Modell för energiåtgång vid cykling : Cykelvägars geometri och påverkan påcyklistens energiförbrukning

Sammanfattning: Cycling is a means of transportation that has received growing attention in recent years, as a result ofbenefits such as space-efficiency and environmental aspects. One example of the growing attention isthe Swedish Government's publication Strategi för Levande städer, where a goal of a quarter of alltransports should be made by bicycle, walking or public transport in 2025 is set. One way to nudgemore people onto bikes is by planning and building bike paths which provide the ability to maintainhigh speeds with few stops and only light slopes. The intention of this study was to create a model forcyclists’ energy usage depending on the geometry of bike path, i.e. slopes, turns and stops. Bymeasurements of velocity on roads with different inclination, relationships between gradient andspeed was made. These were then used, together with a number of assumptions, to create a model withthree different profiles, depending on skill level and fitness of the cyclist. The model could be used as atool for planning bike paths which require low energy output by the cyclist, which equals to faster andmore comfortable transportation. Consequently, this could make cycling more attractive and increasethe proportion of travel made by bicycle. The complete model was considered to be of acceptableaccuracy when compared to real measurements, although stops and turns were not included due totime restraints.