New Statistics

HIgher actual crash risk increases perceived crash risk, while higher perceived crash risk is negatively associated with actual crash rates.

In New York City commuter cycling grew 26% between 2008 and 2009 and 45% since 2007. Cycling levels have more than doubled since 2002, and the number of cyclists crossing the Williamsburg Bridge quadrupled between 2000 and 2009. Since 2007, 200 miles of new bicycle routes have been added to the city's on-street bicycle network.

In San Francisco the number of cyclists increased 9% from 2008 to 2009 and 53% from 2006.

By 2017, Portland, Oregon residents will have saved $64 million in health care costs thanks to bicycling. By 2040, they will have invested $162 million in bicycling yet saved more than $1 billion dollars in health care costs, a return on investment of 6.5 to 1 for health care costs alone.

After bicycle lanes were installed post-Katrina on a New Orleans, Louisiana street, there was a 57% increase in the number of cyclists. The number of female cyclists increased 133%, and the percentage of cyclists riding in the correct direction increased from 73% to 82%.

It costs the same to build parking for 75 bikes as it does for just 4 cars.

The average bicycle shop has 6 full-time employees. With approximately 4,200 specialty bicycle retailers in the U.S., this totals 25,620 people employed full-time by these retailers.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has a Rail-Trail Statistics page with national and state trail counts and a list of the longest rail-trails in America.

The 2009 USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships brought more than $1 million in direct spending to the Bend, Oregon region. The 2009 Road Nationals brought more than $1.4 million to the area.

Increasing the mode share of all trips made by bicycling and walking from 12% to 15% could lead to fuel savings of 3.8 billion gallons a year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 million tons per year. This is equivalent to replacing 19 million conventional cars with hybrids.

Bicycling generates more than $1.5 billion a year in total economic impact for the state of Wisconsin and supports more than 13,000 jobs in the state, paling in comparison the $9 million in federal funding spent annually on bike and pedestrian projects in the state.

In Portland, Oregon 7,100 daily trips or 21% of all trips on the Hawthorne Bridge over the Willamette River are made by bike. If those 7,100 trips were made by car, Portland would have to build a new bridge.

The Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis, MN gets an average of 3,500 bicyclists a day, more traffic than 77% of Minneapolis city roads.

The bicycle industry is estimated to support 1.1 million jobs and generate nearly $18 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.

Nearly 60% of all bike trips are 1 mile or less.

40% of all trips are 2 miles or less.

In 2009, 1% of all U.S. trips were made by bicycle, an increase of 25% from 2001.

In New York City, 92% of all bicyclist fatalities occurred as a results of crashes with motor vehicles, and 91% of bicyclists who died were male.

The air quality improvement and reduced greenhouse gas emissions due to bicycling in Wisconsin is worth more than $90 million every year.

If 20% of short car trips were replaced by bicycle trips in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, it would prevent 57,405 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted, a value of $1.2 million.

If 20% of Madison, Wisconsin commuters biked to work, it would save 16,687 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a value of $366,577. If 20% of Milwaukee commuters biked to work, it would save 40,718 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, a value of $821,282.

If resident and non-resident recreational cycling increased 20% in Wisconsin, it would create $184 million in economic activity and generate 2,638 additional jobs.

Recreational bicycling brings more than $924 million to the state of Wisconsin every year.

Estimations of the number of Americans who ride bicycles trend around 15% (OIA) to 17% (SGMA). In general:

- 1% of adults ride a bicycle on a given day
- 5.3% ride on a given week
- 16% ride on a given month
- 29% ride in the summer
- 40% ride in a year
- 50% sometimes ride a bicycle, although not necessarily in a given year

In 2005 motor vehicles produced $56 billion in health and other non-climate-related damages, about 1.2 to 1.7 cents for every mile traveled.

Local sales of bicycles jumped 35% after the Velib bike sharing system was installed in Paris.

More than one-quarter (28%) of all traffic accidents occur when people talk on cellphones or send text messages while driving.

In the US, there are 5 vehicles for every 4 drivers.

New US immigrants are twice as likely to live in households without vehicles as immigrants who have lived in the US for ten years or more. However, even after spending a decade in the US, immigrants are still twice as likely to live in households without automobiles compared to the US-born population.

A 10 cent per gallon increase in the gasoline tax would reduce carbon emissions from vehicles in the United States by about 1.5%.

A quarter of teenagers drive more than 20 miles per day.

Three-quarters of parents who drive their children less than 2 miles to school say they do it for convenience and to save time.

A survey of college students revealed that both non-bicycle commuters and bike commuters say that bicycle lanes, trails, and paths would encourage them to ride a bike (or ride more often) to campus.

Even though 85% of Amsterdam residents ride a bike at least once a week, only 6 or 7 cyclists are killed in traffic accidents every year.

More than 85% of Amsterdam residents rode their bikes at least once a week in 2003.

Areas near new bicycle facilities showed considerably more of an increase in bicycle commuting than areas farther away.

In 2009, the number of bicycle trips in Portland, Oregon decreased 5% from 2008. However, the number of trips made by motorists and transit riders also decreased during the same time period.

A study of Portland, Oregon's "bike boxes" found that the markings increased perceived safety for cyclists. More than half of motorists and 75% of cyclists thought the bike boxes made intersections safer.

One-quarter of characters in recent (2003-2007) children's movies wore helmets while bicycling, up from 15% in 1998-2002 and 6% in 1995-1997.

In 2007, the Tour de Georgia generated a direct economic impact of $28 million. During the five years that it was held, it attracted 2.8 million spectators and $148 million to Georgia.

Since 1960, the number of people commuting to work outside the county in which they live has increased 200%.

Since 1936, the number of miles driven by Americans has grown two-and-a-half times faster than the U.S. population.

Between 2008 and 2009, participation in cyclocross races increased 15% in Colorado.

Children are more likely to bike or walk to school when there are recreational facilities and bike paths nearby.

People exercise for longer when they are outside compared to at home, work, or a gym.

The prevalence of cycling is higher is areas with higher gasoline prices and less urban sprawl.

In 2001, the average American spent 64 minutes daily in a vehicle.

Women who live near busy or congested roads tend to have impaired cognitive performance in old age.

Parents are significantly more likely to let their children bike or walk to school when they believe that other adults in the neighborhood watch out for children.

Children who begin biking or walking to school at an early age (grade 1) are more likely to stay a healthy weight during their early school years.

The more traffic surrounding a child's home, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese.

In 2009, 88 percent of U.S. children's bike-related deaths occurred in the street, up from 38 percent in 1990 and 47 percent in 2005.

More than 70 percent of all U.S. children age five to 14 ride a bicycle.

A reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through an increase in biking and walking for transportation has greater health benefits for a population than from the increased use of lower-emission motor vehicles. An increase in active transportation is estimated to reduce 500 fatalities per million inhabitants in cities such as Delhi and London.

A report by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership tracks different approaches to improving bike safety for children.

In 2018, obesity-related healthcare costs will average $1,425 per person, up from $361 per adult in 2008.

On average, boys cycle nearly 6 times as much as girls (138 miles/year versus 24 miles/year.)

