Effect of Cycling Skills on Bicycle Safety and Comfort Associated with Bicycle Infrastructure and Environment

Oh, Jun-Seok; Kwigizile, Valerian; Ro, Kapseong; Feizi, Ahmad; Kostich, Brent William; Hasan, Raed Abdullah Hasan; Alhomaidat, Fadi Abdallah Mousa · 2017 · ROSA P / Western Michigan University. Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities

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Summary

This study addresses the need for objective methods to assess bicycle infrastructure safety and comfort, which are critical barriers to increased cycling adoption in North America. While previous research has utilized Instrumented Probe Bicycles (IPBs) to monitor cycling dynamics, existing methodologies often fail to account for variations in rider skill levels or integrate subjective comfort perceptions with objective dynamic data. The research aims to improve the determination of "bike-ability" by evaluating how cycling skills influence rider control schemes, comfort perceptions, and safety across different roadway environments. To achieve this, the researchers designed and built an advanced IPB equipped with a comprehensive sensor array, including an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), rider position sensors, wheel RPM sensors, and steering angle sensors. A naturalistic field experiment was conducted on public roads featuring intersections, roundabouts, alignment changes, and varying road surface conditions. Data collection involved two phases: pre- and post-surveys to determine participants’ self-reported skill levels, biking frequency, and perceived comfort, and the recording of dynamic performance data via the IPB. The study analyzed the relationship between these dynamic metrics and environmental characteristics, such as roadway incline and surface quality. The analysis employed several statistical models, including Logistic Regression for road choice and an Ordered Probit Model to derive a Cycling Comfortability Index (CCI). Additionally, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) was used to integrate mobility and comfort measures to estimate the probability of fault events. The results indicated that the probability of a fault event is significantly related to the bicyclist’s experience level, roadway incline, and road surface quality. Specifically, cycling comfort was found to be significantly affected by average y-axis acceleration and the mean absolute deviation of z-axis velocity. The study also highlighted that experienced cyclists exhibit different steering and lateral deviation patterns compared to beginners, confirming that skill level is a crucial variable in interpreting IPB data. The significance of this research lies in its provision of a refined methodology for objectively assessing bicycle infrastructure. By linking specific dynamic performance metrics to rider comfort and safety outcomes, the findings offer practical implications for urban planners and engineers. The developed CCI and FTA framework allow for more precise identification of deteriorating infrastructure and help design environments that accommodate varying skill levels, thereby promoting safer and more comfortable cycling conditions.

Key finding

The probability of a fault event occurrence is related to the bicyclist’s experience level, incline of the roadway, and quality of the road surface, while cycling comfort level is significantly affected by the average y-axis acceleration and the mean absolute deviation of the z-axis velocity.

Methodology

naturalistic

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• cyclist safety
• motorcyclist skill