Many cities in North America have stated goals in their Official Plans, Transportation Plans, and other municipal documents related to cycling. A common objective is to increase the number and proportion of cyclists for either utilitarian or both utilitarian and recreational trips. To determine whether they are progressing towards achieving their goals, it is necessary that cities periodically and accurately monitor and measure their levels of cycling. This thesis aims to assess the different methods used for monitoring cycling in Canadian cities, as well as individual cities’ overall monitoring programs. The advantages and disadvantages of different methodologies and technologies are discussed, and best practices are provided. Four case study cities: Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary and Toronto are assessed according to a list of best practices developed by Hudson et al. (2010). Themes and patterns emerge and the cities are compared and contrasted. A summary of Canadian cities’ efforts is presented and the cities are ranked in the following order: #1 Vancouver; #2 Toronto; #3 Calgary; and #4 Halifax. In addition, the results of two surveys from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area are compared at the census tract (CT) level to assess their reliability. The Bicycling Share of Work Trips (BSWT) from the Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) and Statistics Canada’s Canadian Census (the Census) is examined to identify whether research from different sources is producing the same results. Geographic Information Systems are used to examine and compare the spatial patterns of the survey results and descriptive statistics are used to quantify the differences. It was found that the surveys are producing significantly different results and that there appears to be little spatial pattern in the difference between them. This research allows Canadian cities and other interested parties to learn about the various methods for monitoring cycling, to see which methods are being used in Canadian cities, to decide which methods are best for their specific needs, and to more comprehensively understand the BSWT from the Census and the TTS.

Quercetin is a flavonoid found in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables that has exhibited powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in rodents and in vitro. In humans, the ergogenic effects of antioxidant supplementation on exercise performance and adaptations are still equivocal and need to be further investigated. A powerful antioxidant such as quercetin may inhibit the high levels of oxidative stress associated with the high volume and intensity of exercise training seen with trained individuals. There have been equivocal findings thus far regarding the ergogenic effect of either acute or chronic supplementation of quercetin on exercise performance. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of 28 days of daily quercetin supplementation on cycling time trial performance and the associated exercise performance variables. METHODS: Thirteen trained cyclists (VO2peak 58.8 ± 3.9 ml/kg/min) were recruited for this study from the University of Texas at Austin and the local Austin, Texas community and participated in this placebo controlled, randomized, crossover designed study. After initial assessment of baseline data (VO2peak, lactate threshold, and two familiarization time trials), participants began daily supplementation of either an antioxidant supplement containing vitamins and quercetin (Q-VIT: 1000mg quercetin, 820mg Vitamin C, 40mg Vitamin B3) or the same vitamin supplement without quercetin (VIT: 820mg Vitamin C, 40mg Vitamin B3). A simulated time trial using an electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer in which subjects had to complete a set amount of work (kJ) as fast as possible was performed on the last day of supplementation. Measured performance variables included: time to completion, average power output, average oxygen consumption (VO2), Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER), gross mechanical efficiency (GE), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). RESULTS: Quercetin had no effect on HR, RER, power output, or RPE. There was also no difference in time to complete the time trial between treatments. However, an approximately ~2% higher, but not significantly different, VO2 during Q-VIT supplementation significantly lowered the GE compared to VIT (Q-VIT: 20.49 ± 0.26 % and 19.94 ± 0.33 %; VIT: 20.9 ± 0.24 % and 20.37 ± 0.33 %; p < .01) at 15 and 30 min respectively. CONCLUSION: Chronic supplementation for 28 days with a quercetin based antioxidant supplement lowered cycling gross efficiency in well trained cyclists, but it did not affect performance time. The results of the current study suggest that chronic supplementation with quercetin does not influence aerobic exercise performance in well trained athletes. / text

