People face different barriers when choosing to commute by bike. The predominance of
these barriers in users’ perception could explain the low cyclability rates present in many
cities. An investigation of cyclists’ perceptions is developed using the data set obtained
through a survey made to individuals from Quito, Ecuador. This study is aimed to evaluate
the perception of a group of individuals about barriers to bike use, in particular, assesses
how perception varies according to the available information and the different profiles.
Using ordered probit models, the study compares the overall evaluation of bike acceptance
before and after making individuals reflect on the importance of certain variables (e. g. lack
of bike infrastructure, city temperatures, etc.). The main results show that to improve bike
use acceptance, enhancing multimodality or providing facilities like electric bikes must be
considered. The results also demonstrated a high heterogeneity of individuals’ perceptions
caused by their socio-demographic characteristics and the environmental context.