Pre-adolescent girls who live near multi-use trails are get 5% more physical activity and have 1.4% lower body mass indexes than those who don't live near a trail.

People who live near multi-use trails are 50% more likely to meet physical activity guidelines and 73-80% more likely to bicycle.

Multi-use trails have been shown to be particularly beneficial in promoting physical activity among women and people in lower-income areas.

One study of cities across the US estimated that for every 1% increase in the length of on-street bicycle lanes, there is a 0.31% increase in bicycle commuters.

Residents of the most socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods are more likely to bicycle in leisure time but less likely to cycle for transportation than those from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

In the US, 99 percent of all car trips begin and end at a parking space that is free to the driver.

Among the 50 largest US metropolitan areas, the five that spend the most on bicycle and pedestrian facilities invested seven times as much per capita ($1.54) as the five lowest-spending metro areas ($0.21).

For every 15-minute increase in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity a 12-year-old has, they have a 10% reduction in fat mass at age 14.

Interventions to reduce traffic speed and volume are likely to promote bicycling.

In 2018, obesity will affect 43 percent of U.S. adults and add $344 billion to direct health care costs if nothing is done soon.

One study of two years' worth of bicycle crashes in Indiana found that human error was the most common factor in crashes, right angle collisions were the most common crash type, and most crashes occurred in daylight.

There were 716 cyclist fatalities and 52,000 injuries in the US in 2008.

Active Living Research has a research brief on the impact of infrastructure investments on bicycling for transportation and on related health outcomes.

Active Living Research has a research brief on how physical activity improves childrens' academic performance.

Between 2007 and 2008, the number of USA Cycling-sanctioned bicycling events increased 2.5% to 2,535 events. The number of clubs increased 3.4% to 2,120, and the number of licensees increased 2.8% to 63,273.

In metro areas, nearly 50 percent of families without a car live in the suburbs.

The City of Copenhagen calculated how much they would save if cycling increased 10%. They found that:

- The healthcare system would save DKK 59 million annually
- There would be an annual savings of DKK 155 million due to reduced production loss
- The labor market would have 57,000 fewer days of absence
- 61,000 extra years of life
- 46,000 fewer years of prolonged, severe illness
- 25 fewer early retirement pensions annually

Bicycle traffic in Copenhagen prevents 90,000 tons of CO₂ from being emitted annually.

In Copenhagen, 54% of cyclists say they bike because it is easy and fast, 19% do it for the exercise, 7% bike for the convenience, 6% state financial reasons, and 1% bike for environmental reasons.

The International Mountain Bicycling Association and Shimano compiled a report on the economics and benefits of mountain biking.

One-quarter of Copenhagen families with two or more children have a cargo bike.

In Copenhagen, the ratio of bikes to people is 1:1.

For a full review of the economic benefits of trails, see the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's "From Trail Towns to TrOD: Trails and Economic Development" report.

The Federal Highway Administration's Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System has a number of general bike safety stats and information.

The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's "Making the Case for Active Transportation" information bulletin summarizes the evidence on bicycling safety.

The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's "Making the Case for Active Transportation" information bulletin summarizes the evidence on the environmental benefits of bicycling.

The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's "Making the Case for Active Transportation" information bulletin summarizes the evidence on the economic benefits of bicycling.

The Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute's "Making the Case for Active Transportation" information bulletin summarizes the evidence on the health benefits of bicycling.

Two-thirds of Omaha, Nebraska, residents who live near bike trails believe the trails would increase the selling price of their home.

A survey of mountain bikers indicated that 80% of respondents had taken at least one overnight trip to go mountain biking.

A 1996 study estimated that mountain bike tourism brings $8.4 to $8.8 million to Moab, Utah's economy annually.

According to USA Cycling, Lance Armstrong's return to professional bike racing has had a direct impact on the number of U.S. registered bike racers in 2009.

Excess body weight may be responsible for more than 100,000 new cancer diagnoses each year in the U.S.

From 1995 to 2003, the number of bicycle trips in Copenhagen made by adults 40 and older rose from 25% to 38%, yet there was a 60% decline in serious injuries.

Availability of a bicycle in a household is the strongest single predictor of bicycling for transportation.

Riding in "ciclovia" events is associated with more utilitarian cycling.

People living within a half-mile of a bike path are at least 20% more likely to bicycle at least once a week, compared to people living slightly further away from the path.

A review of 139 studies concluded that substantial increases in bicycling require an integrated package of numerous interventions, including bike-specific infrastructure and pro-bicycle programs, as well as supportive land use planning and restrictions on automobile use.

The Victorian Department of Transport conducted 14 focus group discussions to better understand barriers to cycling and walking for transportation. Read the findings here.

There is a direct correlation between feelings of personal safety and the number and percentage of weekly trips taken by bike.

As bicyclists become more comfortable with riding, the number and percentage of weekly trips taken by bike increase significantly.

Nearly nine out of 10 bicyclists in Oregon and southwest Washington also own and drive automobiles. Car ownership level doesn't differ between less- and more-experienced cyclists, but car usage drops significantly as cyclists become more experienced.

10 percent of Boulder, CO residents normally bike to work, nearly 20 times the national average. Since 2000, the number of residents driving alone to work decreased from 61 to 54 percent. During the same time, the national drive-alone work-trip mode share increased 5.1 percent.

A review of 23 studies on transportation infrastructure and bicyclist safety concluded that bicycle-specific facilities reduce crashes and injuries among cyclists.

Hybrid electric vehicles are more likely to be involved with bicycle crashes than are normal vehicles.

Bike Pittsburgh has broken down the American Community Survey's bike commuting stats by gender.

In the U.S., men's cycling trips surpass women's by at least 2:1. In the Netherlands, 55% of riders are women. In Germany, 49% of bike trips are made by women.

Bikes Belong's "Trails to Sales" survey found that new bicycle trails lead to increased sales at nearby bike shops and higher bicycling rates of nearby residents.

In 2008, Americans spent $59 billion on weight loss programs, surgeries, and foods.

In downtown Boulder, CO, bicycle ridership has increased 14 percent between 2008 and 2009 and 46 percent since 2007.

The average U.S. child eats 165 calories more than they burn per day.

On average, larger increases in government spending on bike and pedestrian infrastructure are associated with larger increases in the number of bike commuters.

In 2008, the average Bicycle Friendly Community had three times more bike commuters than the national average. The bike commute share of Bicycle Friendly Communities also grew 60 percent more than the national average.

The number of Americans who commuted to work primarily by bike in 2008 increased 14 percent from 2007, 36 percent since 2005, and 43 percent since 2000. For interactive spreadsheets of bike commute share by city or state, visit the League of American Bicyclists.

Therapy bicycling programs have been shown to decrease depression in older adults.

Despite the fact that cyclists breathe two to three times more air than motorists, motorists breathe about 60% more carbon monoxide and significantly more pollutants than cyclists.

The proportion of workers who drove to work alone decreased slightly between 2007 and 2008, from 76.1% to 75.5%.

The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail have compiled nearly 40 rail trail studies on their site here.

