Shifting Gears:
The evolution of beginner cyclists
About the study
Utilitarian cycling (using a bicycle as a means of transport) has many benefits, to both the natural environment and human health and wellbeing. Little research to date has examined how the experiences people can have as utilitarian cyclists could lead to changes in their beliefs, behaviours, and identities regarding the natural environment, transport, and the design of their city.
This longitudinal study will follow beginner utilitarian cyclists over a six-month period to explore how their experiences may stay the same or change. The findings from this research may help justify further investment in cycling programs and infrastructure. Furthermore, to better understand how beginner cyclists can be supported in maintaining their cycling, we will also track changes in cyclists’ commute difficulty and enjoyment, motivations, and social contact with other cyclists over time.
Eligibility criteria
To participate in this study, you must:
- Be aged 18 or above.
- Be currently living in the Greater Melbourne area.
- Have been using a bicycle as a means of transport for one year or less.
- Have been travelling by bicycle at least once per week on average since you began cycling.
- Be proficient in English.
- *Note. Cyclists can participate in both of our studies, however it may be very repetitive for you as we use many of the same questions in both surveys.
If you are unsure if you live in the Greater Melbourne area,
you can click in on this map and zoom in to see whether you fall within the Greater Melbourne boundary.
Details
What will I be asked to do?
If you wish to participate, you will be asked to complete three online surveys over a six-month period. The first survey will take approximately 25 minutes to complete, and the second two surveys will take 10-15 minutes to complete. Please note that if you do not complete the second survey, you will not be invited to complete the third. For each survey you complete, we will enter you in a raffle to win a $15 digital gift voucher. As there are three surveys, there will be three raffles with the raffle winners drawn at the end of each three-month period. Here is a breakdown of the odds of winning for each raffle:
• Raffle 1: You will have a 1 in 4 chance of winning a $15 voucher. Raffle winners to be drawn around October 2024.
• Raffle 2: You will have a 1 in 3 chance of winning a $15 voucher. Raffles winners to be drawn around January 2025.
• Raffle 3: You will have a 1 in 2 chance of winning a $15 voucher. Raffles winners drawn around April 2025.
Confidentiality
The information you provide will be de-identified, that is, no identifying information will be used in reporting the study results. As such, any information you provide is confidential and the raw data will only be accessible to the listed researchers.
Withdrawal rights
Participation in this research is completely voluntary. You can withdraw at any time during the survey and withdraw your unprocessed data up until one month following the last wave of data collection.
Data storage and use
The raw data will be stored on a secure university sever for five years. Upon publication, the data may be stored on the Open Science Framework, as is common practice for research transparency. This means that other researchers can download the de-identified data file with participant responses in it. However, the responses you provide are not linked to any identifying details about yourself, as we will remove any identifying information. The de-identified data will remain in an online research repository (the Open Science Framework) if uploaded and may be used in future research projects.
Study findings
We will post a summary of the study findings in this Google document when they become available later in 2024.
Click here* if you wish to download a copy of the plain language statement, which has more information about your participation in the study.
Melbourne Moves 