Of the 2,858 licensed competitive road cyclists in Texas, female cyclists only account for 12%. The gender disparity in participation numbers suggests possible underlying barriers to entry, recruitment, and retention of female athletes compared to that of male cyclists. The current study sought to understand such issues by exploring the entirety of the competitive road cycling experience of female cyclists in Texas. To accomplish such a task, the current study utilized a mixed methods design consisting of content analysis, interviews, and an online survey. Integrating methods allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the individual as impacted by structural, socio- cultural, and individual factors and further reveals how such factors are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Results revealed how socio-culturally informed gendered attitudes and norms heavily impact structural policies, rules, and regulations within competitive cycling. Subsequently, structural factors influenced individual choices, attitudes, and behaviors. Further, results emphasized that individuals are complex beings, and although shaped by their environment, embody personal agency, resistance, and coping. Individual decisions, attitudes, and desires subsequently shaped socio-cultural norms and structural processes. Finally, structural reform strategies are suggested to help increase female participation and retention rates within competitive road cycling in Texas. / text

This study explored the “sustainable city” by focusing on pro-cycling policies as a way to adapt theprinciple of sustainability to urban reality, as impacting the shape of the urban context and the lives of itsinhabitants. The case of the City of Seoul provided the opportunity to discuss potential and pitfallcharacterizing the implementation of pro-cycling policies, in light of the broader international contextoffering cases and examples that are here used as background for the analysis and interpretation of the case ofSeoul. This paper has two main parts. The first questions the key determinants of pro-cycling policies oftenproclaimed as “best-practices” in the field of cycling policies. It suggests that the overall level of cycling ismore related to government policies rather than history, culture, topography and climate. The identifiedgovernment policies have something in common. Firstly, cycling policies have evolved into an essential partof urban planning (cycling-inclusive urban planning). Secondly, they are created through the partnershipbetween the state, the private sector and civil society organizations based on the collaborative planninggovernance. Thirdly, policy components of hard and soft measures tend to be designed based on the needs ofthe great majority of citizens, particularly users. The second part explores the main causes of theshortcomings charactering pro-cycling policies in the case of Seoul. It argues that the main causes aredifficulties of achieving cooperation among different levels of government, the lack of opportunities forcitizen’s participation, the problems of hard components (cycling infrastructure) which is not based onpeople’s needs, unbalanced policy mixture of hard and soft components (non-infrastructural measures).Pro-cycling policies can play a significant role in achieving the sustainable city. To implement cyclingpolicies as a way of achieving the sustainable city, cultural and social shifts should be entailed. Theimplementation of pro-cycling can contribute to this cultural shift which is fundamental to the sustainable city.This is a cycle that has to be turned into a virtuous cycle leading to the city and urban community towardssustainability. However, if the created cycling policies are not based on the partnership and collaboration withvarious stakeholders, they are not likely to get society-wide support, meet the needs of users, and thus reachthe targeted goals. This is also true of Seoul. Even though the City of Seoul set up ambitious goals andinvested a lot of city budget, it could not achieve the desired aims. As a novice in pro-cycling policies, it isinevitable for the city experience trial and error. To reduce trial and error and develop more suitable policies,the city needs to explore best practices of cycling policies around world and adapt them to the local context.

