10 Wheels

Liverpool Texas.

Ed in GA

No surprise, whatsoever, that my community isn't on that list.

Nickshu

I am often surprised that Boulder is on this list. I used to live and ride around there. While Boulder has a bike-Friendly culture....it is SO packed with people and traffic and narrow roads I don't see how it can be considered "bike friendly" within the city itself. Now the surrounding terrain for cycling is outstanding, but the city is a little tight for cyclists.

Machka 

That's exactly what I thought when I was there.

zacster

Copenhagen, hands down, is the friendliest biking city in the world. Nothing else comes close. Everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, rides a bike there at some time or another. It is considered part of everyday life. I'd move there in a second if it weren't so damned expensive.

valygrl

I dunno, I think boulder is very bike friendly. You can get around the whole city on bike paths if you want to, and rarely have to use the roads if you don't want to. Many traffic lights have bike sensors, so you don't have to go push the button on the crosswalk. The bike lanes and paths are very well signed, including extra warning signs to indicate to drivers where they will be crossing a lane, and to look both ways. They plow the bike paths in winter. The drivers are very used to cyclists, and are generally aware and polite. Tons of people use bikes for everyday transportation. There are bike racks everywhere. The bus station has bike lockers and the buses take bikes with no hassle.

Yes, it is a city, with traffic and congestion, but it's really bike friendly too.

valygrl

yup, first week of uni is crazy.

Machka 

Which is probably why I had a rather negative impression of the place. We were there, and in the area, from about Sept 8th to Sept 17th in 2005. It was a zoo then!!

https://www.machka.net/usa/24h_lcride.htm

SKYLAB

I've been riding down in boulder a few times recently and yes, there are a lot of cars there. I feel as if I need to be hyper-alert. However, everything ValyGrl says is true - great bike lanes all through town, cycling paths that can get you from west to east without hitting any streets, a nice path up into the canyon. Terrific public transport. Some classis climbs to the west. And there are always cyclists about.
If you're thinking of retiring to Boulder however, be prepared for sticker shock.

dark13star

The OP did ask for "cities," so I think Boulder is a good candidate. It is quite congested, sometimes more so than Denver, but it is really one of the most bike-friendly places in the country. There is epic riding up the canyons outside the town as well.

Denver is also quite good, for a larger city, and as I mentioned above, often feels less congested than Boulder. It is not as easy to ride the mountains from Denver though, leading me to drive out of town with my bike to climb.

That said, Golden is wonderful, but more a town than a city. It is just 12 miles out of downtown Denver, has great climbing, and a nice main street district of its own.

pharding

Chicago

ir0nfist

the bay area has seasons. It's hot in the summer and freezng in the winter. So that pretty much ruins every city except San Diego. San Diego FTW

Machka 

Golden ( https://www.town.golden.bc.ca/ ) does seem like a rather quiet sports-minded town, with a good climb out of town!!

Dr.L'Ling

I'm gonna have to add one more vote for Chicago being bike friendly and amazing in general.

Machka 

Just about any town/city I've visited so far in France has been bicycle friendly ... and the people have been friendly in general. I'd happily move to France, given the opportunity.

valygrl

3 good climbs
Lookout Mtn
Golden Gate Cyn
Coal Creek Cyn (~10 miles north, but i think that counts)

And from Lookout, you can extend your ride up Mt. Evans.

Way less spendy than Boulder, too. I would consider retiring there.

But, I think if $ is not an object, I would go back to Santa Cruz. Great weather, great riding both dirt and paved, nice community, small city feel with big city access. But too much traffic and very very expensive.

johnny99

Too wet in the summer and too cold in the winter.

johnny99

According to weather.com, the average high temperature in San Francisco during the summer is 72F. The average low during the winter is 46F. I would hardly call that too hot and freezing. Perhaps some of the suburbs are hotter and colder, but you don't have to live in the suburbs if you don't want to.

jonestr

Amsterdam?

valygrl

Oh, oops, I meant Golden CO.


But the Golden in BC, while it does have one good climb out of town, that climb is marred by heinous truck traffic. I descended that last month, and it was some the scariest riding I've ever done.

kudude

only if you're a whiny little b!tch. Is 45F freezing? If you think so, you're wrong. Is 85F too hot? ask the rest of the country.

challaday

+1 Seattle. Actually, most of the Puget Sound region is pretty bike friendly. Lots of trails, lots of comraderie, lots of great rides. Better get some rain gear though. And fenders.

Machka 

From everything I've heard of the place from my Dutch friend and coworker ... nope, I wouldn't want to live there. I'm not even sure I'd want to visit there with my bicycle. It's way too crowded and the bicycle theft rate is very high.

However, perhaps you had a different experience when you visited??

Machka 

You have to do the climb (or descent) very early in the morning. But the road heading south to Radium is nice.

sqroot3

heck yeah...but i always wondered, with all the bikers i see around, why i never see any pedal force group buy frames.