According to a study of the Little Miami Scenic Trail, for every foot closer a house is to the trail, its price increases by $7.05.

Traffic congestion is linked to poor health in infants. Reductions in traffic congestion can reduce the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight among mothers who live within 2km of a road.

Boys are more likely to bike or walk to school than girls.

Students are less likely to bike or walk to school if they have to travel along and/or cross a road with busy traffic and no lights or crossing points.

Children who cycle to school have greater cardiorespiratory fitness that those who are get to school by car, bus, or walking.

In a study of youth soccer players in Davis, California, over three-quarters of players and their parents drive to soccer games, with less than 20% biking, even though the average distance to the games was less than two miles. Soccer players who biked to school and whose parents regularly bicycled were significantly more likely to bike to the games.

12% of American children's trips to sports activities are made by bike.

Americans rank the automobile as their most important possession; 88% consider it a necessity, not a luxury, more than a clothes dryer (66%), air conditioning (54%), or a TV (52%).

One of every 10 barrels of crude oil ends up in U.S. gasoline tanks.

In 2008, the number of miles driven in America dropped 3.6% and highway fatalities dropped 9 percent, the lowest fatality level in 50 years.

Almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese.

For a comprehensive review of the health benefits of bicycling, turn to Cycling England's "Cycling and Health" report.

The health benefits of cycling outweigh the safety risks by a factor of 20 to one.

One study found that cycling improves levels of well-being, self-confidence, and tolerance to stress while reducing tiredness, difficulties with sleep and a range of medical symptoms.

In a study of a Toronto neighborhood's stores, patrons said they would prefer a bike lane to widened sidewalks at a ratio of almost four to one.

In a study of Toronto merchants, patrons arriving by foot and bicycle visit the most often and spend the most money per month.

The health benefit of a kilometer of cycling is valued at $1.

In a 2009 survey of Portland, Oregon cyclists, more than two-thirds said that they attempted to bike during a time of severe snowstorms. Of those who did not decide to bike, the most common reasons for not biking were concern for safety (75%) and road conditions (77%).

A study of trail users in rural West Virginia found that 98% of trail users on two new trails reported that their activity levels had increased since beginning to use the new trails.

Two-thirds of all driving trips to shuttle others around are made by women. Whether working or not, mothers with school-aged children make 20% more trips than the average woman and 21% more than the average man.

American mothers spend over an hour a day driving, on average, which adds up to almost 17 days behind the wheel per year. Moms also spend more time driving than the average parent spends dressing, bathing, and feeding a child.

From 1995 to 2005, China's bike fleet declined by 35 percent (from 670 million to 435 million bikes), while private car ownership more than doubled (from 4.2 million to 8.9 million.)

In 2007, 130 million bicycles were produced worldwide, more than twice the 52 million cars produced.

80% of BMX riders are 15-25 years old 52% have been riding 1-5 years 66% plan on spending $500 or more on their bike this year alone 99% ride street 94% ride park 80% ride dirt 48% ride vert 46% ride flat 34% race

In 2007, the number of miles Americans drove dropped for the first time since 1980.

More than a third of American drivers (34%) report that they have decided not to make a driving trip in the last month due to anticipated traffic.

Americans say that if their commute times were reduced, they'd spend the extra time:

- with family and friends (52%)
- recreating (37%)
- exercising (37%)
- sleeping (33%)
- working (11%)

44% of American drivers believe traffic congestion increases their stress levels, 25% say it makes them feel more angry, 16% say it negatively affects work or school performance, and 11% say they it makes them get less sleep.

More than half of American drivers (52%) believe that traffic has gotten worse in the last three years, and 16% think it had gotten much worse.

86% of Americans say they have been stuck in traffic in the last three years, and the average delay is one hour.

More than one-fifth (21%) of Americans say they have changed the way they commute to work because of the recession.

Most Americans say they would stop driving alone to work and seek alternate transportation when gasoline prices are at $4 or $5.

37 percent of Americans say they would pay between $10 and $20 to reduce their daily commute by 15 minutes.18% would pay up to $40 a day.

In a study of 166 regular cyclists in Portland, Oregon, 60% cycled for at least 150 minutes/week (the federally recommended minimum activity level) and nearly all of the bicycling was for utilitarian purposes, not exercise. A disproportionate share of the bicycling occurred on streets with bicycle lanes, separate paths, or bicycle boulevards.

Only 21 percent of employees work within three miles of a downtown, while 45 percent work more than 10 miles away from a city center. Between 1998 and 2006, nearly all metro areas saw a decrease in the share of jobs located within three miles of downtown, even though the number of jobs in all metros rose during that period.

Adolescents are more likely to bike or walk to school if they are males, Latinos, from lower-income families, public school students, from an urban areas, and living closer to school. Adolescents without an adult present after school and those whose parents know little about their whereabouts after school are also more likely to actively commute.

High school girls who have numerous parks, schools, and other physical activity facilities in their neighborhood are significantly more likely to report getting vigorous physical activity than those who don't have any.

Between 1987 and 2001, increases in the proportion of and spending on obese people relative to people of normal weight accounted for 27 percent of the rise in healthcare spending.

As of 2004, 86% of local governments had introduced or were considering initiatives linking bicycling, walking, community design, and health.

In Oregon, at least 6 extra pounds per person can be attributed to urban sprawl. If every person in the state lost those 6 pounds, the state would save $206 million per year in healthcare expenses.

In rural areas, adolescents with access to a safe park get more regular physical activity and are less likely to be inactive than those without access to a safe park.

People are more likely to bike for transportation if they have social support from family and friends.

Mountain bike trails in the Chequamegon Area of Northern Wisconsin brought $1.17 million to the area's economy in 1997.

On average, an obese patient has $4,871 in medical bills a year compared with $3,442 for a patient at a healthy weight.

Obesity now accounts for 9.1% of all medical spending, up from 6.5% in 1998.

In 2008, overweight and obesity cost the U.S. $147 billion, up $30 billion from 2000.

About 10 percent of Americans say they ride primarily for transportation.

Portland, Oregon residents save $2.6 billion per year thanks to spending less time in cars and more biking or walking.

For a comprehensive review of the economic benefits of bicycle infrastructure investments, refer to this report from the League of American Bicyclists.

In England, a bicycle is stolen every 71 seconds.

In New York City:
- A driver could speed every day and get ticketed only once every 35 years.
- Only 1 out of every 438 red light runners is caught.
- A driver could fail to yield every day and get ticketed only once every 1,589 years.

The University of Colorado has nearly three times as many bike parking spaces (9,433) as car parking spaces (3,200) for students. In early 2009, nearly 75 percent of the bike parking spaces were full.

Houses located in areas with above-average levels of walkability [or bikeability] are worth up to $34,000 more than similar houses in areas with average walkability levels.

America Bikes' fact sheet has the "Top 10" facts on bicycling and walking in the U.S.

More than 1 million people have died in motor vehicle crashes in the last 25 years in the U.S. In 2008, more than 100 people died every day in car crashes.

The average fuel efficiency of today's U.S.vehicle fleet has increased just 3 MPG since the days of the Ford Model T. Fuel efficiency has barely increased since 1991.

