By Beth Buczynski, Source: Inhabitat

What makes a city cyclist-friendly? Here at Inhabitat we think it takes a special mix of government advocacy, solid infrastructure, cyclist and driver education, and most importantly, a strong biking culture among residents. In recent years, we’ve seen a resurgence of bike-friendly policies around the world. While big cities like Beijing, San Francisco and New York City often capture headlines for their massive bike sharing programs, they’re certainly not the only ones where travel by two-wheels is celebrated. To that end, we’ve rounded up just six of the most bike-friendly cities around the world. Rather than highlighting Copenhagen, Amsterdam and the like, we’ve focused on lesser-known cities that you might not have expected. If you’re a dedicated bike commuter, or just long to live in a community that makes it easy to ditch your car, this list is for you.

Charleston, South Carolina
Besides being relatively flat and offering a temperate coastal climate, this old port city boasts a vibrant cycling scene. Downtown Charleston’s Real Estate Studio offers property tours on two wheels (they provide the bikes), and agent Kristin Walker is the founder of event website bikecharleston.org. In addition to cycling shops, festivals, and clubs, the city offers 3,680 bike trails to help you get around without your car.

Bogotá, Colombia

Only 13 percent of residents in Bogotá own their own vehicles, so it’s no surprise that bike commuting is the norm in this small city. Although it doesn’t have a massive bike-sharing program like some European cities, Bogotá does what it can to make cycling safe and accessible. According to the Huffington Post, the city closes down 70 miles of roadway to vehicular traffic on a weekly basis so bikers can cycle the streets safely.


Boulder, Colorado

Just northwest of the bustling metropolis that is Denver lies the hipster-laden Republic of Boulder. Proud of its heritage as a bike-friendly city, Boulder dedicates 15 percent of its transportation budget to improving and promoting bicycle travel. As a result, Boulder is one of the few cities to achieve Platinum Bike-Friendly status from The League of American Bicyclists. Bike lanes are plentiful, and there’s even a pilot program that encourages kids to bike to school. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a bike-powered blender (pictured above).

See the rest at: Inhabitat