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Cycling provides an important alternative to environmental-friendly transportation modes in urban areas. However, cyclists are vulnerable road users and often suffer severe injuries once crashes occur, which has impeded the growth of bicycle uses. Identification of factors that influence injury severities of crashes involving cyclists can help policy-makers form efficient strategies to mitigate crashes. Moreover, crashes involving cyclists at daytime and nighttime are very likely to present different patterns. Hence, the objective of this study is to explore the underlying factors to injury severity in crashes involving cyclists in the daytime and nighttime separately. Mixed logit model approach is employed due to its advantage of accounting for heterogeneity in observations and four factors are found to have random effects in the mixed logit model for daytime. The differences of crash mechanisms at daytime and nighttime are discussed, and the results of this research would help to develop effective policies that aim to mitigate the injury severities of cyclists while promoting the use of bicycles.

Summary Objective/Hypothesis There is an increased need for vocal education programs in group fitness instructors due to the reported risk of phonotraumatic injury in this population. Most research has focused on aerobics class instructors with limited research detailing the vocal demand response of cycling instruction, specifically. We hypothesized that instruction of a single indoor cycling class would produce evidence of acute vocal fold edema manifested by worsening of acoustic and self-perceptual voice measures and changes in ratings of laryngeal appearance. Study Design Prospective Cohort study. Methods Acoustic and self-perceptual voice measures that were potentially sensitive to laryngeal edema were collected from ten cycling instructors (Mean age: 31 ± 6.14 years, 3M and 7F) before and after instruction of a typical 45-minute cycling class. Two laryngologists then rated pairs of laryngeal exams from five instructors (Mean age: 30 ± 6.22 years, 1M and 4F) on the measure of vocal fold edema using a 10-inch Visual Analogue Scale. Paired t-test comparisons were completed on normalized data to compare pre- and postinstruction. Results Majority of acoustic and self-perceptual measures significantly worsened following cycling instruction but the magnitude of change in these measures were small. In terms of laryngeal appearance, no measurable change in vocal fold edema was observed at both time points. Conclusion The vocal demand response to a single cycling class may be insufficient to cause significant vocal fold edema in our cycling instructors. Future research is required to determine the effects of repeated cycling instruction.

Para-cycling has high rates of acute injuries. The underlying medical conditions of para-athletes predispose these cyclists to injury patterns and sequelae different from those of their able-bodied counterparts. Such injuries include an increased incidence of upper-extremity and soft tissue injuries, along with predisposition for respiratory, skin, genitourinary, and heat-related illnesses. There are no validated sideline assessment tools or return-to-play protocols for sports-related concussion in wheelchair user para-athletes or those with balance deficits. Para-cyclists may be at increased risk for relative energy deficiency in sport due to competitive pressure to maintain certain weights and increased incidence of low bone mineral density.

Objectives Examine the effects of the Elevation Training Mask® 2.0 (ETM) on dyspnea, and respiratory muscle function and fatigue during exercise. Design Randomized crossover. Methods 10 healthy participants completed 2 time-to-exhaustion (TTE) cycling tests while wearing the ETM or under a sham control condition. During the sham, participants were told they were breathing air equivalent to “9000 ft” (matched to the selected resistance valves on the ETM according to the manufacturer), but they were breathing room air. Dyspnea and leg discomfort were assessed using the modified 0–10 category-ratio Borg scale. Qualitative dyspnea descriptors at peak exercise were selected from a list of 15. Crural diaphragmatic electromyography (EMGdi) and transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) were measured via a multipair esophageal electrode balloon catheter. Participants performed maximal respiratory maneuvers before and after exercise to estimate the degree of respiratory muscle fatigue. Results Exercise with the ETM resulted in a significant decrease in TTE (p = 0.015), as well as increased dyspnea at baseline (p = 0.032) and during the highest equivalent submaximal exercise time (p = 0.0001). The increase in dyspnea with the ETM was significantly correlated with the decrease in exercise time (r = 0.73, p = 0.020). EMGdi and Pdi were significantly increased with the ETM at all time points (all p Conclusions Exercising with the ETM appears to decrease exercise performance, in part, by increasing the sensation of dyspnea.

After cycling crashes, orthopedic and neurologic complaints are often the focus of evaluation and management. However, the trauma sustained may not be limited to physical injury; psychological issues brought on by or comorbid with the crash also warrant treatment. In this original research, we evaluated the presence of fear or anxiety after cycling crashes and examined factors associated with this mechanism of injury through a survey. Post-crash fear or anxiety was associated with female gender, a history of depression, and greater crash severity. Few cyclists received treatment and most returned to cycling at their previous level, but the timeline varied.

Cycling has grown in popularity over the past 20 to 30 years, serving as transportation, fitness, and sport. Cycling is unique for several reasons: it is a non-weight-bearing sport, nearly all of the motion is in the sagittal plane, and it is one of the only sports where an individual remains attached to a machine for a long duration. As such, the cycling athlete has unique needs compared with other endurance-based athletes. The complex biomechanical interaction of bicycle and rider requires a systematic process for assessment, which provides the framework for understanding, evaluating, and treating overuse injury in cyclists.

Cycling is an important form of exercise, recreation, and transportation. Following traumatic brain injury, the benefits of cycling for health, fitness, and community mobility must be considered alongside potential risk for recurrent injury. In addition to medical concerns and exercise tolerance, key domains include motor function, attention, and visuospatial and executive function, which have previously been explored with regard to driving. Cycling skill is a combination of cognitive and motor function, and can be trained with appropriate education and intervention. We discuss the relationship of brain injury rehabilitation to specific features of cycling, including case studies.

Cycling is predominantly an endurance sport in which fuel utilization for energy production relies on the availability and delivery of oxygen to exercising muscle. Nutrition and training interventions to improve endurance performance are continually evolving, but ultimately, prescription should aim to generate improvements in cycling power and velocity while prioritizing athlete health and well-being. The wide range of cycling events and the different environments in which events take place pose a variety of nutrition-related challenges for cyclists. This review addresses some of these challenges and highlights recent advancements in nutrition for cycling performance.

The overall activity of cycling, although profoundly heterogenous, often occurs with mechanisms consistent with motor vehicle collisions. Advanced trauma life support is the standard of care. Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death, and concussions are common in cyclists. Road rash is the most common injury, and management should be synonymous with other kinds of burns. A unique aspect of cycling medicine is that it often is done on public roadways in close proximity to the athletes during competition. Clinicians who care for cyclists in the field setting should be prepared to manage a broad spectrum of traumatic injuries.

