Pulse of the Pedal: Electrocardiogram-Based Assessment of Stress in Urban Bicycling

Abstract

As awareness of cycling’s multifaceted benefits—spanning health, environmental, economic, and social domains—continues to grow, adoption rates are steadily increasing. Despite these benefits, urban cycling environments pose significant challenges, as cyclists share road space with motor vehicles and pedestrians, thereby increasing the risks of crashes and conflicts. Most existing research has focused on infrastructure aspects; however, few studies have explored physiological dimensions by measuring cycling stress across a ride. This research addresses this gap by using electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors to measure cyclists’ physiological stress levels while accounting for fatigue during cycling an urban route, with heart rate (HR) serving as the primary indicator. Twenty-two participants completed the same urban route twice in different directions while wearing an ECG device. Results from statistical analyses reveal that specific intersections and directional sequences through which cyclists move have a significant influence on their stress levels. Stress tends to increase with the accumulation of physical fatigue. Moreover, stress levels indicated by HR were also elevated at unsignalized intersections with unclear right-of-way, and at major signalized intersections with high traffic volume. These findings demonstrate that considering physiological data provides valuable insights into cycling experiences and can inform transportation planning and intersection design for safer, more comfortable urban cycling experiences.