For every hour a child sits during the day, they need three minutes longer to fall asleep at night. Short sleep duration is associated with obesity and lower cognitive performance.

The number of Americans who ride bicycles is greater than all those who ski, golf, and play tennis combined.

Cyclists on average live two years longer than non-cyclists and take 15% fewer days off work through illness.

The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308, less than 4% that of an average car ($8,220).

Households in automobile-dependent communities devote 50% more—an extra $3,000 on average—to transportation than households in communities with better bike and pedestrian facilities.

In Colorado, bike sales bring in $200 million annually, more than total motorcycle sales.

In 2009, bicycling participation increased in Minnesota while bicycle crashes and injuries decreased. In Minneapolis, the Midtown Greenway saw a 24% increase in bike riders during the first 4 months of 2009 compared to 2008. Ridership from March-December 2008 was up 32% over the same period in 2007.

87% of U.S. competitive cyclists are male, and 12% are female. Most (32%) are 35-44 years old and are from California (17%).

The risk of fatality while cycling is just once every 32 million kilometers (20 million miles), or over 800 times around the world.

An adult cyclist typically has a level of fitness equivalent to someone 10 years younger and a life expectancy two years above the average.

Why don't people own a helmet?

- 20% say they haven't gotten around to it
- 18% say helmets are not comfortable
- 11% say helmets are unnecesssary
- 9% say helmets are not attractive
- 7% say they don't ride very often

Why don't people wear a bike helmet?

- 26% say they ride only a short distance
- 25% say they forget to wear it
- 20% say it is uncomfortable

Why do people wear a bike helmet?

- 98% say safety
- 70% say because a parent or spouse insists
- 44% say they live where local law requires it

A 1999 survey reported what was important to bike helmet owners:

- 95% said comfort or fit
- 93% said safety certification
- 88% said ease of strap adjustment
- 70% said cost
- 64% said helmet appearance

A 2008 poll by Coldwell Banker found that 78% of real estate agents say their clients want to live in an area that helps reduce gasoline costs.

When San Francisco made its Valencia Street less conducive to automobile travel and better for bicyclists and pedestrians, nearly 40% of merchants reported increased sales and 60% reported more area residents shopping locally due to reduced travel time and convenience. Two-thirds of merchants said the increased levels of bicycling and walking improved business.

A national survey found that bike lanes were available for less than 5% of bike trips.

More than 100 transit systems in the US carry passengers' bicycles on buses and trains.

More than half of older adults who reported an inhospitable biking, walking, and transit environment outside their homes said they would bicycle, walk, and take transit more if their streets were improved.

Over the width of one traffic lane, cycling and walking can move five to ten times more people than driving.

According to one study, U.S. bicycling participation increased more than 11% between 2007 and 2008.

The US bicycle industry is a $6 billion industry.

There is significant long-term cost savings with interventions among overweight children who are likely to become obese adults.

Shifting travel from driving to biking can reduce external costs (costs paid by society) by 25 cents per mile in average conditions and 50 per mile in heavy urban traffic.

70% of obese 10- to 13-year-olds become obese adults.

In 20 years, the cost of hospital visits for obese children have more than tripled from $35 million in 1979-1981 to $127 million in 1997-1999.

In the U.S., 30% of boys and 40% of girls are at risk for being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

42% of high schoolers do not participate in any type of organized sports.

Less than a third of high schoolers attend daily physical education classes. In 9th grade, 39% of students do; by 12th grade, only 18% do.

Regular participation in vigorous physical activity dropped from 69% among 9th graders to 55% of 12th graders.

Nearly two-thirds of children 9-13 do not participate in any organized physical activity outside of school, and 23% don't engage in any free-time physical activity at all.

Between 2005 and 2009, the number of bicyclists in Santa Barbara, CA, increased by 16%.

A household in a low density neighborhood drives 1,200 more miles and uses 65 more gallons of fuel per year than a similar household in a high density neighborhood.

In 2007, the average annual delay for every person using motorized travel during peak periods was 36 hours, equivalent to:

- Almost 5 vacation days
- Almost 13 big league baseball games
- More than 600 average online video clips

In 2007, congestion caused 4.2 billion hours of travel delay and 2.8 billion gallons of wasted fuel, equaling a cost of more than $87 billion.

Aerobic exercise [like bicycling] can have an antidepressant effect.

Aerobic exercise [like bicycling] can improve self-esteem.

Every year, the following diseases caused by inactivity cost Americans:

Heart disease - $175 billion
Diabetes - $100 billion
Arthritis - $84 billion
Stroke -$43 billion
Breast cancer - $16 billion
Colon cancer - $8 billion
Gall bladder disease - $7 billion
Prostate cancer - $6 billion

A study of nearly 2,400 adults found that those who biked to work were fitter, leaner, less likely to be obese, and had better triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin levels than those who didn't active commute to work.

According to a survey of British bike commuters, 40% took up cycling commuting for their health, 30% started riding to save money on fuel, and only 7% stated environmental concerns as their primary motivation for biking to work.

In the New York City school system, elementary and middle school students who placed in the top third of a fitness scale had better math and reading scores than students in the bottom third of the fitness scale. Those who were in the top 5% for fitness scored an average of 36 percentage points higher on state reading and math exams than did the least-fit 5%.

In Portland, OR, 2008 total traffic fatalities were the lowest in recorded history, with only 20 total fatalities, none of them cyclists. 2008 car, pedestrian, and cyclist fatalities were all at all-time lows.

In London there has been a 91% increase in bicycling on the capital's main roads since 2000, and a 33% reduction in bicyclist casualties in roughly the same period.

The more cyclists there are, the safer cycling is.

89% of Americans believe that transportation investments should support the goals of reducing energy use.

Bicyclists in Philadelphia ride 260,000 miles daily, saving 47,450 tons of CO₂ from being emitted by cars each year.

If 5% of New Yorkers commuting by private car or taxi switched to biking to work, they could save 150 million pounds of CO₂ emissions per year, equivalent to the amount reduced by planting a forest 1.3 times the size of Manhattan.

If 10% of NYC commuters biked to work instead of driving or taking transit just once per week, they could save 120 million pounds of CO₂ emissions per year, equivalent to the amount released by the homes of 25,000 New Yorkers.

For more research on youth cycling and the environment, check out the Safe Routes to School National Partnership's Research site

If the number of kids who walk and bike to school returned to 1969 levels, it would save 3.2 billion vehicle miles, 1.5 million tons of CO₂ and 89,000 tons of other pollutants annually. This is the equivalent of keeping more than 250,000 cars off the road for a year.

Half of U.S. schoolchildren are dropped off at school in the family car. If 20% of those living within two miles of school were to bike or walk instead, it would save 4.3 million miles of driving per day. Over a year, that saved driving would prevent 356,000 tons of CO₂ and 21,500 tons of other pollutants from being emitted.

A 5% increase in the walkability of a neighborhood is associated with a per capita 32.1% increase in active travel, 6.5% fewer miles driven, 5.6% fewer grams of NO_x emitted, and 5.5% fewer grams of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted.

