Cyclability is the degree of ease of

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

circulation. A greater degree of cyclability in cities is related, among others, to benefits for people's

health Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organiza ...

, lower levels of

air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...

and

noise pollution Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is main ...

, improved fluidity of

traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...

or increased

productivity Productivity is the efficiency of production of goods or services expressed by some measure. Measurements of productivity are often expressed as a ratio of an aggregate output to a single input or an aggregate input used in a production proces ...

Cyclability factors

Among the factors that affect cyclability are:

Safety

The safety of cycle paths is a requirement for high cyclability: * The safest roads are those that are segregated from motorized traffic (

bike lanes Bike lanes (US) or cycle lanes (UK) are types of bikeways (cycleways) with lanes on the roadway for cyclists only. In the United Kingdom, an on-road cycle-lane can be firmly restricted to cycles (marked with a solid white line, entry by motor v ...

), followed by shared paths and, finally, lanes shared with other vehicles. * The width of cycle paths should be wide enough for two bikes to cross or pass each other safely. * The visibility of the road must make it possible to anticipate possible

braking A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Background ...

and

intersection In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their i ...

s, avoiding curves at right angles. * Intersections must, in turn, be well marked for both cyclists and motorized traffic. * The routes must avoid obstacles, such as

lamppost A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...

s or benches. Also prevent carrying the bike, such as on stairs, in which case bicycle ramps can be incorporated. * The pavement must be smooth, with lowered obstacles such as

curb A curb (North American English), or kerb (Commonwealth English except Canada; see spelling differences), is the edge where a raised sidewalk or road median/central reservation meets a street or other roadway. History Although curbs have ...

s, with materials that do not offer too much resistance, that drain and are not slippery when it rains.

Coherence

A coherent cycling network implies: * The cycle paths must cover the entire extension of the city, so that the bicycle can be used to go to as many destinations as possible. Ideally, there should be a cycle path within 250 meters of any point in the city. * They have to be connected to each other continuously. * There must be secure

bicycle parking Bicycle parking typically requires a degree of security to prevent theft. The context for bike parking requires proper infrastructure and equipment ( bike racks, bicycle locks etc.) for secure and convenient storage. Parking facilities include l ...

s both at the origin and at the destination of the routes. * The design of cycle paths must be uniform, so that all citizens can quickly perceive the use of that path, avoiding conflicts. * The routes must be correctly signposted, including the destinations offered by each of the routes.

Directness

Bicycles are driven by people's

physical exercise Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic ...

, therefore, a highly cyclable cycling network must allow direct movement without great effort: * The routes between origins and destinations can be made in the most linear way possible, without the need to make large deviations. * The cycle paths should go through the main streets, as they are usually the ones that host the majority of shops and services. * They should avoid or minimize

slope In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line is a number that describes both the ''direction'' and the ''steepness'' of the line. Slope is often denoted by the letter ''m''; there is no clear answer to the question why the letter ''m'' is use ...

s. * Reduce the number of stops such as

traffic lights Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic. Traffic light ...

or intersections, which require greater physical effort.

Cyclability indicators

One of the best indicators of the degree of cyclability is the balanced proportion of genders and ages that make daily use of the bicycle. Women, children and the elderly are the ones who have a greater perception of insecurity, so if a city has low cyclability, they will not consider the bicycle as a usual

means of transport Means of transport are transport facilities used to carry people or cargo. __NOTOC__ Examples for means of transport for land transport * Automobiles * Bicycles * Carriages *Pack animals *Riding animals * Rickshaws * Trains * Trucks *Vehicles *Wa ...

. On the contrary, a composition of bicycle users similar to the demographic structure will indicate a highly cyclable space.

References