This work aimed to contribute to the understanding of tree - grass inter-cropping interactions so that the productivity and sustainability of extensive livestock husbandry can be increased. The work was carried out in the context of a small farm in Oaxaca, Mexico, where increases in productivity are limited by shortage of capital and where the tree component would be used as green manure. It is difficult to investigate the effectiveness of such a system by only using conventional field trials. I constructed a mathematical model to simulate how the main components of the system function under conditions that would not be evaluated in the field. Issues such as how many trees to plant and what tree species combine with grass cattle and environment, can be answered with the model. The particular features of the model are: 1) It describes an agro-ecosystem where trees perform several biological functions like nitrogen capture for use in the silvopastoral system, 2) It links grass and trees with the animal and 3) Nutrient availability depends mainly on soil organic matter decomposition and mineralisation rather than on external inputs. The present research consisted of 1) constructing the model prototype using data from the literature, 2) conducting field experiments to investigate the actual performance of the silvopastoral system, 3) perform laboratory research and greenhouse experiments complementarily to the field experiments and 4) elaborate on the carbon and nitrogen balance of the silvopastoral experiment, by combining research results and the mathematical model. The field experiment consisted of an array of 13 plots with one of the tree species Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Delonix regia and Lysiloma auritum in a gradient of plant densities within a Brachiaria decumbens paddock. Results showed that the presence of trees in pastures is potentially useful for retaining nitrogen and carbon that would be lost in the grass mono-crop. Trees did not incorporate nitrogen through biological fixation, perhaps because the lack of adequate nodulation and they did not established their rooting systems to a depth beyond the grass roots (> 1.20m) so as to recover leached nutrients. However, trees produced mulch that was rich in nitrogen (3.8%) and whose decomposition rate ensures a slow release to prevent leaching. At the plant density used, the tree population caused no harm to grass as to production and nutritive value. Further increments in tree density in order to improve the potential for nitrogen capture should be evaluated in terms of the reduction of grass production. Several biological attributes of the species were determined, in some cases for the first time: biomass productivity, specific leaf area, nutritive value, phenolic content, root biomass, grass root longevity, root vertical distribution, etc. Such characterisation is useful for the understanding of the system inter-cropping and specially for the parameterisation of the silvopastoral model. Even though the mixtures proved able to survive for the span of the experiment, the sustainability of tree - grass inter-cropping as to the stabilisation of soil fertility requires longer monitoring. Other limiting factors such as phosphorus availability and the management of grazing systems have to be incorporated for an adequate evaluation of the silvopastoral system.

Title: Funding of sport in the Czech Republic with application to the cycling environment Objectives: The main goal of this thesis is to analyze financial management of the Czech Cycling Federation followed with analysis of the gathered data, and revelation of its shortcomings along with a proposal of its operational improvements. Methods: Methods of Qualitative character were used in this thesis; methods of descriptive analysis and an interview. Descriptive analysis was used to evaluate the technical literature for this issue, the Ministry of education, youth and sports materials, and internal documents of the Czech Cycling Federation. The fundamental data was acquired through informal interviews and interviews from a predefined outline with the main officers of the Czech Cycling Federation. Results: The thesis describes the system of financing of sport, with a focus on cycling. It dissects the activity of the federation and redistribution of available funds. The last part contains a recommendation for creating a marketing department to help facilitate communication between sponsors, management of private funds and ensure the increasing popularity of the sport. Keywords: funding of sport, cycling, Czech cycling federation

The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze the situation in cycling in selected region -- Prague. The thesis highlights the benefits of cycling in the city and its surrounding, assess the current situation and projected development. The theoretical part focuses on access to bicycle transport in Czech Republic with regard to the National Strategy of Developement of cycling transport. The practical part deals with bicycle transport in Prague. Here we find SWOT analysis, planned development of infrastructure, funding sources and methods of promotion. This thesis also provides suggestions for improving the environment for cyclists on the basis of foreign experience.