The effects of cryogenic thermal cycling on deformation behaviour and structural variation of {[(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4}99.9Cu0.1 bulk metallic glass (BMG) were studied and compared with Cu-free [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4 BMG. After thermal-cycled treatment between 393 K and cryogenic temperature, the {[(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4}99.9Cu0.1 BMG obtained a plastic strain of 7.4% combined with a high yield strength of 4350 MPa. The excellent soft magnetic properties were maintained after CTC treatment. The minor addition of Cu element results in an initial nano-sized heterogeneity in the matrix, which facilitates the rejuvenation process during thermal cycling, and brings to a low optimal thermal temperature of 393 K, making the {[(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]96Nb4}99.9Cu0.1 BMG more attractive in industrial application. During thermal cycling, the formation of more soft regions leads to the increase of structural heterogeneities, which is beneficial to the initiation of shear transition zones and the formation of multiple shear bands, and thus results in the enhancement of plasticity. This study links the subtle variation of specific structure with macroscopic mechanical properties, and provides a new insight of composition selection for cryogenic thermal cycling treatment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated communities throughout the world. However, the negative impacts of another pandemic, affecting cities worldwide, arguably rival those of COVID. This destructive global health problem, which we have largely ignored, has been described as the “hurry virus” – the culture of speed that dominates modern lives and cities, causing us to constantly strive to ‘go faster’. This hurry virus has comprehensively infected our city transport systems from the early 20th century. Since then, as speed became a more important goal in city planning than liveability, sustainability and walkability, the consequences for health – human, environmental and economic – have been profoundly damaging. This paper argues that to respond effectively to the hurry virus in city transport, a policy of creating ‘slow cities’ is required. This involves the simultaneous application of two synergistic strategies: slowing the speed of existing motor vehicle traffic; and encouraging greater use of the ‘slower’ active modes. Examples of where such policies have been introduced are discussed. The core of the paper shows how – serendipitously – the world-wide response to the COVID-19 virus in cities has produced policies, strategies and tactics that also provide an antidote to the ‘virus of hurry’. For example, we discuss how cities have rapidly added new or widened bike lanes and sidewalks, and opened streets for people by restricting, slowing or banning motorised traffic. In addition to the intended anti-COVID outcome of providing safer, socially distanced space in neighbourhoods, such policies deliver co-benefits of local healthy living and movement in less-polluted, ‘slower cities’, as well as help combat global heating by reducing CO2 emissions. The paper outlines urban design and operational principles that would promote both pandemic-resistance as well as slower, more local and healthier lives. We show how, in future pandemics, robust plans for rapid, effective action will be required to shut down inter-district connections and implement social distancing to ride out any outbreaks without lasting damage to the city. We discuss one promising strategy that involves relatively self-sufficient and independent precincts, such as 20-minute neighbourhoods that are internally accessible by foot, bike or scooter, that enable people to meet most of their daily needs within an 800 metre (20-minute) return trip from home. If a virus outbreak occurs in one neighbourhood, it can be temporarily closed and isolated from other neighbourhoods, while allowing them to function. The key point is that these responses to combat the COVID virus will produce co-benefits which combat another virus, that of ‘hurry’. The 20-minute COVID-protected city will, by definition, be a hurry-protected, slow city – and what is more – it will be a key component of combatting the overarching existential threat of climate breakdown. We conclude that achieving such co-benefits in cities that remain (or return to being) ‘fast’ would be far more challenging, if indeed possible at all. The pandemics of our time may allow us to reshape the behaviours, values and cultures both of urban residents and policy makers. The paper concludes that we have an unprecedented opportunity to reject the old normal and to re-imagine a new normal of cities that are slower, closer and healthier.

In the last few decades, cycling has received an increased attention due to its health, social, and economical benefits. Many countries are adopting different policies to encourage cycling as a daily mode of transport. In this paper, the main barriers and motivators to cycling and their relation to demographic factors were investigated. In addition, main trip purposes of cycling and the effect of seasonal variation on trips duration were studied in the State of Qatar. Data was obtained through questionnaire by interviewing 272 respondents. Descriptive statistics and correlations were conducted to investigate the causal relationships. Most of the respondents reported that they cycle for exercise/leisure purpose. Due to weather conditions, cyclists are willing to cycle more in the winter season compared to summer for all trip purposes. Results also revealed a significant relation between different barriers/motivators and demographic factors such as gender, age and ethnicity. The results of this study could be beneficial to policymakers in identifying the main barriers and motivators for the public in order to promote cycling. Qatar University Student Grant [QUST-1-CENG-2022-384]

Milling is a well-established method for manufacturing prosthetic frameworks. However, information about the influence of ceramic veneer and spark erosion on the accuracy of the all-on-six complete-arch fixed frameworks manufactured from different materials is lacking.The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the accuracy of milled complete-arch fixed frameworks with zirconia, cobalt-chromium, and titanium at different steps of their manufacturing process and the influence of mechanical cycling.Fifteen milled complete-arch fixed frameworks, supported by 6 implants, were made in zirconia, cobalt-chromium, and titanium (n=5). The fit was measured by the single-screw test protocol. Stress was measured by photoelastic analysis. The loosening torque was evaluated by tightening the screws, retightening them after 10 minutes, and then evaluating the loosening torque 24 hours later. Thereafter, all frameworks received ceramic veneer, and the previous tests were repeated. Cobalt-chromium and titanium frameworks received spark erosion after ceramic veneer, and all analyses were repeated. Before and after mechanical cycling, loosening torque was evaluated. The results were subjected to 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA and the Bonferroni test (α=.05).Titanium presented higher fit values than zirconia (P=.037) and similar to cobalt-chromium frameworks (P.05) at baseline. After ceramic veneer, higher fit levels were observed for zirconia (P=.001) and cobalt-chromium (P=.008). Titanium showed higher stress values (P.05) regardless of time. Baseline for all materials presented lower stress values (P.05). Higher loosening torque values were found for the titanium group at baseline (P.001) and after ceramic veneer (P.001). Spark erosion improved fit and loosening torque values only for cobalt-chromium (P.05). Mechanical cycling did not influence the loosening torque (P.05).Titanium milled complete-arch fixed frameworks presented poorer fit values than zirconia, although the loosening torque at baseline was higher. Ceramic veneer increased the fit levels for zirconia and cobalt-chromium, decreased the loosening torque values for cobalt-chromium, and enhanced stress levels. Spark erosion can be a reliable technique to improve fit and loosening torque for cobalt-chromium frameworks. Mechanical cycling did not decrease loosening torque.

