Senior Bikers Find Best Cities For Biking

 This senior recently read an article in my Wired Magazine on the best cities in the world for biking.

The cities were ranked from one to twenty with Copenhagen, Denmark number 1, followed by Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Copenhagen in 2013 was ranked #2, but things have changed for the better and now bikers head for Denmark just to bike in a great city.

Utrecht in the Netherlands comes in #3 and get this…The world’s largest bike parking facility, with space for 12,500 bikes, is under construction and brilliant. Now the city only needs to figure out how to get rid of the long stretches of brain-rattling cobblestones.

Seems like everyone who selects the best cities in the world for biking has their own ideas. Here’s a video for senior cyclists to look over.

Senior Cyclists Join The Ride

Wired notes that biking makes sense in cities. With rising urbanization, our cities need modern mobility solutions, and moving around on two wheels proves time and again that it can offer results. Investment in bicycle infrastructure is a modern and intelligent move. Research shows the social, economic, environmental, and health benefits of urban cycling.

Studies from Denmark tell us that for every kilometer cycled, society enjoys a net profit of 23 cents, whereas for every kilometer driven by car we suffer a net loss of 16 cents. In Berlin, 13% of the population rides a bike. Wow.

Over the past fifty years I have been all over France. One of my favorite cities is Strasbourg that borders Germany. Strasbourg, #4, has long been the premier cycling city in France.

There are 333 miles of cycle routes in town and surrounding metro area, and the city has a unique bike-share system: Vélhop lets you get a bike from docking stations but also has long-term rental.

 Paris Pulled It Off!

Paris #20, is catching on as well and you can rent bikes just about anywhere and leave them off at other stations thoughout the city. Few would have believed that Paris could have pulled it off, but it’s doing just that.

Another favorite city is Nantes, #7, out in Brittany. It rocketed onto the index in 2013 thanks to clear political will and investment in infrastructure and facilities.

Another French city on the rise, Bordeaux, ranked #8. Bordeaux continues to take bicycle transport seriously. Its investment in several tram lines has helped boost cycling by providing a traffic calming effect.

This American senior,  just had to toss in one city that makes the list…Minneapolis, ranked #18. I found a video on the Top 10 Cycling-Friendly Cities for you to enjoy.

So enjoy your biking in some of the major cities of the world. You will get some good exercise, see great scenery and sites and stack up lots of fond memories. -jeb