Rating Cities by Pedal Power: Lessons from PeopleForBikes

What if we could measure how bike-friendly a city really is—not by guesswork, but with data?
That’s exactly what the City Ratings project from PeopleForBikes does. Every year, they analyze hundreds of cities, scoring them on a 0–100 scale for ridership, safety, network quality, and how well the bicycle network connects people to everyday destinations. It’s a data-driven X-ray of a city’s cycling soul.

What the US Numbers Show

In the latest ratings, US leaders like Davis, California and Boulder, Colorado stand out—but overall, many American cities still trail behind their European counterparts in connected, protected infrastructure. A recurring gap is continuity: bike lanes that appear, then disappear; paths that don’t quite connect neighborhoods; and networks designed more for recreation than daily commuting.

Europe’s Head Start—and New Players

Europe has long been home to well-functioning cycling cities like Utrecht (Netherlands), Aarhus (Denmark), and Münster (Germany). These places treat cycling not as an afterthought, but as a core piece of urban mobility—integrated, safe, and dignified.

But innovation isn’t limited to the “usual suspects.” Smaller cities are making bold moves:

Tübingen, Germany is aggressively reallocating road space to bikes and pedestrians.
Albi, France recently unveiled an architectural gem of mobility: the Pedestrian & Bicycle Bridge.

The Albi Example: Modern Infrastructure in a Medieval Town

Stretching about 200 meters along the historic railway viaduct over the Tarn River, this triangular steel bridge—designed by Ney & Partners with MS-A—connects Castelviel and Pratgraussal. It widens into belvederes where you can pause, breathe, and take in sweeping views of the Sainte-Cécile cathedral. More than a crossing, it’s a quiet piece of urban stitching—linking neighborhoods, inviting walking and cycling, and blending seamlessly with Albi’s UNESCO-listed skyline.

The Takeaway

Whether in Austin or Aarhus, Albi or Boulder, the lesson is clear: bike networks need to be safe, connected, and pleasant to use. City Ratings from PeopleForBikes provide the scorecard—what we do with the results is up to us.

City Ratings by people for bikes