Although recent studies have recognised that psychosocial factors could affect the choice to bike to work, most have tended to focus only on the statistical significance of psychosocial variables, often making no attempt to analyse the magnitude of their effect before suggesting policy strategies based on these variables in too general a manner. Additionally, different studies have failed to distinguish between the choice to commute by bike and cycle for non-commuting purposes, mixing their results. Given the above discussion, the current study aims at understanding and interpreting the relationship between the psychosocial factors related to bike use, commute mode choice and cycling for non-commuting purposes. To analyse the relationship among all these choice dimensions, we specified and estimated an integrated choice and latent variable (ICLV) model using a dataset drawn from a survey conducted in Sardinia (Italy). The model estimation highlights several very interesting aspects, some of which confirm the findings of previous studies, while others are new contributions to the literature. First, we find that the perception of the benefits of cycling and that of bike comfort positively influence the probability of using a bike for commuting and non-commuting purposes, albeit in different ways. Another important point is how modelling results can be employed to develop effective strategies for promoting cycling. We show that the implementation of structural measures aimed at reducing travel time may only be effective for commuters who travel more than 5 km, while the success of behavioural measures seems to be independent of distance. At the same time, by running different test scenarios, we indicate how to increase the efficacy of behavioural measures depending on the target population.

In non-flooded lowland rain forests with low soil phosphorus (P) in parts of Amazonia, P cycling largely occurs via leaf litter recycling by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal symbionts. Occasional high input of P into these ecosystems occurs during drought years with increased litterfall. As the length and frequency of drought events are projected to increase in the region, a single-dose nutrient addition experiment was carried out to test how this would impact P cycling. An application rate of 4 kg P ha–1 was used, which corresponds to twice the amount of litter-derived P in an average year. It was hypothesized that i) the added mineral P would be immobilized by soil microorganisms, leading to measurable increase in soil microbial biomass carbon (C) and P and ii) AM colonization rate would be reduced by the pulse in mineral P available for plant uptake. The results did not support either of our hypotheses. The addition of P did not have an effect on AM root colonization, nor was P immobilized by soil microbiota during the experimental period. The lack of a difference between the control and treatment at our study site could be attributed to the relatively low one-off dose of P applied that did not change either the colonization rate of roots by AM fungi or the amount of soil available labile P. To obtain a mechanistic understanding of the availability, capture, and use of P by plant-symbiont associations in tropical rain forest ecosystems, further integrated studies of the soil-plant system combining long-term nutrient manipulations, modeling, and experimental approaches are required.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs’ anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory effects has led some individuals to theorize these medications may blunt core body temperature (Tc) increases during exercise. We utilized a double-blind, randomized, and counterbalanced cross-over design to examine the effects of a 24-h naproxen dose (3–220 ​mg naproxen pills) and placebo (0 ​mg naproxen) on Tc and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations during cycling in a hot or ambient environment. Participants (n ​= ​11; 6 male, 5 female; age ​= ​27.8 ​± ​6.5 years, weight ​= ​79.1 ​± ​17.9 ​kg, height ​= ​177 ​± ​9.5 ​cm) completed 4 conditions: 1) placebo and ambient (Control); 2) placebo and heat (Heat); 3) naproxen and ambient (Npx); and 4) naproxen and heat (NpxHeat). Dependent measures were taken before, during, and immediately after 90 ​min of cycling and then 3 ​h after cycling. Overall, Tc significantly increased pre- (37.1 ​± ​0.4 ​°C) to post-cycling (38.2 ​± ​0.3 ​°C, F1.7,67.3 ​= ​150.5, p ​

The lack of road safety associated with cycling is still one of the main barriers to its greater use as a transport mode. The implementation of bikeways arises as an alternative way to provide a safer environment for bicycle traffic. In this context, this article proposes a cycle-lane safety-level inspection tool to support the decision making of opportunities for safety improvements. A multi-criteria inspection tool was developed based on a weighted index that takes into account the perceptions of users, managers, and researchers regarding safety on cycle lanes, and the real local assessment of multiple attributes, not in comparison to an ideal situation. The results show that 40% of the weight of influence on safety in cycle lanes was accumulated in 20% of the attributes: users’ attitudes, geometry of the cycle lane design, relative speeds between vehicles and obstacles present in the bikeways, suggesting that prioritizing the treatment of these attributes can lead to significant safety gains. Conversely, attributes related to drainage conditions, presence of heavy vehicles, bicycle maintenance and use of auxiliary accessories were the least important for the perception of road safety. Finally, the tool was tested in a complex case study of three cycle lanes in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Summary Advancing lithium-ion battery technology requires the optimization of cycling protocols. A new data-driven methodology is demonstrated for rapid, accurate prediction of the cycle life obtained by new cycling protocols using a single test lasting only 3 cycles, enabling rapid exploration of cycling protocol design spaces with orders of magnitude reduction in testing time. We achieve this by combining lifetime early prediction with a hierarchical Bayesian model (HBM) to rapidly predict performance distributions without the need for extensive repetitive testing. The methodology is applied to a comprehensive dataset of lithium-iron-phosphate/graphite comprising 29 different fast-charging protocols. HBM alone provides high protocol-lifetime prediction performance, with 6.5% of overall test average percent error, after cycling only one battery to failure. By combining HBM with a battery lifetime prediction model, we achieve a test error of 8.8% using a single 3-cycle test. In addition, the generalizability of the HBM approach is demonstrated for lithium-manganese-cobalt-oxide/graphite cells.

We determined the elemental and isotopic composition of Zn in sinking particles collected in the deep water of the northern South China Sea (NSCS) to investigate the relative contribution of various sources and assess their isotopic signatures. Using differentiable elemental ratios and δ66Zn of the potential sources, a mass balance approach estimates that anthropogenic aerosol Zn accounted for 64 ± 10% of the total Zn in sinking particles for more than 50% of the sampling period, indicating that anthropogenic aerosol Zn has become a dominant form of Zn source in the deep water. A relatively large discrepancy between the estimated and measured δ66Zn is observed during the high productivity season, which can be attributed to the elevated contribution of the biogenic hard parts or scavenging Zn on organic materials. Elevated δ66Zn values were observed at 3500 m during autumn which may be caused by the influence of authigenic particles during the lowest flux period. We found that the averaged measured output δ66Zn value, +0.35 ± 0.12‰, is significantly lighter than most of the output values proposed in previous studies. Due to recent findings highlighting the importance of anthropogenic aerosol Zn in the ocean, we have re-evaluated the solubility and fluxes of aerosol Zn in the ocean and found that the flux has been significantly underestimated in previous studies. The updated global aerosol Zn input to the ocean, ranging from 0.3 to 3.0 Gmol yr−1, is comparable to the output magnitude from hydrothermal and riverine sources. The updated Zn residence time would then be down to 1400 years on average. In addition to organic decomposition, the sinking particle data indicate that particle-associated removal and release processes play important roles in controlling Zn cycling in the water column. How anthropogenic aerosol deposition influences Zn fluxes and cycling in other oceanic regions deserves further investigation.

