Design speeds and acceleration characteristics of bicycle traffic for use in planning, design and appraisal

Parkin, John; Rotheram, Jonathon

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a study of a cohort of cyclists to determine their speed and acceleration characteristics relative to gradient and other influencing factors in order to supply data for planners, designers and appraisers of cycle infrastructure schemes. A cohort of everyday cyclists was supplied with a global positioning system device and a heart rate monitor and asked to collect data from their journeys in Leeds, UK.The analysis determines the cyclists' speeds and accelerations at every point on their journey and elevation data, corroborated by mapping information, was used to determine the gradient. Two linear regression models of speed and acceleration were estimated and show that the influence of a downhill gradient on speed is less pronounced than the effect of an uphill gradient. The results indicate an eighty-fifth percentile speed on the flat of 22kph, and for a downhill gradient of 3%, 25kph. The power required to cycle has been estimated and shows that cyclists deliver around 150W on the flat, but that this rises to around 250W climbing hills. Mean acceleration on the flat is 0.231m/s2 and the average power output over the acceleration phase, which is of mean duration 26s, is approximately 120W. Air resistance accounts for approximately 70% of the resistive force when cycling at design speed.It is recommended that designers adopt 25. kph as a design speed for gradients less than 3%, but that consideration should be given to design speeds of up to 35. kph for steeper gradients. Free-flow speeds in this range should be used when modelling mode and route choices and in benefit appraisal. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Citation

Parkin, J., & Rotheram, J. (2010). Design speeds and acceleration characteristics of bicycle traffic for use in planning, design and appraisal. Transport Policy, 17(5), 335-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2010.03.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Jul 16, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 20, 2016
• Journal: Transport Policy
• Print ISSN: 0967-070X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 335-341
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2010.03.001
• Keywords: bicycle, GPS, speed, acceleration, power
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/987466
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2010.03.001
• Contract Date: Sep 20, 2016