Auto Trader’s recent research indicates a significant 15% rise in interest in electric bikes this spring.
With improving weather, more people are exploring the most bike-friendly cities across the UK for a laid-back ride.
Top Cities for Leisure Bike Rides
Bristol, Liverpool, and Newcastle upon Tyne rank highest, boasting numerous easy and intermediate cycling routes.
Auto Trader analyzed over 32,000 biking tour routes using Komoot data to determine the top cities for relaxed bike rides.
Komoot, a popular route planning app, helps over 35 million users worldwide to find and follow cycling routes.
Auto Trader’s study focused solely on ‘Bike touring’ routes, excluding more intense ‘Mountain Biking’ and ‘Road Cycling’ routes.
They aimed to find routes suited for beginners and intermediate riders by omitting ‘Expert’ level paths.
Top 15 UK Cities for Bike Rides
- Bristol – 784 routes
- Liverpool – 727 routes
- Newcastle upon Tyne – 646 routes
- Cambridge – 640 routes
- Edinburgh – 631 routes
- Norwich – 630 routes
- Nottingham – 595 routes
- Birmingham – 555 routes
- Oxford – 553 routes
- Preston – 549 routes
- Glasgow – 546 routes
- St Albans – 486 routes
- Derby – 484 routes
- Leeds – 440 routes
- Leicester – 437 routes
Highlighting the Top 5 Cities
1. Bristol – 784 Leisure Bike Rides
Bristol shines with over 780 leisurely bike routes. Named Britain’s first ‘cycling city’ in 2008, it offers routes like the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, a traffic-free path lined with greenery that takes cyclists through scenic spots like Bitton Railway Station and Staple Hill Tunnel.
2. Liverpool – 727 Leisure Bike Rides
Liverpool offers over 700 fun and easy cycling routes. The city’s waterfront, featuring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Albert Dock, is a favourite.
Shorter routes, like West Kirby to Thurstaston, are perfect for families or those short on time, offering a chance to explore Liverpool’s picturesque parks.
3. Newcastle upon Tyne – 646 Leisure Bike Rides
Newcastle upon Tyne, a ‘Cycle Ambition City’, provides nearly 650 routes. The city’s investment in cycling infrastructure is evident with routes like the River Tyne loop and the off-road paths in Newcastle Great Park, offering a mix of urban and scenic cycling experiences.
4. Cambridge – 640 Leisure Bike Rides
Cambridge boasts 640 leisurely bike routes, perfect for exploring the historic city on two wheels.
Popular routes include paths around the famous College buildings and a gentle ride from the city centre to Waterbeach, ideal for a scenic afternoon.
5. Edinburgh – 631 Leisure Bike Rides
Edinburgh offers a network of traffic-free paths, such as the Innocent Railway tunnel path and the Union Canal path, perfect for exploring the Scottish capital away from busy roads. The Roseburn Path also provides a leafy, serene cycling experience.
Expert Insights
Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto Trader, states, “The adoption of electric bikes is opening up how people can explore urban areas, helping them get more sightseeing, adventure, and value out of their city breaks.
To inspire people to see more of their own city or a city they are visiting, we wanted to see where in the UK has the highest number of recorded ‘leisurely’ bike ride routes suitable for beginner and intermediate cyclists.
Our list reveals a lovely cross-section of UK cities, from Bristol to Edinburgh, that provide the perfect conditions for leisure cyclists to explore this spring.”
Global Comparison
The study also extended globally, ranking Bristol 9th and Liverpool 13th among cities worldwide for leisure cycling routes.
European cities like Brussels, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt lead the pack with over 900 easy-to-intermediate routes.
Win an Electric Bike
Auto Trader is offering a chance to win a Cube Reaction Hybrid Pro 625 electric bike. Visit their website to enter: Auto Trader Bikes.