Abstract: Adult transport cycling in Inner Melbourne (and other Australian capital cities) has not been seen as ‘safe enough’ 1 to be a mainstream transport choice since at least the 1950s. In Northern Europe however, in cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, significant and increasing numbers of adults use bikes for inner city transport, suggesting many feel cycling is ‘safe enough’, like walking, public transport and car use. Cities with significant levels of cycling experience a wide range of economic, social, health and environmental benefits. This paper makes a contribution to quantifying comparisons of cycling safety outcomes between similar city areas and provides a framework for exploring changes to the context in which adults make travel choices. Drawing on document analysis and key informant interviews in Melbourne, Amsterdam and Copenhagen it suggests that a comprehensive approach is needed, including attention to: land use planning, design philosophy, education and national policy, as well as infrastructure, to improve outcomes and perceptions about the relative safety of cycling.