This table, showing the top 10 U.S. cities where cycling is growing fastest, comes from a new report from the League of American Bicyclists that analyzes census data. Though the census only tracks bicycle commuting -- and thus understates how many people are cycling -- the results tell an interesting story about cycling trends.
Notice a mix of rust belt cities and larger, more progressive metros that are doing a lot to improve conditions for cyclists. It should also be noted that cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Baltimore had such small shares of commuters cycling in 1990 that, while percentage increases seem absolutely whopping, actual bike commuting rates are still somewhat modest. (The average bike commuting rate across the United States is 0.6 percent, the League reports.)
But even Portland had only a 1.2 percent bike commute mode share in 1990. It will be interesting to see where these cities are 23 years from now. Imagine if these trends continued.
The Bike League study is loaded with interesting city rankings. Check it out, and you're almost certain to find your city on one of those lists.
