BOKU Measurement Bike in Action in Burgenland

The first test day of our research project SARA – "Safe Cycling at Any Age" – took place on August 29, 2025, in Rust at Lake Neusiedl. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., individuals aged 6 and older had the opportunity to demonstrate their cycling skills. For this purpose, a parking lot in Rust was transformed into a cycling course for one day. Participants were tasked with completing various practical challenges, such as target braking, left and right turns, slalom riding, and emergency braking. To assess and analyze both subjective and objective cycling competencies, a variety of methods were employed, including surveys, expert observations, video recordings, and measurement sensors attached to the bicycles.

Among the bicycles used was the measurement bike from the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). This bike is equipped with sensors to measure speed, braking forces, steering angles, and pedaling cadence. A total of 23 out of the 97 participants completed their test rides using the BOKU measurement bike. Additionally, physiological parameters such as heart rate and skin conductance were recorded for these participants.

It was an exciting and insightful day and a fantastic opportunity to collect valuable data on the cycling skills of Austrians.

This project is funded by the Austrian Road Safety Fund (VSF).