Ankeny is one of the most bike-friendly towns in U.S.

How it works: People for Bikes, a bicycle advocacy nonprofit, ranks cities annually based on population and ease of transportation via bike.

• The group examines the quality and connectivity of bike paths, traffic infrastructure, roads and protected lanes.
• Medium-sized cities are considered 50,000-300,000 people.

State of play: Ankeny scored high because of its number of wide, multi-use paths, says Rebecca Davies, city ratings program director of People for Bikes.

• Many of these paths are near major roadways and also connect to regional trails, she added.
• The High Trestle, Gay Lea Wilson and Oralabor Gateway trails all help connect the city, as well as smaller trails that go through parks.
• Out of all cities, including large-sized ones, Ankeny ranked 36th.

Zoom out: Beyond Ankeny, Ames ranked seventh among medium-sized cities and West Des Moines ranked 15th.

• In Ames, pedestrian accessibility near Iowa State's campus plays a major role in its standing, as well as the city's commitment to dedicate 10% of its capital improvement plan to bike infrastructure, Davies says.
• West Des Moines also ranked high thanks to its number of easily accessible trails.