…is Detroit!

Yes, that much maligned grand automotive manufacturing and research center of Michigan is where bicycle commuting grew by a whopping 464.4% between 1990 and 2012. So, Motown, the Motor City, Automation Alley, and the home of General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler has begun adopting cycling and the bicycle culture in a big way.

Some may scoff that Detroit’s ridership numbers are nowhere near a Minneapolis, San Francisco, or Portland, but the city has a higher bicycle commuting percentage than a number of large cities, including Arlington (TX), Aurora, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville Memphis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Omaha, or San Antonio.

And it is not just commuting. At least three bicycle manufacturers are now producing high-quality bicycles in Detroit (see weblinks). These include:

Detroit Bikes

Detroit Bicycle Company

Shinola

Throw in events/activities like the Motor City Bike and Brew Tours, Tour de-Troit, and the International Bike the Bridge and there is a very cool bicycle vibe permeating the heart and soul of Motown.

In addition, the city’s bicycle infrastructure is expanding with exciting non-motorized projects like the 26 mile long Inner Circle Greenway (an extension of the fabulous Dequindre Cut) that is shown in the map above.

For the bicycling community, these are very exciting times in Detroit (and Michigan for that matter). This vibrancy should help spur additional economic gardening, development, and revitalization within this grand and historic city.

Cheers!