Post-pandemic cycling boom in major cities, as cyclist safety improved thanks to more and better cycling infrastructure
Findings of new study – released as fuel prices for motor vehicles soar internationally – include fatality rates dropping, per 10 million trips, by 88% in Paris, 82% in London and 62% in New York City
Cycling in some of the world’s largest cities has continued to increase since the pandemic, thanks to safer and improved infrastructure which is also leading to a drop in fatality rates.
Tracking data from 2005 to 2023, the findings document fatality rates falling per-trip by 88% in Paris, 82% in London, 62% in New York City (NYC), and 37% in Berlin, per 10 million bicycle trips.
The cyclist serious injury rate fell by 62% in NYC, 50% in London, and 37% in Berlin.
These results have been achieved amid a historic rise in the percentage of daily trips made by bicycle in all these cities. Paris, for example, witnessed the most dramatic transformation, with the share of journeys made by bicycle surging from 5% in 2019 to 11% by 2023; more than doubling in just four years.
The release of the paper, published earlier this month in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Sustainable Transport, is particularly timely as fuel prices for motor vehicles continue to soar internationally.
“The ‘bike boom’ sparked by COVID-19 lockdowns was not a temporary phase; it has now become a permanent shift in how urban populations move,” explains lead author and internationally renowned expert, Ralph Buehler, Professor in Urban Affairs and Planning, at Virginia Tech. The international team of co-authors included John Pucher, Rutgers University, Marcel Moran, San Jose State University, Rachel Aldred, University of Westminster, and Emmanuel de Lanversin, French Ministry of Transport.
“While cycling levels had been increasing for three decades prior to 2019, the post-pandemic period saw an unprecedented acceleration in Paris and continued increases in the other three cities.
“Our results point to a ‘safety in numbers’ effect where instead of more injuries and fatalities occurring due to more trips, the opposite has occurred.
“In all four cities, the cornerstone for this achievement has been made through the expansion and improvement of cycling infrastructure, especially a focus on cycleways separated from motor vehicle traffic.
“As experience in these cities shows, it is crucial that cycling infrastructure be integrated into a continuous network.
“Traffic calming of residential neighbourhoods has been a key measure to reduce the volumes and speeds of motor vehicle traffic, thus making cycling less dangerous and more pleasant. That has been extensively implemented in London, Paris, and Berlin, while New York City has relied instead on reduced overall speed limits.
“Long-term political support as well as cycling advocacy organisations have been critical to the introduction and continuation of pro-bike policies and the necessary financial investments.”
A deeper dive into each city’s results and actions
- London’s results were supported by the rapid expansion of the Cycleway Network. The implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) was associated with a 35% decrease in all injuries and a 37% decrease in people killed or seriously Injured (KSI). The data suggests that the expansion of protected bike lanes – which separate cyclists from motor vehicles – has been the cornerstone of these safety gains.
- Berlin remains the leader among the four – with nearly one in five trips (19%) now taken by bicycle. In the reunified Berlin, bikeways expanded by 30% during the 1990s, reaching 895 km in 2002. By 2015, bikeways had expanded by another 50%, reaching 1350 km. In 2018, Berlin adopted a new Mobility Law to increase the efficiency and sustainability of the city’s transport system. This spurred more expansion. Between 2020 and 2023, the city built 134 km of new bikeways, including 25 km of protected bike lanes and paths.
- The cycling network in NYC was greatly expanded from 2006 to 2024, and its quality was improved. The most important improvement in NYC’s cycling infrastructure has been the expansion of protected bike lanes since 2007 reaching 223 km in 2019 and 413 km by 2023. This connected network has contributed to a “steady climb” in bike rides, reaching a 3% mode share in 2023, up from 2.2% pre-pandemic and just 0.6% in 1990.
- Paris, from 2005 to the end of 2020, installed 503 km of bike lanes. In addition, 77% of the new “pop-up” lanes created during the pandemic were built with high-quality protection, making them significantly safer than the pre-COVID network. As the percentage of trips by bike in Paris rose to 11%, the percentage of car trips fell to only 9%, the lowest of any of the four cities. Even in Paris’s inner suburbs, the bike share of trips rose to 10%.
Lockdown’s influence
It has been noted in previous research that the pandemic led to the introduction of several innovative measures in cities throughout the world that proved to be so successful that they were made permanent and continued after COVID – and that is true for each of these four studied cities; for example, ‘pop-up’ (provisional) bike lanes were installed in each.
“The data show that building high-quality, interconnecting cycling infrastructure is key to attracting not only more cyclists, but a greater demographic diversity of cyclists, including women, children, and older adults,” adds co-author, John Pucher, Professor Emeritus, at Rutgers University.
“The transition from emergency pandemic measures to permanent, high-quality cycling networks has fundamentally altered the safety profile of these cities. We are seeing a virtuous cycle: safer roads encourage more people to bike, and more people biking makes the roads even safer.”
Lessons learned and going forwards
Whilst the results are positive, the authors say more can still be done to make our roads and cities safer for cyclists
And this is true for the four studied cities.
The article emphasises ”that in all four cities, cycling transformations remain incomplete, with spatial and social inequalities in cycling rates persisting.
“One key lesson from the four cities is that pro-cycling measures such as improved cycling infrastructure must be accompanied by car-restrictive measures that make driving more expensive, slower, and less convenient, especially compared to cycling.
