EuroVelo Series
30 Best Cities in the World for Cycling: a Ranked List
Now you just have to figure out how to squeeze your bike into the carryon bag compartment
I’ll start with the ranked list, then explain the methodology behind it.
- Barcelona
- Berlin
- Amsterdam
- New York
- Paris
- Tokyo
- London
- Seville
- San Francisco
- Singapore
- Stockholm
- Vienna
- Chicago
- Rio de Janeiro
- Shanghai
- Hong Kong
- Sydney
- Buenos Aires
- Istanbul
- Prague
- Seoul
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Kyoto
- Rome
- Moscow
- Jerusalem
- Tallinn
- Riga
- Austin / Tucson (editor’s tie)
This ranking is based on a meta analysis, where I reviewed a number of authoritative (as best could assess from the nature of the source) articles and lists of great cycling cities. The frequency of a city’s mention gave it one column in my spreadsheet.
A strict adherence to the methodology would put Berlin one column, and thus one spot, ahead of Barcelona, but the weather on the Spanish Med is just so much better for year-round cycling, that I have made the editorial decision to swap those two great cycling cities.
Because this is a Top 30 list and my meta analysis found only 29 cities named across multiple sources, at #30 I have added a tie between Austin, Texas and Tucson, Arizona. Both cities, which are also major university towns, have excellent year-round cycling infrastructure, and are deserving of a place on this list both because of the weather and also the connected trails and protected lanes.
Admittedly, these two are small cities compared to the rest, but perhaps their combined metro areas pushes them into similar population territory as other cities on the list :)
Sorry winter cycling purists and enthusiasts, but climate counts, since riding on pavement with black ice and months-long frozen black slush has to count for some marks off the ranking. If you disagree with me, by all means head to Northern cities in winter for bike riding, and I’ll do just the opposite!
