15 of the world's most bike-friendly cities

Biking is wonderful. Biking is easy, fun, fast, healthy, and the above all things the most environmentally sustainable transportation form. Here are some of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe. So, grab a helmet and explore one or more of these cities during the summer by bike.

Amsterdam, Netherlands as a ”bicycling capital of Europe" tops many lists, including CNN’s list of top 15 bike-friendly cities in the world. In Amsterdam you will find safe and extensive route networks, serious governmental promotion, and a bike culture that transcends class boundaries. Today 40 % of the city's traffic moves on two wheels. Moving further South, the City of Barcelona, Spain has a unique Biking program, which is one of many mass bike rental systems that have popped up recently in Europe and beyond debuted in 2007 in the Catalonian capital. An annual Bike Week is held in late May to spread the word. Read more about Biking Barcelona here. From Spain to Berlin, Germany. Commuting Berliners are never lonely. 400,000 of all Berliners pedal to work each day, which makes Berlin one of the most successful bike-friendly cities in the Northen Europe.

Yet, the City leaders of Berlin still aren't satisfied with this figure, and millions of euros have been allocated to encourage more cyclists to get on the streets on daily basis. One result is a mapping website that helps you plot bike-specific routes. Moving from one bike-friendly city to another that might be one of the most famous bike-friendly in the world. Copenhagen, Denmark has the aim of becoming the world's best city for cyclists in 2015, however, the bicycling is already considered to be the obvious means of transport by most Copenhageners. Every day 55% of all Copenhageners cycle to and from work, jointly pedaling more than 1.17 million kilometers per day. The city has some 340 km of cycle lanes and the vast majority of major roads have cycle lanes in both directions, either as separate tracks or delineated by markings at road level. 

Among some of the other cities listed at CNN’s '15 of the world's most bike-friendly cities' are Portland, Oregon, which most people consider as the bike capital of the U.S. The only thing as impressive as Portland's bicycle infrastructure (including a 260-mile network) and commuter stats (almost 10%, the highest in the country) is the camaraderie of its cyclist community. More detailed description of Portland’s bicycle initiatives is available here. Finally, we are heading to Latin America more specifically to the City of Bogotá, Colombia. Bogotá's transportation initiatives have become a model for change throughout Latin America, and its treatment of bicycles is no exception. Miles of safe, segregated bike paths and Sunday Ciclovía events (where main thoroughfares are closed to cars) make Colombian cyclists very happy. Read mobility case study on Bogotá here.

So, grab a helmet and explore one or more of these cities during the summer by bike!