Fort Collins Named One of America’s Top Bicycle-Friendly Cities By Bicycling Magazine

For those of us who live in and around Fort Collins it should be no surprise that Fort Collins has again been named one of the top bicycle-friendly cities in the country. Bicycling Magazine ranked Fort Collins No. 11 on the list of the top 50 bike-friendly cities in America.

The 310-mile cycling network along with pioneering a bike-share program that has served more than 11,000 riders since opening in 2008 is what the article cites as the reason for Fort Collins being on the list. Also noted are New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Bike-in movies to benefit local nonprofits and CSU’s six-week track-racing series.

To determine the top 50 bike-friendly cities for 2012, Bicycling Magazine evaluated cities with populations of 95,000 or more using data provided by the Alliance for Biking and Walking and the League of American Bicyclists, as well as input from local advocates and bike-ped coordinators. To make the magazine’s list, a city must have a robust cycling infrastructure and a vibrant bike culture.

Portland, Oregon came in at No. 1 on the list with its Platinum status from the League of American Bicyclists, 180 miles of bike lanes and 79 miles of off-street bike paths. Minneapolis came in No. 2, and Boulder snagged the third spot on the list. Denver also made the list at No. 14 and Colorado Springs became the fourth best Colorado bike city, making the list at No. 31.

To see the full list, visit www.bicycling.com.