“Pro-cycling measures alone will not be nearly as effective as when combined with car restrictions.”
Do global “superstar” cities tell the story of smaller places too?
While the findings provide a positive outlook for urban mobility, the researchers noted several limitations to the study.
For example, trip purpose definitions and travel survey methodologies vary by city.
While the correlation between new infrastructure and increased cycling is strong, the authors acknowledge the difficulty in conclusively proving a direct causal link due to other shifting factors during the pandemic, such as changes in work-from-home habits.
The study focuses on four global “superstar” cities with significant resources. The results may not be directly applicable to smaller cities or those with different economic and political climates.
Like many urban mobility studies, the research relies on automated counters and travel surveys, which can sometimes undercount short, practical trips or trips made in areas without permanent sensors.
Journal
International Journal of Sustainable Transportation
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Cycling in New York, London, Paris, and Berlin before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Article Publication Date
26-Apr-2026
Finding the best dietary supplements for cycling performance – and recovery
image:
Professor of Clinical Pharmacology Andrew Rowland, back left, with coauthors Associate Professor Ashley Hopkins, front left, and visiting sport nutritionist Dr Robyn Jones and coauthor Bradley Menz, with pro cyclist and Flinders med student Sophie Edwards
view moreCredit: Flinders University
Focusing on the rigours of elite cycling, Flinders University experts have put performance-enhancing and other dietary supplements under the microscope, rating some more highly than others.
From carbs, beetroot juice and the latest sports gels, the new research highlights how a range of dietary supplements may help improve cycling performance, working to support the body’s energy systems and reducing fatigue during exercise.
The research team – including Australian Olympic cyclist Sophie Edwards, who is studying Medicine at Flinders University – found the strongest evidence for beta-alanine, caffeine, carbohydrates (such as sports gels), creatine monohydrate, dietary nitrates (such as beetroot juice), electrolytes and sodium bicarbonate as ergogenic supplements to support cycling performance.
“They influence how muscles produce and use energy, which is crucial for high-performance athletes,” says Flinders Professor in Clinical Pharmacology Andrew Rowland, from the College of Medicine and Public Health, who led the study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
During exercise, the body continuously regenerates energy through several pathways that support different types of effort – from short, explosive bursts to longer endurance activity.
“We found the strongest evidence for these performance supplements was in supporting the body’s energy systems by improving fuel use, increasing buffering capacity, enhancing energy availability and delaying fatigue,” says Professor Rowland.
In addition to supplements that directly enhance performance, the research also found support for other medical and recovery focussed supplements which can play an important indirect role by supporting bone health, connective integrity, inflammation management, micronutrient status, muscle repair and gut function.
The research found evidence to support the use of calcium, cherry juice, collagen, curcumin, iron, multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, pickle juice, probiotics, protein, vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc for other medical and recovery issues.
“The relationship between nutrition, training and performance optimisation in elite cyclists depends on individualised supplementation strategies tailored to training demands and competitive goals, to either improve recovery, support immunity or promote long-term physiological adaptation,” says Professor Rowland.
“In practice, effective supplementation should be viewed as an adjunct and not a replacement for training, nutrition and recovery.
“Evidence-based, individualised, and ethically sound strategies are essential to maximise both performance outcomes and athlete wellbeing,” he says.
To broadly guide the safe and effective use of ergogenic and medical supplements in sport, classification systems such as the four-tier Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) framework provide evidence-based recommendations for athletes and practitioners. These range from Group A supplements with strong scientific support, through those with limited or emerging benefits, to Group D supplements which are banned.
“Within the broad guidance provided by the Australian Institute of Sport framework, there is a need to personalise supplement strategies based on individual factors such as sex, age, hormonal status, genetic predispositions and gut microbiota composition, which may influence both efficacy and safety,” Professor Rowland adds.
“Optimising supplementation requires aligning individual metabolic demands with targeted compounds that support key pathways involved in energy production, buffering, recovery and resilience.”
Supplements with strong evidence in cycling include: Beta-alanine, caffeine, carbohydrates, creatine monohydrate, dietary nitrates, electrolytes, glycerol and sodium bicarbonate. These supplements are supported by high-quality evidence and can provide meaningful performance benefits when used appropriately.
Individualisation of supplement programs is essential: Supplement strategies should be tailored to the athlete’s characteristics and context, including sex, age, training status, and environmental conditions such as heat and altitude. Physiological testing of such aspects as VO₂max, lactate threshold, sweat sodium concentration, micronutrient status can help guide the selection and timing of these supplements.
Health, safety and anti-doping considerations must apply: The researchers emphasise that only supplements tested by cycling populations and screened by independent third-party programs should be used, to minimise health risks and inadvertent doping violations. They warn that athletes who take supplements must remain vigilant under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) strict liability principle, which places full responsibility for all substances in their system on the competitor.
The research – ‘A comprehensive review of the physiology and evidence base to guide the use of ergogenic and medical supplements for enhanced cycling performance’ (2026) by Andrew Rowland, Sophie Edwards, Gorka Prieto-Bellver, Bradley Menz, Angela Rowland, Erik Cornelisse, Christos Karapetis, Matthew Wallen and Ashley Hopkins – has been published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2026.2630487
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Method of Research
Systematic review
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
A comprehensive review of the physiology and evidence base to guide the use of ergogenic and medical supplements for enhanced cycling performance’