La thèse s'intéresse aux deux écoulements présents en aviron, autour du bateau et de la palette, et aux interactions avec le système bateau-avirons-rameur. Le premier est inhabituel en hydrodynamique, à cause du cavalement important et des mouvements secondaires. La complexité du second provient de l'instationnarité et de la déformation de la surface libre. L'objectif consiste à mettre en oeuvre des méthodes numériques performantes et précises puis à les valider pour, à plus long terme, les réutiliser à des fins d'analyse et d’optimisation de la performance en aviron.Ces simulations instationnaires à surface libre sont coûteuses en ressources pour les codes RANS. Un algorithme de sub-cycling a été développé et validé sur plusieurs cas test, diminuant les temps CPU d'un facteur 3 à 4, sans perte de précision. Il est compatible avec la déformation et le raffinement automatique de maillage. Deux bases de données expérimentales sont exploitées pour chaque écoulement afin de valider le cadre de simulation. Pour celui autour de la palette, une campagne in situ et une autre en laboratoire sont utilisées. Dans les deux cas, les profils d'efforts sont bien capturés, compte tenu des incertitudes cumulées liées à la mesure indirecte de la cinématique de la palette par rapport à l'eau. Pour le skiff en configuration instationnaire, les efforts fluctuants sont bien capturés, en amplitude et en phase, pour des fréquences typiques. Des écarts inattendus (de l'ordre de 10%) sont constatés sur la valeur moyenne et restent pour le moment sans réponse probante. La structure d'une co-simulation entre les résolutions des écoulements et celle de la dynamique du système multicorps est initiée. / The thesis focuses on the two flows occurring in rowing,around the boat and the blade, and on interactions with theboat-oars-rower system. The first flow is unusual in hydrodynamics because of the large surge and secondary motions. The complexity of the second one comes from the unsteadiness and the free surface deformation. The goal is to set up efficient and accurate numerical methods to reproduce these flows and then to validate them for the purpose of analysis and optimisation of the performance in rowing.Those unsteady computations with free surface are cost lyin resources for RANS codes. A sub-cycling algorithm was developed and validated on several test cases, allowing to decrease the CPU time by a factor of 3 to 4, without loss of accuracy. It is compatible with mesh deformation and automatic grid refinement. Two experimental databases are exploited for each flow in order to validate the frame of simulation. For the flow around the blade, an in-situ campaign and a more controlled one conducted in laboratory, are used. In both cases, the profiles of the efforts are well captured, considering the cumulative uncertainties linked to the indirect measurement of the blade kinematics relative to the water. For the skiff in unsteady state, the fluctuating forces are well captured, in terms of amplitudes and phases, for typical frequencies. Unexpected errors (around10%) are observed for the mean value and remain unexplained for now. The structure of a co-simulation between the resolutions of the flows and the resolution of the dynamics of the multibody system is initiated.

This study explores the option of stimulating cycling activity as part of the strife of the modern city towards adopting the principles of sustainable development in order to shape the everyday habits of its inhabitants. The case of the city of Glasgow was chosen as an appropriate example of the potential obstacles and benefits which the implementation of cycling policies is attributed with. The Scottish city’s cycling agenda was analysed and interpreted in light of a broader international context by offering similar instances. This paper is divided into two main parts. The first one focuses on reviewing and assessing the key aspects of Glasgow’s Strategic Plan for Cycling 2016 - 2025 and questions its applicability/capability on achieving the cycling rates (10% of all journeys) stipulated by the Scottish government. This is done via a literature review and supplementary interviews by local experts and suggests that there is a strong correlation between cycling levels and governmental/ local council policies while also indicating that historical, cultural or climate-related tendencies do not have such a strong influence. The paper identifies Glasgow’s cycling plan as inclusive and contributing to the evolution of urban planning towards sustainability. Additionally, it is established that the plan creates liaisons between the state, the private sector and civil society (in the form of NGOs and local community groups as well as individuals), which has led to lasting partnerships based on the collaborative planning and execution of projects. Lastly, the analysis implies that Glasgow’s plan for cycling distinguishes deftly between applying soft or/and hard measures according to the needs of the local residents, in particular, the local users. The second part of the paper investigates the successes and shortcomings of Glasgow’s Strategic Plan for Cycling 2016 - 2025 when it comes to the case of the South City Way Development Project by drawing links from the prior analysis and additional primary data sources. The thesis suggests that the main difficulties associated with the project would stem from the inconsistent cooperation with local community groups, the lack of opportunities for citizen participation and to a lesser degree the insufficient amount of supporting cycling infrastructure (cycle parking). Cycling-related policies have proven to be able to play a significant role in achieving sustainable urban development. Glasgow City Council’s cycling plan underlines the importance of combining governmental standards, environmental needs and communal necessities but at the same time fails to implement them in practice in order to achieve the fundamental shift in behaviour set as a target by the Scottish government. Sidelining the essential partnership and cooperation with local stakeholders as well as community involvement would likely bring about fractured public support, limited outreach and thus diminished results. Having pooled considerable financial and human resources into creating the 2016 -2025 Strategic Plan for Cycling, the paper suggests that Glasgow City Council has to follow its guidelines strictly in order to lead its community towards sustainability.

