DC Named A 2018 Best Bike City In America

WASHINGTON, DC—Between scenic bike routes, bike lanes and bikeshare stations, you might not be surprised to learn Washington, DC was named one of the 2018 Best Bike Cities in America.

Bicycling Magazine looked at various aspects of bicycling when ranking the top 50 cities, from availability of bike lanes for places bikers can stop at. The magazine graded cities on a 100-point scale with four categories: safety, accessibility to riders of all ages, political climate relating to biking and the scenery and stops along bike routes.

According to the magazine, "the best cities are the ones that don’t cater to one specific type of rider—be it the daily commuter or competitive roadie."

Washington, DC ranked 11th, down from 9th two years ago. Even so, the magazine touts DC's efforts to improve biking trails and bike lane safety.

Some of the strides the city made are the Anacostia River Trail, which has a connection to trails in Maryland, and the GoDCGo incentive program for employees. Biking is embedded in the education system as well, with second graders learning how to ride and bike to school days drawing high participation.

Neighboring Arlington ranked 17th and Alexandria came in at 25th.

Here are the top 10 bike cities in America:

1. Seattle, WA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Fort Collins, CO
4. Minneapolis, MN
5. Portland, OR
6. Chicago, IL
7. Eugene, OR
8. Madison, WI
9. New York, NY
10. Cambridge, MA

See the full list here.

Image via Mark Wilson/Getty Images