You can thank the dairy industry for our excellent road biking in Wisconsin…which isn’t limited to the driftless region 
Reno NV. Great road and MTB here with Tahoe just a 45 min drive away. Great roads and trails in and around Reno as well…it has been getting more and more crowded every year with an influx of people from CA.
I’m in Boston, the road riding is pretty good around here. The roads/ terrain are good, but not fantastic, however there are a ton of people riding and some great group rides. I’d say it’s similar terrain to the area immediately around Madison. Road racing is a bit on the decline but similar to elsewhere in the country. Most of the burbs have a decent park with mountain bike trails (think something similar to the Quarry Ridge trails but usually bigger), and if you drive up towards VT/ NH there are some very good trails. As for quality of life I’m very happy here, we live in one of the first burbs bordering the city and it’s a great quality of life. We can easily bike commute into the city, but also can reverse commute to jobs outside the 95 ring. Definitely a bit of a “rat race” but there are also a ton of opportunities (both wife and I are engineers) in good industries. I always feel like Boston is a nice mix of the energy and opportunity of the big cities, but still small enough to be livable.
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I grew up in Bakersfield (aka Bako) but wasn’t into riding (other than BMX racing). Jump forward 20 or so years, and I get excited for the riding when I go to visit my family. There are plenty of fast group ride options (and fast riders) heading out year round in the morning and at lunch. Their bike path runs largely uninterrupted (no stops or streets to cross) all the way out of town to the climbs in the foothills for low traffic riding. Now I will say the bike path in sections has gotten a little more sketchy over the years, but I have never been uncomfortable riding it solo.
Coming from the Midwest, I laugh at all the gear they bundle up in for a “cold” 50 degree winter ride, however that was me about 5 years ago.
I haven’t had a chance to do much mountain biking out there, but there are plenty of spots to get after it just on the edge of town with more legit mountains (and cooler temps) a short drive away.
Not sure how healthy that hazy air is most days, but it’s a fun place to have a bike for sure.
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I live in Northern NJ - work close to Manhattan. Road biking is fine (and there’s some great rides). MTB is okay but I. Have to drive 60 minutes to the courses I like.
I’ve lived in a bunch of places and I can tell you - you always can find a group of people to ride with.
You’d need to think about what environment you want to be in Urban, Suburbian, rural… then find a Company you want to work for… then get the job.
However … if you asked me where I wanted to live to ride and play in then outdoors… Boulder, Co (never been) and Lake Placid, NY are my current picks.
Where the TR crew ride also sounds great - around Reno.
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For lots of paved and very battered back roads!
Northern Utah as in SLC area? I wouldn’t doubt the MTBing is great there.
I think the question may be where aren’t the trails in Boise? I think it’s an IMBA gold or silver ride center
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Last time up there I was looking at road and it’s just eh. But MTB looks good from the link above!
I’ve lived in Denver, Seattle, San Diego, Walla Walla, Arlington, WA, Eugene Oregon, Central California (Modesto), and now Spokane. For terrain, I think Eugene takes it, with the Willamette Valley to the north and flat roads, and hilly terrain west, east and south. For weather, probably Modesto, although for other reasons, I couldn’t wait to get out. Spokane has good road riding, but there’s nothing flat around here except multi use trails along the Spokane River. Can’t comment on mountain biking, I think I did that once…
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I’ve lived in Boise over 30 years. Trails are getting more crowded every year. With the trails being open during our lock down here they were especially busy. The system around town is pretty good, but if you are looking for lots of super technical riding we don’t have a ton of that from town. Two hours driving will get you to four lift serviced areas. Tamarack, brundage, bogus basin and sun valley. Housing is getting rediculoisly priced and bidding wars are pretty common.
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Yep! SLC and surrounding area. Tons of resorts (Park City, Powder, Snowbird, Snowbasin, Deer Valley, etc all in the north, and full of great trails) and shoreline trails all around along the mountain-side. Road scene is great with all the mountain passes and canyons. Some truly killer climbing on the east, but you can also find more mellow climbs and it’s nearly completely flat if you go out west near the Great Salt Lake
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Not living there any more, but Austin Texas has some excellent Mountain Biking close to the city and plenty of road options. It’s not the Lance Armstrong era cyclist friendly drivers though, plenty of pissed off and poker face people behind the wheel making road cycling dangerous at times. But that pretty much sums up most US cities, so Austin is a good all around cycling city. The TMBRA and TXBRA racing series are both well run.
EDIT: There are plenty of engineering jobs in Austin as well, not to mention the excellent weather.
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I am in Scottsdale Arizona (Phoenix metro area)I am a roadie but I know the MTB trails around the Phoenix area are world class.
The road biking is great here too. No real long climbs in the phoenix metro area but a couple of hours south you have Mt Lemmon, and north flagstaff and Sedona as well as great roads around The Valley. The quality of the pavement is generally high and traffic is not too bad in many areas.
The main advantage of living here is the all year around cycling. Now in the summer when it is brutally hot in the day, you can still ride first thing in the morning absolutely fine with the low humidity. From fall through winter and all through spring it is absolutely glorious weather for cycling.
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You’re on the wrong roads then 
All the best!
That sounds pretty ideal! How is Phoenix/Scottsdale as a place to live, cycling aside?
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I’m in Southern Indiana, think an hour south of Indianapolis, and the mountain biking is surprisingly good. Brown County state park is here, and it’s one of the best spots in the midwest. Road riding is decent, but you won’t find huge mountains. Lots of punchy climbs though. Living in Indy or anywhere in the area is solid from quality of life too, just depends on what you want. I’m also an engineer, and there’s plenty of interesting companies around too.
Wake Forest, NC. Apparently more quality pavement then anywhere in the US; that’s how I ended up converting Diverge to full-time road machine. Quite rolling country roads and great weather.
I’m in the middle of Illinois in Peoria. It’s not a big place, but we have nearly 100 miles of mtb trails, pretty decent roads to ride out of town. The gravel one county over is fantastic!
I don’t care where you live, and you shouldn’t care where I live, but, if given my druthers, amongst your list, there’s no way I’d go anywhere but Boulder or Boise. Cost of living means a lot, and Boise is basically Boulder without the cost.
A nice family house in Boise runs probably 80% of what a house in Boulder runs, which is… Yea, Seattle, SF and Portland don’t make any sense unless you’re making FU money. Denver has fallen from its cost of living, I believe, but I think its still more expensive than Boulder.
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