Bicycling, May 2010

5. Eugene, OR

"Ample bike parking, lit bike paths and the Smart Ways to School program are just three of Eugene's cycling-friendly characteristics."

There are many important things a city can do to gain consideration for this list: segregated bike lanes, municipal bike racks and bike boulevards, to name a few. If you have those things in your town, cyclists probably have the ear of the local government-another key factor. To make the Top 50, a city must also support a vibrant and diverse bike culture, and it must have smart, savvy bike shops.