The Copenhagenize Index ranks the top 20 cities for cycling.
Cycling is a cheap and healthy way to make the most of the good weather this summer. If you’re holidaying abroad, rent bikes and see the city on two wheels. Great fun for the whole family. So where can you cycle safely this summer?
The Copenhagenize Index 2013 ranks the 20 most bicycle friendly cities around the world. The 2013 index looks at 150 major cities and enlists the help of urban planners, politicians, cycling advocates, and local citizens amongst others across every continent.
Not surprisingly Dutch and Scandinavian cities garner some of the highest scores. Famed for its bicycle-friendly cycling routes, Amsterdam takes the top spot for the second time.
The top five cities for cycling are:
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Utrecht, Netherlands
- Seville, Spain and Bordeaux, France
- Nantes, France
The top two cities are unchanged since 2011, but Utrecht, Seville, Bordeaux and Nantes are all new entries.
Seville has rapidly gained a reputation as being bike-friendly, evidenced by its entry this year in fourth place. The local government completed 80km of bicycle track in one year, and more has been added since. A bike sharing system has also been implemented, helping to increasing bicycle traffic in the city.
The top 20 includes cities from around the world, from Tokyo (10) and Nagoya (11) in Japan to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (12). Tokyo is the biggest city on the list, and while it has slipped 6 places from the 2011 index, it is still performing well for such a large and densely populated city. Efficient and convenient bicycle parking zones surround nearly all stations, connecting public transport with bikes.
Rio de Janeiro introduced bicycle tracks along the Copacabana beach in 1992, since then they have expanded the network along the other beaches. With the eyes of the world on Rio and its sporting events in the coming years the government looks set to further encourage bicycle use in the city. The popularity of the recently introduced bike sharing scheme and increase in bike traffic has meant Rio is the only city to increase its position on the Index since 2011.
Image: ivanmarn (sxc.hu)