A 40% obese population requires 19% more food energy, resulting in an extra 0.4-1.0 Giga tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year (for a population of 1 billion).

More CO₂ is emitted by the United States' transportation sector than any other nation's entire economy, except for China.

20 billion extra pounds of CO₂ are released annually due to overweight and obesity in the US.

Bicycling instead of driving for 5 miles a day reduces individual CO₂ emissions by 1,287 lbs annually,* about 6% of the average U.S. individual’s total emissions.¹

*Assuming bicycling 5 days a week, an average car fuel efficiency of 20.2 mpg,² and an average CO₂ content of 20 lbs per gallon of gas³

That’s the energy savings equivalent of:

- Replacing 13 incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs⁴

- Recycling 400 pounds of waste instead of sending it to the landfill⁵

- Replacing 2 old refrigerators with newer Energy Star models⁶

- Flying 2,429 fewer miles a year⁷

 

¹ The average U.S. 2-person household produces 41,500 lbs of CO2 a year, or 20,750 per person. - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator

² U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Light-Duty Automotive Technology and Fuel Economy Trends 1975 Through 2007

³ U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “How can a gallon of gasoline produce 20 pounds of carbon dioxide”

⁴ Replacing 1 light bulb saves 100 lbs of CO₂ per year. - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator

⁵ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator

⁶ Replacing 1 refrigerator saves 521 lbs of CO₂ per year.   - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator

⁷ Based on a CO₂ emission factor of 0.15 kg/km (0.53 lb/mi) for short-range flights. - The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative, Business Travel Emissions Calculator

On a weekday, the average car driven into Manhattan causes a total of 3.26 hours of delays to other drivers, the equivalent of $160.

If all Americans between 10 and 64 were to bicycle instead of drive for 60 minutes a day, the resulting reduction in CO₂ emissions would be 11% of 1990 net US emissions.

Between 2007 and 2008, overall bicycle use in Portland, Oregon increased 28%.

Despite the near doubling of cyclists in London between 2001 and 2005, there has been no increase in the number of pedestrians injured in collisions with cyclists.

In Marin County, CA, bike commuting increased 66% while bicycle crashes declined 34% from 1998 to 2008.

Between 2006 and 2007, cyclist fatalities decreased nearly 10%.

Bicycle safety improvements attract proportionately more people to bicycling than automobile safety improvements (i.e. a 10% increase in safety results in a greater than 10% increase in the share of people bicycle commuting).

Both adult and child cyclists tend to adopt the helmet-wearing behaviors of their cycling companions.

In Paris, only 2% of bicyclists wear helmets compared to 32% in Boston. However, 47% of nighttime Paris bicyclists had working head or tail lights compared to only 15% in Boston.

The average accident rate for commuter cyclists is 37.1 crashes per million km, or one accident every 8.7 years.

98.2% of North American bike commuters own a helmet, and 86.5% say they wear a helmet every time they ride.

Major streets without bike facilities are where the most bike crashes happen, followed by minor streets without facilities, bike paths, and then bike lanes.

A survey of 1,600 cyclists from Texas revealed that 70% of riders felt bicycling is dangerous in terms of traffic accidents, but only 21% thought it is dangerous in the context of crime.

72% of Texas bicycle commuters travel on unsigned roadways during their commute, and only 14% have bicycle lockers or safe storage rooms at their workplace.

Competitive road cyclists report safer driving behavior than drivers who have no cycling experience.

The majority of bicycle-vehicle crashes are not a result of environmental factors, eg. darkness, fog, or rain.

According to a field study by the city of Portland, while bicyclists come to a complete stop at stop signs only 7 percent of the time, motorists stop completely only 22 percent of the time.

For more research on youth cycling safety, check out the Safe Routes to School National Partnership's Research site

Children are less likely to bike or walk to school when there is a busy road barrier en route to school, or when parents believe that there are no lights or crossings for their child to use.

An evaluation of California's Safe Routes to School projects found that five of 10 selected projects were successful at increasing perceived safety, safety-related behaviors, and the number of children bicycling and walking to school.

Kids who bike or walk to recreation sites (parks, playgrounds, etc.) use them more often. The safer it is to bike or walk to play sites, the more likely it is that kids will bike or walk there.

In a California study, children who passed by completed Safe Routes to School projects were more likely to show increases in active travel to school compared to children who didn't pass projects (15% vs 4%).

For more research on youth cycling and the built environment, check out the Safe Routes to School National Partnership's Research site

Bicycle safety improvements attract proportionately more people to bicycling than automobile safety improvements (i.e. a 10% increase in safety results in a greater than 10% increase in the share of people bicycle commuting).

In a survey of bicycling visitors to North Carolina's northern Outer Banks region, nearly two-thirds indicated that they felt safer riding on bicycling facilities, more than 75% felt that additional bicycle facilities should be built, and nine out of ten strongly agreed that state and/or federal tax dollars should be used to build more bicycle facilities.

Major streets without bike facilities are where the most bike crashes happen, followed by minor streets without facilities, bike paths, and then bike lanes.

From 1992-2005 Portland, Ore., increased its bikeway network by 215%, and during that period bicycle commuting doubled.

Bicycles represent 13% of all vehicles on four of Portland's bicycle-friendly Willamette River bridges.

Since the 1990s the city of Cambridge, Mass., has installed 37 miles of bike lanes and paths. From 2002-2006, the number of cyclists increased 70%.

Half of 700 New York City office workers living within 10 miles of their job said they would bike to work if provided with safe lanes, secure parking, and wash-up facilities.

Since 2007, 140 miles of new bicycle routes have been added to New York City's on-street bicycle network. In that time, commuter cycling grew 35%.

The provision of traffic free bike routes could produce a 17 to 101% increase in cycling.

Two years after bike lines were designated, bike traffic on Toronto streets increased 23% on average.

One year after a bike path in Los Angeles was built user traffic increased 38%.

Living closer to a rail-trail is positively associated with active transportation.

After a bike and pedestrian lane was installed on a South Carolina bridge, 67% of users indicated that their activity levels had increased since the opening of the lane, and 10% are using the bridge to commute to work.

Residents of neighborhoods with a high bicycle lane density and population density bicycle more.

People are less likely to bicycle where pavement quality is poor.

People are more likely to bike commute if they have secure parking and showers at their work.

Land use plans that include non-automobile transportation improvements and more comprehensive policies to guide development are positively associated with both transportation- and leisure-related physical activity.

Bicycle facilities are most effective in highly-accessible urban areas where a large number of commute trips can take place across short distances.

According to a government survey, almost half (47%) of Americans 16 and older say they would like to see more bike paths, lanes, and trails in their community.

In a summer 2008 AARP survey, 15% of older adults said they had ridden a bicycle more frequently since gas prices had risen. Yet, only 4 in 10 said they thought their neighborhood had adequate bicycle accommodations.

Half of 700 New York City office workers living within 10 miles of their job said they would bike to work if provided with safe lanes, secure parking, and wash-up facilities.

Only 15% of bike commuters say their employers provide bike facilities.

