I spent a day in Ferrara, Italy. As you enter the town you see giant signs that say "City of bikes"
The city is flat and so is the surrounding area. the town is also filled with narrow streets, not good for cars but good for bikes. So you drive into town in a car and park in a huge lot on the outskirts. As you exit the parking lot, there is a bike rental place. The guy helped me adjust the seat so it fit me, and I was off!
the bikes were all 1 speed bikes, but they were new and light and came equipped with locks. I didn't see any roadbikes, but it was sure fun to join the folks on the bikes in a town where bicyclists were seen as friends and family instead of targets.