Written by Karl on August 11, 2010/Park Tool News
Inside Minnesota's Booming Bike Economy
When your state lays claim to having the No. 1 biking city in the nation, it’s good for more than just cyclists; it’s good for the whole economy—here’s how.
Surely you’ve noticed them. The urban hipsters on their retro steel frames. Commuters lugging backpacks and pannier bags. Racers in spandex. They’re bicyclists, and by all measures, they’re multiplying on Twin Cities streets. This spring Bicycling Magazine named Minneapolis “America’s Best Biking City,” edging out perennial powerhouse Portland, to the chagrin of Oregonians, and to the surprise of the rest of the country. Despite our tough winters, we have the second-most bike commuters per capita, more than 120 miles of bike lanes and paths, and the nation’s newest and largest bike-share program.