From motivation to satisfaction in parent–child recreational cycling: The roles of route priorities and perceived benefits

Abstract

Parent–child recreational cycling combines active recreation, nature contact, and shared family time, yet research often conflates pre-trip motivations, route-selection criteria, perceived benefits, and post-trip satisfaction. This exploratory study distinguishes these constructs using survey data from 115 parents with parent–child cycling experience in central Taiwan. Measures included travel motivation (20 items), route-selection priorities (25 items), and 16 post-trip evaluation items. Item-content review separated 14 perceived experiential-benefit items from two global satisfaction items. Horn's parallel analysis supported one dominant factor for each multi-item scale; composite scores and robust ordinary least squares regression were therefore used instead of a complex latent-variable model. Internal consistency was high for motivation (α = .927), route-selection priorities (α = .958), and perceived benefits (α = .918), and acceptable for overall satisfaction (α = .777). Motivation was associated with route-selection priorities (β = .229, p = .033) and perceived benefits (β = .763, p < .001). Route-selection priorities were not independently associated with perceived benefits (β = .076, p = .255). Perceived benefits were associated with overall satisfaction (β = .518, p < .001), whereas motivation and route-selection priorities were not significant after benefits were included. The findings distinguish criteria used to screen routes from outcomes realized during travel. Family cycling management should combine transparent route information, child-appropriate grading, safety and maintenance, and experience design that supports bonding, restoration, learning, health, and nature contact.