How much of your day can you spend on a bike in Indianapolis?

We take a look at our bicycling infrastructure and how we can make the area more bikeable.

A narrow bike lane with bicycle symbols and arrows indicating direction.

It’s time to put the pedal to the metal.

Photo by INDYtoday team

Table of Contents

Indianapolis scored a 43 out of 100 on Walk Score’s bikeability meter, deeming it a “somewhat bikeable” city. Our score is determined by four components: bike lanes, hills, destinations and connectivity, and bicycle mode share. Wondering what all that means? Let’s bike it out.

🛣️ Bike lanes

Walk Score rates this category on the total length of bike paths and lanes. Learn more about bike lanes or plan a bike commute.

🏔️ Hill score

Hilliness is based on the steepest grade within our area, calculated using the National Elevation Data set from the United States Geological Survey (USGC). Play with the USGS’ interactive map to learn more about nearby topography.

🗺️ Destinations and connectivity

This uses our city’s Walk Score, which measures whether or not you need a car to run daily errands.

🤝 Bicycle mode share

This category takes into account the social nature of bicycling. There’s safety in numbers. Even if a city doesn’t have tons of infrastructure for cyclists, more cyclists mean more drivers are aware of bicycles — which makes roadways safer.

🚲 How can we boost our score?

The top way to increase the bikeability of our city is — you guessed it — by biking more. We can boost our community score by learning more about biking in our city.

Don’t have a bike yet? Support one of these local bike shops:

More from INDYtoday
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting women in Indianapolis making history through their work happening right now.
Make the most of good weather by taking your meals al fresco on one of Indy’s many beautiful patios.
Feast your pies on this guide to local bakeries where you can grab the perfect pie for holidays, celebrations, special events — or just a gloomy Monday.
Like your Diet Coke jazzed up with creamers, syrups, and fruit purees? Here’s where you can find trendy dirty sodas around Indianapolis (without waiting in the line at Swig.)
Keep local love growing this spring with native plants that will support pollinators, save water, and make your yard or garden look beautiful.
Chase the rainbow at these St. Patrick’s Day events around the Circle City.
Did you know Indianapolis used to have its own gossip newspaper, ala Lady Whistledown from “Bridgerton?” Here’s a brief history of “The Locomotive.”
Dining in Indy is always a fresh experience with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
We stumbled upon records of a long-lost bookstore and publishing company with the name of W.K. Stewart that was owned by a relative of Kurt Vonnegut. Here’s everything we know — and what we’re still trying to find out.