We’re calling it now, summer 2025 is going to be a biking summer.
With temperatures finally rising, it’s about that time to ride your bike around NYC! And our friends at buycycle, an online marketplace for pre‑owned bikes and bike parts tend to agree.
The cycling experts just released a list of the best cycling cities for 2025, based on google search volume and SPRINT score factors like protected bike lanes, network connections, and overall rider experience.
New York City came in 2nd place, just behind the nature filled haven of Portland, Oregon!
The study cites NYC’s scenic cycling routes, expansive network of bike lanes, and overall cycling culture as criteria for the ranking.
For this particular case, buycycle looked into major U.S. cities with populations over 300K based on PeopleForBikes City Ratings 2024 report (peopleforbike), and assigned a SPRINT score focusing on factors like safe speeds, protected bike lanes, intersection treatments, network connections, and trusted data.
Cross-examined with Google Search Volume data from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024, for cycling-related queries (the interest in cycling), this list was born!
See the full list of cities below, and our favorite NYC routes even further down.
The 10 best cycling cities in the U.S. for 2025
- Portland, Oregon
- New York City, New York
- San Francisco, California
- Denver, Colorado
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Detroit, Michigan
- St. Paul, Minnesota
The best biking routes in NYC, picked by the Secret NYC staff
Ready to take a ride? Well, there’s plenty of places to ride in New York…but we’ve picked some of our favorites. Write these down, both popular and hidden gem routes.
Popular: Central Park Loop
This extremely popular trail loops 6 miles around the famous Central Park. It may be popular but it’s so worth it. View landmarks like Bethesda Terrace, the Reservoir, Strawberry Fields, and Harlem Meer along the way. There’s also no car traffic on these streets.
Popular: Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan Waterfront Greenway
Start on Brooklyn side and cross the Brooklyn Bridge to the East River Greenway into Battery Park and the Hudson River Greenway. Of course you ride over the iconic bridge, but also end up in Manhattan with waterfront skyline views.
Hidden gem: Ocean Parkway Greenway
The ride goes from Prospect Park to Coney island and is actually the first designated bike path in the U.S., built in 1894. It runs from the park to the beach!
Hidden gem: Kissena Corridor + Flushing Meadows Loop
The ride goes from Flushing to Corona Park via Kissena Park, crossing through multiple Queens parks and getting great views of the Unisphere and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Hidden gem: Shore Park Greenway
The route in Southern Brooklyn goes from Bay Ridge to Sheepshead Bay and has waterfront paths and views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.