In a survey of bicycling visitors to North Carolina's northern Outer Banks region, nearly two-thirds indicated that they felt safer riding on bicycling facilities, more than 75% felt that additional bicycle facilities should be built, and nine out of ten strongly agreed that state and/or federal tax dollars should be used to build more bicycle facilities.

Bicyclists travel 67% longer on average to include a trail facility on their route.

Bicycle commuters would be willing to increase their commute time by 75%, a value of $6.52 per round-trip, to have an on-street bicycle lane.

According to a survey of Portland, OR, residents, the top three most desired next steps for the city include "increase and improve bike lanes" and "increase car-free streets & zones".

Residents who choose to live in a city because of a supportive bicycling environment are 1.69 times as likely to bicycle than residents who do not.

Individuals who have not bicycled in the past 30 days are less satisfied with the state of bicycle facilities than those who have.

Urban cyclists are exposed to less accumulated air pollution than bus commuters.

On the same urban route, car drivers were exposed to more airborne pollution than cyclists, despite the cyclists' higher respiration rates.

Cycling and walking commuters have significantly lower levels of exposure to harmful pollutants like benzene compared with car commuters and significantly lower levels of pollutant NO₂ than bus commuters.

Kids who ride a school bus inhale up to a million times more vehicle emissions than the average person outside the bus.

Cyclists are exposed to less pollution than taxi or bus passengers.

Children who ride a bike two or more times a week are less likely to be overweight.

Regular exercise reduces depression and improves self-esteem in overweight children.

Adolescents who participate in bicycling, in-line skating, or skateboarding more than four times a week are 48% less likely to be overweight as adults.

Overweight adolescents who participate in bicycling 3 to 4 days per week are 85% more likely to become normal-weight adults.

Primary school-aged boys who cycle to school get more overall physical activity than those who are driven to school.

Adolescents who bike or walk to school watch less TV and are less likely to smoke than their peers who are driven to school. They also get more overall physical activity.

Youth who commute to school by motorized transport gain an average of 2-3 pounds per year more than those who actively commute to school.

Youth who bike or walk to school have less excess weight and body fat than those who take a bus, car, or motorcycle.

Adolescents who bike or walk to school are 30% more likely to bike or walk to other neighborhood destinations, regardless of age, free-time physical activity, and neighborhood risk.

One in three U.S. public schools are located in air pollution danger zones, within a quarter-mile of a highway.

Fourth grade boys who bike or walk to school have lower BMIs and body fat than non-active commuters. Kids who actively commute to school are also more likely to remain at a healthy weight.

Youths who regularly bike or walk to leisure-time activities have better low back strength, low back extension, hip flexion, and exension than those who ride a school bus.

Adolescents who bike or walk at least 8 km weekly to regular activities are less likely to suffer from lower back pain.

Fifth-grade students who regularly bike or walk to school accumulate 3% more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per weekday, or about an additional 24 minutes/day.

Kids who ride a school bus inhale up to a million times more vehicle emissions than the average person outside the bus.

Active Living Research published this new research brief on active transportation, physical activity, and health among children

For more research on bicycling and youth health, check out the Safe Routes to School National Partnership's Research site

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese.

Three-quarters of American adults will be overweight or obese by 2015.

Men who cycle to work are significantly less likely to be overweight and obese (39.8%) than those who drive to work (60.8%).

Bicycle commuting burns an average of 540 calories per hour.

Each hour per day spent driving corresponds with a 6% increase in the odds of being obese.

In California, the fattest counties are also where people drive the most.

A one percent decrease in the use of automobiles can decrease obesity by 0.4%.

In a study of nearly 9,000 middle-aged men, those who cycled or walked to work were leaner and less likely to gain weight than those who did not cycle or walk to work.

Less than one third of Americans meet the CDC's requirements for minimal physical activity (30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5+ days/week).

College students who use bicycles as transport accumulate more minutes of daily physical activity than students who use motorized means and are more likely to achieve public health recommendations of minimal physical activity (30 minutes/day).

A study of over 2,000 workers concluded that physically active commuting to work is effective at improving physical fitness and raising HDL (good) cholesterol, and also that it can be successfully promoted by low cost measures.

It takes more than a billion gallons of fuel to drive around the extra weight Americans have gained since 1960.

Commuting physical activity, independent of leisure time physical activity, is associated with a healthier level of most of the cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides).

In a study of more than 30,000 people, those who bicycled to work were 40% less likely to die during follow-up, regardless of how much physical activity they got outside of commuting.

In a study of nearly 75,000 women, those who cycled for transportation were 35% less likely to die during the follow-up period.

Leisure time physical activity alone may not be sufficient enough to prevent obesity; additional energy expenditure through activity like active transport is needed.

Lifestyle physical activity [like biking for transportation] is as effective as a structured exercise program in improving physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and blood pressure in previously sedentary healthy adults.

Commuter cycling at a relatively low intensity can increase physical performance (external power and oxygen uptake) as much as specific training programs in men and women if repeated at least 3 times a week with a minimal daily distance of 6 km.

It costs three to four times more to enroll a sedentary adult in a structured exercise program than to teach them how to integrate moderate-intensity physical activity into their life [e.g. bicycling for transportation].

47% of U.S. workers say that work demands are preventing them from leading a healthier life.

Active commuting that incorporates cycling and walking is associated with an overall 11% reduction in cardiovascular risk.

Women who walk or bike 30+ minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer.

A 30+ minute round trip bicycle commute is associated with better mental health in men.

Of the 10 most common causes of death in the US, seven are affected by transportation.

According to the federal government, biking for transportation can count toward the minimum 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity recommended for physical health. It is also listed as the safest way to get physical activity.

Countries with the highest levels of cycling and walking generally have the lowest obesity rates.

82% of bicycle commuters believe their health has improved since they started bicycle commuting.

30-60 minutes of daily physical activity such as biking to work is associated with low blood pressure in women and low hypertension in both genders.

After a bike and pedestrian lane was installed on a South Carolina bridge, 67% of users indicated that their activity levels had increased since the opening of the lane.

It costs $100,000 to buy and drive a Ford F-250 the average amount (15,000 miles/year) for the typical amount of time (5 years).

Americans spend more on transportation than any other category except housing. On average, 18% of household expenditures are for transportation.

The average American household spends an entire three months' pay on transportation.

Excess air pollution in parts of California costs $28 billion annually (up to $1,600 per person) in health care costs, school absences, missed work and lost income potential from premature deaths.

The US is responsible for a quarter of global oil consumption. The transportation sector accounts for two-thirds of this.

In 2000, 76% of workers (97.5 million people) drove to work alone.

Cars are used for 75% of trips under one mile.

The average amount of time an American spends in a vehicle is slightly more than an hour a day.

Between 1995 and 2001, Americans spent about 10% more time in their vehicles but traveled about the same number of miles.

In 1990, the average urban American drove 2 ½ times as much (11,155 +- 1,470 km) as an urban European (4,519 +- 707 km).

Only 5% of households with an income of $20,000 to $39,999 have no motor vehicle.

If all Americans ages 10-64 were to bicycle instead of drive for 60 minutes a day, gasoline demand would be reduced by 48 billion gallons, equal to 35% of 2005 domestic oil consumption.

