Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s Saturday morning newsletter, The Weekender. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Boston is known for being a super walkable city. But how about bikeable? We don’t have the best reputation when it comes to biking infrastructure.
In 2024, Boston received a score of 34/100 in a report that assessed the city’s bike network and its accessibility. Though the exact number of bicyclist fatalities fluctuates each year, Boston sees an average of seven cyclist deaths annually, according to city data.
Since June alone, there have been three fatal collisions in Cambridge, including one Tuesday that killed a 62-year-old Newton man who was riding his bike (while wearing a helmet) on the sidewalk.
Boston is working to make the roads safer for cyclists through a number of improvements, including more bike lanes and bike paths. The city is also expanding its BlueBikes bike-share program and even offered bike lessons for adults in the summer as a part of a push to quadruple the number of riders in Boston by 2030.
But before you put on your helmet or unlock that BlueBike, there are a few things you should know. So, I gathered a few expert recommendations for biking around Boston — including route options and tips to help you feel more safe and confident on two wheels.
How to ride around
If you’re coming to Boston without a bicycle, your quickest point of entry into world of cycling is through BlueBikes.
There are hundreds of stations and thousands of bikes spread out across Greater Boston. You can unlock a bike for 30 minutes for just $3 or for a full day for $10 — or sign up for a monthly or annual membership. (There are income-based membership options, too.)
You can also shop for a bike locally. Places like Bikes not Bombs and Cambridge Used Bicycles (located beneath/behind Cambridge Antique Market) offer used and refurbished bikes.
Where to ride …
Of course, there are the popular Esplanade and Memorial Drive paths that run along the Charles River. In Boston, you can explore the Emerald Necklace, Arnold Arboretum and Southwest Corridor.
But you can also venture all the way into the suburbs with paths like the Northern Stand and Minuteman Bikeway (this writer’s personal favorite). And they’re pretty darn scenic, too.
“I love how we have an extensive pathway network that goes all over,” said Galen Mook, executive director of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition.
Mook moved to Boston in 2003 for college and took up biking around that time.
“I can go along the Charles River all the way out to Waltham. I can go to Fresh Pond on the Minuteman Bikeway, which connects to Somerville and then ride out to the Harborwalk,” said Mook.
“And it’s so lovely to be out there and get an urban setting in a safe and connected way.” Hermin Miranda, a coordinator for the social cycling club Charles River Wheelers, has his own favorite route around East Boston. “I take the Greenway, then I go to Piers Park and take the ferry over to the North End. After that, I go all the way to Paul Revere Park.”
If you need help mapping out a route, there are apps; Miranda recommends Ride with GPS or Strava.
Where not to ride
Be warned: When riding on the street instead of a path, some areas are safer than others. Commonwealth Avenue, Cambridge Street at Charles Street (the intersection near Charles/MGH stop), Park Drive and Brookline Avenue (in the Fenway area) and Leverett Circle (nearby the Science Park T station) are high-traffic spots to avoid or exercise extra caution.
“Parts of Boston, like the South End and parts of Dorchester, are getting some new on-street and separated infrastructure. I know they just finished one on Tremont Street, and Milk Street has good protected lanes,” said Mook.
You’ll find even more protected lanes in Somerville and Cambridge, he added. (And for reference, this Reddit thread mentions a few streets around Cambridge that local bikers avoid.) Just be sure to stay alert.
“You need to be scanning to make sure that parked cars don’t have passengers that might open a door onto you,” said Miranda.
Both Mook and Miranda stressed that all riders — yes, even the seasoned pros — should use hand signals, wear a helmet and practice situational awareness.
“I also see a lot of people wearing earbuds or headphones. You need situational awareness — and that includes hearing things,” said Miranda. “I like to ride with music too, so I bring a Bluetooth speaker and I put it in my riding bag and blast my music. It’s great!”
Who to ride with
With so many fellow cyclists in the city, you don’t need to ride solo.
“Cycling in Boston has allowed me to connect with so many people from different walks of life,” said Miranda. “There are so many different subcultures within cycling that all have strong focus on inclusivity and community involvement.”
In addition to his own cycling club, Miranda suggests anyone looking for a community of cyclists try a ride with Women on Wheels Boston, Brothers on Bikes Boston or Bikes not Bombs.
There’s also a cycling meetup group in Boston with over 6,000 members.
P.S.— Learn more about regulations for riding around the city — and get tips from experienced local riders that they wish they knew when they first started out — in our comprehensive biking guide. Sign up for the WBUR Weekender
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
