Cycling accessibility and equity: a systematic literature review

Although cycling is widely promoted as a sustainable and equitable mode, research on cycling accessibility is fragmented and its relationship with equity has not been systematically reviewed. This paper presents a PRISMA-based systematic review of 71 peer-reviewed studies that measure access to destinations by bicycle, e-bike, or bike-sharing and explicitly address equity. We propose a theoretical framework that integrates cycling accessibility componentes with normative equity perspectives, including egalitarian and sufficientarian approaches and the distinction between horizontal and vertical equity. Additionally, we classify each study using the four accessibility components proposed by Geurs and van Wee (Citation2004) (land-use, transport, temporal, and individual/social), the accessibility and equity metrics applied, and whether accessibility is calculated or perceived. Publications on cycling accessibility and equity have increased sharply since 2019, with more than half of studies conducted in China and the United States and very few in the Global South. Cumulative and gravity-based measures predominate, although competition-based and behaviourally informed models are emerging. Most work focuses on land-use and transport components, while temporal variation and individual differences in needs and capabilities are rarely considered. Travel time is the most common impedance measure, with some studies also incorporating physical effort or monetary cost. Equity is typically assessed through group comparisons or the Gini coefficient, with limited use of decomposable or spatially explicit measures such as the Palma ratio, Theil index, or bivariate Moran’s I. Only a small number of studies examine perceived accessibility, which often diverges from calculated measures. The review highlights the need for stronger vertical equity frameworks, better integration of perceived and calculated accessibility, and explicit modelling of temporal variability, particularly in bike-sharing and multimodal contexts.