Observational study reveals high levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among urban bike park users, suggesting dedicated cycling infrastructure promotes community exercise.
The objective of this study was to create a profile of bike park users and explore how bike parks support physical activity (PA). Baker Creek Bike Park in Knoxville, TN, has 13 PA zones, including cycling and playground features, and a greenway. The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities was used to collect user demographics and activity levels. 1040 observations were completed from 2021–2022. Of the 3,443 individuals observed, 68.8% were male, most were adults (54.0%), and only 5.6% were minorities. Overall, 54.3% of users were observed using cycling features. Notably, 64.2% of park users engaged in moderate-vigorous PA, with males participating at higher intensities compared to females. Findings suggest Baker Creek Bike Park successfully promotes PA, particularly cycling. Parks and recreation departments should consider adding bike-specific features to promote PA. Future research should assess whether new bike parks increase PA and explore ways to enhance access for underrepresented groups.
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Gregory et al. (2026) studied this question.
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