The movement towards sustainable and liveable cities is gaining momentum and is projected to continue to shape the future of cities. Bicycles are one of the fastest-growing transportation modes that can contribute to more sustainable and smart urban mobility. New digital service platforms will likely arise to support an enhanced cycling mobility experience while also offering value to other stakeholders of a connected urban mobility ecosystem. Exploring suitable business models is critical to sustaining digital urban mobility platforms, but approaches that consider multiple stakeholders are scarce in previous research. Aiming to reduce this gap, this Delphi research with experienced professionals and academics adopts an ecosystem approach and explores two important components of business models for future cycling urban mobility platform services and the data they would generate: value propositions and value capture models. Results show that experts participating in the study generally agree on the potential attractiveness of the services of such a platform and mobility data for the studied stakeholders. However, lower and diverging estimates regarding the expected willingness to pay suggest that a business model that combines revenues from platform services and data services may be needed and that cross-subsidisation of some stakeholders could be necessary.

The Covid 19 pandemic has caused dramatic disruptions in the public transport sector that has seen a stark downturn in many cities across the globe, calling into question previous efforts to reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions by expanding this sector. Especially, the current surge of individual car use is worrying and the question remains which users might be able and willing to substitute public transport by cycling. This effect is interesting to study for the case of Hanover Region, because of the well-developed biking infrastructure that makes biking a viable alternative to individual car use. In this paper, we analyze survey data from June 2020 on the use of transportation modes before and during the pandemic in the Hanover Region. We ask if and how the over 4.000 participants substitute public transport and what characterizes those who chose biking over individual car use. We use multivariate regression models and find evidence that Stadtbahn (local light rail) and bus are substituted by bike, car and working from home, while train use is not significantly replaced by car and seems to be positively related to bike use. The data also shows that women have a higher level of fear of infection than men have during public transport use and therefore reduce public transport use more. Moreover, income displays a positive effect on increased car use while cycling is independent of socio-economic indicators but instead driven by the eco-consciousness of users. Surprisingly, we find that car use was increased in particular by residents of Hanover city, while it was decreased by residents of less densely populated urban areas in the region.

Graphitic porous carbons with combined two-dimensional layer crystallinity and porosity have shown great potential for energy storage. This report documents the design of ternary carbide (MAX)-derived carbon (MDC) from a MAX precursor with highly porous graphitic features, prepared through one-pot chlorination synthesis. The MDCs exhibited a peculiar discharge capacity pattern during long-term cycling, in which the discharge capacity decreased from 620 mA h g−1 (1st cycle) to 500 mA h g−1 (20th cycle) and then increased in proportion to the cycle number, reaching a value of ∼680 mA h g−1 (300th cycle) at 0.1C-rate. Even at high 0.5C-rate, the discharge cycling pattern was similar to that at 0.1C-rate, with a high reversible capacity of ∼650 mA h g−1 at the 500th cycle. Furthermore, despite applying two C-rate steps from 0.1C to 0.5C, an outstanding performance of ∼720 mA h g−1 at 0.1C-rate was observed at the 400th cycle, eclipsing the cycleability at a single 0.1 C-rate. In the MDCs, the order-to-disorder transformation in parts of the graphite upon prolonged cycling gave rise to defect structures consisting of many connected pores, which can facilitate Li-ion migration and increase the ion paths and storage sites.

Bicycles have become one of the major modes of urban public travel. Moreover, the high number of bicycle accidents has created challenges for road traffic safety. In addition, a relationship exists between single-handed use of handlebars and the use of mobile phones while cycling, which increases the risk of cycling. The current study considers not only the impact of mobile phone use while cycling on the safety of cyclists but also the impact of the mental load of a distracting task on cycling safety. Thirty-two college students were recruited to participate in a cycling experiment with distractions that was carried out on both campus and off-campus roads. A paired t-test was used to analyze cyclists' performance under different distraction states. The results show that when performing distracting tasks, the speed of cycling is significantly reduced, the acceleration and rate of change in the deflection angle are significantly increased, and the saccade frequency is significantly reduced. In addition, texting while cycling has a greater negative impact on cycling performance than does calling or listening to music. This study reveals the harm of mobile phone use while cycling by analyzing the effects and characteristics of manipulation performance and visual strategy. The study results can contribute to improving cyclist awareness regarding distraction safety and reducing the occurrence of mobile phone distraction issues. Furthermore, this approach provides a theoretical research basis for scientific and effective intervention and improvement measures in the future.

Knowledge of the stability of soil organic C (SOC) is vital for assessing SOC dynamics and cycling in agroecosystems. Studies have documented the regulatory effect of fertilization on SOC stability in bulk soils. However, how fertilization alters organic C stability at the aggregate scale in agroecosystems remains largely unclear. This study aimed to appraise the changes of organic C stability within soil aggregates after eight years of fertilization (chemical vs. organic fertilization) in a greenhouse vegetable field in Tianjin, China. Changes in the stability of organic C in soil aggregates were evaluated by four methods, i.e., the modified Walkley-Black method (chemical method), 13C NMR spectroscopy (spectroscopic method), extracellular enzyme assay (biological method), and thermogravimetric analysis (thermogravimetric method). The aggregates were isolated and separated by a wet-sieving method into four fractions: large macroaggregates (>2 mm), small macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm), microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm), and silt/clay fractions (macroaggregates>silt/clay fractions. Meanwhile, organic C spectroscopic, thermogravimetric, and biological stability were the highest in silt/clay fractions, followed by macroaggregates and microaggregates. Moreover, the modified Walkley-Black method was not suitable for interpreting organic C stability at the aggregate scale due to the weak correlation between organic C chemical properties and other stability characteristics within the soil aggregates. These findings provide scientific insights at the aggregate scale into the changes of organic C properties under fertilization in greenhouse vegetable fields in China.

This study takes the 39-day Glasgow Subway closure in July 2016 as a natural experiment to evaluate the effect of subway closure on bike-sharing trips. We find that bike-sharing trips increased by 20.7% for incoming trips and 20.1% for outgoing trips on average for each bike station in the proximity of subway station during the subway suspension. Some of this change persisted, with 12.4% of the increased bike-sharing trips remaining after the resumption of the subway service. Our findings suggest that first, subway and bike-sharing trips are substitutes; second, this temporary service disruption was not enough to break commuters’ long-term habits, and third, the diversion factors implied by our results are much lower than the recommended values for UK cities.