Neste trabalho são investigadas as razões da maior utilização do sistema cicloviário na cidade de Rio Claro em relação à Araraquara e São Carlos, e descobrir os principais motivos da baixa demanda de usuários nas ciclovias e ciclofaixas das cidades de Araraquara e São Carlos. Esse objetivo visa compreender também o porquê da utilização ou não do espaço destinado ao tráfego de bicicletas. Tal objetivo auxilia na obtenção de informações que possam ajudar no planejamento e no projeto da implantação de ciclovias e ciclofaixas nas cidades brasileiras. Também é realizada uma avaliação individual dos segmentos cicloviários (ciclovias e ciclofaixas) existentes nas três cidades objeto do estudo e uma avaliação geral do sistema cicloviário das mesmas, mediante, sobretudo, a comparação de dados quantitativos. O uso muito maior do modal bicicleta em Rio Claro deve-se aos seguintes principais fatores: preponderância de vias com baixa declividade na maior parte da área urbana, qualidade insatisfatória do transporte coletivo nas últimas décadas, renda média inferior da população e maior influência da cultura europeia (alemã e italiana) na colonização da cidade- países que têm grande tradição no uso da bicicleta. Os principais fatores inibidores do uso do modal bicicleta em São Carlos são: topografia acidentada (em grande parte da área urbana as vias tem rampas acentuadas), maior nível de desenvolvimento socioeconômico e falta de tradição/cultura do uso da bicicleta. Em Araraquara, são: boa qualidade do transporte coletivo nas últimas décadas, maior nível de desenvolvimento socioeconômico e falta de tradição/cultura do uso da bicicleta. São ainda discutidos os seguintes pontos relevantes: tipos de segmentos cicloviários x visão da população, impacto da bicicleta na fluidez do trânsito e segurança no uso da bicicleta. / This research investigates the reasons for the increased use of cycling system in the city of Rio Claro in relation to Araraquara and São Carlos, and discover the main reasons for the low demand of users in bicycle tracks and lanes of the cities of Araraquara and São Carlos. This goal also aims to understand why the use or not of the installation to bicycle traffic. This goal is important to obtain information that may help in the planning and implementation of bicycle paths and lanes project in Brazilian cities. An individual evaluation of existing cycling segments (bike paths and lanes) in the three cities subject of the study and an overall assessment of cycling system of them, highlighting the comparison of quantitative data performed. The far greater use of the bicycle modal in Rio Claro is due to the following main factors: preponderance of routes with low slope in most of the urban area, poor quality of public transport in recent decades, lower average incomes and greater influence of culture European (German and Italian) in the colonization of the city- countries that have great tradition in bicycle use. The main factors inhibiting the use of bicycle modal in São Carlos are: topography (largely urban area routes have steep ramps), higher level of socioeconomic development and lack of tradition/culture of cycling. In Araraquara, are: better quality of public transport in recent decades, higher socioeconomic level of development and lack of tradition/culture of cycling. Are still discussed the following relevant points: types of cycling segments x populations point of view, impact of bicycles in traffic flow and safety on bicycle use.

