There are 52 million bicyclists and 100 million bicycles in America, according to the job search site Zippia, and the nation’s cities have responded to the surging recreational and commuting interest, health benefits, and environmental advantages of increased bicycle ridership. They’ve created more bike trails and car-free zones, taken measures to improve bike safety, and provided greater accessibility to bike facilities. And a profusion of bike clubs, shops, and cycling events are populating American urban centers.
To determine America’s overall best cities to ride a bike in 2023, 24/7 Tempo consulted a study conducted by LawnStarter, a lawn care company that frequently conducts research into city and state amenities. The study compared the 200 largest U.S. cities based on 27 differently weighted metrics across six pertinent categories, drawing on data from 16 government and private sources. The categories included access (number of bike trails, bike shops, etc.), ride quality (number of top-rated bike trails and related data), safety (state biking laws, cycling-related fatalities, bike thefts, etc.), and climate. Community facilities and events were also considered. (Beware if you’re cycling in one of the states where speeding kills the most people.)
Click here to see the overall best cities to ride a bike in 2023
Coastal cities – San Francisco, New York, and Portland (Oregon) – occupied the top four spots, because of their access to well-designed trails and vibrant biking communities.
San Francisco, one of 10 California cities on the list, is first in biking access, ride quality, and the number of bike repair and supply shops and bike rental facilities per square mile. (Its spectacular climate doesn’t hurt either.) Second-place New York City is first in the community ranking and second in access. Its NYC Streets Plan goals include new protected bike lanes in the nation’s most populated city. A second-place score for ride quality and a third-place showing for access enabled Portland, Oregon, to land the third spot overall. (These three are definitely not among the cities where the fewest people exercise.)
Source: GabrielPevide / E+ via Getty Images
40. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
> Access rank: 33/200
> Ride quality rank: 66/200
> Safety rank: 35/200
> Climate rank: 57/200
> Overall score: 40.67
[in-text-ad]
Source: Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images
39. Rochester, New York
> Access rank: 31/200
> Ride quality rank: 19/200
> Safety rank: 120/200
> Climate rank: 113/200
> Overall score: 41.04
Source: MattGush / iStock via Getty Images
38. Irvine, California
> Access rank: 112/200
> Ride quality rank: 22/200
> Safety rank: 51/200
> Climate rank: 17/200
> Overall score: 41.18
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
37. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
> Access rank: 29/200
> Ride quality rank: 34/200
> Safety rank: 61/200
> Climate rank: 177/200
> Overall score: 41.38
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
36.St. Petersburg, Florida
> Access rank: 49/200
> Ride quality rank: 54/200
> Safety rank: 142/200
> Climate rank: 64/200
> Overall score: 41.63
Source: MattGush / iStock via Getty Images
35. Pasadena, California
> Access rank: 60/200
> Ride quality rank: 10/200
> Safety rank: 58/200
> Climate rank: 17/200
> Overall score: 42.73
[in-text-ad]
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
34. Colorado Springs, Colorado
> Access rank: 22/200
> Ride quality rank: 131/200
> Safety rank: 101/200
> Climate rank: 104/200
> Overall score: 42.88
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
33. Tucson, Arizona
> Access rank: 27/200
> Ride quality rank: 11/200
> Safety rank: 195/200
> Climate rank: 66/200
> Overall score: 42.9
Source: Seibel Photography LLC / iStock via Getty Images
32. Boise City, Idaho
> Access rank: 92/200
> Ride quality rank: 8/200
> Safety rank: 185/200
> Climate rank: 83/200
> Overall score: 43.27
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: bradleyhebdon / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
31. Long Beach, California
> Access rank: 35/200
> Ride quality rank: 15/200
> Safety rank: 48/200
> Climate rank: 16/200
> Overall score: 43.72
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
30. Charlotte, North Carolina
> Access rank: 17/200
> Ride quality rank: 75/200
> Safety rank: 17/200
> Climate rank: 73/200
> Overall score: 43.78
[in-text-ad]
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
29. Orlando, Florida
> Access rank: 30/200
> Ride quality rank: 51/200
> Safety rank: 18/200
> Climate rank: 71/200
> Overall score: 43.98
24/7 Wall St.
