Impact of cycling infrastructure on cyclists experience and sense of flow in two cities

Journal article, 2026

Many cities seek to increase cycling as part of broader strategies to reduce the 
reliance on private cars and alleviate traffic congestion. Nonetheless, promoting 
cycling can be a challenge, as it requires building appropriate infrastructure that 
offers positive and functional cycling experiences, thus inviting more people to 
bike. This paper investigates cyclists’ perceptions of existing cycling infrastructure 
to find how the designed infrastructure impacts their sense of flow. Using mobile 
video ethnography with 30 cyclists in two cities, Gothenburg (Sweden), and 
Curitiba (Brazil), the study examines how infrastructure shapes their sense of flow 
and related behaviours. The findings show that cyclists’ sense of flow is frequently 
disrupted in both cities, with similar types of infrastructural disruptions, producing 
comparable behavioural and experiential consequences. We also find that these 
situations reflect recurring design tensions, contextual constraints, spatial trade-offs, 
and institutional capacity of implementations that affect the compliance with the 
existing infrastructure manuals’ recommendations. The paper offers an experience- 
based perspective on cycling infrastructure, highlighting the value of complementing 
technical guidelines with more user-centred and designerly approaches that attend 
to cyclists’ functional and experiential needs.