What do Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands have in common?

It’s not endless sunshine or mild winters (sorry, Finland).

It’s bikes — and safe and connected places to ride!

These countries consistently top global happiness rankings, and they’re also some of the most bike-friendly places on Earth. Connected bike lanes, safe streets, and trails weave through communities, giving millions of people the choice to ride for fun, for fitness, and to get where they need to go.

Simply put — they arrive happy.

At TEDxFargo, PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice took the stage to share how the humble bicycle can transform not just how we move, but how we feel. In her talk, “The Secret Behind Happy Communities,” Jenn explored what happens when we design places that make it easy and joyful to ride a bike.

Jenn’s message is simple and hopeful — bikes make people and the places they live happier. From boosting mental health to building social connection, research shows that riding a bike naturally lifts your mood, reduces stress, and gets you moving outdoors.

As Jenn puts it, “When you pedal through your neighborhood, you get the chance to clear your head, breathe fresh air, and connect with the world around you.”

And it’s not just about exercise. Every ride is a chance to see a neighbor, wave to a friend, and feel more rooted in your community.

Across the U.S., more communities are realizing the power of the bike. From Bentonville to Bloomington, Minneapolis to Fargo, cities are investing in protected bike lanes, greenways, and trails that make it easier and safer to ride.

In just the last three years, more than 1,000 bike projects have been completed or are nearly finished. Plus, 112 million Americans got out and rode last year. That momentum is real, and it’s growing.

For Jenn, the joy of cycling started early. You could find her riding around her small South Dakota town until dusk. As an adult, she discovered mountain biking and ultra-endurance races in Colorado. That lifelong love of bikes led her to PeopleForBikes, where she now leads a team dedicated to making the U.S. the best place in the world to ride.

Her TEDx talk is a reminder that the road to happier, healthier communities isn’t complicated. It starts with small choices, like hopping on a bike for a short trip, encouraging a child to ride to school, or supporting local efforts to build safer infrastructure.

As Jenn says, “Let’s take a page from the world’s happiest nations. Let’s reimagine our neighborhoods and embrace biking — not just as transportation, but as a path to the kind of places we all want to live in.”

Let’s build a world where we can all arrive happy.

You can support better biking in your community and hundreds of others nationwide by becoming a PeopleForBikes Foundation member. Join us today.