Abstract
Aim.
In many Outdoor sports difficulty scales are obligatory.
For instance the International Scale of River Difficulty is a stan
-
dardized scale used to rate the safety of a river. This scale is used
all over the world. In rock climbing different kinds of difficulty
scales have been established. To ensure comparability the UIAA
(International Mountaineering and Climbing federation) devel
-
oped a table showing the relationship of difficulty grades between
the different scales. However, in mountain biking there are numer
-
ous types of different scales that have spread locally. Most of the
difficulty scales in mountain biking just reflect the technical dif
-
ficulty of the trail itself, but give no information about risk param
-
eters like steep slopes or sharp stones that surround the trail. The
practical experience shows that especially mountain bike novices
are strongly influenced by these parameters. The aim of this study
was to quantify how much these surrounding parameters influence
mountain bike riders of different skill levels when rating the dif
-
ficulty of a mountain bike trail.
Methods.
29 Subjects (12 Mountain bike novices, 17 Experts)
volunteered to participate in this study. They had to analyze and
rate 18 Mountain bike riding situations of different skill levels.
These were shown on pictures and were randomly presented to
each subject separately. While analyzing the pictures gaze behav
-
ior of the subjects was recorded by a Tobii Eye tracking System
(Tobii Glasses, www.tobii.com). Data was analyzed by using the
Tobii Studio Eye Tracking Software Version 3.1 (Tobii Glasses,
www.tobii.com).
Results.
Gaze behavior of mountain bike novices and experts
differ significantly. While experts mostly focus on the trail itself to
analyze its grade of difficulty, novices observe the surrounding risk
parameters. In some cases the novices gaze these risk parameters more intensive than the trail. Furthermore, experts examine single
key sections on the trail while novices just get an overview of the
trail.
Conclusion.
The results show that novices and experts are differ
-
ently influenced by risk parameters that surround the trail. Conse
-
quently these parameters should be included in a mountain bike dif
-
ficulty rating system that is valid for every mountain bike skill level.
In many Outdoor sports difficulty scales are obligatory.
For instance the International Scale of River Difficulty is a stan
-
dardized scale used to rate the safety of a river. This scale is used
all over the world. In rock climbing different kinds of difficulty
scales have been established. To ensure comparability the UIAA
(International Mountaineering and Climbing federation) devel
-
oped a table showing the relationship of difficulty grades between
the different scales. However, in mountain biking there are numer
-
ous types of different scales that have spread locally. Most of the
difficulty scales in mountain biking just reflect the technical dif
-
ficulty of the trail itself, but give no information about risk param
-
eters like steep slopes or sharp stones that surround the trail. The
practical experience shows that especially mountain bike novices
are strongly influenced by these parameters. The aim of this study
was to quantify how much these surrounding parameters influence
mountain bike riders of different skill levels when rating the dif
-
ficulty of a mountain bike trail.
Methods.
29 Subjects (12 Mountain bike novices, 17 Experts)
volunteered to participate in this study. They had to analyze and
rate 18 Mountain bike riding situations of different skill levels.
These were shown on pictures and were randomly presented to
each subject separately. While analyzing the pictures gaze behav
-
ior of the subjects was recorded by a Tobii Eye tracking System
(Tobii Glasses, www.tobii.com). Data was analyzed by using the
Tobii Studio Eye Tracking Software Version 3.1 (Tobii Glasses,
www.tobii.com).
Results.
Gaze behavior of mountain bike novices and experts
differ significantly. While experts mostly focus on the trail itself to
analyze its grade of difficulty, novices observe the surrounding risk
parameters. In some cases the novices gaze these risk parameters more intensive than the trail. Furthermore, experts examine single
key sections on the trail while novices just get an overview of the
trail.
Conclusion.
The results show that novices and experts are differ
-
ently influenced by risk parameters that surround the trail. Conse
-
quently these parameters should be included in a mountain bike dif
-
ficulty rating system that is valid for every mountain bike skill level.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Pages (from-to) | 18 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| ISSN | 0022-4707 |
| Publication status | Published - 12.2012 |