Neste trabalho são investigadas as razões da maior utilização do sistema cicloviário na cidade de Rio Claro em relação à Araraquara e São Carlos, e descobrir os principais motivos da baixa demanda de usuários nas ciclovias e ciclofaixas das cidades de Araraquara e São Carlos. Esse objetivo visa compreender também o porquê da utilização ou não do espaço destinado ao tráfego de bicicletas. Tal objetivo auxilia na obtenção de informações que possam ajudar no planejamento e no projeto da implantação de ciclovias e ciclofaixas nas cidades brasileiras. Também é realizada uma avaliação individual dos segmentos cicloviários (ciclovias e ciclofaixas) existentes nas três cidades objeto do estudo e uma avaliação geral do sistema cicloviário das mesmas, mediante, sobretudo, a comparação de dados quantitativos. O uso muito maior do modal bicicleta em Rio Claro deve-se aos seguintes principais fatores: preponderância de vias com baixa declividade na maior parte da área urbana, qualidade insatisfatória do transporte coletivo nas últimas décadas, renda média inferior da população e maior influência da cultura europeia (alemã e italiana) na colonização da cidade- países que têm grande tradição no uso da bicicleta. Os principais fatores inibidores do uso do modal bicicleta em São Carlos são: topografia acidentada (em grande parte da área urbana as vias tem rampas acentuadas), maior nível de desenvolvimento socioeconômico e falta de tradição/cultura do uso da bicicleta. Em Araraquara, são: boa qualidade do transporte coletivo nas últimas décadas, maior nível de desenvolvimento socioeconômico e falta de tradição/cultura do uso da bicicleta. São ainda discutidos os seguintes pontos relevantes: tipos de segmentos cicloviários x visão da população, impacto da bicicleta na fluidez do trânsito e segurança no uso da bicicleta. / This research investigates the reasons for the increased use of cycling system in the city of Rio Claro in relation to Araraquara and São Carlos, and discover the main reasons for the low demand of users in bicycle tracks and lanes of the cities of Araraquara and São Carlos. This goal also aims to understand why the use or not of the installation to bicycle traffic. This goal is important to obtain information that may help in the planning and implementation of bicycle paths and lanes project in Brazilian cities. An individual evaluation of existing cycling segments (bike paths and lanes) in the three cities subject of the study and an overall assessment of cycling system of them, highlighting the comparison of quantitative data performed. The far greater use of the bicycle modal in Rio Claro is due to the following main factors: preponderance of routes with low slope in most of the urban area, poor quality of public transport in recent decades, lower average incomes and greater influence of culture European (German and Italian) in the colonization of the city- countries that have great tradition in bicycle use. The main factors inhibiting the use of bicycle modal in São Carlos are: topography (largely urban area routes have steep ramps), higher level of socioeconomic development and lack of tradition/culture of cycling. In Araraquara, are: better quality of public transport in recent decades, higher socioeconomic level of development and lack of tradition/culture of cycling. Are still discussed the following relevant points: types of cycling segments x populations point of view, impact of bicycles in traffic flow and safety on bicycle use.