Introduction Moderate aerobic, high-intensity and sprint running or cycling training can transiently impair postural control. However, the acute effects of modified sprint interval training (mSIT) at different muscle working modes have not yet been examined. Thus, this study aimed at investigating acute effects of time-matched eccentric (ECC) versus concentric mSIT cycling session (CON) on jumping and functional balance performance. Methods Twenty-five healthy and active males (30.0 ± 6.0 years; 80.1 ± 9.1 kg; VO2max: 64.2 ± 7.9 mL kg−1 min−1) were enrolled in this acute randomized controlled crossover trial. Counter-Movement-Jump (CMJ) and functional balance testing (Y-Balance-Test composite score [YBTCS]; Posturomed total distance: PosturomedTD) were assessed as primary outcomes before, and immediately after cessation of ECC and CON (10 × 10 s maximum sprints and 50 s of active recovery). Results A significant mode × time interaction effect for CMJ (F = 9.620, p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.29) was observed. Subsequent post-hoc testing revealed significant moderate reductions in jumping height after CON (0.31 ± 0.06 vs. 0.27 ± 0.06m; p = 0.004, SMD = 0.59), whilst ECC remained unchanged. YBTCS (mode × time interaction: F = 6.880, p = 0.015, ηp2 = 0.22) showed small but significant balance impairments after CON (0.964 ± 0.068 vs. 0.960 ± 0.063 AU; p = 0.009, SMD = 0.28) and did not significantly change after ECC. Although large significant interaction effects (p = 0.029, ηp2 = 0.18) were observed for PosturomedTD, follow up post-hoc testing did not reveal relevant pre-post differences, neither for ECC nor CON. Conclusion Both functional balance and jumping performance are deteriorated after acute concentric but not eccentric mSIT cycling. Although higher pedal forces at lower perceived efforts and heart rates during eccentric mSIT were observed, it seems that the cardiocirculatory demanding CON session elicited more pronounced balance and jump performance impairments than eccentric cycling.

The Atacama Desert (Chile) is one of driest places on Earth, with a hyper-arid climate and less than 2 mm yr−1 precipitation; nevertheless, it has experienced rare periods of sporadic rainfall. These periods shortly enhanced vegetation growth and microbial activity, which must have utilized major nutrients such as phosphorus (P). However, any biological cycling of P involves an oxygen exchange with water, which should now reside in the hyperarid soils as tracer of life. In order to identify such evidences, we performed sequential P fractionation and analyzed the oxygen isotope composition of HCl-extractable phosphate (δ18OHCl–P) in the surface soil (0–15 cm) of a climatic gradient along the rising alluvial fans of the Central Depression to the Precordillera, Chile. At the driest sites, the δ18OHCl-P values were constant with depth and deviated from biologically-driven isotopic equilibrium. In contrast, we observed a considerable increase of δ18OHCl-P values below the soil surface at less arid sites, where some isotope values were even within the range of full isotopic equilibrium with biologically cycled phosphate. For the latter sites, this points to most efficient biological P cycling right below the uppermost surface of the desert. Critically, the absolute concentrations of this biologically cycled P exceeded those of P potentially stored in living microbial cells by at least two orders of magnitude. Therefore, our data provides evidence that δ18OHCl-P values trace not recent but past biological activity, making it a powerful tool for assessing the existence, pathways and evolution of life in such arid ecosystems on Earth and, thus, potentially on other planets such as Mars.

Implementing multifunctional bioregenerative technologies may provide mission carbon loop closure while simultaneously addressing multiple environmental control and life support system requirements. This paper proposes using water-based algal medium for thermal control of the spacecraft cabin, while taking advantage of the algae's photosynthetic activity for air revitalization. Consequently, this could expose the algal culture to transient thermal environments fluctuating between +4 °C and +30 °C, in the span of minutes, reflecting the operation of the International Space Station (ISS) internal thermal control and cabin system. This paper presents an initial investigation of the metabolic response of Chlorella vulgaris to transient environmental temperatures, reflecting temperature ranges and cycling frequency of the ISS cooling loop (+9 °C to +27 °C, 30 min). The constant 19 °C control represented the time-averaged temperature of the cycled condition. Growth and acclimation were observed in both tested conditions through pH, dissolved oxygen, optical density, and photosynthetic quantum yield measurements. However, there was significant reduction in the oxygen production rate, measured pH, and optical density for the cycled temperature condition when compared to the control (cycled temperature = 0.95 gO2 L−1 d−1, pH = 6.75, OD = 0.05; control = 1.17 gO2 L−1 d−1, pH = 8.20, OD = 0.08). No significant reduction in growth rate or photosynthetic quantum yield were recorded between the two tested conditions. Growth rate of the cycled temperature condition reflected those of psychrotolerant algae, suggesting some amount of culture acclimation to the rapidly dynamic environment. Results suggest that while C. vulgaris was viable within the tested temperature environment reflecting the ISS thermal control loop and cabin, there was a measurable reduction in the oxygen production rate.

Background and aims To increase the older adults' mobility during the COVID-19 outbreak, providing appropriate conditions for using different transportation modes and organizing transportation facilities for the older adults are essential. Hence, this study aims to evaluate and compare factors affecting the older adults’ travel mode choice to investigate transportation policies for increasing their independent mobility in the post-outbreak that has not been addressed in previous research. Methodology The population of this cross-sectional study consisted of Isfahan citizens aged 60 years and over. For interviews based on a structured questionnaire, 453 participants were randomly selected in 15 municipality districts of Isfahan. Multinomial logistic models were used to analyze the data. Findings The results show that despite the decrease in the average frequency of travels per week, the increase in the share of walking and cycling modes, making shopping and recreational travels on foot, and cycling can indicate the resilience of walking and cycling in critical situations. The results also reveal that active modes have effective roles in the older adults’ mobility in the post-outbreak because they are not subject to traffic restrictions like private vehicles and social constraints and crowd avoidance like public transportation. Discussion and conclusion Policies such as the proper location of facilities, increasing density and mixing of land uses, landscaping, traffic reduction, increasing ownership of bicycle and tricycle (to eliminate the problems of falling in getting on and off the bicycles), driving training courses for the safe driving, and intersections safety improvement are essential to maintain the older adults' mobility after the outbreak. With more capacity and low occupancy, the public transportation system, high-quality accessibility, and safe routes will also attract the older adults’ travels in the crisis.

The impact of local environment characteristics on individual cycling behaviour has been discussed in transport research for several years. Many previous studies have, however, primarily focused on the presence and distribution of built environment elements, considered using georeferenced or census data. This paper argues that not only is the objectively measured environment an influencing factor, but also the individual perception of this environment. Furthermore, besides built elements, the evaluation of perceived non-built attributes, such as discourses and policies, as well as the environment’s impact on cycling attitudes, should be taken into account for a more comprehensive view. For this purpose, this study examines the responses to a household survey in the German city of Offenbach am Main (n = 701). The impact of the perceived local environment on cycling behaviour and cycling attitudes has been analysed using 21 perception items as well as socio-demographics, travel mode availability and general travel attitudes. For a more detailed view on cycling behaviour, this study applies the stage model of self-regulated behavioural change (SSBC) indicating a level of openness to use a bicycle frequently in everyday life. The results of the multivariate analysis show that the perceptions of built and non-built environment characteristics interrelate. Furthermore, certain perceptions encourage bicycle use and positive attitudes towards cycling, such as perceived cycling safety and pleasure. Primarily, these perceptions are safe and appropriate cycling infrastructures, cycling as a common practice and the absence of vandalism, dirt and high car pressure.

