| dc.description.abstract | All Bodies on Bikes is a volunteer organization that views itself as a movement to create size inclusivity in biking through education, creating a welcoming environment and education for new riders, welcoming people of all sizes and fitness levels, as well as reaching out to the industry to develop products for riders of all sizes. The challenge All Bodies on Bikes wanted to examine was how to increase opportunities for non-traditional cyclists to join in the sport.
To understand the challenge of creating an organization that caters to non-traditional cyclists, I created a survey to examine the demographics of the community, motivations for riding, whether those motivations are intrinsic or extrinsic, barriers to participation for non-traditional participants in cycling and outdoor sports, as well as using the Optimal Distinctiveness Theory and inclusion as a framework for how participants might view their identity as it intertwines with the All Bodies on Bikes community.
My findings include demographics and center around three main themes: Identities, Participation, and Motivation. Participants identify with All Bodies on Bikes in both expected and unexpected ways. All Bodies on Bikes is more diverse in all demographic categories than the wider cycling community, and this difference is a strength as their members feel like their diversity is valued and they are welcomed and seen. Based on the adjusted Motivations of Marathoners scale, the participants with the highest levels of self-reported participation in All Bodies on Bikes had a statistically significantly higher agreement with motivation subscales related to affiliation, life meaning, personal goal achievement, emotional coping, life management, and recognition scales. While community is an important driving factor for the survey participants, the personal factors and factors related to intrinsic motivation are of higher importance than extrinsic factors such as recognition. | |
