Tucson has been reaffirmed as a top-10 bike-friendly destination by two national media entities.
The Travel Channel ranked Tucson No. 6 in its "Top 10 Cycling Cities in the Nation," and fitness website WalkScore.com placed Tucson at No. 8 in its "Top 10 Most Bikeable Large U.S. Cities."
The rankings don't come as a surprise to the city's bike committee chairman.
"I can see why recreational cyclists would flock here," said Ian Johnson, chairman of the Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee. "We've got perfect weather. We have more bike lanes than anywhere in the country per capita. We're mostly flat, but with enough challenging terrain to make it interesting. … And we also have a strong bike culture as well. We have a lot of local residents who are very serious about bicycling."
The Travel Channel echoed Johnson's sentiments, but added one caveat.
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"This desert oasis has more bicycle infrastructure than any other city in the U.S., boasting more than 700 miles of designated bikeways. You can ride year-round without bundling up, and the mountain bike trails outside of town, as in the Santa Catalina Mountains, are top-notch - just don't crash into a cactus," a press release said.
In addition to the top-10 lists, Tucson and the east Pima County Region are currently designated as a gold status community for bicycle friendliness by the League of American Bicyclists. Across the nation, only 18 communities are rated gold, which is the second-highest a community can receive.
Contact reporter Darren DaRonco at 573-4243 or ddaronco@azstarnet.com.
