the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Committee. It’s not only easy to get around by bike in Minneapolis but also to find a bike. Minneapolis is blessed with nearly four times the number of bike share docking stations and 37% more bike shops than the average city.

Even in a cyclist’s paradise, there’s room for improvement. Wagner said she hopes infrastructure for safe bicycle parking increases in commercial and residential neighborhoods. “I want biking to be an easy option for new cyclists,” she said.

In addition to protected bike lanes and trails, the City of Lakes has lowered its speed limit from 30 mph to 20 mph to reduce the threat to cyclists, said Casper Hill, a spokesman for the City of Minneapolis.

In the future, Hill said Minneapolis plans to extend its network of neighborhood greenways further and improve winter maintenance practices for year-round usability in a wintry climate.

“The best bike city recognition is great,” Hill said, “but we aren’t done yet.”

Portland Loses Top Spot — Despite Bike Shops, Bike Commuters

For cyclists who want to move to another bicycle-friendly city with a less frigid climate, Portland is the second-best bike city in America — falling from the No. 1 spot in 2022.

Portland may have ceded the top spot, but it still has the country’s highest percentage of bicycle commuters, with 1.1% of employees biking to work every morning.

Compared to the average American city, Portland has 61% fewer fatal crashes involving cyclists. It’s no wonder the people of Portland are more likely to commute to work by bike.

Portland also has three times more bike shops than the average city, with 3.5 per 100,000 residents, and three times more bike share docking stations, with 9 per 100,000 residents.

This article was produced by Clever Real Estate and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.