Finding the best route

Where you drive is rarely the best route for riding.

The deafening din. The stench. Wheel-swallowing potholes. Congestion. Parking cars and opening doors. Turning traffic. Speeders and lane hoppers. Cell-phone users. Trucks on steroids. Treacherous oil patches. Incessant stoplights. Deadly grates and threatening curbs. These are just a few of the hazards bicyclists face on busy city streets.

So, why are you riding there? Even though it might seem like the logical place to pedal because it's the direct route or the way you drive, there's almost always a better route for bicycling. And when you take it, a wonderful thing happens: The trip becomes scenic, stress-free and fun.