Increased anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is driving N-limited ecosystems towards phosphorus (P) limitation. Plants have evolved strategies to respond to P limitation which affect N cycling in plant‐soil systems. A comprehensive understanding of how plants with efficient P‐acquisition or ‐use strategies influence carbon (C) and N cycling remains elusive. We highlight how P‐acquisition/-use strategies, particularly the release of carboxylates into the rhizosphere, accelerate soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and soil N mineralisation by destabilising aggregates and organic‐mineral associations. We advocate studying the effects of P-acquisition/-use strategies on SOM formation, directly or through microbial turnover.

The redox behavior of Pd/CeO2–ZrO2 (Pd/CZ) model three-way catalysts with different particle sizes was studied by in situ diffuse reflectance spectroscopy under the lean-rich perturbation condition. To estimate the contribution of three-phase boundary (TPB) between Pd, CZ, and gas phase, a kinetic analysis of the Pd redox was performed using time-resolved reflectance data. Because the Pd oxidation upon rich-to-lean switching was strongly retarded by oxygen storage in CZ, the ratio of apparent initial rate constants of the Pd redox, kR→L/kL→R, was significantly correlated with the presence of TPB. When both Pd and CZ particles are so small that most Pd is close to TPB, the retardation effect is most obvious (kR→L/kL→R ∼ 0.3). Increasing particle sizes of not only Pd but also CZ reduces the abundance of TPB and thus the retardation effect is less pronounced (kR→L/kL→R > 1). The rate constant ratio provides a useful index of the degradation of TPB to estimate the extent of deactivation of the three-way catalyst via thermal sintering.

The surge of crowdsourced cycling data from various fitness tracker apps has attracted the attention of transportation planners as it has the potential to provide rapid, cheaper, and high-resolution data for the planning of cycle infrastructure. However, much has been asked on whether the data coming from these fitness tracker apps represent the demographics and trip characteristics of the total cycling population. To explore the question, this study conducted a field intercept survey of 320 cyclists in the city of Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids located in Michigan, United States. The cyclists were categorized into three main groups based on the reported fitness tracker usage namely cyclists using the Strava app, cyclists using other fitness tracker apps and cyclists reported not to use any fitness tracker app. The logistic regression and Bagging (Bootstrapped Aggregating) decision tree were used in the analysis. The survey results suggest that cycling data on cycling activities from the Strava app and other fitness apps can jointly represent different cycling populations by age and gender. As for the trip purpose, a cyclist who reported using cycling fitness tracker apps had higher odds of being on a recreational trip as opposed to a commute trip. This indicates that the fusion of different crowdsourced fitness tracking data alone cannot offset the bias in the trip characteristics despite the observed diversity in demographic characteristics. Consequently, the study emphasizes the need for complementing crowdsourced cycling data emanated from multiple fitness tracker apps with other data sources to capture the travel behaviors of both commuting and recreational riders.

In this study, we investigated the long-term stability of anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) under various bias conditions. The cell performance was relatively stable under conditions of voltage cycling in a narrow range, constant voltage and constant current. On the other hand, a relatively dynamic condition, voltage cycling, in a wide range detrimentally affected the cell stability. Abnormally high negative and positive currents were observed when the cell voltage was switched between 2.1 and 0 V. Impedance results and post-material analyses indicated that the performance degradation was mainly due to anode catalyst detachments, which increased non-ohmic resistance in the wide range voltage cycling. An increase in ohmic resistance was also observed, which was due to the membrane dehydration that occurred in the frequent rest times. Thus, it can be said that the voltage cycling range as well as the frequency of rest times are critical operational parameters in determining the long-term stability of AEMWEs.

This study used cross-sectional UK Biobank data to estimate the influence of active and passive commuting modes and commuting distance on cardiovascular disease (CVD) -related biomarkers as measures of health outcomes. The analysis applied logistic regression to assess the risk of exhibiting individual biomarker values outside a predefined reference interval and standard linear regression to estimate the relation between commuting practices and a composite CVD index. The study sample comprised 208,893 UK Biobank baseline survey participants aged 40 to 69 who use various modes of transport to commute to work at least once a week. Participants were recruited and interviewed between 2006 and 2010 at 22 centers geographically dispersed across England, Scotland, and Wales. The data set included these participants' sociodemographic and health-related information, including lifestyle indicators and biological measures. The primary outcome was a shift from low to high-risk blood serum levels in eight cardiovascular biomarkers: total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A and B, C-reactive protein, and lipoprotein (a). Our results indicated a small negative association between the composite risk index for CVD biomarkers and weekly commuting distance. Although estimates for active commuting modes (cycling, walking) may admittedly be sensitive to different covariate adjustments, our specifications show them to be positively associated with select CVD biomarkers. Commuting long distances by car is negatively associated with CVD-related biomarkers, while cycling and walking might be positively associated. This biomarker-based evidence, although limited, is less susceptible to residual confounding than that from distant outcomes like CVD mortality.

Streams play a critical role in attenuating the excess reactive nitrogen (N) generated from human activities. Consequently, streams can also emit significant amounts of the potent greenhouse gas N2O. Models and manipulative experiments now suggest that hydrology regulates the balance between N removal and N2O production, but validating this hypothesis under field conditions has been difficult. We aimed to redress this knowledge gap by measuring changes in the concentration and isotopic composition of NO3− (δ18O-NO3−, δ15N-NO3−) and N2O (δ18O-N2O, δ15N-N2O, 15N-N2O site preference) in the sediments and surface water of a 30 m stream reach as discharge dropped from 2.7 to 1.8 m3 s−1. Over the eight-day measurement period the changes in conductivity, δ18O-H2O, and 222Rn indicated that hyporheic mixing decreased and net groundwater inputs increased as discharge declined. This coincided with increases in surface water NO3− (1–3 mg N l−1) and N2O (700–1000% saturation) that were beyond what could be explained by increased groundwater N inputs. Instead, both N2O and NO3− isotopic composition indicated that concentration increases were caused by increasing within-stream production (nitrification), rather than decreased reduction (denitrification), as hyporheic exchange decreased. This highlights the importance of oxidising processes in regulating N cycling even under strongly heterotrophic conditions (productivity/respiration: 0.005–0.2). Together these findings provide a first empirical confirmation that relatively short term (daily-weekly) stream flow dynamics directly regulate biological cycling of both NO3− and N2O.

