Cycling has been known to strengthen the heart, lungs and circulatory system, improve overall cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity, but despite the benefits, the National Travel Attitudes Survey found in 2020 that 66% of adults agreed it's too dangerous to cycle on the roads.

In 2023, the Texas Department of Transportation revealed there were 105 fatalities involving vehicles and cyclists in Texas. In Houston, there were 16 fatalities. However, the National Association of City Transportation Officials conducted a study in 2016 that showed the risk of injury or death to cyclists falls dramatically in cities where significant investments were made to build protected bike networks.

Houston officials created the Bicycle Advisory Committee in 2017 to help the city address its cycling issues, including bicycle safety, bike lane implementation and outreach.

The framework

The BAC created the Houston Bike Plan in 2017, a 12-month effort to help make Houston a safer, healthier and more bike-friendly city.

Since the plan started, Houston has received an additional 162 miles of bike lanes from various entities in Houston. The BAC’s goal is to create 1,800 miles by 2027, Chair Tom Compson said.

As of Dec. 14, there are 112 miles of programmed projects that have already received funding, including:

• A new pedestrian-bike bridge over Braes Boulevard and Stella Link
• New 2.7-mile trail development from Holcombe Boulevard to Buffalo Speedway
• A pedestrian crossing at Endicott Street
• New 1.4-mile trail undercrossings at S. Rice, Avenue, Chimney Rock, Hillcroft and Braeswood
• An off street trail using existing green space between Beechnut and North Braeswood

Compson said there has been some consistency in building bike lanes over the years, but he believes there are still a lot of gaps that need to be filled, citing the Gulfton/Sharpstown area specifically.

“There’s a lot of people there that don’t have cars,” Compson said. “Their options are to walk, ride a bike or get on a bus. It’s not just getting continuity within the bikeway network itself, but also continuity with transit.”

Houston was originally built as a bike-friendly city, but infrastructure for motor vehicles became more of a priority as the city’s population and density grew, said Joe Cutrufo, executive director of BikeHouston, a nonprofit organization committed to transforming Houston into a bike-friendly city.

“We think that alternatives to driving, like bikes, help to solve a number of problems that Houston faces—air quality, congestion, access to opportunity,” he said. “Health is another one.”What the experts say

Dr. Zoabe Hafeez, an associate professor of pediatrics at UTHealth Houston, said the physical benefits of cycling include cardiovascular and respiratory health as well as increased heart function. He said walking and cycling outdoors can also help fight obesity and improve mental health.

Some facts on cycling:

• Cycling to work is associated with a 45% lower risk of developing cancer
• Three months of cycling can decrease blood pressure by 4.3%
• Men who bike to work are 39.8% less likely to be overweight
• 75% of bike rides reported better mental health since they started cycling

“Physical activity reduces your stress hormones over time, which can lead to better sleep and better brain function,” Hafeez said. “There’s also a feeling of self agency that happens when you feel in control of your environment and can safely walk or ride around your own neighborhood."

In their own words

Suraj Chandramouli, vice president of the Rice University Cycling and Triathlon club, said he originally started biking in 2022 after participating in the college’s on-campus bike race known as “Beer Bike.”

“I swam and ran growing up in high school,” he said. “Then coming to [Rice] I had to decide if I wanted to keep running or what I wanted to do, but one of my friends encouraged me to give cycling a shot and it really changed my life for the better”

Chandramouli is also the captain for the college’s residential bike team.

“Exercise is a big part of my life, but it’s also rewarding personally to be involved in cycling, because I can use what I’ve learned to help other people,” he said. “I teach people how to create a training schedule, how to clip in and sometimes, even how to ride a bike.”

Get involved

When it comes to cycling in Houston, there are numerous options to choose from. Community members can go on rides that vary from monthly social engagements and casual rides to intense weekly training or competitive competitions.

Check out these cycling opportunities in and around Bellaire, West University and Meyerland:

• Rice University Cycling & Triathlon: The club provides an opportunity for Rice University undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff and alumni to pursue both competitive and recreational cycling and triathlon events.
• Trek Bicycle Houston West University: The local bike shop frequently holds events •around the community including family bike rides•, •launch party rides and weekly evening rides.
• Houston Bicycle Club: The oldest bicycling club in Houston established in 1964 is a social cycling club with different rides every weekend for varying levels of riders at different places in the city.