Cycling Typologies in Victoria

2020–2021

Despite the health and environmental benefits of increasing cycling participation, participation rates in Australia remain low compared to other international settings. To inform the provision of infrastructure and potential campaigns to encourage individuals to cycle, it is necessary to understand current attitudes toward cycling and to identify potential riders (people who do not ride, but may be interested in cycling).

Bicyclist typologies are used to segment populations into distinct groups with shared needs and concerns regarding cycling. The ‘Geller Typology’ is a commonly used typology internationally. A set of questions is used to identify an individual’s interest in cycling and their preferences toward particular types of cycling infrastructure. The Geller Typology categorises individuals into one of four groups; Strong and Fearless, Enthused and Confident, Interested but Concerned, and No Way No How.

This project aims to show the distribution of the Geller Typology Groups across 37 Local Government Areas (LGA) in Victoria, including those that make up Greater Melbourne and a selection of regional centres. By doing so, LGAs can gain an understanding of the level of interest in cycling in their area, and tailor infrastructure and potential programs and/or campaigns to encourage greater cycling participation.

This project is led by Associate Professor Ben Beck and Dr Lauren Pearson and is funded by VicHealth.

Relevant publications

• Beck, B., Winters, M., Nelson, T., Pettit, C., Leao, S., Saberi, M., Thompson, J., Seneviratne, S., Nice, K., & Stevenson, M. (2023). Developing urban biking typologies: Quantifying the complex interactions of bicycle ridership, bicycle network, and built environment characteristics. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 50(1), 7–23. doi.org/10.1177/23998083221100827