A Comparative Study Of Outdoor Cycling Spotr In Changsha And Huaihua

China is a country of bicycles, which have developed from a way of transport tothe sport of sport. With the progress of China’s socialist modernization and thequickening of the urbanization process, the pursuit of better living and better health hasbeen widely accepted by the general public. To push forward the Sport for All programand to build a harmonious society, it is of vital importance to improve the Sport for allsystem.Outdoor cycling is a recreational sport integrating qualities of speed, strength andendurance. It’s characteristics of being recreational and liberal make it possible for thegeneral public to practice it without requirements of time and space, attractingwide-spread interests and participation. As urbanization picks up momentum, a growingnumber of people are moving into cities. Traffic problems have become a bottleneck forthe development of big cities. The promotion of low-carbon transport by cycling isbeing welcomed in many cities. At the Mayors Forum on Sustainable Development ofthe7th Central China Exposition held in May2012, mayors from different cities cycledalong the Xiangjiang River landscape route to promote low-carbon traffic and greentransport, calling for walking, cycling and public transit as main means of transport,low-carbon living ideas, and green transport methods. Through an investigative study ofthe cycling sport in Changsha and Huaihua, this paper analyses the mode and dynamicsof development of the cycling sport in the two cities, and factors with an influence onthe sport. The paper can be used to provide reference for government policy-making andpromote outdoor cycling in the two cities of Changsha and Huaihua.This paper uses existing literature, questionnaires, fieldwork and interviews, andstatistical analysis to investigate the outdoor cycling in the two cities of Changsha andHuaihua. The authors studies the participation of cycling in the two cities and looks atthe differences and underlying reasons. Recommendations are provided in the paper.The paper concludes that outdoor cycling is being widely liked and practiced bycitizens in Huaihua and Changsha. Its characteristics of being recreational, healthy andlow-carbon makes it widely participated. But significant differences exist between thetwo cities, Cycling is at a smaller scale in Huaihua comparing with Changsha. There aremore male than female cycling enthusiasts, and most of them fall in the17-35age group. Urban planning and construction in Changsha and Huaihua have not created adequatecycling lanes in Changsha and Huaihua, which is even more significant in Huaihua.Conclusions and recommendations are based on the study of the existing problemsand comparisons regarding the development of outdoor cycling in Changsha andHuaihua.