As cities make concerted efforts to become more bicycle-friendly through policy changes and infrastructure, it is important that such efforts ultimately support people who currently bicycle and remove barriers that may prevent more people from bicycling. Travel surveys can reveal the nature and distribution of bicycling trips, but perceptions and behaviours of bicyclists are better understood through qualitative methods. In particular, developing cycling cities are unique settings to examine how the built environment supports bicycling as changes are made to increase bicycling levels. Through semi-structured interviews, this research explores the case of Hamilton, Ontario and the factors that influence route choice from the perspective of regular bicyclists. Major themes were identified using thematic analysis: (i) exclusion from road space; (ii) infrastructure; and (iii) streetscape. Bicyclists highly value infrastructure and seek routes that minimize interactions with cars, while avoiding many arterial roads that prioritize motorists. Routes that appear to be more human-oriented or that have nature are also attractive. Many regular bicyclists report that current bicycle infrastructure does not meet their preferences. Despite building nearly half of the planned infrastructure network, our findings suggest the built environment is not perceived to be oriented to bicycling. This study provides policy and practice recommendations for developing cycling cities in North America as they transition towards established cycling cities.

A. Ciccone, A. Fyhri, H.B. Sundfør, Using behavioral insights to incentivize cycling: Results from a field experiment, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Volume 188, 2021, Pages 1035-1058, ISSN 0167-2681, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.06.011 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268121002444) Motivating active transport is a health and environmental policy priority, and plays an important role in achieving the necessary shift toward a sustainable transport system. Financial incentives to promote cycling are used in many countries, but very few studies document causal effects. Using a randomized controlled trial in the field, we provide causal evidence of the effect of different types of economics incentives on cycling activity in Norway. Participants’ mobility is monitored through an innovative mobile app that registers travel behavior automatically. Results show that both a flat rate and a conditional lottery motivate people to cycle more. Compared to the control group, participants who received an economic incentive cycled 36% more and 18% more often. The conditional lottery appears to be an effective and economically efficient solution and the only treatment with a lasting effect after the incentives were removed.

The objective was to compare the efficacy of three different heat acclimation protocols to improve exercise performance in the heat. Thirty four cyclists completed one of three 10-day interventions 1) 50-min cycling per day in 35 °C, 2) 50-min cycling per day wearing thermal clothing, and 3) 50-min cycling wearing thermal clothing plus 25 min hot water immersion per day. Pre- and post-intervention hemoglobin mass, intravascular volumes and core temperature were determined at rest. Heart rate, sweat rate, blood lactate concentration and core temperature were evaluated during 15-min submaximal and 30-min all-out cycling performance conducted in 35.2 ± 0.1 °C and 61 ± 1% relative humidity. There were no significant between-group differences in any of the determined variables. None of the interventions statistically altered any of the parameters investigated as part of the 15-min submaximal trial. However, following the intervention period, heat chamber, thermal clothing and thermal clothing + hot water immersion all improved 30-min all-out average power in the heat (9.5 ± 3.8%, 9.5 ± 3.6 and 9.9 ± 5.2%, respectively, p 0.001, F = 192.3). At termination of the 30-min all-out test, the increase in blood lactate concentration, rate of perceived exertion and sweat rate were not different between the three interventions. In conclusion, daily training sessions conducted either in ambient 35 °C, while wearing thermal clothing in temperate conditions or while wearing thermal clothing combined with hot water immersion are equally effective for improving exercise performance in the heat.

Cycling has the potential to address a number of personal and societal challenges, not least with respect to health and the need for more sustainable modes of transport. However, the best way(s) to promote cycling is still unclear. In an effort to answer this question, we identified 39 interventions designed to promote cycling, with a total sample of 46,102 participants. Random effects meta-analysis estimated a small but statistically significant effect of interventions on cycling behaviour (g+ = 0.14, 95% CI [0.05, 0.23]). To identify the most effective intervention strategies, we coded the behaviour change techniques used within each of the interventions. Interventions that prompted people to self-monitor their behaviour or added objects to the environment (e.g., provided shared bikes) were more effective than those that did not use these strategies. Interventions that restructured the physical environment (e.g., built new cycle paths) were less effective than the studies that did not do this. We also identified a number of factors that moderated the effect of the interventions on outcomes; specifically, interventions that targeted a specific group, used objective measures of cycling such as accelerometers, and that were tested using independent groups designs typically yielded stronger effects. The findings should help to guide interventions to promote cycling in the future.

Population growth increase of vehicle ownership, and development patterns have resulted in greater levels of congestion, pollution, and crash frequency. A proposed solution to lessen current transportation system demands is to increase the share of bicycle trips. Furthermore, as cycling is perceived by some as both a dangerous and stressful mode of transportation, understanding the factors that lead to less comfortable and stressful riding, can help drive bicycle infrastructure development. To establish a more robust understanding of the behaviors of bicyclists and how infrastructure design and operations influence them, a bicycle simulator was used to evaluate bicyclist performance measures of velocity, horizontal displacement, and physiological responses (i.e., galvanic skin response) while riding in varying roadway conditions. Results showed that bicyclists in the bike lane condition, had a GSR reading 1.77 peaks per min less than when cycling in the no bike lane condition. When bicyclists were in no bike lane condition, the GSR reading was not affected by vehicle speed but it was affected by the vehicular volume. Additionally, females felt less comfortable when riding in either bike condition, even though they reported that they were “Strong and Fearless” riders. The methodology used for this study sets forth the foundation for future research that could evaluate varying facility designs and a wider range of individuals.

Cycling is an environmentally friendly, economically beneficial and health-promoting means of transportation. Due to its great potential to cover short and medium distances, the use of the bicycle as a feeder mode to BRT is a priority on the public policy agenda. In addition to physical, level of service, and socioeconomic variables, safety perception is a factor playing a major role in the intention to use bicycles, and it may become more important for potential users than the infrastructure itself. Even though bicycle infrastructure and safety perception are linked, few studies have analyzed the effects that the bicycle infrastructure has on the safety perception. This paper studies how the characteristics of bike lanes influence safety perception and the intention to use bicycles as a feeder mode to BRT, using Bogota’s Transmilenio as a case study. For this purpose, we used a hybrid discrete choice modeling approach to simultaneously estimate the attributes’ parameters explaining safety perception and the intention to use cycling as a feeder mode to BRT. Our findings showed that providing colored pavement, buffers with planters or buffers with safe hit posts increase both the safety perception and the potential demand of the bicycles as a feeder mode to BRT. Our modeling approach allowed us to identify combining promotion policies and measures of adaptation of existing infrastructure to increase bike lane coverage and encourage potential users to adopt the bicycle as a feeder mode to Transmilenio.

