Discussion
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to show that a targeted cycling training program with a duration of three months improves cycling competence in older people.Compared to the aCG, participants of the IG made an average of 2.51 less errors in the cycle course after intervention, unaffected of baseline cycle course performance, gender, bicycle type, age, and cycled distance (daily average). As the cycle course is very challenging, an improvement to a flawless performance was not expected. Descriptively, the IG improved in all skills measured in the cycle course compared to the aCG, except for riding curves (slalom) and slow cycling (see Supplementary file 3 “Cycle course errors”). Regarding the latter, there was hardly any potential for improvement, as few errors were made at baseline. For the slalom task, we assume that IG participants did not improve because they intentionally missed a cone to get safely through the cycle course or touched a cone while attempting the task.The effect of the training program remained stable over six to nine months after the intervention, even though the long-term measurement was carried out after the winter period when people cycle less or not at all. However, it was found that a higher inclusion age of the participants weakened the long-term effect. This could be due to the fact that with increasing age, training breaks might have a greater influence on cycling competence and continuous training is indispensable (use it or lose it) [The effects of the SiFAr intervention were evident in a very healthy and fit collective of older people, who would not have been expected to have any limitations or great potential for improving cycle competence if only health and functional parameters were considered. Our study demonstrated that the need for bicycle training among older active people should be determined not only on the basis of physical parameters, but mainly on the basis of subjectively perceived need. Self-reported limitations seem to be a very early marker for further decline as research has shown in different areas, e.g. in fall [On average, women made 2.31 more errors than men and this effect persisted over time. There could be several reasons for this finding: Women of this generation are possibly more inexperienced in cycling than men, at least as far as the period before retirement age is concerned. Men historically cycle for both leisure-oriented but also work-related reasons (commuting to work, etc.), whereas women tend to cycle only for leisure-oriented reasons [The intervention effect was independent of the bicycle type used, suggesting that the SiFAr program successfully addresses the different characteristics and challenges of both unmotorized bicycles and e-bikes. As already suspected in our study protocol [Based on our observations, we assume for older adults that the individualized bicycle equipment and settings have a stronger influence on the performance in the cycle course than the bicycle type. We had the impression that dismounting and mounting was much easier for those with a low step frame than for those with a high top tube. Also a lower saddle height seemed to improve dismounting and mounting by allowing the foot to make contact with the ground sooner [