Why don't we bike to the Go? Exploring the potential for cycling to suburban transit stations

This research develops a cycling typology of suburban transit passengers. The primary goal was to identify whether there are specific GO Transit customer segments who may be willing to cycle to the station. Passengers were invited to complete an online survey, which assessed cycling perceptions and current cycling behaviour. A principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to develop a typology of respondents, which revealed four distinct types of transit riders. All-around cyclists were found to currently cycle to the station, while the remaining three types (recreational cyclists, safety-conscious, and facility-demanding) exhibited varying degrees of interest in cycling. A significant gender difference was observed in the predominantly female safety-conscious type. There was a pervasive perception across the three non-cycling groups that cycling is an impractical way to reach the station. Infrastructure improvements and a shift in perceptions will be essential to increase rates of cycling to stations. Key words: cycling; first/last-mile; suburban transportation; mode choice

Why don't we bike to the Go? Exploring the potential for cycling to suburban transit stations

This research develops a cycling typology of suburban transit passengers. The primary goal was to identify whether there are specific GO Transit customer segments who may be willing to cycle to the station. Passengers were invited to complete an online survey, which assessed cycling perceptions and current cycling behaviour. A principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to develop a typology of respondents, which revealed four distinct types of transit riders. All-around cyclists were found to currently cycle to the station, while the remaining three types (recreational cyclists, safety-conscious, and facility-demanding) exhibited varying degrees of interest in cycling. A significant gender difference was observed in the predominantly female safety-conscious type. There was a pervasive perception across the three non-cycling groups that cycling is an impractical way to reach the station. Infrastructure improvements and a shift in perceptions will be essential to increase rates of cycling to stations. Key words: cycling; first/last-mile; suburban transportation; mode choice

The Effect of Sweetness on the Efficacy of Carbohydrate Supplementation During Exercise in the Heat

The aim of the present study was to investigate potential mechanisms responsible for the improvement in prolonged exercise capacity in hot environments with exogenous carbohydrate. Eight endurance-trained men ([Formula: see text]60.5 ± 2.4 ml kg−1•min−1, mean ± SE) cycled to exhaustion on three occasions at 60% [Formula: see text] at an ambient temperature of 35 °C. They ingested either a sweet 6.4% carbohydrate solution (SC), a nonsweet 6.4% carbohydrate solution (NSC), or water (W). Exercise capacity was significantly increased with SC and NSC compared to W, the improvements corresponding to 15.8% and 11.8%, respectively. No difference in exercise capacity was seen between SC and NSC solutions. Plasma glucose concentrations were higher during the SC and NSC trials compared to W, significantly so at 10 min and at fatigue. Rates of carbohydrate oxidation were higher in the SC and NSC trials, although the rates never declined below 2.1 ± 0.2 g•min−1 in the W trial. There was no difference in the rate of rise of rectal temperature between trials, but there was a trend for subjects to fatigue at higher temperatures during the two carbohydrate trials. In conclusion, exogenous carbohydrate, independent of sweetness, improves exercise capacity in the heat compared to water alone. Key words: cycling, thermoregulation, maltodextrin