Effects of earthworm casts on soil nutrient dynamics and their responses to changing moisture availability in subtropical ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine short-term carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics and their interactions with wetting-drying cycles in three different structural forms (i.e., granular, globular, and heap-like) of Amynthas earthworm casts. The rates of C and N mineralization in the earthworm casts were examined under two different wetting-drying cycles (i.e., 2-d and 4-d wetting intervals) using a rainfall simulation experiment. After three simulated rainfall events, subsamples of the earthworm casts were further incubated for 4 d for the determination of CO2 and N2O fluxes. The results of this study indicated that the impacts of wetting-drying cycles on the short-term C and N dynamics were highly variable among the three cast forms, but wetting-drying cycles significantly reduced the cumulative CO2 and N2O fluxes by 62%–83% and 57%–85%, respectively, when compared to the control without being subjected to any rainfall events. The C mineralization rates in different cast forms were affected by the amount of organic substrates and N content in casts, which were associated with the food preference and selection of earthworms. Meanwhile, the cumulative N2O fluxes did not differ among the three cast forms. Repeated wetting and drying of casts not only enhanced aggregate stability by promoting bonds between the cast particles, but also inhibited microbial survival and growth during the prolonged drying period, which together hindered decomposition and denitrification. Our findings demonstrated that the interactions between the structural forms, aggregate dynamics, and C and N cycling in the earthworm casts were highly complex.

Intrinsic factors such as leg length, arm length, flexibility and training history are factors that may be relevant to the optimisation of the individual bicycle configuration process. Bike fitting methods do not always take all these variables into account, and as yet there have been limited studies examining how these variables can affect the cyclist's position on the bicycle. The main aims of this study were to establish how individual anthropometrics, training history and flexibility may influence cyclists' freely chosen bicycle configuration, and to determine the full-body static flexion angles chosen by cyclists on the bicycle.Fifty well-trained male cyclists were recruited for the study. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to predict the four main configurations of a bicycle (saddle height, saddle setback, handlebar reach and handlebar drop) based on individual anthropometrics, flexibility and training history. Average joint kinematic ranges for the knee (36°±7°) and elbow (19°±8°) joint supported previous recommendations. Hip (77°±5°) and shoulder (112°±7°) joint angles should be determined as true clinical joints.Trochanteric leg length (p

There is increasing research available showing that the transport habits of the inhabitants of large agglomerations are changing. Nowadays, dynamic intra-urban mobility involves increasing residents’ use of public bicycles. The main purpose of the article is to learn the motives and factors that determine the use of public bicycles of Lodz residents. Opinions on the quality of rental systems and their integration with public transport were also examined. The data were obtained in a quantitative study using an interview questionnaire, using the CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) technique. The survey was conducted from March to April 2019 among 300 respondents – residents of the city of Lodz (both users and non-users of city bikes). The results indicate that the main reason for using a city bike is associated with counteracting problems common for large cities such as congestion and inefficient public transport. Therefore, the public bicycle is a solution that increases transport accessibility and, above all, allows faster travel, thus avoiding the negative effects of urbanization, including transport congestion. Our research results indicate the importance of cycling infrastructure on the respondents’ routes of respondents for their decision to use a public bicycle. Correlation analysis confirms the importance of assessing the bicycle system for people’s decision to use it. Therefore, improving the service parameters, (e.g., rental fees, station location, integration with public transport) adapting the service to customer expectations, and introducing additional functionalities (cargo bikes, tandems, tricycles for seniors) will determine the further popularity of public bikes among Lodz residents. The most favorable assessments were for integrating the public bike system with other transport, especially at public transport stops, and improving bicycle routes; in turn. The research indicates the need to improve the operation of the system, in particular, bike returns and the servicing of the bikes, increase the integration of the city bike with metropolitan transport, carry out in-depth market research to better understand the expectations and behavior of users and non-users of the system, and introduce solutions that supplement the public service bicycle – in particular, interactive maps that allow you to report places that require bicycle infrastructure availability or repair.

The current study aims to investigate the impact of socioeconomic and bike infrastructure-related factors on the choice to cycle for different purposes (commuting, errands and leisure/sport) and explores the interplay between these three choices. We developed and estimated a multivariate ordered probit model that accounts for correlation effects among dependent variables, i.e. the three different frequencies of cycling for different purposes, and simultaneously controls for the impact of endogenous and exogenous variables. The data used in this study are drawn from a survey conducted by the University of Cagliari in two mid-size urban areas in Sardinia (Italy). We analysed a sample of 1,105 individuals with prerequisites useful for the study at hand. Model results show that different socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, level of education, household composition and vehicle ownership influence our dependent variables. The results are consistent with previous research, with males and younger individuals more likely to cycle, while people with children show a lower propensity to use the bike for both transportation and recreational purposes. Further, we show that, in the specific context of the analysis, unobserved effects between the three dependent variables exist and a higher frequency of cycling for leisure leads to a higher frequency of cycling for utilitarian purposes, suggesting the presence of a behavioral spillover effect. Finally, a policy simulation analysis is carried out to estimate the impact of the endogenous variable cycling for leisure on the probability of choosing to cycle for utilitarian purposes. In particular, we find that the adoption of an independent model that ignores the presence of unobserved effects among dependent variables leads to a small overprediction of the number of people cycling for utilitarian purposes.

This study evaluated changes in cycling trips before and after the construction of an urban greenway in Vancouver, Canada. Urban cycling has gained in popularity as a healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. Carsharing is also on the rise globally, and it has the potential to disrupt urban mobility, including cycling and public transit. In this study, we hypothesized that cycling trips will increase after the opening of the greenway for residents living within 300 meters of the greenway compared to those living further away. We also posited that carsharing membership would have a positive impact on cycling uptake. Data were drawn from a three-year natural experiment study (2012–2015) of the Comox-Helmcken Greenway (“Comox Greenway”) in Vancouver. An experimental-and-control design was employed to compare pre-post differences in cycling trips for residents within 300 m of the greenway (experimental group, n = 239) and those further away (control group, n = 285). The opening of the greenway resulted in a 251% increase in cycling trips for the experimental group compared to the control group. Ethnically white subjects reported 130% more cycling trips than non-white subjects, and those aged 65 and older reported 79% fewer cycling trips than younger age cohorts. Carshare membership reduced the number of cycling trips after the greenway opening. Results suggest that greenways could be an effective strategy to boost urban cycling, and that carsharing programs may have a countervailing effect on cycling. The findings support recent initiatives to reappropriate road space in urban areas for cycling and walking due to the COVID-19 pandemic.