PeopleForBikes’ 2025 City Ratings rank the bikeability of nearly 3,000 cities across the U.S. and around the world. For the first time, this year’s ratings divide New York City into its five boroughs, recognizing the local-level work being done to improve bicycling. Three boroughs landed in the top 10 best large U.S. cities for biking for 2025: Manhattan took the #10 spot with a score of 51 (out of a possible 100), Queens came in at #4 with a score of 63, and Brooklyn took this year’s #1 spot with a score of 73, narrowly surpassing last year’s top-scoring large city, Minneapolis.

So how did Brooklyn become the best large U.S. city for biking? An impressive network of safe and connected places to ride. New York City as a whole is home to 1,550 miles of bike lanes, bike paths, and neighborhood greenways, making it North America’s largest bicycle network. Brooklyn specifically has more miles of bike lanes than any other borough.

Brooklyn’s bike network. Image credit: PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis

In addition to an impressive network of dedicated bike infrastructure, Brooklyn’s borough-wide residential speed limit of just 25 mph also makes its streets low-stress and safe for bicyclists according to PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis, the data-driven program behind City Ratings.

Image credit: PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis

On a citywide level, 99% of New York City residents live within one mile of its bike network, making bicycling an easy and accessible transportation option in the densely populated and developed city.

“I think what’s so special about biking in Brooklyn is that you’re never doing it alone — there’s always so many people doing the same thing,” says Alexa Sledge, director of communications at Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit organization dedicated to better biking and walking in the five boroughs. “We know that there is safety in numbers. When drivers are in their cars on the street, they’re expecting to be around people riding bikes.”

As New York City’s bike network grows, so does the number of people riding. Between 2008 and 2023, the estimated total daily cycling trips made in NYC grew from 240,000 to 620,000, with an astounding 226.3 million trips made by bike in 2023.

“Biking is the easiest and fastest way to get around,” says Drew Bennett, founder of Good Co. Bike Club, a Brooklyn-based cycling club founded in 2020 as a way for the Black community to come together through a love of cycling during the pandemic. “MTAs are good, but trains can be delayed or slow. If you want to get somewhere fast, go by bike.”

While Bennett says biking for transportation is one of the main reasons people get on a bike in Brooklyn (with an estimated 25,000+ residents commuting by bike in 2023), the borough does have some amazing recreational riding.

“I would say my favorite place to ride is Prospect Park where you don’t have to worry about cars or other bikers because there is so much space,” says Sledge. “I also love the greenways — there’s one that stretches all along the outer edge of Brooklyn.”

Biking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo courtesy of Michael DeHerrera

Whether it’s for transportation or recreation, Sledge also says Brooklyn’s bridges are another key element of what makes the borough great for biking. “We have a huge network that all connects in downtown Brooklyn. So much of Brooklyn gets to Manhattan over the bridges, and you really get to see a different perspective of the city versus taking the subway.”

Even with its impressive existing infrastructure, Brooklyn’s bike network continues to grow. “One of our newest bike lanes is on Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy,” says Sledge. “It’s a major thoroughfare that didn’t have any protected bike lanes. Having a safe bike lane makes it safe and easy to ride through central Brooklyn.”

While New York City is the most densely populated city in the country, Sledge still has some sage advice on how cities and towns of any size can prioritize better and safer biking. 

“Make the fight bigger than one single bike lane — it’s exhausting to go one at a time,” she says. “By leveraging a citywide plan, you can take it from trench warfare to a much bigger project and vision.”

Outside of infrastructure, culture and community can make just as much of an impact on getting more people riding. 

A local youth joins hundreds of others riders for Good Co. Bike Club's Freedom Ride across Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of Ryan Birkicht

“People want community. I think that goes unnoticed or unappreciated a lot,” says Bennett. “You need to create spaces where people can feel included and welcome. There are bike clubs for everyone: women, older folks, kids. People want to feel like they belong. That’s kind of where our name came from — when you’re with Good Co., you’re with good people."

Want to know how your city scores? Explore the entire 2025 City Ratings by visiting cityratings.peopleforbikes.org.