Top Cities for Bikes -- You'll Be Surprised Where D.C. Ranks

A new study claims that Washington, D.C. is the fourth best city in the nation for bicyclists.

It might not always seem that way, what with congested streets and drivers who seem ready to run you off the road, but D.C. was easily No. 1 on the East Coast, and bested only by West Coast cities Seattle, Portland and San Francisco nationwide, according to a Zillow study.

Zillow based its findings on the percentage of bike commuters, how long the average bike commute is, how many rental listings include bike storage as an amenity and how many miles of protected bike lanes there are in the city.

"It's hard to say whether bike-friendly cities attract cyclists, or whether cyclists influence their cities to become more bike-friendly. It's probably a little of both," Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell said in a statement as reported by several news outlets. "Bike-friendly amenities – like pet-friendly amenities – in apartments say something about the people who live in the cities on this list. These things often go hand-in-hand with a taste for urban living and an active sensibility."

D.C. has 39 cyclists per 1,000 commuters, 3rd on the list behind just Seattle and Portland, who have 42 and 68, respectively.

D.C.'s average 22-minute commute time for bicyclists was tied for the best on the list, indicating that maybe it's not such a bad idea to get rid of your car after all.

You can read the full statement and list here via Geekwire.

Image via Wikimedia