What Makes a Cycle-Friendly City?

There are some countries and cities around the world that are better for bikes than others. Amsterdam and Copenhagen might be the first two cities that come to mind when thinking about cycle-friendly cities, while Houston and London don’t have particularly great reputations.

But what makes a city cycle-friendly? There are a few different factors, including infrastructure and culture around cycling. Let’s take a look at those factors, as well as some of the best-in-class examples of bike-friendly cities around the world.

Key Elements of Cycle-Friendly Cities

The following elements all help to ensure that cyclists feel safe, comfortable, and encouraged to ride.

Extensive Bike Infrastructure

It’s not enough to just have a few bike lanes here and there. For a city to be truly cycle-friendly, it’s important that there are extensive bike lanes and bike paths – and that they’re properly interconnected so cyclists can get around the city without resorting to cycling on busy roads to link up paths.

While some cyclists prefer to ride on the road rather than bike lanes, separate bike lanes are more appealing to the majority of cyclists, which can encourage more people to choose cycling as their main mode of transport. Cycle networks can be made up of separate bike lanes and off-street paths (sometimes called greenways), which are often through parks, along rivers or disused railway lines, providing a traffic-free route for recreational cyclists as well as helping to connect the network of bike paths on roads.

As well as bike paths, it’s also important that there are plenty of secure bike racks so that cyclists have somewhere safe to lock up their bikes when they go to work or pop into a store.

Safer Intersections

Intersections can be a dangerous place for cyclists due to the risk of drivers failing to notice cyclists when turning, poor visibility and complex layouts. A cycle-friendly city takes this into account to create safer intersections, including features like:

• Bike boxes: Designated spaces at traffic light signals, allowing cyclists to stop in front of cars at red lights.

• Bicycle signals: Separate signal phases that allow cyclists to go before cars, helping them to get away from traffic faster and reducing the risk of collisions.

• Two-stage turn queue boxes: Designated areas that allow cyclists to make left turns in two movements.

Public Bike-Sharing Systems

Bike-sharing programs allow bikes to be rented for short periods of time, often on an hourly basis. This makes cycling an accessible option for both residents and tourists, without the need to own a bike.

Policy and Planning

Cycling shouldn’t be an afterthought. The most bike-friendly cities are either built with different types of road users in mind, not just cars, or have gone through an extensive process of urban planning to redesign road infrastructure to include the needs of cyclists. 

That means city councils should have a dedicated budget for overhauling cycling infrastructure. Financial incentives for cycling, such as bike-to-work programs and grants for local bike shops can also help to build a bike-friendly culture.

Culture and Community

The most bike-friendly cities embrace cycling as part of their community, and build a culture that celebrates and encourages cycling. This could include things like car-free days and cycling festivals, educational programs that teach bike safety to both children and adults, or active cycling advocacy groups that support cyclist rights.

The World’s Most Bike-Friendly Cities

So, which cities get it right? Let’s take a look at some of the best cities for cyclists around the world – although it might not be surprising that the majority are actually in Europe.

Utrecht, Netherlands

While you might think of Amsterdam as being synonymous with cycling culture, the entirety of the Netherlands ranks pretty highly – and Utrecht is frequently voted as the most cycle-friendly city in the world.

The first cycle path in the Netherlands was actually built in Utrecht in 1885 on the Maliebaan – so this is a city with a long history of catering to those on two wheels. Today, the city has more than 261 miles (420 kilometers) of bike paths, and 33.000 cyclists cycle along the city's busiest route every day. The world’s biggest bicycle park is Stationsplein bicycle parking garage at Utrecht Central Station, which has space for 12,500 bikes. 

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam’s reputation as a cycling city is well-deserved, however, and we’d be remiss not to include it on a list of the world’s most cycle-friendly cities. There are up to 400 kilometres of bike paths in the city, as well as traffic-calmed streets, helping to make cyclists feel safer on the roads.

Driving is discouraged in the city, with high fees for parking, meaning people are more likely to get around on two wheels – and these measures work, with more than a quarter of all trips being made by bicycle as opposed to car or public transport.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Danish capital is also well-known for its bike friendliness, with 397 kilometres of bike paths in and around the city, as well as traffic calmed streets, painted bike lanes, separated cycle tracks and greenways. Intersections are designed with bikes in mind, including dedicated traffic signals that give cyclists a couple of seconds’ head start when the light turns green, and set back stop-lines that allow bike riders to stop five metres ahead of cars.

These measures mean that Copenhagen is incredibly safe and popular for cyclists, with cycling accounting for 45% of all trips to school and work. The average daily distance cycled in Copenhagen is 9km – or just under 6 miles.

Malmö, Sweden

Malmö boasts 515 kilometres of bike paths and lanes within a relatively small city, meaning it’s easy to get around by bike – and safe, too. Malmö has also implemented cyclist-priority intersections with colored lanes and dedicated signals that give cyclists a head start before cars.

As a cyclist, sometimes you have to deal with unexpected events like punctures, but there are two bicycle service stations and around forty public bicycle pumps dotted around the city, so you can get help if you need it. Plus, there are around 1,000 rental bikes and 100 stations so locals and tourists alike can get around on two wheels without the need to buy a bike.

Bogotá, Colombia

Bogotá has been celebrating cycling since the 1970s, when the first Ciclovía was held, when a group of residents closed 5km of city roads for a few hours on a Sunday. Today, more than 100km of roads are closed every Sunday, with 1.7 million people (about a quarter of the city’s population) showing up to cycle every week. It’s an initiative that’s inspired more than 400 cities around the world to do the same.

As well as traffic-free roads on Sundays, the city also has 360km (more than 220 miles) of bike paths, used by over 80,000 people every single day.

Cycling Gear for City Riding

Wherever you’re cycling, you’ll have a safer and more enjoyable ride if you have the right clothing. From commuting to leisure cycling, the right bib shorts, jersey, socks and accessories can make all the difference. Discover our specialist cycling clothing and get ready to ride, whether you’re lucky enough to be in one of the world’s most bike-friendly cities or not.