The Act of (Future) Cycling: Testing Urban Designs and Conducting Research in Virtual Reality

Cities need to ensure and improve accessibility in a durable and attractive way. Walking and cycling are seen as key principles in healthy urban living. Vital people, liveable environments and sustainable cities can come one step closer when walking and cycling have a more rightful place in urban mobility systems. The designs of bicycle paths are usually minimal to the demands of its users. In a situation in which the number of cyclists (utilitarian and recreational) increases the situation becomes alarming. When speed, mass and skill differences on the bicycle path become more diverse the situation quickly become dangerous and inexcusable in the little space available. The effects of the rapid increase in the number of E-bikes (25 km/h) and the development of speed pedelecs (45 km/h) on the act of (urban) cycling and the well-being of cyclists are unclear. Standardized design guidelines for (new) infrastructure often prescribe the five leading principles: coherence, directness, comfort, safety en attractiveness. Are the bicycle paths currently developed ready for the cyclists and bicycles of tomorrow? This paper describes the dynamics of urban cycling and explores the opportunities of ex-ante evaluation of urban designs in which (future) cycling and the satisfaction with travel as part of well-being of cyclists are more evenly integrated.

• Record URL:
  https://aetransport.org/past-etc-papers/conference-papers-2015
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract used by permission of Association for European Transport. Alternate title: The Act of (Future) Cycling in Virtual Reality – Testing Urban Designs and Researching the Embodied Experience and Well-Being of Cyclists.
• Corporate Authors:

  Association for European Transport (AET)

  1 Vernon Mews, Vernon Street, West Kensington
  London W14 0RL,    
• Authors:
  • de Leeuw, Geert
  • de Kruijf, Joost
• Conference:
  • European Transport Conference 2015
  • Location: Frankfurt , Germany
  • Date: 2015-9-28 to 2015-9-30
• Publication Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: European Transport Conference 2015: Strands

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Bicycling; Bikeways; Mobility; Quality of life; Sustainable development; Urban design; Walking
• Subject Areas: Design; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01578937
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 23 2015 9:28AM