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Cycling is extremely appealing if you separate roads for cars from roads for bikes. Boulder is a city that gets this right. As a cyclist in Boulder, you can get

Cycling is extremely appealing if you separate roads for cars from roads for bikes. Boulder is a city that gets this right. As a cyclist in Boulder, you can get almost anywhere in town with minimal riding on a normal street. The network of bike/pedestrian paths is so well integrated into the city. I loved biking everywhere in Boulder. In Austin or New York I would rather walk and take public transit. NYC and the Connecticut shoreline are keeping me enthralled for now but I will move back to Boulder for the bike paths (and the general paradise vibe) at some point. Nostalgia is taking hold now. Warm memories of a satisfied ride with a Flat Iron mountain backdrop. In my backpack was just a modest check, but it was a check for the sale of my first venture, and we were happy, and living in Boulder and the future was ours for the taking...

wilfra 14y ago
Davis and Isla Vista (where UCSB is) are two cities in California where bicycling is great. The infrastructure is certainly nice but the main thing that makes it great is that there are so many bicycles that they run the streets. Cars are second class citizens and just have to drive slow and wait a lot. Safety in numbers. It's very similar in Vietnam with motorbikes (electric scooters). They do whatever they want, because there are so many of them, and the cars just have to wait. I see a pretty decent number of bikes riding around near where I live in Mountain View but I'm scared for them. They are always riding solo and surrounded by cars who may or may not even be aware they are there.
jmanamj 14y ago
As a still somewhat new Boulder resident, I agree with this. I lived here for a year as a freshman and only saw the city by bus. I came back recently owning a car, and saw more of the town, but it was a bit difficult to get around in all the traffic. Then I got a bike, and the valley opened up to me. I practically had to relearn my way around using the extensive network of bike lanes and bike paths, but I feel a lot more freedom of movement. I was worried about safety at first, but now I am more comfortable riding than driving. I know I'm spoiled by this city though. The ride from South Boulder to the shopping district can take you along a gorgeous paved path following a stream under a canopy of trees between suburb neighborhoods. I never feel a need for a helmet. Downtown boulder has a bike sharing program, but I don't know how much use it gets since practically the whole town rides.
BrandonM 14y ago
Columbus, OH, is another city that is surprisingly bicycle friendly. Allow riding on the road feels less safe than riding on the roads in SF (there just aren't enough cyclists on the roads for most drivers to be looking for them), there are tons of separated paths that really minimize the amount of road riding that is necessary.

wilfra 14y ago

Davis and Isla Vista (where UCSB is) are two cities in California where bicycling is great. The infrastructure is certainly nice but the main thing that makes it great is that there are so many bicycles that they run the streets. Cars are second class citizens and just have to drive slow and wait a lot. Safety in numbers. It's very similar in Vietnam with motorbikes (electric scooters). They do whatever they want, because there are so many of them, and the cars just have to wait. I see a pretty decent number of bikes riding around near where I live in Mountain View but I'm scared for them. They are always riding solo and surrounded by cars who may or may not even be aware they are there.

jmanamj 14y ago

As a still somewhat new Boulder resident, I agree with this. I lived here for a year as a freshman and only saw the city by bus. I came back recently owning a car, and saw more of the town, but it was a bit difficult to get around in all the traffic. Then I got a bike, and the valley opened up to me. I practically had to relearn my way around using the extensive network of bike lanes and bike paths, but I feel a lot more freedom of movement. I was worried about safety at first, but now I am more comfortable riding than driving. I know I'm spoiled by this city though. The ride from South Boulder to the shopping district can take you along a gorgeous paved path following a stream under a canopy of trees between suburb neighborhoods. I never feel a need for a helmet. Downtown boulder has a bike sharing program, but I don't know how much use it gets since practically the whole town rides.

BrandonM 14y ago

Columbus, OH, is another city that is surprisingly bicycle friendly. Allow riding on the road feels less safe than riding on the roads in SF (there just aren't enough cyclists on the roads for most drivers to be looking for them), there are tons of separated paths that really minimize the amount of road riding that is necessary.