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World Bicycle Day puts the spotlight on how Barcelona gets around
World Bicycle Day arrives at a time when getting around Barcelona no longer means simply choosing between the metro, bus or car. For many residents, the bicycle has become a practical way to cross the city, avoid traffic jams and gain autonomy on short journeys.
Spain now has around 4,600 kilometres of cycling routes considered safe, included in a tool of the Dirección General de Tráfico. The map seeks to guide those who want to cycle on roads or between municipalities with greater guarantees, indicating recommended itineraries to reduce risks.
The paradox is that Catalonia does not yet appear with official routes on that list. That does not mean Barcelona is a city unfamiliar with bicycles. On the contrary: its urban network of cycle lanes, the everyday use of Bicing and the growing presence of cyclists in neighbourhoods such as Eixample, Gràcia, Sant Martí and Poblenou maintain its image as a bike-friendly city.
The difference lies in the type of mobility. While other areas stand out for signposted interurban or cycle-tourism routes, Barcelona has built its relationship with bicycles above all within the city. Here, bicycles are used to get to work, get to class, run errands or connect neighbourhoods without relying as much on public transport.
The growth of cycling also brings tensions. Coexistence with pedestrians, motorbikes, cars and scooters remains one of the major challenges. In some streets, cycle lanes have gained presence; in others, cyclists still ride through dense traffic, complicated turns and unclear spaces.
For those who use bicycles every day, safety does not depend only on having more kilometres of cycle lanes. It also matters that routes are well connected, crossings are visible, secure parking is available and other users understand that bicycles are not an obstacle, but a normal part of urban mobility.
World Bicycle Day serves precisely to look at this reality without idealising it. Barcelona has made great progress, but still has room to make cycling more comfortable, safe and accessible for more people. Because when a city makes cycling easier, it is not only those who cycle who benefit: noise, traffic and pressure on increasingly contested public space also decrease.