Tuesday, March 1

Five joys of cycling in Copenhagen

...especially if you’ve lived in a less-bikey city.

How do I love cycling in Copenhagen? Let me count the ways! Nearly 7 out of 10 people don't own a car in Copenhagen, because it's so darn easy to ride a bike. Here's why.



One: It's easier to find a street with a dedicated bike lane than it is to find the Little Mermaid statue. Seriously.
People often quote lack of bike infrastructure in their city as a reason not to ride. I absolutely empathise, especially in an aggressive traffic town like London. Knowing where to ride among the many lanes or how to merge, turn, or even stop, can be tricky and downright dangerous without experience or training or both. (BTW, did you know TfL offers free cycling lessons?) But in CPH it's a relief how easy it is. I honestly kept forgetting that streets had dedicated bike lanes, and would start to turn into traffic before realizing there is a beautiful, wide path literally right in front of me! Every time, there they are — situated perfectly between traffic and sidewalks. And wide enough that you can pass or be passed by other cyclists riding at different speeds.

Two: Everyone knows to look for everyone.
It's considered every road user's responsibility to look out for other road users. Pedestrians look around when crossing the bike lanes same as they would when crossing the street. Cyclists and drivers obey traffic signals (and both are fined equally if they're caught disobeying) but more than that, they watch for each other's behaviors. A car turning right knows to check first for cyclists who might continue straight through the same intersection. When it’s all around you, everyone is aware.

Three: Copenhagen is flat!
Pretty self-explanatory, but the lack of hills is especially helpful when creating a cycling-centric city. I know from my work and experience in KC that a mid-size hill can deter people from riding — even an avid cyclist might be self-conscious about arriving to work extra sweaty or out of breath. And if you’re hauling a kid or cargo, those extra 40-plus pounds feel heavier with even a slight incline! Copenhagen’s flat geography is beautiful for riding uninhibited to almost any location. The highest point is a whopping 19m above sea level, so you’re never going to have to work too hard on a climb. You can leave your polka-dot jersey in France.

Four: Cycling is fast!
At least according to Google Maps, cycling from point A to point B was faster than walking (duh), public transit, or even than driving in most cases. And the plethora of bike parking wherever you looked meant that you’d never have to walk much more than half a block between a bike rack and the front door. I hate parking a car almost more than I hate driving one, so this is a big bonus for me!

Five: Copenhagen isn’t hot!
I may have overstated how cold it was on our Copenhagen bike tour with Bike Mike (no I didn’t), but the biting winter cold shifts mercifully into a very tame summer — on average just two weeks per year reach temps above 77℉ / 25℃, and the average is at or above 50F for seven months out of the year. No sweat (literally)! As for the winter, Copenhageners say, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” Bundle up properly and you’ll be just fine!

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