Source: OlegAlbinsky / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
28. Alexandria, Virginia
> Access rank: 87/200
> Ride quality rank: 25/200
> Safety rank: 1/200
> Climate rank: 76/200
> Overall score: 45.74
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
27. Houston, Texas
> Access rank: 5/200
> Ride quality rank: 28/200
> Safety rank: 31/200
> Climate rank: 199/200
> Overall score: 45.85
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
26. Tampa, Florida
> Access rank: 42/200
> Ride quality rank: 35/200
> Safety rank: 28/200
> Climate rank: 64/200
> Overall score: 45.94
Source: Art Wager / E+ via Getty Images
25. Miami, Florida
> Access rank: 4/200
> Ride quality rank: 31/200
> Safety rank: 123/200
> Climate rank: 57/200
> Overall score: 46.15
[in-text-ad]
Source: benedek / iStock via Getty Images
24. Austin, Texas
> Access rank: 20/200
> Ride quality rank: 48/200
> Safety rank: 29/200
> Climate rank: 117/200
> Overall score: 46.27
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
23. Albuquerque, New Mexico
> Access rank: 9/200
> Ride quality rank: 42/200
> Safety rank: 33/200
> Climate rank: 92/200
> Overall score: 46.28
Source: benedek / E+ via Getty Images
22. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
> Access rank: 54/200
> Ride quality rank: 36/200
> Safety rank: 16/200
> Climate rank: 111/200
> Overall score: 46.72
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
21. Atlanta, Georgia
> Access rank: 14/200
> Ride quality rank: 37/200
> Safety rank: 20/200
> Climate rank: 80/200
> Overall score: 46.93
Source: Melpomenem / iStock via Getty Images
20. Oakland, California
> Access rank: 15/200
> Ride quality rank: 12/200
> Safety rank: 106/200
> Climate rank: 8/200
> Overall score: 47.08
[in-text-ad]
Source: Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
19.Salt Lake City, Utah
> Access rank: 23/200
> Ride quality rank: 14/200
> Safety rank: 128/200
> Climate rank: 145/200
> Overall score: 47.23
24/7 Wall St.
Source: marekuliasz / iStock via Getty Images
18. Fort Collins, Colorado
> Access rank: 94/200
> Ride quality rank: 5/200
> Safety rank: 85/200
> Climate rank: 148/200
> Overall score: 47.32
Source: Sundry Photography / iStock via Getty Images
17. Fremont, California
> Access rank: 43/200
> Ride quality rank: 20/200
> Safety rank: 12/200
> Climate rank: 8/200
> Overall score: 48.6
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
16. San Antonio, Texas
> Access rank: 8/200
> Ride quality rank: 6/200
> Safety rank: 26/200
> Climate rank: 169/200
> Overall score: 48.85
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
15. Eugene, Oregon
> Access rank: 38/200
> Ride quality rank: 17/200
> Safety rank: 21/200
> Climate rank: 67/200
> Overall score: 48.92
[in-text-ad]
Source: Chris LaBasco / iStock via Getty Images
14. Sacramento, California
> Access rank: 19/200
> Ride quality rank: 41/200
> Safety rank: 8/200
> Climate rank: 37/200
> Overall score: 49.65
Source: Ryan Herron / E+ via Getty Images
13. Los Angeles, California
> Access rank: 40/200
> Ride quality rank: 50/200
> Safety rank: 7/200
> Climate rank: 33/200
> Overall score: 49.97
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
11. San Jose, California
> Access rank: 44/200
> Ride quality rank: 27/200
> Safety rank: 14/200
> Climate rank: 8/200
> Overall score: 50.31
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: marchello74 / iStock via Getty Images
11. Madison, Wisconsin
> Access rank: 39/200
> Ride quality rank: 29/200
> Safety rank: 25/200
> Climate rank: 164/200
> Overall score: 50.84
Source: JenniferPhotographyImaging / E+ via Getty Images
10. Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Access rank: 90/200
> Ride quality rank: 9/200
> Safety rank: 5/200
> Climate rank: 166/200
> Overall score: 51
[in-text-ad]
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
9. San Diego, California
> Access rank: 16/200
> Ride quality rank: 74/200
> Safety rank: 6/200
> Climate rank: 4/200
> Overall score: 51.83
Source: lhongfoto / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
8. Chicago, Illinois
> Access rank: 11/200
> Ride quality rank: 21/200
> Safety rank: 19/200
> Climate rank: 181/200
> Overall score: 52.26
Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
7. Boston, Massachusetts
> Access rank: 24/200
> Ride quality rank: 13/200
> Safety rank: 3/200
> Climate rank: 84/200
> Overall score: 52.43
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: peeterv / iStock via Getty Images
6. Denver, Colorado
> Access rank: 10/200
> Ride quality rank: 18/200
> Safety rank: 9/200
> Climate rank: 187/200
> Overall score: 54.84
Source: Matt Anderson / iStock via Getty Images
5. Washington, D.C.
> Access rank: 7/200
> Ride quality rank: 16/200
> Safety rank: 22/200
> Climate rank: 76/200
> Overall score: 56.42
[in-text-ad]
Source: aiisha5 / iStock via Getty Images
4. Seattle, Washington
> Access rank: 6/200
> Ride quality rank: 4/200
> Safety rank: 24/200
> Climate rank: 40/200
> Overall score: 59.05
Source: jbentley09 / iStock via Getty Images
3. Portland, Oregon
> Access rank: 3/200
> Ride quality rank: 2/200
> Safety rank: 30/200
> Climate rank: 31/200
> Overall score: 61.6
Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images
2. New York, New York
> Access rank: 2/200
> Ride quality rank: 3/200
> Safety rank: 13/200
> Climate rank: 108/200
> Overall score: 62.69
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: dell640 / iStock via Getty Images
1. San Francisco, California
> Access rank: 1/200
> Ride quality rank: 1/200
> Safety rank: 27/200
> Climate rank: 8/200
> Overall score: 67.21
Sponsored: Want to Retire Early? Start Here
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Orare you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
