Bicycle performance monitoring on a two-way protected cycle lane related to different separation elements

Although the use of bicycles is increasingly promoted and widespread across Europe, cyclist fatalities have remained stable since 2010, likely due to insufficient safe of the infrastructure. The study investigates bicycle performances and cyclist’s safety in urban context to assess which factors influence the perception of the users. Employing an instrumented bike with advanced sensors and eye-tracking device, the effects of environmental and infrastructural factors were assessed. Conducted in Florence, Italy, the research collected data from 20 participants on a 1.2 km route divided into sections with varying separation types, including curbs, vegetation, barriers, and parking zones. The safety assessment was realized comparing speed with participants’ fixation patterns, declared safety, infrastructural elements and vehicular flows across cycle sections. The accelerometer data quantified pavement-induced vibrations, categorizing comfort levels per ISO standards, and highlighting bicycle performance in riding comfort. Statistical analysis, including ANOVA and correlation assessments, identified that duration of fixations in the front area (r = 0.469, p < 0.001) and declared safety perception (r = − 0,449, p < 0.001) most influence the speed in the analyzed cycle section. These findings lead to reveal information on the impacts of cycle infrastructure on safety perception and users behavior. This research underscores the necessity for human-centered design in cycling infrastructure to enhance urban cyclists’ safety and comfort.