Chu Pak-Keung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-88). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese; questionnaire in Chinese. / Chu Pak-Keung. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.I / ABSTRACT --- p.II / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.V / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.IX / LIST OF TABLES --- p.XIII / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / BACKGROUND OF STUDY --- p.1 / KINEMATICS OF CYCLING --- p.2 / PEDALLING RATE OPTIMIZATION --- p.2 / DIFFERENT FORMS OF CYCLING OPTIMIZATION --- p.2 / FROM EXPERIMENT TO PRACTICE --- p.3 / RESEARCH PROBLEMS --- p.3 / IMPORTANCE OF CADENCE IN CYCLING --- p.3 / MODIFICATION OF CYCLING TECHNIQUE --- p.5 / PURPOSES OF STUDY --- p.5 / SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY --- p.6 / HYPOTHESES --- p.7 / DEFINITION OF TERMS AND OPERATIONAL VARIABLES --- p.7 / DELIMITATIONS AND LIMITATIONS --- p.9 / DELIMITATIONS --- p.9 / LIMITATIONS --- p.9 / REVIEW OF LITERATURE --- p.11 / METHODS OF CADENCE OPTIMIZATION --- p.11 / ENERGY PRODUCTION AND EFFICIENCY --- p.11 / BIOMECHANICAL OPTIMIZATION ESTIMATES --- p.13 / PERCEIVED EXERTION --- p.16 / CHOICE OF OPTIMIZATION METHOD --- p.17 / MUSCLE FATIGUE --- p.18 / CONCEPT OF FATIGUE --- p.18 / FATIGUE CATEGORIES --- p.19 / DETECTION OF MUSCLE FATIGUE BY INTEGRATED EMG --- p.20 / NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE OF WORKING MUSCLE DURING CYCLING EXERCISE --- p.23 / FEEDBACK TRAINING --- p.24 / ROLE OF FEEDBACK IN SKILL ACQUISITION --- p.24 / KNOWLEDGE OF RESULTS --- p.24 / SELECTION OF BIOMECHANICAL VARIABLE FOR FEEDBACK --- p.25 / AUGMENTED FEEDBACK IN CYCLING TRAINING --- p.26 / RETENTION --- p.26 / SUMMARY OF REVIEW --- p.29 / METHODOLOGY --- p.32 / DESIGN --- p.32 / SUBJECTS --- p.33 / PROTOCOL --- p.34 / OPTIMAL CADENCE DETERMINATION --- p.34 / AUGMENTED FEEDBACK ASSESSMENT --- p.34 / 10 DAY TRAINING SCHEDULE --- p.35 / INSTRUMENTATION --- p.38 / MEASUREMENT OF EMG --- p.41 / DATA ANALYSIS --- p.43 / RESULTS --- p.46 / SUBJECT V02Max RESULT --- p.46 / IEMG SLOPE OF SUBJECTS --- p.47 / POST-TEST AND RETENTION TEST IN AUGMENTED FEEDBACK TRAINING --- p.50 / TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE --- p.50 / DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTROL AND EXPERIMENT GROUP ACROSS DIFFERENT CADENCE ERRORS --- p.53 / DISTRIBUTION OF TIME PERCENTAGE OF DIFFERENT CADENCE ERRORS --- p.54 / STABILITY IN THE VARIABILITY OF CADENCE --- p.55 / PERFORMANCE IN ACQUISITION PHASE --- p.59 / TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE --- p.60 / DISTRIBUTION OF TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DURING ACQUISITION PHASE --- p.62 / STABILITY IN THE VARIABILITY OF CADENCE --- p.64 / SUMMARY OF RESULT FINDINGS --- p.66 / DISCUSSION --- p.67 / OPTIMAL CADENCE OF SUBJECTS --- p.67 / IEMG SLOPE OF SUBJECTS --- p.67 / POST-TEST AND RETENTION TEST IN AUGMENTED FEEDBACK TRAINING --- p.69 / TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE BY MORE THAN ZERO RPM --- p.70 / "TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE BY MORE THAN ONE, TWO AND THREE RPM" --- p.70 / TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE BY MORE THAN FOUR RPM --- p.71 / STABILITY IN THE VARIABILITY OF CADENCE --- p.72 / ACQUISITION PHASE OF AUGMENTED FEEDBACK TRAINING --- p.73 / "TIME PERCENTAGE OF CADENCE ERROR DEVIATED FROM OPTIMAL CADENCE BY MORE THAN ZERO, ONE, TWO AND THREE RPM" --- p.73 / STABILITY IN THE VARIABILITY OF CADENCE --- p.74 / CONCLUSIONS --- p.76 / RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.77 / REFERENCES --- p.78 / APPENDIXES --- p.89 / INFORMED CONSENT FORM --- p.90 / PAR-Q FORM --- p.91 / YMCA SUBMAXIMAL CYCLE ERGOMETER TEST --- p.92 / IEMG GRAPHS --- p.93