The U.S. transportation sector is almost entirely dependent on petroleum as an energy source. Nearly two-thirds of the petroleum used in the U.S. is imported.

One billion extra gallons of gasoline are consumed annually due to overweight and obesity in the US.

The annual individual medical cost of inactivity ($622) is more than 2 ½ times the annual cost per user of bike and pedestrian trails ($235).

Obesity costs a company with 1,000 employees $285,000 per year.

The annual cost of obesity to employers ranges from $175 for every overweight male employee to $2,485 for every grade-II (BMI 30-40) obese female.

Obese workers are more likely to report lost productive time than normal-weight workers, costing U.S. companies an estimated $42.49 billion in lost time.

A study from the Netherlands determined that employers could save 27 million euros by encouraging employees to cycle to work more.

Workers with a higher BMI are more likely to report short-term disability in the workplace.

A study of over 2,000 workers concluded that physically active commuting to work is effective at improving physical fitness and raising HDL (good) cholesterol, and also that it can be successfully promoted by low cost measures.

If cycling participation increased enough to reduce obesity by about 3%, national medical expenditures could be reduced by $6 billion.

It costs three to four times more to enroll a sedentary adult in a structured exercise program than to teach them how to integrate moderate-intensity physical activity into their life [e.g. bicycling for transportation].

Every one-pound increase in the average weight of American car passengers increases fuel consumption by 40 million gallons.

By building a bicycle trail, it costs just $98 to help a person become more physically active.

The Virginia Creeper Trail generates $1.59 million in annual spending, supporting 27 new full-time jobs.

In a survey of recent transplants to Portland, OR, 62% said that the city's bike-friendliness was a factor in their decision to move there.

Through improvements in health, reductions in congestion, and by enhancing the ambient environment, a 50% increase in the number of trips by bicycle in England would generate benefits worth £1.3 billion by 2015.

A fall 2008 study estimated that cycling saves British commuters an average £34 ($51) a week or collectively up to £111.2 million ($167 million).

A £10,000 investment in cycling infrastructure takes just one additional regular cyclist to recoup its cost. A £100,000 investment takes 11 additional regular cyclists.

The more often an employee cycles and the longer the distance traveled, the lower the rate of absenteeism.

In Minneapolis-St. Paul, for every 400 meters closer a median-priced home is to an off-street bicycle facility, its value increases by $510.

The benefits of investments in cycle networks are estimated to be at least 4-5 times the costs, making such investments more beneficial to society than other transport alternatives.

48% of Dutch HR managers report that their organization promotes cycling to work.

A recent CDC study found that community-based physical activity interventions, such as new bike paths and trails, are "money well spent", meaning they are more cost-effective than traditional preventive strategies in reducing new cases of many chronic diseases and improving quality of life. Interventions like enhanced access to bike paths reduce new cases of disease by:

- 5-15 cases per 100,000 people for colon cancer

- 15-58 cases per 100,000 for breast cancer

- 59-207 cases per 100,000 for type 2 diabetes

- 140-476 cases per 100,000 for heart disease

Also, check out the many studies on the economic benefits of trails at American Trails.

In 2005, 19.8 million bicycles were sold in the U.S., 4.4 million more than all the cars and trucks purchased in the U.S. that year.

Bicycle-related economic activity provides $90 million and 850-1150 jobs for the city of Portland, Ore. From 2006 to 2008, the value of the Portland bicycle industry increased 38%.

Bicycle tourism brings $66.8 million to the Maine economy.

Bicycling brings summer business to ski areas: 161 U.S. ski areas open trails to mountain bikers in the summer, and 84 run lifts for cyclists.

The Wisconsin bicycle industry brings $556 million and 3,420 jobs to the state.

Bicycling brings more than $1 billion to the Colorado state economy.

Bicyclists in the northern Outer Banks region of North Carolina bring an estimated $60 million annually to the area's economy, nearly nine times the one-time expenditure of $6.7 million of public funds to construct bicycle facilities in the region. 1,400 jobs are created and/or supported annually by the bicyclists' expenditures.

In a survey of visitors to Portland, OR, 78% said that the city's bike-friendliness was a factor in their decision to visit there.

The quality of bicycling in the northern Outer Banks region positively impacts vacationers' planning:

- 12% report staying three to four days longer to bicycle

- 43% report that bicycling is an important factor in their decision to come to the area

- 53% report that bicycling will strongly influence their decision to return to the area in the future

In one generation, the percentage of children who walk or bike to school has dropped from 50% to 15%.

35% of Dutch adolescents cycle to school on most days, and nearly 50% bike or walk.

Once children have to commute more than 0.75 km (0.47 mi) to school, the chance that they commute by biking or walking drops.

Children are more likely to bike or walk to school if they live less than 800 meters (0.5 mile) away.

Bicycling is the most popular outdoor activity for American youth. In 2008, Americans ages 6 to 17 went on 1.15 billion bicycling outings, averaging 74 outings per bicyclist.

In one study, over 90% of adolescents who perceived distance as a barrier to active commuting to school lived further than 2.5 miles from school.

In large urban areas, 39% of land area is within 0.5 mile of a public school, and in small urban areas, 26.5% was within 0.5 mile of a public school.

65.6 million people in urban areas could benefit from Safe Routes to School projects.

A 2007 analysis of California schools showed that Safe Routes to School infrastructure improvements increased biking and walking by up to 200%.

Regular cycling or walking to school (10+ trips/week) is associated with parents' travel mode to work.

Young children (ages 5-14) with mothers who commute to work in the morning are less likely to bike or walk to school.

The likelihood of children walking or biking to school is positively associated with shorter trips, male gender, higher land use mix, and presence of street trees.

2.8% of US high school students bike to school at least 1 day per week. High schoolers who participate in physical education 1 to 4 days per week or never have an adult at home after school are more likely to bike or walk to school.

Boys who report having many peers to hang out with locally are more likely to cycle for transportation and recreation.

Urban adolescents cycle or walk to regular activities more often than rural adolescents.

Youths who cycle or walk to school are more likely to cycle or walk to other activities.

In Germany and the Netherlands, the elderly make over half of trips by biking or walking. In America, the elderly make only 9% of trips by biking or walking.

In the Netherlands, adults 75 or older make a quarter of all trips by bike. In Germany, adults 75+ make 7% of trips by bike. In the U.S., adults 65 or older make only 0.4% of all trips by bike.

More than one in five Americans 65 or older does not drive. Over half of these non-drivers stay at home because they say they have no transportation options.

In a survey of American adults 65 and older, 82% said they worry that they will be stranded and unable to get around when they can no longer drive.

According to a summer 2008 survey of more than 1,000 Americans 50 and older, 94% were concerned about the recent rise in gas prices, and 15% said they had ridden a bicycle more frequently in response to high gas prices. Younger respondents (age 50-64) were more likely than older respondents (age 65+) to say they had ridden a bike.

A £2 ($3.90) daily payment for commuting to work would double the level of cycling and reduce car demand by 5.4%.

38% of Washingtonians who bicycle commuted for the first time during a ride to work day commuted by bike after the event.

