To play but not for travel: Utilitarian, hedonic and non-cyclists in Cagliari, Italy

Active mobility is the most convenient, healthy, environmental friendliness, suitable for short distance mode of transport. The individual and common benefits linked to the active mobility are recognized all over the world and they justify the growing interest in promoting the bike use.

In order to suitably promote cycling, it is important to identify the factors that lead to choose the bicycle.

This paper, through a factor analysis and a Hybrid Choice Model, analyzes the way in which the bike is perceived by “utilitarian bikers”, “hedonic bikers” and “non-cyclists”. The data used are drawn from a survey conducted by University of Cagliari (Italy) among a sample of 2752 individuals.

The findings confirm a significant influence of socio-demographic variables on the propensity to be hedonic, utilitarian or non cyclists and that latent attitudinal variables can discriminate between utilitarian and non cyclists but cannot discriminate between hedonic and non cyclists.