Cycling in Copenhagen, Through North American Eyes

Last month, Streetfilms paid a visit to Copenhagen for the Velo-City 2010 conference. While we were there, of course we wanted to showcase the city’s biking greatness. With such an abundance of bike advocates, planners, and city transportation officials attending from the U.S. and Canada, we also wanted to get their reactions to the city’s bicycle infrastructure and culture, and ask how it compares to cycling conditions in their own cities.

If you’ve never seen footage of Copenhageners riding bikes during rush hour, get ready, it’s quite a sight. Nearly 38 percent of all trips in the city are on bicycles. With plenty of safe bike infrastructure, including hundreds of miles of physically separated cycletracks, it’s no wonder so many people ride. The majority of all riders are women, and you’ll see kids as young as 3 or 4 riding with packs of adults.

Much thanks to the nearly two dozen folks who shared their insights for this piece. You’ll hear reflections from Jeff Mapes (author of “Pedaling Revolution”), Martha Roskowski (program manager, GO Boulder), Andy Clarke (president of the League of American Bicyclists), Tim Blumenthal (president of Bikes Belong), Yvonne Bambrick (executive director of the Toronto Cyclist Union), and many other luminaries, including the great Dane himself, Jan Gehl.