Walk Score released its 2013 ranking of Most Bikeable Large US cities, Tucson is ranked #8 with a score of 64.1! Portland, Oregon nabbed the #1 spot, beating out San Francisco. The ranking focused on cities with 500,000 or more residents. 

Top 10 Most Bikeable Large U.S. Cities

1. Portland (Bike Score: 70.3)

2. San Francisco (Bike Score: 70.0)

3. Denver (Bike Score: 69.5)

4. Philadelphia (Bike Score: 68.4)

5. Boston (Bike Score: 67.8)

6. Washington D.C. (Bike Score: 65.3)

7. Seattle (Bike Score: 64.1)

8. Tucson (Bike Score: 64.1)

9. New York (Bike Score: 62.3)

10. Chicago (Bike Score: 61.5)

Note: to keep rankings apples-to-apples the list above only includes cities with 500,000 or more residents.

Across the U.S. bicycle commuting grew 47% between 2000 and 2011. However, in cities that are making investments in bicycle infrastructure and education (which includes all of the Top 10 Bike Score cities listed above), bicycle commuting has grown 80% over the same period. This trend is leading a growing number of multi-family developers to build bike-friendly housing with secure storage spaces for bicycles and even putting repair shops in the buildings.

Bike Score is compiled from a data set that includes bike infrastructure, hilly terrain, number of bikers on streets and more. Bike Score is now available for over 100 U.S. cities.

January 20 – A free Bicycle Party in downtown Tucson hosted by (Grey’s Anatomy star) Patrick Dempsey, pro cyclist Tom Danielson, and Bicycling Magazine editor-in-chief Peter Flax in the Armory Park neighborhood.

The route will be closed to vehicle traffic so people of all ages and abilities can ride around one of Tucson’s oldest neighborhoods. Armory Park will host music, including Jovert, Tucson High Magnet School’s steel drum band, and other festivities throughout the afternoon. Ride the 2.2 mile route as many times as you want, meet some new bicycling friends, and maybe an autograph or two.