27% of Australians who bicycle commuted for the first time during a ride to work day were still commuting by bicycle five months after the event.

People who have flexible work schedules are more likely to bike commute than those who don't.

Workers who are inactive are less likely to try biking or walking to work than those who are already physically active.

Workers whose commutes are shortest and go through the most connected streets are the most likely to bike or walk to work.

In the Yukon Territory, twice as many people bike to work as in California, and three times as many as in Florida.

Europeans bicycle an average of 188 km per year; United States residents bike only 40 km a year.

In the Netherlands, 86% of people have a positive opinion of the car, while 5% have a negative opinion; 84% of Dutch have a positive opinion of the bicycle, while 7% have a negative opinion.

People who cycle more are generally more positive about bicycling for transportation. Only 5% of Dutch frequent cyclists have a negative opinion of cycling, compared to 29% of infrequent cyclists.

30% of bike commuters use a mountain bike, 28% a road bike, 18% a hybrid, and 17% a touring bike. 35% of bike commuters own a second, bad-weather bike.

Bicyclists with more automobiles in their household are less likely to bicycle for any purpose. The more bicycles a cyclist owns, the more likely they are to choose to bicycle.

Bicycling for non-commuting purposes generally precedes bicycling for commuting.

Work trips account for only 15% of all trips.

From 1977-1995, the number of bicycle trips taken in the U.S. doubled.

On the average day when an adult rides a bicycle, he or she rides for about 40 minutes.

89% of bicycle trips begin at a residence.

The average commuting bicycle costs $687.

Paris’ automated bike-sharing system, Vélib', includes 20,600 bikes distributed among 1,451 stations throughout the city. In the first six months, people took the bikes on 13.4 million trips—an average of 75,000 trips per day.

High school students are less likely to bike or walk to school if they are girls, in grade 12, smoke daily, are low-moderate in physical activity, or attend a rural school.

A person is 7% more likely to bike or walk to non-work activities for every 1,000 retail workers within a half mile of their home.

The average bicycle commuter has been commuting by bike for 8.3 years.

Communities with more parks have significantly higher levels of bicycling and walking for transportation.

Between 2005 and 2008, bicycling increased 104% in Philadelphia.

Between 2007 and 2008, overall bicycle use in Portland, Oregon increased 28%.

In Portland, OR, 2008 total traffic fatalities were the lowest in recorded history, with only 20 total fatalities, none of them cyclists. 2008 car, pedestrian, and cyclist fatalities were all at all-time lows.

As of 2008, in some Portland neighborhoods nearly 1/3 of residents use a bicycle as their primary or secondary mode to get to work.

In 2008, the number of licensed bicycle racers, events, and clubs grew for the sixth consecutive year. Since 2002, the number of licensed racers has grown 48%.

2008 participation in Oregon's Cross Crusade race series grew 25% from 2007, with an average of 1,045 participants per race.

Colorado's American Cycling Association saw a 23% increase in the number of cyclocross riders from 2007 to 2008, and an overall rider increase of 3.4%.

In Minneapolis the number of bicycle commuters increased 49% between 2006 and 2007.

In Pittsburgh the number of bicycle commuters increased 38% between 2006 and 2007.

Traffic congestion on major urban U.S. roads decreased 30 percent from 2007 to 2008. Ninety-nine of the 100 largest U.S. cities experienced decreases in congestion.

In 2008, helmet use and female cyclists reached all-time highs in Portland, Ore. 80% of recorded cyclists wore helmets, and 32% of all cyclists were female.

In Marin County, CA, bike commuting increased 66% while bicycle crashes declined 34% from 1998 to 2008.

According to a summer 2008 Bikes Belong survey of over 100 bicycle retailers, compared to 2007:

• 73% said they are selling more transportation-related bikes
• 84% said they are selling more transportation-related accessories
• 88% said they are selling more transportation-related service

 

• 95% of shops said customers cited high gas prices as a reason for their transportation-related purchases
• 80% of retailers said gas prices were helping them sell more bikes for transportation. - 86% thought accessory sales were getting a boost
• 89% said they were selling more service because of high gas price

In a summer 2008 AARP survey, 15% of older adults said they had ridden a bicycle more frequently since gas prices had risen. Yet only 4 in 10 said they thought their neighborhood had adequate bicycle accommodations.

A fall 2008 study estimated that 12% of the British workforce, around 3.3 million people, have recently started cycling to work in order to save money.

In the Washington, D.C., region, an increasing number of daily trips are made for reasons other than commuting to work. Today, one-fifth of all daily trips are for commuting to work, down from one-quarter in 1994 and one-third in 1968. Non-commute trips also tend to be shorter than the median commute, averaging less than four miles compared to 9.3 miles.

According to a 2006 survey by the Outdoor Industry Foundation, cycling participants are:

• 58% male / 42% female
• 29% ages 16 to 24 / 21% ages 25 to 34 / 23% ages 35 to 44 / 27% ages 45+
• 53% married / 47% unmarried
• 32% household income <$40,000 / 40% $40,000-$79,000 / 28% $80,000

U.S. cyclists who bike frequently have a median income of almost $60,000.

Access to a bicycle rises with household income. According to a government survey of nearly 10,000 Americans:

• just 29% of those with household incomes less than $15,000 had regular access to a bicycle
• 47% with incomes $30,000-$49,000 had access
• 65% with incomes $75,000 or more had access.

In northern Europe there are no significant differences in cycling rates among income classes or sexes.

Bicycling is highest among whites and Hispanics (0.9% of all trips are taken by bike). For whites, bicycles are mostly used for recreation, while for Hispanics, they are typically used to reach the workplace.

The average North American bicycle commuter is a 39-year-old male professional with a household income in excess of $45,000 who rides 10.6 months per year.

Children from low-income and minority households, particularly blacks and Hispanics, are more likely to bike or walk to school than whites or higher-income students.

0.48% of American workers—more than 650,000 people—use a bike as their main vehicle for commuting.

Bicycling is the second most popular outdoor activity in America. In 2008, Americans ages 6 and older went on 2.62 billion bicycling outings, averaging 62 outings per bicyclist.

The average bicycle commute is 7.5 miles each way and takes 30.7 minutes.

Why do people commute by bicycle? According to a survey of 2,400 cyclists:

• 95% ride for health and fitness
• 82% do it for the environment
• 52% bike to avoid congestion
• 46% ride to save money on gasoline
• 34% want to avoid car-parking costs and availability

The average bicycle commuter makes eight one-way trips to work per week.

71% of Americans say they would like to bicycle more than they do now.

The majority of bicycle trips are less than 30 minutes in length, although the average distance varies by purpose:

• Entertainment, recreation, and fitness trips are generally longer, up to 30 or 40 km (18.6-24.9 mi)
• Work trips tend to be around 20 km (12.4 mi)
• Trips for shopping and trail access are shorter, under 10 km (6.2 mi)

Less than half (46%) of Americans 16 and older have regular access to a bicycle.

The #1 reason given for not bicycling is a lack of access to a bicycle.

During the summer of 2002, an estimated 2.5 billion bicycling trips were made by people 16 and older in the U.S.

54% of bicycle commuters commute by bike year-round.