The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America

Portland: Greatest American Cycling Cities

Portland has an enthusiastic bike scene with an abundance of regular cyclers on the road, government-supported bike infrastructure, several government and privately supported bike programs, and an abundance of bike resources such as retail shops and instructional co-ops. Local rider Leah Bendlin says the city's compact design makes biking easy and that local businesses offer incentives for bikers. "Bars will sometimes have special deals for people who bike there, though most people bike to bars anyways," she says.

According to Portland's Bureau of Transportation, the city has the largest share of bicycle commuters between 6 percent to 8 percent. Portland is also the only large city (with a population of 529,121 persons) to earn The League of American Bicyclists' platinum status as a bicycle-friendly city. The most appealing thing about Portland's bicycle scene is the city's pro-cycling mentality and integrated amenities such as convenient bike parking and extensive, well-marked bike lanes. This city's citizens express their adoration of cycling through events like BikeCraft, a two-day gift fair exclusively dedicated to bike accessories and designs.

By Michelle Udem, FrontDoor.com