Motorized transport modes have caused many transport problems. There is an increasing concern about the importance of sustainable transport. Cycling has been widely recognized as a sustainable transport in many European countries. However, although cycling is one of the major transport modes in many new towns, the role of cycling is still only be regarded as a recreational activity in Hong Kong. The significance of utility cycling, especially the use of bicycle for education trips, has been undervalued. Therefore, this study aims to address on the importance of utility cycling to children and to increase cycle use among school children in new towns. Through carrying out an interview survey at the new town which has the highest cycle use, major obstacles to promote cycling to school have been found. As most of them are related to psychological barriers, the use of traditional approach which is infrastructural measure may not be effective. Non-infrastructural measures, so-called as ‘soft measures’, are proved to be useful to encourage more children to cycle to school. With reference to foreign experience, it is found that a coordinated approach involving many different parties is the success to promote utility cycling. This dissertation concludes by giving out recommendations on how each party could make use of soft measures to promote cycling as an alternative transport for school children in new towns. Although this study cannot reflect the whole picture of utility cycling, it could stimulate more interest for further research on the development of cycling in Hong Kong. / published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

No description available.

PowercranksTM are a device that enables the user to cycle with each leg acting independently of the other. This type of cycling forces the rider to actively pull up with the hip and knee flexors throughout the recovery phase of the pedaling cycle. While the metabolic benefits of training with PowercranksTM are known, no research has investigated what, if any, strength benefits result from training. The purpose of this study was to examine how strength, submaximal oxygen consumption, hear rate, gross efficiency, and muscle activation were affected by 6 weeks of PowercranksTM training, compared to a traditional cycling training. A total of 1 1 recreationally trained adult subjects (5 males, 6 females) were randomly placed into either the PowercranksTM group (PC) or regular cranks (RC) group. Subjects trained 3 days per week following a progressive interval protocol for 6 weeks. Prior to and following training, subjects were measured for peak isokinetic knee and hip flexion/extension strength, timing of muscular contractions, and submaximal VO2, heart rate, and gross efficiency. A MANOVA for strength values pre-post were not significant. However, large effect sizes implied that there were increases in knee and hip flexion for the PC group (d =1.00,1.63, respectively). Heart rate was found to be significant at all 4 time points (p = 0.001, 0.011, 0.001, 0.000 for time points 1-4, respectively). MANOVAs for VO2 and GE did not yield significant results. Muscular timing was also unchanged as a result of training. While the PowercranksTM did not have an effect on VO2 and GE in untrained subjects, HR decreased, suggesting an aerobic benefit. The possible strength benefits in untrained subjects resulting from PowercrankTM training could prove beneficial for individuals looking to recover from injury. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

A few stories about the time I rode my bike across the Southern United States.

Many cities in North America have stated goals in their Official Plans, Transportation Plans, and other municipal documents related to cycling. A common objective is to increase the number and proportion of cyclists for either utilitarian or both utilitarian and recreational trips. To determine whether they are progressing towards achieving their goals, it is necessary that cities periodically and accurately monitor and measure their levels of cycling. This thesis aims to assess the different methods used for monitoring cycling in Canadian cities, as well as individual cities’ overall monitoring programs. The advantages and disadvantages of different methodologies and technologies are discussed, and best practices are provided. Four case study cities: Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary and Toronto are assessed according to a list of best practices developed by Hudson et al. (2010). Themes and patterns emerge and the cities are compared and contrasted. A summary of Canadian cities’ efforts is presented and the cities are ranked in the following order: #1 Vancouver; #2 Toronto; #3 Calgary; and #4 Halifax. In addition, the results of two surveys from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area are compared at the census tract (CT) level to assess their reliability. The Bicycling Share of Work Trips (BSWT) from the Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) and Statistics Canada’s Canadian Census (the Census) is examined to identify whether research from different sources is producing the same results. Geographic Information Systems are used to examine and compare the spatial patterns of the survey results and descriptive statistics are used to quantify the differences. It was found that the surveys are producing significantly different results and that there appears to be little spatial pattern in the difference between them. This research allows Canadian cities and other interested parties to learn about the various methods for monitoring cycling, to see which methods are being used in Canadian cities, to decide which methods are best for their specific needs, and to more comprehensively understand the BSWT from the Census and the TTS.

Thesis (M. Plan.)--University of Adelaide, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 213-224).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / Title from title screen (viewed Nov. 6, 2007). Includes bibliographical references. Online version of the print original.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan, 1975. / Also issued in print.