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Bicycle Design Factors PDF
Bicycle Design Factors PDF
Table 3-1: Average dimension, eye height and speed of other user types
1.5 m (5 ft)
Comfortable lateral clearance
0.9 m (3 ft)
Essential maneuvering space 1.5 - 1.8 m (5 - 6 ft) bicycle length
0.6 m (2 ft)
2.4 m (8 ft)
(10 in.)
200 mm
vertical clearance of
handlebars
75 -100 mm 400- 450 mm
(3 - 4 in.) (16 - 18 in.)
Figure 3-2:
Typical bicycle dimensions and operating space
0.9 m (3 ft)
recommended space between two cyclists
3.0 m (10 ft)
recommended path width for two-way bicycle travel
Figure 3-3:
Bicyclist operating space
Advanced Bicyclists
Advanced bicyclists are experienced bicyclists who use their bicycle as they would a motor
vehicle. They are biking for convenience and speed and want direct access to destinations with
minimum detour or delay. They typically bike with motor vehicle traffic, biking on the roadway,
but need sufficient operating space to eliminate the need for themselves or a passing motor
vehicle to shift position.
Basic Bicyclists
Basic bicyclists are casual or new adult and teenage bicyclists who are less willing or able to
operate in motor vehicle traffic without provisions such as bike lanes or paved shoulders or roads
with lower speeds and motorized vehicle traffic volume. They prefer to avoid roads with higher
speeds and motor vehicle traffic volumes unless there is ample roadway width to allow motor
vehicles to pass. They prefer direct access to destinations using either low-speed, low traffic-
volume streets, bike lanes, wide paved shoulders, or shared use paths.
Children
Children cicyclists are teenage or younger who bike on their own or with supervision. Their
biking may be initially monitored by adults and are eventually allowed independent access to the
road system. They still need access to key destinations surrounding residential areas, including
schools, recreational facilities, shopping, or other recreational areas. Residential streets with low
motor vehicle speeds, linked with shared use paths and streets with well-defined pavement
markings between bicycles and motor vehicles can accommodate children. Children need
supervision, a basic knowledge of traffic laws and bicycle operating skills before they can safely
use on-road bikeways with higher motor vehicle volumes and speeds.
Planners and designers need to take into account children’s lack of skill and experience when
designing and planning transportation facilities. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on
routes to schools, playgrounds, parks, libraries, and at high volume and complicated
intersections is critical. Children do not have the experience or knowledge of traffic laws that
adult bicyclists have. Children’s’ ability to perceive and respond to the road or path environment,
and their ability to make quick decisions and perform multiple tasks may not be developed. A
network of integrated on- and off-road bikeways with connections between the on- and off-road
bikeways, are important to accommodate child bicyclists.
The following list outlines some of the ways to accommodate all bicyclist types:
● Neighborhood and residential streets functioning at appropriate operating vehicle traffic
speeds and volumes.
● Providing bike lanes on streets posted for lower speeds through the key travel corridors
so that bicyclists can avoid higher volume, and/or higher speed roads.
● Providing paved shoulders on roads and highways, according to volumes and speeds of
motor vehicle traffic as described in Chapter 4 of this manual.
● Providing shared-use paths in independent corridors.
● Establishing and enforcing vehicle traffic speed limits to minimize speed differentials
between bicycles and motor vehicles and by using traffic-calming strategies.
Advanced bicyclists prefer roadways that accommodate shared use by bicycles and motor
vehicles to minimize stopping and to maintain speed. This can be accomplished by:
● Providing bike lanes or wide outside lanes on collector and arterial streets with an urban
cross section design (i.e., with curb).
● Providing paved shoulders on highways with a rural cross section design (i.e., without
curb).
● Establishing and enforcing speed limits to minimize speed differentials between bicycles
and motor vehicles and by using traffic-calming strategies.
To optimize design for persons with disabilities, planners and designers must address surface
cross slope, surface material treatment, minimum path width, maximum running slope of 5%,
curb ramp locations and design, and other elements that may create localized obstructions
affecting use. Removal of all accessibility barriers will maximize opportunities for the largest
number of people.
The Access Board, the federal body responsible for drafting accessibility guidelines is working to
supplement those guidelines that the Access Board has issued for the built environment and will
address unique constraints specific to public rights-of-way. When finalized, they will become a
part of the ADAAG. The provisions being developed include surface treatment, minimum path
width, passing space, and changes in the level surface.