Seattle ranks among top 10 cities for biking in the nation

A recent study conducted by Apartment Guide examined which cities are best for biking.

In their findings, they found many of the cities who fall into the top 10 are in the West, like Portland and Seattle, and noted the dramatic increase in bike purchasing: road bike sales in the U.S. went up 87% from 2019 to 2020. In the same year, nearly 1 in 3 Americans rode a bike.

To complete their study, Apartment Guide compared several key metrics, including miles of bike lanes, number of gear shops, how many workers commute on bikes, and weather. Specifically, to calculate weather points, researchers looked for extreme temperatures and daily precipitation.

Despite Seattle’s rainy reputation and Colorado’s cold winters, eight out of the 10 cities on this list are in the Western United States. What may be even more surprising is the inclusion of two midwest cities. Despite the chilly climates, the other metrics pushed these cities to the top.

Keep scrolling to see which cities are the best to bike in, according to the study:

10. Tucson, AZ

Population: 548,073
Bike score: 18
Weather: 7
Bike business: 22
Infrastructure: 16
Safety: 28
Commuter: 11

9. Oakland, CA

Population: 433,031
Bike score: 15
Weather: 9
Bike business: 31
Infrastructure: 22
Safety: 14
Commuter: 10

8. Madison, WI

Population: 259,680
Bike score: 12
Weather: 50
Bike business: 5
Infrastructure: 11
Safety: 10
Commuter: 5

7. Seattle, WA

Population: 753,675
Bike Score: 12
Weather: 35
Bike business: 10
Infrastructure: 21
Safety: 6
Commuter: 8

6. Fort Collins, CO

Population: 170,243
Bike score: 5
Weather: 50
Bike business: 10
Infrastructure: 4
Safety: 4
Commuter: 3

5. Minneapolis, MN

Population: 429,606
Bike score: 4
Weather: 48
Bike business: 2
Infrastructure: 5
Safety: 8
Commuter: 6

4. Portland, OR

Population: 654,741
Bike score: 3
Weather: 31
Bike business: 7
Infrastructure: 13
Safety: 5
Commuter: 4

3. Boulder, CO

Population: 105,673
Bike score: 1
Weather: 56
Bike business: 1
Infrastructure: 1
Safety: 2
Commuter: 1

2. Eugene, OR

Population: 172,622
Bike score: 5
Weather: 33
Bike business: 6
Infrastructure: 3
Safety: 3
Commuter: 2

1. San Francisco, CA

Population: 881,549
Bike score: 9
Weather: 18
Bike business: 8
Infrastructure: 2
Safety: 7
Commuter: 7